HEMP: Environmental benefits of the plant of a thousand uses

Hemp, whose scientific name is Cannabis sativa, was named in 1753 by the Swedish scientist, naturalist, botanist and zoologist Charles Linnaeus; it is an herbaceous plant of the genus Cannabis, a member of the Cannabaceae family known for over 6500 years, with great economic, agricultural, industrial, cultural and medical importance. It originated in Asia, has been used throughout history in the production of fibers, oils and its application in pottery shards, cordage and paper making. In Ancient Egypt, the pharaohs used hemp to obtain their fabrics, an example of this was a piece unearthed from the tomb of the pharaoh Alchanaten dating from 1200 BC.

Hemp is considered a very valuable crop with particular agronomic characteristics that provide suitable raw materials for multiple potential applications. It should be noted that hemp is considered a low-cost plant for its production, it is ecological and sustainable thanks to the fact that its production does not generate large impacts on the environment and contributes with almost 20,000 products that are biodegradable and do not take time to decompose naturally without generating toxicity in the environment; its uses make it very versatile for human and environmental needs.

It is a plant where absolutely everything it produces is used, generating almost zero waste, which contributes to the sustainability goals imposed by the UN and develops the concept of circular economy, a paradigm that aims to generate economic prosperity, protect the environment and prevent pollution, thus facilitating sustainable development. It even allows the development of the industrial sector, using this plant that has a wide range of applications in different fields; such as in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industry, it can also be obtained from plastics, paper, biofuels and even to make houses.

In this ebook, you will learn about the history of hemp, uses of the plant, production characteristics and requirements, economic advantages, environmental benefits and new applications of hemp such as hempcrete.

If you are interested in knowing more about the incredible hemp we invite you to enjoy this ebook that Pharmacology University brings to you.