look at Kenaf - it is not Hemp but is very similar By Carolyn Rose Goyda 1 photo Can a Single Plant Solve Many of Our Problems? look at Kenaf - it is not Hemp but is very similar July 11, 2012 by Joe Martino collective-evolution/2012/07/11/can-a-single-plant-solve-many-of-our-problems/ What if we had a readily available technology that could provide both protein-rich food, super-insulated building materials, strong fibres, paper and even concrete, would you want to know what this plant is? Well, there are actually two plants capable of this but today we are going to look at Kenaf Note: Kenaf is not Hemp but is very similar in many ways. Retired building contractor, Bill Loftus, has come upon a brilliant application of the fast-growing, carbon-sucking plant known as Kenaf. Kenaf is in the Hibiscus family and is thus related to both cotton and okra. Originally from Africa, this 4,000-year-old crop was used for its fiber. It has the astonishing ability to grow up to 14 feet in one growing season, yielding 6-10 tons of fiber per acre and making it a great source of pulp for paper. While Global Warming as relates to our production C02 is not a real threat, Kenaf has the ability to inhale large quantities of the gas. So even if one were to argue C02 needs to be reduced, here is your solution. Kenaf is capable of absorbing 3-8 times more CO2 than a tree. One acre of Kenaf can pull about 10 tons of CO2 out of the air per growing season, and in some parts of the world it can be cut back and regrown for a second season. With proper management, a single acre planted in Kenaf could absorb 20 tons of CO2. Bill Loftus having worked for decades in the green building industry, realized the abundant fiber of the Kenaf plant would be perfect as a filler to produce light-weight, super-insulating, fireproof concrete blocks as well as many other strong ropes and twines. The block weighs under 9 lbs, and is currently being used it in two pilot projects in Haiti and South Africa, areas that have been hard hit by natural disasters and famine. Kenaf has been used as a cordage crop to produce twine, rope, and sackcloth for over six millennia (Dempsey 1975). Kenaf was first domesticated and used in northern Africa. India has produced and used kenaf for the last 200 years, while Russia started producing kenaf in 1902 and introduced the crop to China in 1935 (Dempsey 1975). In the United States, kenaf research and production began during World War II to supply cordage material for the war effort (Wilson et al. 1965). The war not only interrupted the foreign fiber supplies from countries such as the Philippines, but the US involvement in the war also increased the use of these fibers by the US. Once it was determined that kenaf was a suitable crop for US production, research was initiated to maximize US kenaf yields. Asa result, scientists successfully developed high-yielding anthracnose-resistant cultivars, cultural practices, and harvesting machinery that increased fiber yields (Nieschlag et al. 1960; Wilson et al. 1965; White et al. 1970). Then in the 1950s and early 1960s, as USDA researchers were evaluating various plant species to fulfill future fiber demands in the US, it was determined that kenaf was an excellent cellulose fiber source for a large range of paper products (newsprint, bond paper, and corrugated liner board). It was also determined that pulping kenaf required less energy and chemical inputs for processing than standard wood sources (Nelson et al. 1962). More recent research and development work in the 1990s has demonstrated the plant’s suitability for use inbuilding materials (particle boards of various densities, thicknesses, with fire and insect resistance), adsorbents, textiles, livestock feed, and fibers in new and recycled plastics (injected molded and extruded) (Webber and Bledsoe 1993). Researchers from Burkina Faso and France have developed a low-cost construction material made of clay and sand mixed with fibres from the kenaf plant.Kenaf is member of the cotton family, and its fibres are already widely used in Burkina Faso to make bags and ropes, as well as other products typically made from wood, like paper.Jacob Sanou, of the Farako-Ba research station of Bobo-Dioulasso, in Burkina Faso, says he was inspired to try using kenaf to make building materials by the flax plant, which Europeans have used in a wide range of products including clothing, paper and industrial products.To learn about Hemp which is also a very powerful plant in solving many of our issues, please read this: (collective-evolution/2012/04/01/5-ways-hemp-will-change-our-world) article "5 Ways Hemp Will Change Our World " 5 Ways Hemp Will Change Our World April 1, 2012 by Alanna Ketler Currently in the United States of America it is illegal to grow Hemp. Clear cutting forests, burning fossil fuels, spraying large amounts of pesticides; all these things and more can be avoided from the production and usage of hemp plants. To clarify, I am talking about Hemp, not Marijuana. Hemp will not get you high, Hemp does not contain enough THC to get you high, if you were to smoke it; you would probably just end up with a headache. Hemp is illegal in the United States because it looks too much like its sister Mary Jane. While it is legal almost everywhere else in the world, hemp is still not being used to its full potential. 1. Paper & Cardboard Products Hemp regenerates in months; it grows extremely quickly, sounds like a perfect thing to make paper with. Unlike trees that can take over 30 years to be ready to harvest hemp is ready to go right away! Why are we still clear cutting forests? Hemp is a way better alternative! The paper that is made from hemp doesn’t become yellow or brittle because hemp is naturally acid free. Did you know that the original declaration of independence was written on hemp paper? Hemp can be recycled up to 7 times, while wood pulp paper can only be recycled a maximum of 3 times. Not to mention that 220 million pounds of toxic pollution are added into the air and water every year during the production of wood paper and pulp. Hemp paper does not need to be bleached with chlorine; it can be whitened with hydrogen peroxide, which is a lot safer for the water and soil of the earth. 2. Clothing & Fabrics As a fabric, hemp is the optimal choice! ‘Hemp doesn’t wear out, it wears in!’ Hemp clothing becomes softer every time you wash it. Growing hemp requires the use of very little pesticides and no herbicides, so not only is this great for the environment, but in turn, if used for clothing and blankets, it is not harmful for your skin. One acre of hemp will produce as much material as 2-3 acres of cotton. Wow, this hemp really is amazing isn’t it? Hemp material will keep you cool in the heat and keep you warm in the cold, it is known to be 4 times warmer than cotton material! The production of hemp into fabric instead of cotton, as if there aren’t enough amazing facts about hemp fabric as it is, it is also naturally fire retardant! So as oppose to most other fabrics, clothing, bed sheets, linens etc.. it would not need to have fire repellant chemicals added, what a great bonus! :P 3. Plastic & Building Materials Did you know that Henry Ford made a body for a car that was lighter than steel but could stand 10 times the impact without denting? Of course, it was made of hemp! Hemp can be made into various different building materials, hempcrete, fiberboard, carpet, stucco, cement blocks, insulation, and plastic. Not only are Hemp building supplies a lot better for the environment but also walls made from Hemp are rot free, pest free, mold free and fire resistant! Walls made from hemp can last up to 500 years. How’s that for sustainability? Hemp plastic can completely replace oil based plastic materials that we are using today that contain large amounts of dangerous chemicals such as the very well known Bisphenol A. If all our plastics were made from hemp material you could literally purchase something that came in a plastic hemp container and then throw that container directly into the compost, as hemp plastics are completely biodegradable. Now why have we even been using the other harmful destructive ways of producing plastic? 4. Fuel Hemp can be made into fuel in two ways: the oil from the pressed hempseed can be turned into biodiesel, or the fermented stalk can be made into ethanol and methanol. Biodiesel is completely biodegradable and a much cleaner fuel for the air. Even the exhaust produced from burning hempseed biodiesel has a pleasant smell. Although hemp is not the greatest alternative to fuel that is available, hemp fuel can be used temporarily because it can be used in all the existing vehicles today without making any alterations. Both sources of hemp fuel are non-toxic and are completely biodegradable. 5. Nutrition So, not only is hemp great for the environment, it is great for your body too! Hemp seeds are known to be one of the most nutritious seeds on the planet! Quite impressive, I know. Along with magnesium, potassium, dietary fiber and almost every vitamin and mineral that the body needs, Hemp seeds contain high amounts of essential omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. Hemp seeds are very high in protein, containing 25% protein content. They do not contain phytic acid, which means every last bit of goodness that these tiny seeds have to offer can be absorbed and utilized by the body! Hemp seeds have a great nutty taste to them too, so you’ll enjoy sprinkling them over salads or your other favorite dishes! As you can see Hemp is an excellent choice for many different reasons. Almost everything created out of hemp is biodegradable, so not only do hemp products seem to last a lot longer, but when it is time to replace them, they can be returned back to the Earth. What a beautiful cycle! Really its design is perfect. It’s time to implement these new resources, we have the information, we have the technology, so what’s stopping us? The way I see it, Hemp will be at the forefront of a new Earth! Much Love :) For more information on the many uses of Hemp visit: https://facebook/hemp4future hemp/ naihc.org/hemp_information/hemp_facts.html informationdistillery/hemp.htm Joe Martino created CE 4 years ago email at joe@collective-evolution
Posted on: Tue, 06 Aug 2013 06:21:46 +0000
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