Circular Economy and Hemp, these should be the key words for the future. A future where the environment plays a fundamental role in our lives, where it is treated with love and respect. Because the more we respect the environment, the more it will sustain us in our future…
What is the Circular Economy?
Although we like to believe it, our Planet’s resources are not unlimited. The current economy, where goods are “disposable”, has an expiry date, which is getting closer and closer. We can no longer continue to buy and throw away the moment a product no longer “adequately” performs its task. We must restore it and try to reduce waste to an absolute minimum. Ours, at present, is a Linear Economy, i.e. one that does not involve a recirculation of goods. On the contrary, this recirculation is somewhat hindered, not only by the end user, but also by the producers themselves. However, this is changing, our Planet is asking us to change, it is shouting it out.
The Circular Economy envisages, very succinctly, a reuse of goods, so that they have a second, a third, and a fourth life! But not only that, it also provides for goods to be more durable over time, thanks to a more efficient initial construction. Waste would be minimised, allowing our Planet to restore, over time, all those resources that we have exploited over the years. A good Circular Economy puts all kinds of resources back into circulation, through not only the restoration of goods, but also through recycling. A pair of jeans does not have to be a pair of jeans even in its second life, it can become, for example, a handbag!
If the main goal is to make Europe a continent with zero environmental impact, we must create a concrete and efficient Circular Economy, capable of bringing every possible good back to life, minimising waste and, consequently, pollution. So, why not also introduce hemp into this system?
Hemp: friend and ally of the environment
Curiously enough, with hemp it is possible to produce an incredible amount of goods, very different from each other. We have already told you how useful Hemp is for our health and our environment, yet we have never told you how useful it can be for our economy. Hemp is already part of the world economy, but it does so quietly, almost from behind the scenes. Few people know how useful hemp is, but it is necessary to spread the word to more and more people about how crucial it is.
So what can we produce from hemp?
In the textile field, it can be used to produce very strong and durable fabrics, ideal for clothing and upholstery. In the food field, snacks and food supplements can be produced, as well as flours and oils. In the cosmetics field, its antioxidant and moisturising properties can be used to produce creams and lotions, as well as hair products. In the world of publishing, it can be used to produce high quality paper, ideal for everything from newspapers to collector’s books. In the building industry it can be used for insulation panels and plasters, so as to improve the energy efficiency of homes. In the automotive world, more space could be given to biofuels, such as biodiesel and bioethanol, and bio paints.
Hemp is extremely versatile, so much so that it seems almost impossible. But making it a protagonist of our Economy, at this point increasingly Circular, could be the winning move that changes the fate of the Planet and our Future. It is a raw material that is extremely versatile and above all has a minimal, almost zero environmental impact. Producing our goods from a raw material like hemp would turn our economy around in many ways.
Phytobonics and Hemp
It is very important, today, to clean up land used for the most invasive crops. The use of chemical pesticides, for example, impacts on soils and groundwater, and it is essential to clean up as much as possible on our Planet, so as to reverse this trend. Hemp seems to be an important ally in this regard as well. In fact, unlike many other crops, hemp does not need pesticides, so it can help the soil to clean itself up and be enriched again with substances that are essential for it.
Thanks to hemp, a very special process is activated, namely that of phytobonification. This process improves soil fertility, combats deforestation and desertification, and captures carbon dioxide. The plant root system extracts pollutant components from the soil and air, which are assimilated or transformed through phytometabolisation, phytodeposition and phytoextraction.
This process has already been put in place to counter major hazard situations. For example, it has been an important ally in restoring the land surrounding Chernobyl, which was affected by the 1986 nuclear disaster. In nature, we can therefore find the weapons to counter the current highly polluted situation. We can save our Planet before it is too late.
The importance of hemp for the economy and the environment
Although an extremely undervalued plant, hemp is crucial for our environment, but not only. It can help us fight world hunger, thanks to its excellent nutritional qualities. It can help us in creating a Circular Economy where waste is reduced to a minimum. It can give us a hand in the treatment of psychiatric diseases…
Hemp has been undervalued for years, but the time has come to recognise its many qualities. We at INSO are working hard to make Hemp and its many qualities known to as many people as possible. There is still time to save our Planet. All together we can save the Planet, to give it a beautiful future!
