When it comes to oxygen production, hemp plants have a clear advantage over trees. Evidence suggests that an acre of hemp can produce more oxygen than an acre of apple trees, with all other variables remaining the same. Hemp plants have an exceptionally high capacity to extract and contain CO2, which is much higher than that of trees. According to several scientific articles, an acre of a common hemp variety can absorb 8.88 tons of CO2 per year, while an acre of forest sequesters approximately 2.5 tons, only about 30%.
Hemp is also a more sustainable fiber than trees due to its large carbon storage capacity and low water requirements. While older, larger trees have a declining ability to produce oxygen, hemp is a large, fast-growing plant that can be harvested in just 12 weeks. The knives, which are the woody inner part of the stem, can be used to make hemp concrete, a wall filler that does not withstand loads and an insulating material. The government predicted that by the 1940s all paper would come from hemp and that there would be no need to cut down more trees.
But the most important thing for governments to understand is the potential of hemp to heal the planet and promote human health. Hemp fibers also have natural antibacterial properties due to alkaloids, cannabinoids and other bioactive or phenolic compounds. The “hemp” business model has unlimited synergies with existing industrial capacities. An acre of hemp planted over 40 years has 400% more usable fiber than an acre of trees over its 40-year life cycle.
Hemp fibers can be bleached with hydrogen peroxide, which does not chemically damage water. In addition, paper made from hemp fibers resists decay and does not yellow or brown over time. As hemp fiber gains momentum, it has the potential to replace other fibers completely. Unlike conventional agriculture, which emits large amounts of carbon, hemp farms do the opposite.
An acre of hemp will likely have more results than an acre of apple trees, and all the remaining variables still have the same condition.
