Climate change is an immediate threat to the future of the planet and it’s a no-brainer that Global warming is one of the major factors behind climate change. The increased rate of carbon emission is one of the major reasons for global warming. In this blog, we attempt to highlight how hemp can help reduce the level of carbon dioxide and fight against global warming.
The unprecedented increase is human activities since the industrial revolution, and mainly since the mid-20th century, has given rise to the level of CO2 released from the earth’s surface. Hence the phrase ‘carbon footprint’. Today, the amount of CO2 in the earth’s atmosphere is much higher than what it would ever have been without this human activity.
How Hemp Can Come To Rescue
The humble Hemp plant, more popularly known as industrial hemp, is a natural solution to much of the excessive CO2 emission in the air. It is an incredibly versatile plant that had been in human use for thousands of years until in the 20th century when it was declared an outlawed plant in many countries of the world.
A simple act of omission lead to this though it is believed that there are conspiracy theorists who believe that it was more an act of commission. Psychoactive cannabis or marijuana belongs to the same plant chain and they both belong to the same species, Cannabis Sativa. The difference is that hemp does not have the psychoactive properties unlike its cannabis cousin.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the infamous chemical that gives marijuana its ability to lead to a “high”. On the contrary, the THC level in the industrial hemp is limited to 0.3%. The reason why the product of this plant does not have the psychoactive capacity of cannabis which is considered more a drug.
This hemp plant has a number of benefits for human beings and the environment we live in and reducing the carbon footprint is only one of them.
Hemp Biofuel Instead Of Fossil Fuels
The excess release of CO2 in the earth’s atmosphere is because of our sheer dependence on fossil fuels like petrol and diesel. Hemp biofuel is one of the most readily available renewable energy sources that can replace fossil fuels.
Industrial hemp is a feasible source for producing biodiesel. One of the main plus points of using hemp for producing biodiesel is that this plant is even able to grow on infertile soil which is no more suitable for cultivating other crops, especially foodgrains. It is a rapid growing plant thatneeds no additional fertilizerssince it is naturally resistant to pests.
Hemp biofuel can also be used at temperatures lower than other plant-based fuels currently used.
Reducing The Level Of Carbon Dioxide
When we plant more trees, we present an effective solution for addressing the carbon emission issue, for plants absorb carbon dioxide. Hemp is a plant with a particularly high level of efficiency in this context. Experts came up with the fact that every ton of hemp can sequester 1.62 tons of CO2 or more simply put 1.62 tons of CO2 can be trapped by one tonne of hemp plant.
The other amazing positive side of Hemp is, it can also reintegrate CO2 back into the soil through biosequestrationThis is a process of smoldering a harvested plant slowly. Harvested hemp produces charcoal-like biochar while smoldering slowly post-harvest. When this biochar is mixed with the soil ,it is returning the carbon back to the soil, rather than releasing it into the atmosphere.
Hemp For A Safer And Greener Planet
The above mentioned points are only few amongst the vast array of incredible advantages that can be derived from hemp that can help us find natural solutions to the climate change issue, and reducing our carbon footprint is only one of them. It is time to acknowledge and give due recognition to the ancient wisdom associated with the use of this incredible plant.
