Guest post by Jaspreet Singh

Hemp can serve humanity as a potent tool to protect the environment. Termed a marvel crop, hemp has innate properties to create products that can cohabit with the environment. When the earth is facing grave challenges regarding its ecosystem, hemp can go a long way to help sustain it. While numerous medicinal, industrial, and commercial advantages of hemp have long been common knowledge, the environmental benefits of this plant are now becoming clear as well. If you are exploring options for sustainable growing processes, hemp may be the solution you need.

Here are 10 environmental benefits of using hemp plants:

1. Absorption of CO2

Carbon is simply unmatched if you are talking about carbon sequestration. One hectare of industrial hemp plantation can sponge up 15 tons of CO2 per hectare. When you also take into account the pace of hemp’s growth and abundance of leaves, it comes across as one of the quickest tools for CO2-to-biomass conversion. Compared to agro-forestry, it is much more efficient, breathing in around four times of CO2. It is no wonder that hemp is called nature’s air purifier. Hectares of hemp add a high amount of oxygen to the atmosphere.

2. Fight against deforestation

Every year, vast expanses of forest are cut down for housing, paper, and other goods. Rampant deforestation is going on across the world, even threatening the existence of green cover. However, hemp still offers some hope. Trees take decades to mature, while hemp grows to its full extent in four months. Hemp provides an alternative to mature trees as a raw material for paper and other goods, making it a powerful tool in the effort to save forests.

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3. Making of an excellent ground

Few things are better than hemp for developing an outstanding ground for your crops. Hemp plantations attract pollinators like bees, small birds, and animals. The quick growth of hemp also contributes to the improvement of soil fertility. When used in crop rotation, hemp hardly leaves any space for weeds, reducing any need to use harmful herbicides and weed killers. Most other crops bring in little value as compared with hemp.

4. Prevention of soil erosion

A viable solution for soil compaction and erosion, hemp is nothing less than a boon for farmers. Plants having a fibrous tap root system, such as corn, result in soil compaction. On the other hand, there are plants like soybeans, which have a sturdy tap root system that doesn’t penetrate far below the topsoil. For farmers who rely excessively on these crops, soil compaction may become a major issue. Moreover, the harvesting of cotton, wheat, coffee, or palm oil increases soil erosion, making it untenable for the soil to maintain itself. Hemp can not only prevent soil compaction and erosion, but also repair soil if the damage has already been done.

5. Needs little water to grow

Hemp requires little water as compared to natural fiber plants like cotton or plant-based milk options such as soya or almond. Hemp needs approximately 30 - 40 cm of water per growing season or rainfall equivalent to grow. Once hemp is a few weeks old, it is drought resistant as well. A lack of adequate moisture will also force the plant to mature in less time.

6. Regeneration of soil

Farmers across the world rotate their crops to replenish the soil with nutrients. Hemp is a very useful plant for crop rotation for several reasons. Hemp roots go deep down into the soil, thus holding the soil together, preventing erosion, and loosening the ground, making it easier for more delicate crops later. Hemp also produces biomass in considerable amount, which transfers the nutrients back into the soil. When farmers need to grow crops requiring high quality soil, they should consider sowing hemp in their rotation.

7. Decontamination of soil

Hemp has the ability to flourish in toxic soil and in so doing, can also draw out some of the harmful chemicals. It will grow without any of the deleterious effects this soil might have on on other crops, sucking all the heavy metals and toxins into its various parts: leaves, stalks, and stems. Hemp was deployed to impressive effect after the Chernobyl disaster in 1986. When it comes using such hemp for human consumption, experts have two opinions on it. Some feel it is safe for human consumption, as the contaminants did not have enough time to harm the plant. Others believe that hemp is an extraordinary bioaccumulator, but that we should refrain from using it for human consumption.

8. Support of sustainable farming

Most farmers are losing their soil because of monoculture growing practices and climate change. Hemp can serve as a remedy for them. The GMO monoculture of harvesting corn and wheat has resulted in more dry ground and soil erosion. Many farmers now complain about the lack of quality in the ground. Hemp, thanks to its long, quick-growing taproots, helps immensely with soil stabilization. Digging deep into the soil, hemp can also survive in drought-like conditions. Some countries are using hemp effectively for controlling erosion. Using hemp for crop rotation contributes to richer, cleaner soil.

9. Reduction in pesticides usage

Unlike many other crops, hemp doesn’t require any pesticides or herbicides. Soil exposure to these elements not only causes water contamination but also infuses toxicity in crops, which may lead to severe diseases like cancer. Using hemp drastically reduces the need for pesticides, protecting the environment from harmful chemicals. Along with this environmental role, hemp also brings down the expenses of farmers on pesticides.

10. Plenty of nutrition & no waste

Hemp is among the few plants that fall into a zero-waste category. Hemp seeds are a great source of essential fatty acids – Omega 3 and Omega 6 – that push up community and control cholesterol levels. These seeds are a bank of calcium, sodium, iron, sulfur, zinc, phosphorus, and potassium. Arginine and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), very useful in preventing heart disease, are also present in hemp seeds.

Fiber can be extracted out of the stalks of hemp. Hemp fiber is durable and has anti-microbial properties. The leaves and flowers of the plant can be used for making hemp essential oils. Raw hemp leaves are full of antioxidants, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and digestible globular proteins. Overall, hemp roots have exemplary medicinal qualities.

Every part of the plant is usable and nothing needs to be thrown away as waste.

Final thoughts…

Hemp can play an important role in transitioning to a more eco-friendly society. Applications of hemp move across an array of sectors, granting it the potential to transform society at various levels.

Jaspreet Singh is the co-founder of the NGO Hemp Foundation, which works for the empowerment of economically challenged farmers in Uttarakhand, India. He works as a bridge between the people and businesses to help farmers prosper economically. He is also passionate about adventure tours, trekking, and long bike rides.