Here are some fun facts regarding hemp:
George Washington and Thomas Jefferson both grew hemp.
Ben Franklin owned a mill that made hemp paper.
Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence on hemp paper.
Until 1883, more than 75% of the world's paper was made with hemp fiber.
In 1937 Popular Science magazine called hemp "The New Billion Dollar Crop.
The United States Government actually encouraged the farming of hemp!
The original Levi Strauss jeans were made from a hempen canvas.
Even Old Glory was made from hemp fiber.

My how time changes things, huh? To make a long story short, William Randolph Hearst and Pierre Dupont led a crusade to ban hemp for financial reasons. Dupont had patented nylon rope. Dupont used Hearst to send out the message of the evils of hemp and marijuana. The rest as you may say, is history. The campaign was very successful and led to marijuana being outlawed in the United States. They briefly re-legalized hemp during WWII to help with the war. However, this was short lived.

There are so many ways we could use hemp that there are too many to list here. Some say there are over 30,000 ways! We certainly believe it. While there are many benefits to the use of hemp; we feel the the most important one is the impact on the environment. Hemp is an environmental, renewable, reusable and recyclable resource. We could stop killing our forests, use fewer pesticides, and have less dependency on foreign countries for fuel. Hemp can replace many products that are non biodegradable such as plastic and fiberglass to name a few. In short bringing the hemp industry back would help our planet and our economy. This would create many jobs that are much needed.

In 1941 the Ford motor company produced an experimental automobile with a plastic body composed of 70% cellulose fibers from hemp. The car body could absorb blows 10 times as great as steel without denting. The car was designed to run on hemp fuel. Because of the ban on both hemp and alcohol the car was never mass produced. Hemp is the perfect source for fuel. It produces more biomass than any other plant. If we had to pay at the pump for all the military costs to keep the oil flowing clean burning alcohol fuel produced from hemp would be a bargain.

Hemp has been used to make cloth and rope for over 10,000 years. Industrial hemp can replace cotton. Cotton is typically grown with large amounts of chemicals that are harmful to people, wildlife and the entire environment. Close to 50% of all the world's pesticides are sprayed on cotton. Hemp grows well in a wide variety of climates and soils. It requires far less fertilizer and pesticides than most commercial crops. Hemp cloth is stronger, longer lasting, more resistant to mildew, and cheaper to produce than cloth made of cotton. Hemp ropes are known for their strength and durability.

Hemp can be used as paper, just like Ben Franklin did many years ago. Industrial hemp can yield 3-8 dry tons of fiber per acre. This is four times what an average forest can yield. It can replace wood fiber and help save our forests. Trees take approximately 20 years to mature - hemp takes 4 months. Paper made from hemp lasts for centuries, compared to 25-80 years for paper made from wood pulp. With the way we have been abusing our planet, we need to be as green as possible.

Food is another use of hemp. Hemp seeds and hemp oil are highly nutritious and delicious. Hemp seeds are an excellent source of protein, minerals, and dietary fiber. Hemp is the only plant that contains all of the essential fatty acids and amino acids required by the human body. These essential nutrients affect a variety of body functions, including metabolism, the skin, mood, behavior, the brain, and the heart. Many people eat fish and take fish oil supplements to get these essential fats, however concerns around over fishing and the chemical contamination of modern fish have made many choose to switch to hemp instead. It is an especially excellent option for vegetarians.

Hemp would be a great alternative to plastic. It is strong, durable and biodegradable.