Forests cover 31% of the land area on our planet. They produce vital oxygen and provide homes for people and wildlife. Many of the world’s most threatened and endangered animals live in forests, and 1.6 billion people rely on benefits forests offer, including food, fresh water, clothing, traditional medicine and shelter (drug war facts, Page 1).
Hemp should be used as an alternative for trees. In order to better understand hemp as an alternative, we need to know what hemp is, what it’s used for, and where it grows. We also need to learn how it is a good replacement for trees, how it helps animals, and the overall benefits of hemp.
In order to save these endangered species and to cut down the need for relying on trees, we need to make sure the animals have a place to live that won’t be cut down for our own personal gain. Trees are dying either by forest fires, people cutting them down, lightning strikes and more and it takes a long time for them to grow back to where they were. Hemp grows ten times faster than any tree and is sustainable most anywhere so if it gets hit by lighting or cut down and is planted again it will be growing faster than the tree you planted in your backyard two summers ago. It also has over ten thousand uses including paper, fuel, food, clothing, and many more. So why aren’t we using hemp instead of trees (Trees Are For Breathing. Hemp Is For Reading page 1)?
Hemp is a type of cannabis plant. When grown for its fiber it can be very useful. Hemp can basically grow anywhere there is sun and rain. Hemp has a wide variety of soil types it can grow on. It also needs good moisture to suck up all the nutrients from the soil. But it cannot have a lot of water or heavy rain because it could damage the plant. Hemp ...
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...ce? well just imagine that time million! That is a lot of paper being wasted. Don’t you think?
If we change our habits of using paper and switch to a better product (hemp), we could completely change the world we are living today. Just imagine a world where, instead of nasty polluting paper factories, they are replaced with clean and environmentally friendly hemp factories. Instead of all the cut down trees and endangered animals, we have plush luscious trees and happy creatures running and prancing about. Instead of killing homes for animals we plant more and watch them grow. This can only happen if everyone gets involved.
To fix this problem costs little to no money. The guarantee of a better world is priceless. So why don’t we use trees for breathing and hemp for reading? Think about this next time you have a choice to choose between hemp and the other brand.
Hemp has few branches or leaves below the tops. It is also grown outdoors. Whereas, Marijuana is a shorter, fatter bush with a lot more branches. And to maximize THC levels in marijuana growers must maintain stable light, temperature, humidity, CO2 and oxygen levels (5 Differences Between Hemp and Marijuana, 2014). Johnny Green Author of “Arguments Against Hemp and Why They are Wrong” further explains that many marijuana growers are afraid of cross-pollination between hemp and marijuana which would significantly reduce the potency of the marijuana plant. Russia conducted a study where they found hemp pollen can travel 12 kilometers (7 miles). So any marijuana grown within this area will lower the quality of the plant. Therefore, no sensible grower would ever think of growing their crop so close to hemp. (Green,
There are many different words for what was originally considered, “hemp” to the ancient world. Some are, cannabis, marijuana, weed, and pot. Over time, the different words have reflected the views and uses of hemp through different societies and time periods. Hemp dates back to the early Mesopotamian days in what is considered Turkey today. It is the first known plant to be domestically cultivated. According to research, “The oldest relic of human history is hemp fabric dated to 8,000 BCE.” In 1492, Christopher Columbus brought hemp as a rope to America. His ships were full of hemp fabric used for uniforms, parachutes, ropes, sails, baggage, shoes and many more military uses. To free the American colonies from England press, Benjamin Franklin started a paper mill, which used cannabis to create paper and print books. This allowed America to have free colonial press from Britian without having to ask for them. The Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were both drafted on hemp paper. Betsey Ross made the first flag of the United States of America out of hemp, which was the strongest known fiber at the time. “Farmers from 1942 through 1945 who agreed to grow hemp were waived from serving in the military, along with their sons; that is how vitally important hemp was to America during World War II.” Henry Ford also used hemp-based plastic to create vehicles, which was proven to be stronger and lighter than steel and could withstand much more impact without denting. He also used hemp-based ethanol fuel, which was more efficient. Hemp had been used widely throughout the United States before it became illegal and served many purposes.
...es more paper than a regular tree, so people who consume the hemp products is another way to help the forest grow, and allow the animals to footing instead of extinct. Moreover, legalizing marijuana is able to create a lot of jobs for many people for production because hemp can be used to make oil, clothing, soaps, lip balms butter, and rope. Therefore, legalizing marijuana will be made the society safer and more valuable.
It takes many years for trees to grow until they can be harvested for paper or wood, but hemp is ready for harvesting in only 120 days after it is planted. Forests, woods, and tree farms require large tracts of land available in few locations, while hemp does not require that much space at all. Also according to hemp basics, Harvesting hemp rather than trees would also eliminate erosion due to logging, thereby reducing topsoil loss and water pollution caused by soil runoff (Hemp Basics). Another way hemp beats trees is in the quality. The quality of hemp paper is far superior to tree-based paper. Hemp paper will last hundreds of years without degrading, it can be recycled many more times than tree-based paper, and requires less toxic chemicals in the manufacturing process than does paper made from
Why isn 't marijuana legal in the United States? Marijuana could serve many purposes to the human body and the community. In 1937, the government issued the Marijuana Tax Act. This act immediately criminalized marijuana. This means you can not have possession of the drug for medical purposes or not. This act is still in effect today, but it should be repealed .
Marijuana has been widely mis-viewed as a bad thing; society classifies marijuana as a drug, parents warn their children to stay away from marijuana because it is bad; but those are all misconceptions. But in reality, it is actually a very beneficial drug to many degrees. Marijuana actually has numerous favorable effects, such as helping people escape the cruel reality for a moment, helping patients who are almost at the end of their lives feel better, and helping the economy recover. In addition, marijuana’s side effects are all due to human abusing it, like the old saying goes, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. Although marijuana users have a history of not doing so well in life, marijuana should still be made available to anyone above the legal drinking age and be regulated like tobacco and alcohol; due to its assuaging effects to the economy and human’s mental health.
The hemp plant is a valuable agriculture resource and legalizing it paves the way for its cultivation and industrialization. Governments the world are spends a lot of money on the war against marijuana. There would be more money for the government to use on other more pressing issues if marijuana was legal. Prohibition of the drug does not help much, but according to study, it also increases the use of the drug by increasing curiosity in people (US News, 2016).
Now far more innovative and practical uses for marijuana is the use of hemp for industrial purposes. The difference between hemp and marijuana is that hemp has tiny amounts of THC (Leaf Science); which means it’s not great for smoking but does however grow huge 11 to 20 feet. This means that the plant fibers, seeds, oils could be harvested to produce a phenomenal array of uses of sown by figure 1. These include but not limited to clothing, foods, paper, building supplies, plastics, and
Marijuana is a plant, known as cannabis sativa and cannabis indica, which contains a psychoactive chemical called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The effects of THC include disruption of psychomotor behavior, short-term memory impairment, intoxication, stimulation of appetite, antinociceptive, and antiemetic activities. Marijuana, the Mexican name given to cannabis is a mixture of dried, shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the plant. Cannabis is a term that refers to marijuana and other preparations made from the same plant. Hemp is a form of cannabis, cannabis sativa L, which contains less than one percent THC; it is used to make clothing, paper, and building materials. Tobacco is smoked just like marijuana is smoked, rolled in paper or in a pipe. The only difference is that tobacco is legal and marijuana is illegal. The government spends billions each year on the war on drugs, yet it is still around. For people under the age of 21 it is much easier to get marijuana than it is to get alcohol. Although many primarily associate marijuana with its harmful side effects, in actuality there are many benefits from its use as well.
Environmental issues affect every life on this planet from the smallest parasite to the human race. There are many resources that humans and animal needs to survive; some of the most obvious resources come from the forests. Forests make up a large percentage of the globe. The forests have global implications not just on life but on the quality of it. Trees improve the quality of the air that species breath, determine rainfall and replenish the atmosphere. The wood from the forests are used everyday form many useful resources. Moreover, thinning the forests increases the amount of available light, nutrients and water for the remaining trees. Deforestation (forest thinning) is one of the most critical issues of environmental problems that are occurring today.
Specialized government funded programs such as Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) cost around $7 billion and are in danger of being defunded to save money (Whitehouse). Marijuana tax revenues exceed $6 billion and would help less fortunate women in need of assistance when they are raising a child. On the state level Alabama has a projected profit of $8.9 million in tax revenues alone from Marijuana sales (Miron). States could increase pay or set up a better retirement for police, firemen, teachers, or any other underpaid public service. Also, the medical sales of marijuana would create an alternative source of natural medicine that has less harmful side-effects than some prescription medicines. Another more practical use for the cannabis plant itself is “hemp”. Hemp is another variety of cannabis that is used for mainly for its fiber, oil, and seeds. The fiber can be used to make anything from clothes to cars as...
Restate thesis: In reality forests are better left alone, forests provide the earth with a regulated climate, strong biodiversity, and good nutrient rich soil for plants to strive on.
Rainforests once covered 14% of the worlds land surface, however now it only covers a mere 6%. It is estimated that all rainforests could be consumed in less than 40 years. Trees are becoming more needed and used everyday. We need them cut down for many reasons such as paper and timber, while also needing them ‘untouched’ for other reasons like oxygen, we have to ask ourselves, which is more important? At the current rate, most of the rainforests are being cut down for resources like paper and timber, but less importance is being placed on main resources like oxygen.
In America, marijuana is the most used drug after alcohol and tobacco. Marijuana is used by millions of Americans, despite the harsh laws illegalizing the drug. Some states, such as Washington and Colorado have legalized marijuana for recreational use. Efforts to legalize the drug in other states have been unsuccessful such as Proposition 19 in California, which failed in 2010 despite uptight campaigns. Billions of dollars are spent at the state, local, and federal level to fight the use of marijuana. Millions are arrested for marijuana offenses and sentenced for extended periods. Marijuana has negative effects on the human health and high potential for addiction. Legalizing marijuana will eliminate the black market, which is responsible for the increase in violence, crime, and corruption. Resources used for mass incarceration in the war on drug can be redirected to rehabilitation to decrease drug abuse and addiction.
Forests are vital for life and have many important functions. They are home to millions of species and protect soil from erosion. Along with this they produce oxygen which is vital for human life, store carbon dioxide and help control climate. They also provide humans with shelter, food and medicines vital for life.