Darshil Shah is a British researcher at the University of Cambridge. According to his research, hemp can capture carbon from the atmosphere—and do so twice as efficiently as trees! Furthermore, hemp could enable architects to use eco-friendly biomaterials in their work.
Hemp Is Just as Important as Trees
According to research led by Shah, industrial hemp is much more effective than trees. In fact, it can absorb between 8 and 15 metric tons of CO₂ per hectare of crop each year. To better understand what this figure represents, it’s important to note that trees in forests absorb only about 2 to 6 metric tons of carbon per hectare annually. This figure is approximate, as it can vary depending on the age of the trees in question, as well as their species, location, and other factors.
In Shah’s view, bioplastics—as well as construction materials made from hemp—also have the immense advantage of having a very low carbon footprint. As a result, they could eventually be used to replace certain traditional composites, such as those made from aluminum or fiberglass!
In light of these encouraging studies, the Center for Natural Material Innovation (which is part of the Department of Architecture at the University of Cambridge) has undertaken a number of projects related to biomaterials. The long-term goal of this work is to reimagine our construction techniques in order to move closer to net-zero carbon emissions.
At the same time, Shah is also interested in engineered wood, bamboo, certain other natural-fiber composites, and hemp. For the researcher, hemp embodies “a versatile crop that provides materials and resources in a multitude of forms.”
Note : Hemp is a variety of the Cannabis sativa plant and therefore has very low THC levels compared to those found in the marijuana variety.
A versatile plant
The hemp flower is by no means limited to its superior effectiveness compared to trees in combating carbon emissions.
In fact, Shah explains that hemp is currently becoming increasingly widespread in the production of bioplastics and biofuels. Its stems contain fibers that are both rigid and strong, making hemp a viable material for manufacturing automotive parts, wind turbine blades, and siding panels! These panels could serve as an alternative to traditional aluminum panels, since their production requires only 15 to 60 percent of the energy needed to make aluminum panels!
Finally, hemp is also used to make CBD-based products, which are known to offer numerous health benefits. These products, in particular, have significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and are very popular in the wellness and high-end cosmetics markets .
These products are available for order on our CBD Shop.
