Hemp - The Fuel to Save America
America and the world is running out of energy. We cannot pollute the earth forever. We cannot buy oil from those who hate us forever. We cannot keep drilling the oceans forever.
What type of fuel grows like a weed, does not ruin the earth, cleans the air, and can solve America's energy, security, and job crises? The answer is Hemp (pot, - think of the M word, as some places won't let that word be used).
Hemp is the only renewable natural resource that can create jobs while providing most of the world's paper, textile, transportation, industrial, and home energy needs. While creating jobs, hemp could reduce pollution, reduce fossil fuel usage (which is urgently important), rebuild the soil, and clean the air.
Growing and using hemp, as America did in the past, could stop the Greenhouse Effect and stop deforestation. Cutting down trees to produce paper and fuel is not smart, and using food crops to produce fuel is insanity.
Hemp grows like a weed. Unlike almost every other crop, hemp grows in most any climates and soil conditions, and no chemicals are required. A bit of fertilizer, sun, and water makes it thrive. And the hemp plant does not need toxic acids to make paper like trees require.
Hemp is the most efficient and cost-effective source of fiber, and biomass-produced (pyrolysis) fuel and energy. History shows us that even the oil from hemp seeds can make fuel. It helps other crops thrive, and makes the best rope, clothes, insulation, fiber, and much more.
Along with countless Americans, both Thomas Jefferson and George Washington grew and used hemp. Rudolf Diesel, the inventor of the diesel engine, designed it to run on vegetable and seed oils like hemp. Henry Ford used hemp to both construct and fuel cars. Under pressure from the news, oil and timber industries, the federal government outlawed it in 1938.
During World War II, our supply of industrial feedstock was cut off. The federal government solved that crisis by repealing pot prohibition. Patriotic American farmers were encouraged to apply for licenses to cultivate hemp, and responded enthusiastically. Hundreds of thousands of acres of hemp were grown to solve the problem, without any problems.
Hemp grown for biomass does not get anyone "high". Only certain strains of hemp, grown under special conditions can produce pot. Hemp fuel is no more intoxicating than salad oil.
Here is a summary of the advantages of hemp, compared with drilling the earth for petroleum:
1) Hemp is renewable and grows quickly almost anywhere.
2) Growing and harvesting hemp helps farmers, the economy, and does not harm the earth.
3) Hemp fuel is non-toxic and biodegradable, so oil spills are fertilizer, not catastrophes.
4) Hemp fuel produces no sulfur dioxide, and much fewer other noxious emissions.
If our farmers could grow hemp freely, America could once again become energy independent and smog-free.