Hemp: 10 Uses for this Hardy Plant

Building Materials: The hemp plant makes strong and sturdy building materials. Hemp cement is made using core fiber and minerals. Hemp bales can be used in straw baling. Homes made of hemp are strong and weather resistant. They can even withstand a tornado with little or no damage. It is estimated that building a structure using hemp would save thousands of dollars and be more environmentally friendly.

Fuel: Hemp can also be used to produce alternative fuel including bio-diesel and ethanol. The seed, straw and chaff from the plant can all be used. Hemp also produces more ethanol than corn per acre.

Oil: In the past, hemp oil was used for lanterns, candles and paint. Hemp requires no fertilizer, pesticides or fungicide to grow. Hemp oil can be made into nearly any product requiring oil, including oil based paints. Paint made of hemp last longer and is more durable. Products made of hemp are also nontoxic and can be disposed of without harm to the environment.

Clothing: Hemp is a great source for textiles and clothing. The fibers require less toxic chemicals and water to grow than cotton. Hemp also lasts for years and is naturally resistant to UV light, mold and mildew. Big name labels are now using hemp fibers for clothing including Armani, Disney, Ralph Lauren, Adidas and Calvin Klein.

Plastic: Biodegradable hemp plastic products can help reduce landfills. Hemp was used in the past as packing material and is now being used for making products such as CD jewel cases.

Further Reading
$The Great Book of Hemp : The Complete Guide to the Environmental, Commercial, and Medicinal Uses of the World\'s Most Extraordinary Plant$ $Hemp Horizons: The Comeback of the World\'s Most Promising Plant (The Real Goods Solar Living Book)$