Triaxis Energy

Hemp is one of the world’s most versatile plants and despite the fact that it used to be a major industry in North America it is not as popular today.  The main reason is likely because of it’s relation to Marijuana.  Although both are in the same family (Cannabis) Hemp does not posses significant amounts of the psychoactive drug Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to make it a drug form.  Hemp only contains approximately 0.3% THC.

Hemp has been in use for thousands of years and  is more benificial than people may think.  Hemp has been used to make things such as rope, paper, concrete, textiles, fuel and more.  For example the Declaration of Independence was printed on Hemp paper. In Europe and China Hemp hurds are mixed with lime to produce concrete called Hempcrete which also acts like a insulator and moisture regulator.  In 1941 the Ford motor company designed an automobile with plastic body panels made from 70% cellulose fibers from Hemp.  These body panels were 10 times more dent resistant than steel.  Even Mercedes Benz uses Hemp fibre in their production of car door panels.  Hemp also produces a stronger source of paper than wood pulp.  Pretty amazing.

Environmentally Hemp is more versatile than the wood pulp industry.  A little comparison: 1 acre of land used to grow Hemp over the course of 20 years produces the same amount of pulp fiber as 4.1 acres of Trees.  The production of wood pulp to make paper also is a very nasty process which involves chemical separation and bleaching which produces bi-products such as dioxins which are quite harmful to the environment.  Hemp pulp production can substitute chlorine bleaching safely with hydrogen peroxide.  Also Hemp production requires less time and resources to grow and manufacture into paper than trees.  More forests could be saved by switching to Hemp as a source of paper.

Although Hemp has been proven superior to wood in paper production in the past big money and the wood industry in general have managed to keep it’s production limited.  Years ago a newspaper publisher by the name of William Randolph Hearst who owned millions of acres of prime timber land used his publishing power to spread fear about the evils of Hemp and its relation to Marijuana.  In 1937 Pierre DuPont who held rights to the sulphuric acid wood pulp paper process patented the nylon rope made from synthetic petrochemicals.  DuPont along with his backup Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon were able to institute The Marijuana Tax Act severely crippling the Hemp industry with heavy taxes.  This was mainly done to help protect the interests of big money in the timber, petrochemical and cotton industries.  But hey, they never hurt anybody right?  It’s an excellent plant with great production potential and I think we should increase it’s usage over timber.  Better for us and the Environment.