Understanding Hemp Sustainability and its Impact on the Environment

Hemp is one of the most naturally sustainable substances found in nature. However, over a few decades, unsustainable practices are more evident than it was in the past.

Some of the major risk factors include rapid climate change, increasing economic gap between nations, and poor working conditions.

The ways to tackle the challenges is to introduce sustainable farming as well as industrial techniques for a better future of our forthcoming generations.

However, in order to succeed, we require a feasible way of thriving socially, environmentally, and economically.

Industrial hemp can be a game changer in this regard.

Even though hemp belongs to the family of marijuana, it is a harvest crop. It does not have any psychoactive effect. It is also used to make pure natural CBD oil.

Hemp is a resilient plant that serves over 2500 purposes. It is inherently sustainable, which allows us to overcome the hurdles of irresponsible farming and improper manufacturing.

Read on to know more about hemp sustainability and its impact on the environment.

Hemp – What is it?

Hemp is an interesting plant. Before getting deeper into the sustainability factor, let us learn more about the plant.

As mentioned earlier, hemp belongs to the marijuana family. However, the crop does not produce THC in concentrated levels. Hence, it cannot be consumed for fun or recreation.

For centuries, hemp was used to produce goods and fabrics by different civilizations. It contains typical fibrous material like jute that can be transformed into different types of products.

It also contains cannabinoids, the natural compounds that can be used for making CBD oil for pain and other potent supplements.

Moreover, hemp is a more sustainable alternative to traditional crops and cotton.

Sustainable Practices You Should Know

It is imperative to implement sustainable practices to protect natural resources as well as slow down the fast changing climatic conditions. The process can be described with the help of the model of sustainability. According to the model, sustainability depends mainly on three independent factors, all equally important and interdependent – social, environmental, and economic.

Social Practices

Socially sustainable practices make sure that human rights are globally respected. The area covers various topics including inequality, poverty, social injustice, fair wages, and similar matters related to human rights. To achieve sustainability in the true sense of the term, industrial practices together with farming should have a positive social effect.

Environmental Practices

The environment is widely affected by the changes we are experiencing. It is only obvious to think of environmental sustainability in the right way.

The earth is blessed with natural resources available on the planet. Hence, it is crucial to manage these resources carefully and ensure survival as living beings.

Economic Effect

The economic effect is one of the main reasons that prevented people from adopting all sustainable practices. As sustainability benefits do not always lead to fast economic development, it leads to a lack of focus on lawmakers and companies. Hence, a sustainable model should fuel overall economic develop and encourage worldwide acceptance and adoption.

What Makes Hemp Intrinsically Sustainable

Hemp is considered sustainable due to the various factors noted below:

• Higher Nutrient Returns: Poor agricultural practices extract nutrients from the soil without allowing it to replenish. This leads to soil degradation. As a result, it threatens the productivity of food crops and their overall health. Hemp is considered sustainable as it returns a considerable percentage of nutrients into the ground through the process of retting. This leads to healthier soil, which helps slow down erosion and keeps the farmlands healthier over a longer period.
• Less Water Use: Cotton is a traditional crop that makes almost one-third of textiles worldwide. As such, it requires a large amount of water for healthy growth. However, industrial hemp requires very little water, less than one-third. So, it does not pressurize natural resources.
• Higher Yield Production from One Space: Hemp grows in various types of soils and climatic conditions. It also thrives in smaller spaces. According to studies, an acre of hemp yields up to 8.7 tons under suitable conditions. As a result, even in a small piece of land, you can grow help without compromising with the finances or yield. Moreover, it restores soil health and allows the growth of food crops after harvest.
• Naturally Resistant to Pesticides and Fungus: The environment is facing the consequence of rampant use of insecticides, pesticides, fungicides, and other chemicals. Unlike other crops, hemp is resilient and naturally resistant to fungi, pests, and diseases. Hence, farmers are not under any compulsion of using an excessive amount of pesticides and chemicals on the crops.
• Helps Deforestation: According to research, we are losing approximately 19 million acres of rain forest per year. A significant part of the rain forests is converted into agricultural land and harvested for making paper. Because industrial hemp grows in smaller spaces, it slows down agricultural deforestation. In addition, the crop has a higher concentration of cellulose than trees to produce sturdier paper without depleting natural resources.
• Multipurpose Use: Industrial hemp can be used for making a wide range of products. Hemp is not only used for making fabric but also for producing pure natural CBD oil, paper, soaps, biofuel, and others. You may also find hemp in building materials like hempcrete, which reduces carbon emissions indoor.
• Hemp has a Higher Profit Margin: As hemp grows much faster than other crops, it has a higher profit margin. Depending on the quality and breed, some hemp types are ready for harvest within 60 days, compared to paper-producing trees that can 10 to 20 years.

Although industrial hemp is a popular item for various reasons, it is a profitable crop. A robust and competitive plant could outcompete weeds. Moreover, hemp products are easier to recycle and reuse, and 100% biodegradable. Hemp proponents claim that it can contribute to global warming reduction because it has the potential of taking out enormous amounts of carbon dioxide each acre.

Hemp is widely used for natural oil production, including cannabis oil. Buy cannabis oil online.