Quote Originally Posted by tokinggreg
You have no idea what you are talking about, but hemp is nice; I will agree with you on that point.

1) Cutting down trees does not release carbon dioxide. What you are probably referring to is the idea that trees take in the carbon dioxide we exhale, so when you cut down a tree, more carbon dioxide fumes are able to escape into the atmosphere. The act of cutting down a tree does not release carbon dioxide into the environment.

2) Replacing fossil fuels with hemp oil is not efficient. Hemp oil would not be a reliable substitute for powering cars. And also, burning hemp DOES have other emissions other than just carbon dioxide.

3) This is more of a question.. How does one use hemp to build a house? Or furniture?

Replacing fossil fuels with hemp is only inefficient because we havent researced the possible uses enough. Its about time that our useless, inept goverment got their heads out of their arses and started thinking about us and the planet, rather than lining their own pockets. I agree that burning hemp DOES release other emissions, however they are seriously reduced by using hemp biodiesel. The ozone/smog is nearly halved compared to using diesel. Carbon Monoxide emissions are also halved. But the most important fact is that sulphur emissions are essetially ELIMINATED - and sulphur oxides and sulphates are the main cause for acid rain.

A hemp crop can be grown without the use of herbicides or insecticides and produces up to four tonnes of material per acre per year. It has a stem consisting of an outer skin containing long, strong fibers and a hollow wood-like core or pith. Processing the stems results in two materials: hurds and fibers, both of which have properties that make them extremely useful in building construction.
A variety of products, such as fiberboard, roofing tiles, wallboard, paneling, insulation and bricks, can be made from the compressed hurds. The fibers can also be used like straw in bale wall construction or with mud in a sort of modified cob style of building.
Foundations can be made out of hemp hurds. A hemp plywood frame is filled with hemp hurds combined with lime, sand, plaster, some cement and enough water to dampen, and then let to set for a day and to harden for a week. Theres a brilliant example of the strength of hemp - a sixth century hemp reinforced bridge in France is testimony to the stone-like strength and durability of this material, which is known as ??hempcrete?.
Hemp building boosters claim that hempcrete foundation walls are up to seven times stronger than those made of concrete, half as light and three times as elastic. This superior strength and flexibility means that hemp foundations are resistant to stress-induced cracking and breaking, even in earthquake-prone areas. The building material also is self-insulating; resistant to rotting, rodents and insects; and fire proof, waterproof and weather resistant.