By Dalton Rosario
The myriad of applications that the miracle plant hemp can be used for are as extensive in output as our imaginations allow for. The unique properties of industrial hemp can be manufactured into new innovative standards for healthier alternatives to the currently accepted methods for producing textiles, clothing fabrics, paper, plastic, biofuel, dietary supplements and a lighter, stronger more sustainable variation to concrete - hempcrete.
Hempcrete is a bio-composite from the hemp’s stalk mixed with water and lime. Easy as 1-2-3. Chemical reactions between these three components petrifies the hemp, turning the lime back into stone and voila!
Given that trees take decades to grow and hemp takes roughly 3 months, the immediate benefits are day and night in comparison. In fact according to the National Hemp Association, “one acre of hemp provides as much paper as 4.1 acres of trees.” But the benefits do not end there. The multitude of beneficial characteristics of hempcrete is that it is: fireproof, bug-resistant, non-toxic, mold resistant, durable, sustainable, uses no solvents, has high vapor permeability, carbon sequestration and provides all around great insulation for heat and humidity.
