CBD oil has become a booming industry, marketed for its range of health benefits, from relieving chronic pain, to treating depression and problematic sleep. What you may not realise is that the benefits of cannabis could extend beyond the human body and help our earth.
The hardy hemp plant
Cannabis compounds, cannabinoids, are made up of psychoactive THC and non-psychoactive CBD. It’s CBD without TCH that’s becoming more widely available and legal across the EU, also referred to as cannabidiol, hemp oil or cannabis oil.
This plant is capable of producing more with less, even in infertile soil. It needs 50% less water than cotton, while producing a 250% increased yield. Cotton also needs pesticides, whereas hemp has a natural resiliency, with foliage able to create shade to minimise weed growth and roots capable of soil aeration. Hemp can absorb soil pollutants and returns up to 70% of nutrients back to the soil.
In the agricultural process, a soil remediation service like https://soilfix.co.uk/services/groundwater-soil-remediation-services can decontaminate the land and ensure healthy soil to promote plant and crop growth. The humble cannabis plant can then be cultivated for numerous uses, from products for personal care, cooking and dietary supplements, to fuel, instruction materials and textiles.
A sustainable future
The need for sustainability, where lifestyle products, food, fuels and fabrics are concerned, makes the cannabis plant an appealing alternative.
There’s increasing concern over the damage to our environment, so it’s hardly surprising that plans to ban petrol and diesel cars in the UK may be brought forward. Ongoing research suggests hemp biodiesel could be an exciting alternative to current non-renewable fuels and palm oil biodiesel. Thanks to the high content of oil compared to alternatives like soybean or rapeseed, and the considerably larger yield, hemp could be very successful for large-scale production, while also meeting fuel quality requirements. Increased use of hemp and more wide-spread legalisation could help lower the cost and promote production, enabling greater take up of this versatile, sustainable plant.
Given the benefits and the fact that it’s 100% biodegradable, cannabis plant-based textile production is set to soar. Already, the fashion industry is making good use of this sustainable alternative, with Korto Momolu debuting a hemp-made collection at New York’s Fashion Week 2019. Even the classic Levis brand has introduced cottonised hemp in recent styles.
