Hemp concrete has more uses than simply being a building material. Not only can it be used for construction by being mixed with lime to create a composite known as hempcrete, but the hemp plant, and therefore the hempcrete product, also sequester carbon from the atmosphere.
The hemp product:
Both the hemp plant and the product hempcrete sequester carbon from the atmosphere. This means both the plant and the product contribute beneficially to the reduction of climate change. Hempcrete may be an underutilized product to aid in the fight against climate change.
How it works:
By being a phytoremediation material, the hemp plant sequesters carbon from the soil. Hemp concrete can pull carbon from the atmosphere even while being in use. This means that the hemp plant pulls carbon from the atmosphere not only in the field as a hemp plant, but also in a building as a construction material.
What this means:
The potential for hemp concrete to sequester carbon is a positive component when looking to the future. Hemp products may be a key component to fight climate change. Pulling carbon from the atmosphere is beneficial for the environment and is a tangible way to take small steps in the direction of combating climate change.
With the societal inclination to move toward a more sustainable future, products such as hemp concrete that align with those values are imperative. Hemp concrete is a sustainable alternative to other construction materials. Not only is it sustainable, but it even gives back to the environment by pulling carbon from the atmosphere.
For further information on hemp sequestering carbon from the atmosphere, check out the Lancaster Farming Industrial Hemp Podcast, published on 12/01/21, with IND HEMP president Ken Elliott.