http://perdurabo10.tripod.com/id654.htmlI have posted some other websites that only discuss hemp being grown here. I am going to copy and paste a few things in this article.
Read number 10. We could have less dependence on oil products with the use of Hemp. I bet that fact alone will get Bush and his cronies to object to it being legalized. This crop would hurt too much big business. What a true shame. A general search would weild other simular information that is truly interesting. If everyone saw how beautiful hemp fabric is, most would love the stuff. I have some and it is so nice. I use it to make cloth diapers.
The Weed That Can Change The World
America's idiotic war on drugs has included the amazing hemp plant among its targets. That is because hemp is cannabis and can be altered and grown as marijuana. We can argue strongly about the lack of wisdom in attacking this plant as a mind altering drug, which it is not. This article, however, one of many found on the web, argues the beneficial qualities of the plant. It is among the best, most comprehensive and compact presentations I have seen.
Hemp Facts:
1) Hemp is among the oldest industries on the planet, going back more than 10,000 years to the beginnings of pottery. The Columbia History of the World states that the oldest relic of human industry is a bit of hemp fabric dating back to approximately 8,000 BC.
2) Presidents Washington and Jefferson both grew hemp. Americans were legally bound to grow hemp during the Colonial Era and Early Republic. The federal government subsidized hemp during the Second World War and US farmers grew about a million acres of hemp as part of that program. Among other things, the fiber in the stalk was used for the manufacture of rope, a valuable component by the military until the advent of nylon.
3) Hemp Seed is far more nutritious than even soybean, contains more essential fatty acids than any other source, is second only to soybeans in complete protein (but is more digestible by humans), is high in B-vitamins, and is 35 percent dietary fiber. Hemp seed is not psychoactive and cannot be used as a drug. See TestPledge.com
4) The bark of the hemp stalk contains bast fibers which are among the Earth's longest natural soft fibers and are also rich in cellulose; the cellulose and hemi-cellulose in its inner woody core are called hurds. Hemp stalk is not psychoactive. Hemp fiber is longer, stronger, more absorbent and more insulative than cotton fiber.
5) According to the Department of Energy, hemp as a biomass fuel producer requires the least specialized growing and processing procedures of all hemp products. The hydrocarbons in hemp can be processed into a wide range of biomass energy sources, from fuel pellets to liquid fuels and gas. Development of biofuels could significantly reduce our consumption of fossil fuels and nuclear power.
6) Hemp grows well without herbicides, fungicides, or pesticides. Almost half of the agricultural chemicals used on US crops are applied to cotton.
7) Hemp produces more pulp per acre than timber on a sustainable basis, and can be used for every quality of paper. Hemp paper manufacturing can reduce wastewater contamination. Hemp's low lignin content reduces the need for acids used in pulping, and it's creamy color lends itself to environmentally friendly bleaching instead of harsh chlorine compounds. Less bleaching results in less dioxin and fewer chemical byproducts. It grows in months compared to trees, that take years to grow.
8) Hemp fiber paper resists decomposition, and does not yellow with age when an acid-free process is used. Hemp paper more than 1,500 years old has been found. It can also be recycled more times.
9) Hemp fiberboard produced by Washington State University was found to be twice as strong as wood-based fiberboard.
10) Eco-friendly hemp can replace most toxic petrochemical products. Research is being done to use hemp in manufacturing biodegradable plastic products: plant-based cellophane, recycled plastic mixed with hemp for injection-molded products, and resins made from the oil, to name just a very few examples.
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