facts

Below is paper I wrote for a college course. You may find it interesting.

The Hemp Car: Quick Facts & Link to site.

Change the world, help the environment, all by what you choose to purchase.



The cultivation and use of Cannabis sativa; Hemp. The Myths and Facts Surrounding Cannabis Sativa L.; Hemp. To defy a myth, industrial hemp is not the same as marijuana. Cannabis Sativa L., also known as industrial hemp, contains less than 0.3% percent THC, the chemical that gets people high. The marijuana plant, though in the same genus as Cannabis Sativa L., contains 5-15% THC, and is planted one to two plants per square meter for full bushy leaves. The hemp plants are planted close together to form a dense crop to reduce the amount of leaves and to ensure tall stocky plants. (HIA) When I worked for The Body Shop, an environmental store found in most malls and all across the world, there was a line of products made from hemp. At first when I saw the picture of what I thought was a pot leaf I was confused. I soon found out what industrial hemp was, its benefits, and its connection with restoring the environment back to balance (Body Shop). However, the lack of governmental support for a crop that is extremely versatile, eco-friendly, and manufactured into thousands of products shows how money can rule the world. It seems the anti-drug campaigns are getting mixed up with the true definitions of industrial hemp and ignorance is breeding ignorance. Referring to the botanically distinct differences of industrial hemp and marijuana, John W. Roulac says, "Should garden poppies be plowed under because another closely related member of the genus is grown for heroin? Yet this very logic is used to maintain the current suppression of hemp farming in the United States" (7). Hemp is not only an Eco-friendly crop, but will take the place of timber, petroleum and other renewable resources that are vital to our environment, even though there are conspiracies to keep it illegal to grow in America. ("Horizons") Hemp's earliest piece of history that has been discovered is a piece of hemp fabric dating approximately 8,000 BC (HIA). Hemp was one of the earliest crop plants of China. According to Chinese history and archeological findings, hemp use in China spans approximately 5,000-6,000 years back. China was the first region to use hemp in cultivation, taking a wild plant and domesticating it for use. Even 5-6 thousand years ago, the Chinese knew of its diverse uses and environmental value (i.e. drying the plant to fertilize the soil) (Bray). From China hemp seed was traded and traveled to Korea and from Korea to the Japanese island of Kyushu. In Japan hemp was used for numerous items such as: eel fishing lines, straps for their wooden sandals, and paper. Not only did hemp play a part in everyday life, but was also used for spiritual relics aswell. Hemp symbolized purity and fertility. A shrine near Osaka, Japan was erected for dedication to hemp. The name of this shrine is Taimdo, which translates into "hemp shrine". Hemp was then traded and traveled across Asia, along the Mediterranean, and into Europe. Artifacts of hemp dating back to approximately 400 BC were found in Stuttgart, Germany, and in 1150 AD the Moorish Spaniards created the first paper mill of western civilization. Hemp was used in the construction of the Egyptian pyramids and the first printed bibles were on hemp paper. Nearing closer to modern civilization, in the 1700's into the 1800's, Russia exported hemp more than any other agricultural export. Galileo kept his notes on none other than hemp paper (Trivia). When the English sailed across the waters to settle in what is now America, they brought with them hemp and soon set up their own hemp farms in the colonial towns they settled. Americans, at that time, were legally bound to grow hemp. The New World was not the only place manufacturing hemp products such as rope, cloth and paper, but Canada, Mexico, Central and South America also had hemp farms ("Horizons"). Hemp farming in Colonial America lasted past the American Revolution. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew industrial hemp. Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag using hemp cloth. Abraham Lincoln used hemp oil (derived from the seeds) to light his reading lamps. Francis Scott Key wrote the first verse of the Star Spangled Banner on a hemp envelope. The original drafts of the Declaration of Independence were written on paper made from hemp. Benjamin Franklin built one of the first hemp paper mills in America. The covered wagons of the pioneers were made using hemp canvas. The original LEVI'S were made from hemp cloth. Henry Ford built and powered a car using hemp in the 1930's. During World War II, after years of decline in the American hemp industry, pro hemp war posters were distributed across the country urging people to grow hemp (due to hemp's ability to reach maturity within approximately 100 days) to help efforts in winning the war. (Trivia). The decline of hemp, pre-civil war, was mostly in part from the invention of the Cottongin in 1793 by Eli Whitney. The cotton engine (Cottongin), not technically a machine at all, changed the way cotton was harvested. Prior to the invention of the Cottongin, cotton took too long to harvest. The invention of the Cottongin was not welcomed by the slaves. Though harvesting hemp was difficult because of the difficulty in separating the core fibers, harvesting cotton was even more time consuming before the Cottongin. With its invention more cotton crops could be planted and the slaves would be forced to work longer days to keep up with the harvesting of the 'new crop of the south', cotton (Smith). Though industrial hemp was still a crop regularly planted, the anti-drug scare of the 1920'-1930's increased the declining farming practices to the point that people were scared to farm the crop. The short reemergence was only because of (WWII) the government contradicting itself and persuading farmers to grow hemp for war efforts. After the war, the push to grow hemp drastically stopped and infact once again the misconception of hemp being marijuana began to emerge. The government seems to go dilly dally, back and forth on what the definition of hemp is. Needless to say, the decline can also be linked to the invention of the decorticator, a machine that would surpass any harvesting method for hemp so far, thus threatening the timber/paper industry. Along with the conspiracy theory of the timber/paper industry pushing for the criminalzation of hemp/marijuana, Dupont after freshly obtaining a patent on making plastics using oil and coal and a wood pulp for paper are also suspects in the pay off theory. (Kentucky Moment). In 1931, the All-Union Scientific and Research Institute of Bast Crops was established in the town of Glukhov, and is still in existence, to study the hemp plant. For almost 70 years it has developed technologies for growing and harvesting in different soil and climatic zones, processing of the harvested plant and designing the equipment used to harvest crops. (P. Goloborod'ko) Hemp is an extremely eco-friendly crop! The plant itself is naturally resilient to pests; therefore the need for pesticides is rarely required when the crop is grown in rotation. Hemp also 'stomps out weeds', it is considered a natural herbicide by not allowing weeds to grow by smothering them out. Because hemp seeds are sowed densely and the plant grows quickly, averaging 16 feet high, and reaching maturity in approximately 100 days, the crop does not give weeds a chance to thrive. The leaves are left to drop and thus in turn, hemp, is a self-mulcher, adding nutrient rich humus to soil ("Horizons" and HIA). Poland has used hemp's replenishing characteristics and actually reversed damaged done by contamination to the soil from heavy metals. ("HIA") Cannabis Sativa L. can adjust to any climatic conditions it is grown in, that is why it is a thriving crop all around the globe. Regions such as Europe, Asia, North America, South America, and Central America can easily cultivate this crop. Hemp has soil-enhancing capabilities because the soils stay cooler than other row crops, because of hemp's height and quick maturity time. After the crop has been harvested farmers take a portion of the crop and lay it over the now barren soil and let the hemp dry and regenerate the soil, as a result returning 60 and 70% of the nutrients back into the ground. Like many crops, its penetrating roots help eliminate erosion and aerate the soil. Hemp is also a high yield crop. One acre of hemp, over a year, produces more biomass than most crops. It is a low polluting renewable resource that can also be used to replace wood and fossil fuels. ("Horizons" and HIA) Hemp can help eliminate the excessive need for many of our environmental resources. The long fibers of the stalk are used in textiles. The fabric is much more durable compared to cotton and takes dyes better aswell. The long fiber can also be used in replacement of fiberglass; hemp being biodegradable, whereas fiberglass is hazardous. The medium fiber is used for paper, hygiene products, and diapers, thus eliminating the need to cut down trees for paper ("Horizons"). Hemp paper can be recycled more times than timber paper (HIA). The short core fiber is used in the manufacturing of plastics to replace the need of petroleum. The short core fiber can also be mixed with lime, producing a strong, lightweight form of concrete and plaster. Short core fiber can also be a stronger substitute for wood. The hemp plant as a whole, no matter how you break it down and use it, holds antimildewing and anitimicrobial properties. Hemp can not only replace the need for timber, petroleum and cotton (which is a crop that requires heavy amounts of pesticides, consequently contaminating the environment and harming animals) but can also replace the need for gasoline; hemp oil can be used to fuel a car ("Horizons"). Here is a short list of everyday items you can manufacture/produce using industrial hemp. · Clothing · Shoes · Socks · Shower curtains (mildew resistant) · Diapers · Rope · Canvas (the word canvas originates from the Latin word Cannabis.) · Nets · Carpet · Paper (newsprint, coffee filter paper, printing paper, specialty papers, etc.) · Cardboard · Fiberboard · Fiberglass · Fuel · Cement · Paint · Can be added in food (i.e. salad dressing oil. Hemp seed contains the highest amount of fatty acids found in the plant kingdom, which is vital to humans' health.) · Soap · Shampoo · Conditioner · Make-up · Moisturizers · Lip balm ("Horizons", Body Shop, HIA) Erwin A. Sholts, an Economist, was quoted saying; "The United States is an island of denial in a sea of acceptance."(viii) When one investigates the conspiracy theories related to hemp, the American Government doesn't look too honest, and their hands are definitely not clean. As stated before, conspiracy theories include the timber industry and Dupont, however, the DEA also play a pivotal role in the widespread disapproval of industrial hemp. The first documented case of institutional bias in favor of timber vs. industrial hemp was in 1927. Congressman Cyrenus Cole brought to legislation for a $50,000 grant so the Bureau of Standards would be able to research hemp on a commercial basis. Congress approved the bill; however, the USDA became infuriated because they claimed that it was a mirror study already in progress by the Bureau of Forestry and Forest Products. No federal law has existed that makes cultivating industrial hemp illegal. Industrial hemp farmers continued to grow the crop (in varying degrees) twenty years after Congress made marijuana illegal in 1937. When marijuana was first made illegal; initially, it was not intended for industrial hemp to be affected and secondly, the chemical THC had not yet been discovered. When the DEA (aswell as all other government agencies) want to "create law" or impose "general, extra-statutory obligations" (in this case submitting hemp as a controlled drug to the controlled substances list) the agency must announce it to the public and entitle debate on the issue. Federal law requires this pubic announcement and review. Against this law's purpose, the DEA never gave an announcement of its plan to change the definition of marijuana to include industrial hemp. There is no legal authority for the DEA's current position regarding industrial hemp, either from Congress or from any international treaty. Therefore, the DEA's position on hemp is unjustified. When DEA officials declare that industrial hemp and marijuana are the same thing and that both are illegal, as the agency has been doing since its inception, they are actually attempting to create law"(63 "Horizons"). THC was not discovered until 1964 by Dr. Raphael Mechoulam; now giving scientific proof that industrial hemp and marijuana are not the exact same plant. A lot of the confusion between marijuana and hemp was spawned from anti-drug campaigns in the 1920's-1970's, to today's current war against drugs. Countries not influenced by the American Government did not see such a drastic decline in the cultivation of hemp. For example, France is still growing hemp and has been doing so for over 600 years ("Horizons"). Some countries that allow industrial hemp crops are: Australia (for research), Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovenia (uses hemp currency), Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, and the Ukraine (HIA). Technically it is only illegal to grow industrial hemp without the proper permits and license, however, the DEA (even though the Food and Drug Administration should have jurisdiction) has not approved a permit and license over forty years (HIA). Industrial hemp supporters are not out to make a change in the war against drugs, we don't want to change any drug laws, we just want there to be a regulated differentiation between industrial hemp and marijuana. It's suspicious that the DEA still stresses the risk America would take in farming Cannabis Sativa L. when the 29 other countries currently harvesting the crop report no trouble with marijuana crops camouflaged by hemp and/or any other problems related. With all the research and developments in harvesting practices of hemp, and all the environmental awareness of today's public; it's absurd that America (a country most all other countries strive to be) is turning their noses and letting an ignorant and/or dirty government say no to a crop that has no psychoactive properties. Works Cited Charpentier, Sean. "Hemp's Kentucky Moment." Dollars and Sense May-June 1995: 18+ SIRS, Bray,Francesca. "The cultivation and use of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) in ancient China." The HIA. Online. Netzero. 20 June 2000. HIA, The. The HIA. Online. Netzero. 20-22 June 2000 Hemp. The Body Shop Int., The Body Shop, 1999. "Hemp Trivia". Hemp Trivia. Online. Netzero. 7 July 2000. P. Goloborod'ko Institute of Bast Crops. "Hemp research growing in Ukraine." The HIA. Online. Netzero. 22 June 2000 Roulac, John W. Hemp Horizons. Vermont: Chelsea Green Publishing Company, 1997. Smith, Dorothy. Face-to-face interview. 12 July 2000

	HEMP VS. PERTOL HEMP FUEL: Can be Procured Domestically Renewable Resource Is Biodegradable Could Provide Economic Gain to American Farmers and Industry PETROL FUEL: Dangerous to Handle and Store Contributes to Global Warming: Toxic Byproducts of Emission: Contributes to Sulfur Pollution (acid rain): Procurement Pollutes Local Environment: Highly Toxic to Humans and Other Animals ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** Hemp Biodiesel vs Diesel: Compiled from: Greenfuels and NBB • Overall ozone (smog) forming potential of biodiesel is less than diesel fuel. The ozone forming potential of the speciated hydrocarbon emissions was nearly 50 percent less than that measured for diesel fuel.1 • Sulfur emissions are essentially eliminated with pure biodiesel. The exhaust emissions of sulfur oxides and sulfates (major components of acid rain) from biodiesel were essentially eliminated compared to sulfur oxides and sulfates from diesel.1 • Criteria pollutants are reduced with biodiesel use. The use of biodiesel in an unmodified Cummins N14 diesel engine resulted in substantial reductions of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter. Emissions of nitrogen oxides were slightly increased.1 • Carbon Monoxide: The exhaust emissions of carbon monoxide (a poisonous gas) from biodiesel were 50 percent lower than carbon monoxide emissions from diesel.1 • Particulate Matter: Breathing particulate has been shown to be a human health hazard. The exhaust emissions of particulate matter from biodiesel were 30 percent lower than overall particulate matter emissions from diesel.1 • Hydrocarbons: The exhaust emissions of total hydrocarbons (a contributing factor in the localized formation of smog and ozone) were 93 percent lower for biodiesel than diesel fuel.1 • Nitrogen Oxides: NOx emissions from biodiesel increase or decrease depending on the engine family and testing procedures. NOx emissions (a contributing factor in the localized formation of smog and ozone) from pure (100%) biodiesel increased in this test by 13 percent. However, biodiesel's lack of sulfur allows the use of NOx control technologies that cannot be used with conventional diesel. So, biodiesel NOx emissions can be effectively managed and efficiently eliminated as a concern of the fuel's use.1 • Biodiesel reduces the health risks associated with petroleum diesel. Biodiesel emissions showed decreased levels of PAH and nitrited PAH compounds which have been identified as potential cancer causing compounds. In the recent testing, PAH compounds were reduced by 75 to 85 percent, with the exception of benzo(a)anthracene, which was reduced by roughly 50 percent. Targeted nPAH compounds were also reduced dramatically with biodiesel fuel, with 2-nitrofluorene and 1-nitropyrene reduced by 90 percent, and the rest of the nPAH compounds reduced to only trace levels.1 Environmental & Safety Information: • Acute Oral Toxicity/Rates: Biodiesel is nontoxic. The acute oral LD50 (lethal dose) is greater than 17.4 g/Kg body weight. By comparison, table salt (NaCL) is nearly 10 times more toxic.1 • Skin Irritation: A 24-hr. human patch test indicated that undiluted biodiesel produced very mild irritation. The irritation was less than the result produced by a 4 percent soap and water solution.1 • Aquatic Toxicity: A 96-hr. lethal concentration for bluegill of biodiesel grade methyl esters was greater than 1000 mg/L. Lethal concentrations at these levels are generally deemed "insignificant" according to NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) guidelines in its Registry of the Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances.1 • Biodegradability: Biodiesel degrades about four times faster than petroleum diesel. Within 28 days, pure biodiesel degrades 85 to 88 percent in water. Dextrose (a test sugar used as the positive control when testing biodegradability) degraded at the same rate. Blending biodiesel with diesel fuel accelerates its biodegradability. For example, blends of 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent diesel fuel degrade twice as fast as #2 diesel alone.1 • Flash Point: The flash point of a fuel is defined as the temperature at which it will ignite when exposed to a spark or flame. Biodiesel's flash point is over 300 deg. Fahrenheit, well above petroleum based diesel fuel's flash point of around 125 deg. Fahrenheit. Testing has shown the flash point of biodiesel blends increases as the percentage of biodiesel increases. Therefore, biodiesel and blends of biodiesel with petroleum diesel are safer to store, handle, and use than conventional diesel fuel.1 Ethanol: Although the concept of ethanol as a fuel began as early as the first Model T car designed by Henry Ford, American usage of ethanol-blended gasoline did not begin until the late 1970s. Environmentally, the use of ethanol blends has since assisted in reducing carbon monoxide emissions as mandated by the U.S. Clean Air Act of 1990.2 Hemp Ethanol vs Petrol: Net Reduction in Ground-level Ozone Forming Emissions: Ground-level ozone causes human respiratory problems and damages many plants but does nothing to increase ozone concentration in the stratosphere that protects the earth from the sun's ultraviolet radiation. There are many compounds that react with sunlight to form ground-level ozone, which, in combination with moisture and particulate matter, creates 'smog', the most visible form of air pollution. These compounds include carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbons, benzene, and nitrogen oxides (nitrous oxide and nitric oxide).2 In an effort to reduce automobile emissions that contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone, the highly populated state of California has legislated stringent automobile emissions standards. Several Canadian urban centers record similar hazardous exposures to carbon monoxide, especially during late fall and winter, and would be out of compliance if Canada implemented air quality legislation equivalent to the U.S. Clean Air Act. In Canada, southern Ontario, southern British Columbia, and parts of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are prone to smog. Using oxygenated fuels, such as ethanol, is one way of addressing the issue of air pollution.2 The net effect of ethanol use results in an overall decrease in ozone formation. The emissions produced by burning ethanol are less reactive with sunlight than those produced by burning gasoline, resulting in a lower potential for forming the damaging ozone. In Canada, where the volatility of ethanol blends must match normal gasoline, the ozone forming potential of ethanol blends is even lower than in the U.S., where ethanol blends are allowed to have increased volatility.2 Reduction in Harmful Greenhouse Gases: The 'Greenhouse Effect' refers to the Earth's atmosphere trapping the sun's radiation. It is a term often used synonymously with 'Global Warming', which refers to the increasing average global temperature, arising from an increase in greenhouse gases from industrial activity and population growth. Greenhouse gases contributing to the Greenhouse Effect include carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrogen oxide.2 The term 'Climate Change' refers to a wide range of changes in weather patterns that result from global warming. A substantial increase in the Earth's average temperature could result in a change in agricultural patterns and melting of polar ice caps, raising sea levels and causing flooding of low-lying coastal areas.2 The use of ethanol-blended fuels such as E85 (85% ethanol and 15% gasoline) can reduce the net emissions of greenhouse gases by as much as 37.1%. Ethanol-blended fuel as E10 (10% ethanol and 90% gasoline) reduces greenhouse gases by up to 3.9%. By the year 2010, the reductions for E85 and E10 are projected to be 44.5% and 4.6%, respectively. This represents only a small percentage of the total greenhouse gas reduction required from the Kyoto Protocol. It is expected that once ethanol is made from cellulose, the greenhouse gas emissions reductions will further improve. Hemp produces four times as much cellulose per acre than trees.2 Emissions Reductions from Using Ethanol-Blended Fuels: Reduction in Net Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Emissions: Use of 10% ethanol-blended fuels results in a 6-10% net reduction of CO2. The carbon dioxide released from ethanol production and use is less than that absorbed by the plants and soil organic matter used to produce ethanol. The carbon dioxide produced during ethanol production and gasoline combustion is extracted from the atmosphere by plants for starch and sugar formation during photosynthesis. It is assimilated by the crop in its roots, stalks and leaves, which usually return to the soil to maintain organic matter, or in the grain, the portion currently used to produce ethanol. Over time, the organic matter breaks down to CO2, but with the implementation of conservation measures, such as reduced tillage, the soil organic matter will build up. Therefore, by increasing its organic matter content, the soil acts as a significant sink for carbon dioxide.2 Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC's):Volatile organic compounds are highly reactive in the atmosphere, and are significant sources of ground-level ozone formation. Because ethanol oxygenates the fuel, there is approximately a 7% overall decrease in exhaust VOC's emitted from low-level ethanol-blended fuels relative to conventional fossil fuels. In high level blends, the potential for exhaust VOC reduction is 30% or more. 2 Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) and Particulates: As ethanol contains no sulphur, and because it promotes more complete fuel combustion, blending gasoline with ethanol would reduce any potential for these emissions and the adverse effects of sulphur. In diesel engines, where SO2 and particulates are of concern, the use of ethanol-blended diesel or neat ethanol shows a significant reduction in these emissions. 2