which is better for the ecology as a resource hemp or petrochemicals?

Question

hemp made most of the things plastic does now pre 1950 which is better for the ecology now?

energy to create hemp comes from the sun, the closest biggest provider of energy there is regardless of how little we gain from it, apart from suntans

Answer 1

if you can get your car to run on hemp bi product I am sure that would be worth a few quid

Answer 2

Not such a simple nor obvious answer I am afraid.

I'm afraid that the assertion that Hemp could replace most plasitic items is untrue. Hemp is an excellent fibrous material and can be use to make items such as rope, baskets and clothing.

The problem with hemp is that the process to make hemp into usefull fibre would cause local water pollution and CO2 pollution (from the energy).

Plastic from petrochemicals does not directly cause significant pollution except for the CO2 from the energy needed, which is not as great as one would expect.

Hemp is biodegradable so does not cause waste, however this means that it will not last so long and require more energy to replace any items made from it.

I would suggest that hemp would have less of an ecological impact if the energy used to produce were renewable. Petrochemical plastics probably have less impact if fossil fuels are used for energy.

The worst thing is that commercial hemp is grown from a strain of the plant which does not produce THC. So one could smoke as much as one liked and all one would get is lung cancer.

Answer 3

Hemp, of course.

It is unfortunate that most people don't realize that industrial hemp, although in the same family as the cannabis dope heads smoke to get high, has virtually no value as a recreational drug. Further, in addition to the production of high quality oil that can be refined as a bio-diesel fuel it also produces fiber that can be used for anything from high quality paper products to very durable fabric. Additionally, unlike the trees we currently use to make paper products, it is a renewable resource that can be re-grown every season.

It's too bad that the population in general can't get over that support of industrial hemp = dope head mentality.

Answer 4

Hemp.

the original diesel fuel was made from hemp. as were the original levi jeans. Henery Ford made car panels out of hemp.
Hemp also requires no agrochemicals or large quntities of water to grow, unlike cotton or rapeseed etc

Hemp is not the same as the drug; Henery VIII required english farmers to pay part of tax in hemp and there is no report of merry old england being due to dopeheads

Answer 5

Well, hemp obviously, since it takes decades for plastic to decompose. But it's not quite that simple, since hemp cannot be used for many of the applications of plastic. Can you really picture a hemp Ziploc bag, or IV tube, or baby bottle?

Answer 6

Hemp as a renewable, no-fertilizer needed, multi-use plant resource is much, much better for the ecology, but not for the capitalist economy in our consumer based, planned obsolecance / nothing built to last / need to be constantly replaced world economic order - but you already knew the answer! :)

Answer 7

Hemp has very good qualities for the pharmaceutical industry, textiles, and you could always run your car on rape-seed oil, or old chipfat like the japanese. gotta stop using up the planets resources . Cheech and Chong had the right idea.

Answer 8

as much as i don't like drugs per say "which i have never considered hemp as a drug lol". but if i put three people in a car each and one had to inhale hemp for twenty four hours and one had to inhale cigarettes for twenty four hours and one had to inhale carbonmonicide for four twenty four hours only the hemp inhaler would still be alive and that's with the windows rolled up lol. so it speaks for its self thank you very much grandma rosey. ps i smoke cigs and do no drugs lol

Answer 9

Hemp is making quite a comeback! B.M.W.-amongst other car companies, is using it for internal panels in its cars. The oil (from the seeds) can be used to produce bio-diesel. Shame you have to have a permit to grow it! (also you cannot grow it in a roadside field!!-thanks hopheads!)

Answer 10

hemp of course but you are wrong on the plastic part