Have you hurd the news? Hemp crops yield abundant eco-friendly uses and heal the Earth during the growth cycle.
At the core of the hemp stalk is the hurd, a wood like material also referred to as shives. It is surrounded by the hemp fibre or bast which you might have read about in our last blog post.
Hurd History
The uses of this part of the crop are astonishing. From construction materials to paper products, the benefits are just starting to be enjoyed once again in the North American market.
While its roots go back milleniums, due to different laws and regulations, not all countries have been able to enjoy this resilient, eco-friendly raw material at liberty in the last century.
Luckily, with public awareness and evolving regulations surrounding hemp, it is only a matter of time before production gears up and positive impacts are realized yet again.
Saving Forests
Since hemp can be used to make paper, it relieves stress on forests as an alternative to clear cutting trees for consumer products. The cellulose rich centre of the crop combined with the strong hemp fibres create a long lasting, chemical free option in the paper industry.
Sustainable Building
Hempcrete is a wonderful option as a carbon neutral construction material. When hemp hurd is mixed with water and lime, great things happen. Canadian company Just BioFiber highlights details on the carbon sequestration features of their building block in this article.
Making the Most of our Miracle Crop
The hemp stalk, made up of hurd and fibre, is already being commercialized in Canada, however we are nowhere near full capacity. Entrepreneurs are coming together with innovative solutions, and amazing products are being created.
HempE founder, Cyndal Johnston, visited with Dan Madlung of BioComposites Group in Alberta who shed a little light on the end products derived from the hemp stalk.
Biomass Fuels
As if the above mentioned uses weren’t enough, the stalk can also be converted into hemp biomass as a fuel source. In fact, Henry Ford reaped the reward of hemp as a fuel source near 100 years ago.
You might be wondering, why didn’t the idea stick? That’s a bit complicated and goes back to issues of legality and economics.
The Future is Green
The more we learn about hemp, the more we fall in love with this miracle crop. From its many uses to its carbon sequestration and soil cleaning capabilities, demand is inevitably going to grow.
Though its commercialization still faces constraints in some parts of the world, once those barriers are broken, we’ll be growing our way to a cleaner, greener future.
How do you support the hemp industry? Comment below about your favorite products, or get the conversation going on our Facebook Page – HempE Health & Beauty.
About the Author ~ Leah Feor
Leah is a strategic advisor and content creator for Simply Sustainable™. Balancing a triple bottom line for organizations and individuals is her utmost goal. She’s a big picture thinker with an eye for detail. Her passion for the environment and social impact bring her business background to life. Outdoor adventures, healthy living, and continuous learning are just a few of her favourite things. simplysustainableblog.com
