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North Dakota is the only state that allows the cultivation of industrial hemp, and the state legislature recently lifted a requirement that hemp farmers first seek permits from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Industrial hemp varieties include those used to produce oilseeds or fiber plants. Advocates of hemp say that the plant can be produced with very low ecological impact compared with other fiber sources, such as cotton. In addition, the hemp seed is 25 percent protein, making it second only to soy beans as a vegetable source of complete protein.
Here are some of the major environmental benefits of growing hemp:
* Fast and robust growth: Hemp grows extremely fast and can be grown in any climate, in any agronomic system
* No herbicides/pesticides required: Hemp can be grown with no (or little) herbicides, fungicides, pesticides, or other biocides.
* Suppresses weeds: Hemp is a natural weed suppressor due to the fast growth of the canopy. Actually, hemp is a weed. Because it grows so fast and densely, it blocks out sunlight to other weeds that are trying to grow.
* Improves soil structure: Due to it’s long roots, hemp replenishes soil with nutrients and nitrogen and helps control erosion of topsoil. Also, once harvested, any residue can act as an eco-friendly manure.
* Hemp produces lots of oxygen: Hemp produces the same amount of oxygen while it’s growing that it would use in carbon dioxide if burned as a fuel. Also, due to it’s leaf/root ratio (this can often be 10% roots vs 30% leaves), hemp can produce between 20% - 40% more oxygen than will be polluted.
* Cleans up pollution: Hemp can actually clean up toxins from the ground. This process is called phytoremediation. A good example of this is when hemp was used to help clean up the Chernobyl nuclear disaster site to remove radioactive elements from the ground.
Originally posted by KingIchigo
reply to post by Zepherian
I agree with you 100% and that's the same reasons why we don't have FREE ENERGY!! if we had free energy would we need to work? imagine this...you have a free energy source that can power everything you would possibly need powered including your car and you grow your own food would you really need to work? That's the information the pharm and the oil companies don't want out? I do think "hemp" could cure a a lot of diseases but that's just me.