A Wee intro to the Author - Katie Taylor

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Hemp for the Healing of our Earth

George Washington once proclaimed “Make the most of the hemp seed, sow it everywhere.”

Hemp, a miracle plant that in centuries past was used to make an endless list of items, for maps and bibles to shipping ropes, could be used to solve many of our world issues today.

With over 8 million people dying from the most aggressive forms of cancer every year, to plastic choking our oceans, leaving countless creatures screaming for help, heroic hemp could literally save our Earth. Surely, using hemp to create rainforest-friendly paper, stronger and more durable clothing and fuel cars all without harming our beautiful Earth and help curb world hunger would only make sense. Why waste a miracle material that has over 30,000 known uses and can help all on our Earth thrive and revitalise?

Clearly visible if you step a single foot on any beach, you can tell that plastic is chocking our oceans to an extremely murderous point- dead beautiful creatures laying lifeless amongst plastic on the shore, while our atmosphere is burning with the deadliest of man-made carbon emissions.

Hemp could be the answer to these pressing issues, being suitable for making homes, plastic, paper and clothing, to name but a few. Eliminating needs to cut down forests is vital in protecting them, and all their severely endangered biodiversity.

One single acre of hemp staggeringly produces the same amount of paper as 4 acres of trees.

Not only this, but hemp further helps heal our Earth by kindly consuming four times the amount of C02 than trees!

Hemp can also play a major part in protecting a precious force of life- wondrous water. With more perilous chemicals entering our water systems every second, the production of hemp paper uses considerably less chemicals than wood-based paper.

Also playing a part in water poisoning is the intense cultivation of pesticide-laden cotton.

Compared to toxic cotton, which uses an astounding 50% of the USA’s poisonous pesticides, hemp needs absolutely no toxic pesticides, while releasing vital nutrients into the soil. Additionally, hemp uses at least 50% less water than toxic cotton, while producing eight times the strength of material.

So much so that Calvin Klein stated “I believe that hemp is going to be the fibre of choice in both the home-furnishing and fashion industries.”

Thankfully, we are waking up to the possibilities of hemp clothing, as seen every year on April 20^th where leading brands such as Converse release hemp shoes.

Presently, everyone having a safe and comfortable home is no longer a priority for our governments, suggested by at least 300,000 people being homeless in the UK, figures which are constantly rising.

Again, healing hemp has the power to help.

When mixed together with water and lime, hemp can be formed into Hempcrete, an organic concrete. At 1/9 the weight of normal concrete, and increased durability, not only do hemp houses have resistance to dramatic weather conditions, hemp also acts as insulation. Hence saving you some well-earned money and electricity. Hemp homes also have the potential to save lives- not only do they last 500 years, they’re rot, bug, mould and pest free, while being fire resistant. Now that sounds just perfect! Furthermore, one of the best possibilities of healing hemp is that it can do almost anything conventional plastic can, but biodegradable and sustainable! Pens, sunglasses and cars are just the start of an endless list of healing hemp’s plastic possibilities.

There is no doubt that hemp is a fantastic plant, capable of miracles in our world.

But why then is it not more commonly used? As hemp is in the same plant family as marijuana, the two are often understandably confused, creating a polarised opinion with the false association that hemp will get you high. This couldn’t be further from the truth- they are completely different plants, with hemp having denser foliage and different shaped leaves, while benefiting our environment.

Also, hemp has incredibly low levels of THC, the compound found in marijuana that has the potential to get you high. It’s important for you to understand all the confusion and people’s reluctance towards hemp, but also to educate them on the truth- hemp will not get you high, and the astounding benefits certainly heal our Earth for the better. So much so, that hemp is legal in the majority of countries, including the UK. 

Right now, millions around the globe will be pumping the most hazardous of gases into our atmosphere when they need not be! As was the intention from the beginning of oil-powered vehicles, hemp seeds can be easily converted into non-toxic biodiesel, lessening the transport sector’s huge 13% cause of climate change.

Rudolf Diesel, the inventor of diesel, had visualised that filtered hemp oil along with other plant-based oils, would be used to power engines. Without causing awful acid rain, destroying the ozone layer and contributing to cruel climate change, healing hemp seeds can be made into fuel sources, from pellets to liquids and gases. And the best thing about hemp biodiesel is that it can be used in our current cars that use regular oil, meaning no waste of existing materials and extra expenses.

What’s more, back in 1941, Henry Ford built a car out of hemp, plastic and soy, creating a model not only lighter than steel, but 10 times the strength and durability.

Imagine how that could positively impact our world for the better!         

The constant spraying of more and more toxic pesticides and fertilisers on our food crops are having detrimental effects on worldwide biodiversity, of which no person can escape the health effects.

While creating ideal conditions for food crops to grow in, hemp is a saviour in revitalising and revitalising our severely depleted soils from toxic pesticides. Hemp’s quick growing deep roots vastly improve soil stabilisation, breaking up large clumps of soil, resulting in more productive crops next season.

Also, with very dense foliage, hemp naturally blocks out unwanted weeds, allowing itself to grow without the use of poisonous agrochemicals. Purifying the Earth at Chernobyl after the nuclear disaster was one vital way to help reduce health impacts on sufferers nearby. Scientist conducted as study there, finding hemp removed nuclear contaminants and toxic chemicals better than anything else, a process called Phytoremediation. Confirming this astonishing finding, another study where soil contaminated with sewage was helped by planting hemp, dramatically extracting masses of lead, cadmium and nickel. Simply, it is not worth the detrimental risks of climate change to mankind and our Earth, both environmentally and economically.

Not only can hemp replace some major causes of climate change, it also helps eliminate carbon emissions- one tonne of hemp eliminates a staggering 1.63 tonnes of carbon, a process called carbon sequestration.

So, hemp clearly works its magic right into the roots of our Earth, but what else does this perfect plant perform?

Magic on our health!!! “CBD is the best anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-anxiety superfood you’re not eating.”

Another out of the endless possibilities of hemp, as demonstrated in this quote from Mind Body Green, is that hemp can work wonders on your health.

Hemp seeds have many benefits on your general health, ranging from reducing chronic pain and easing anxiety and depression, to helping aid digestion and reduce your risk of heart disease- it’s difficult to see why anyone wouldn’t want a sprinkle of hemp seeds on their breakfast!

Also filled with high-quality proteins and vital vitamins, hemp seeds contain gamma-linolenic acid, a healthy acid found in breast milk, essential for great general health. Is it any wonder with these general health benefits that hemp can also cure cancer and help people with epilepsy and autism?

Kalel Santiago, a young boy with autism so severe he couldn’t speak, started taking hemp (CBD) oil daily, and amazingly within two days he could speak again. Imagine all the joy that brought to him and his family, one of which could be spread to many others suffering desperately with similar issues. Further supporting this miraculous recovery, a hospital study done where they treated autistic children with CBD oil, and a massive 80% and more saw huge improvement in their heart-breaking conditions- now doctors in the UK can prescribe it!

Planting healing hemp evidently would help save our World, offering a solution to many pressing issues. Also, with so many opportunities with hemp, it can significantly reduce unemployment while remarkably help people suffering from life threatening health issues, and re-establish harmonic balance between ourselves and nature.

For better health, a happy and healthy environment and a happier world, let’s support hemp in healing our world.

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Written by Katie Taylor -  3rd year student at Mearns Academy, in Laurencekirk, Scotland.