Earth of hemp

As cotton production damages our soils, dries them out and utilizes vast quantities of water, it is time to turn toward other more promising resources. The culture of hemp from our ancestors could well be the answer to our needs without destroying the environment or creating wastage.

With a short life cycle (4 months) the plant is easily integrated in an agricultural crop rotation and can therefore stimulate the organic activity of the soil. Suffocating weeds, it improves the state of the soil through better ventilation. After harvest it leaves a clean field, enriched in mineral elements and a deeper, more fertile top soil. Hemp sanitizes the air and contributes to a reduction of green house gas, absorbing CO2 at four times the rate of most plants. The plant is drought resistant, does not require irrigation and still produces good yields. Due to its resilience and toughness, it does not require pesticides, insecticides, weed killers or fungicides. Its harvesting is mechanized whereas cotton utilizes chemical products in the harvesting process. It is therefore easier to process organically, offering a real reduction in heavy metals and others chemical products in the soil. Hemp may stop deforestation in a substantial way since it is an excellent wood substitute. It may reduce the need for oil based products and even gradually replace concrete or other key synthetic building materials, all of which are essentially non biodegradable.