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Annual Round-Up: Hemp Education Blogs of 2020

Hempco LogoHempco Admin
6 Mins. Read

We're super passionate about Hemp Education here at Margaret River Hemp Co!

As we wind down the chaotic year that has been 2020, we want to take a look back at some of our favourite topics that we had the chance to cover this year. 

If you’ve been following our journey this year, you’re likely going to see some familiar titles!  And to the first-time visitor, this annual roundup contains a range of topics surrounding hemp and how it can benefit both the people and the planet.  

We hope you all enjoy these throwbacks as much as we did!

What’s So Great About Hemp Plastic?

One of the most stunning uses of hemp is definitely the way it is made into plastic.  From its constituents to its production process and its short and long-term benefits, we wrote “What’s So Great About Hemp Plastic?” to bring a little bit more awareness to one of the most viable bioplastic options of the future, hemp plastic.

Here, we take a look into the problems that traditional plastic usage is causing, how to manufacture hemp plastics, and why we think it’s so important to move towards hemp plastic alternatives sooner rather than later.

Hemp and Sustainability: How Hemp Cleans the Soil

As if it wasn’t enough to just offer us a solution to stop polluting the environment, hemp also ranks among the top soil-cleansing plants known to man - Up with plants like sunflowers. 

As well as the deep tap-root system that nurtures the soil by turning up fresh soil every harvest, hemp has a remarkable ability called Phytoremediation. So what is Phytoremediation? Head to this article to find out.

Hint: Scientists suggested using phytoremediation (primarily, through hemp) and similar mechanisms are used in Chernobyl to help remove radiation from the soil.

What are Terpenes - and What are Our Favorites?

Does something smell funny..?  Well, we can guarantee it’s not the soil anymore.  So, what is it?  Terpenes, of course!

Terpenes are organic substances that naturally occur within all plants – and even some insects. They contribute to a plants’ characteristic smell. Incredibly, out of the 20,000 terpenes in nature, cannabis plants are known to contain over 100 of them.

Terpenes have medical and therapeutic benefits that work together to produce a variety of different effects.  Considering the cannabis plant can contain any combination of over 100 other terpenes (not to mention varying cannabinoids and concentrations), it’s no surprise that we’re finding so many different ways to apply this flower to medicine, health and wellness.

In this blog post, we looked at some of our favourite terpenes found in cannabis and their merits.

Breaking Down Hemp Series - Hemp Education

This 4-part series breaks our favourite plant down into different parts: the flower, the roots, the leaves, and the stem.

The flowers are legal to some extent in most counties nowadays - whether it be medically or recreationally - including Australia, the U.S and the majority of European countries. It has various uses, and although its most notable use is smoking, there is a significant shift towards the health benefits of its constituents - CBD.

The roots of hemp possess medicinal qualities that are also beneficial ingredients in herbal medicine. They are also excellent mineral and fibre sources and demonstrate anti-inflammatory properties.

The third article in the series turns its focus to the leaves. The leaves, like any other part of the plant, offer health benefits - at the very least, in the form of nutrition. So it is no wonder the leaves are juiced, drank as tea, made to butter, or used as compost.

Lastly, we look at the various uses of the stems and stalks of the plant. The hemp stalk breaks down into two main sections: bast fibres and hurd. These have a wide range of applications in manufacturing bioplastics, paper, and textiles to hempcrete (hemp concrete) and others.

Margaret River Hempco: The Whole Story - As Read On Green Planet

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We had the excellent opportunity to take an interview with Green Planet, where we discussed the last 25 years of our journey, as well as some of our current projects in the hemp industry. It was a deep dive into everything from acquiring MRH, sourcing raw materials for our products, trying to make a difference with our brand, and even what we think the landscape of the cannabis industry might look like in the future.

5 Nut-Free Hemp Recipes

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Nut allergies can be severe, and people who get them would testify that they are far from fun. The great news is that you don’t have to eat nuts to incorporate nutty flavours into your foods - you can use hemp seed!

Here, we bring you five nut-free hemp recipes that still possess a delicious nutty taste due to the addition of hemp seeds, which are both non-allergenic and highly nutritious. 

Different Methods of Building With Hempcrete

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Hempcrete. It kind of reminds you of concrete, doesn’t it? Well, that’s because it’s just an environmentally friendly, biodegradable, abundantly available substitute - made with our favourite plant!

Hempcrete is a biocomposite material created from hemp hurds, lime, and water. This article looks at some of the building methods you can use to build with hempcrete, from monolithic cast walls to structural wall panels.

Hemp History: Magu, The Hemp Maiden - Hemp Education

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This article places focus on hemp as seen in Asian folklore. Considering hemp is often thought to have origins in Asia, it is no wonder that some Asian cultures like the Chinese tell similar stories of a maiden, Magu, who existed around the years of 5th-6th century AD. In tales told of her life, writers spoke of Magu as having used peaches and hemp in her healings.

Read the story of Magu, the hemp maiden who spread joy, care, and healing wherever she went.

How Its Made: Building Hemp Homes - Hemp Education

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We jump back into the topic of hempcrete and dive a bit more into the ‘How to’ of building homes with hempcrete. 

We walk through the entire process - From growing, harvesting, and separation of the hurd from the bast fibres, to the building of the home.  You can learn more about how to build a hemp home in this article!

The New Normal: Modern Use of Hemp Bast Fiber - Hemp Education

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As we looked into ‘Breaking Down Hemp’, we focused on the two core materials that we can break hemp stalks into hurd and bast. In our blog, Modern use of hemp bast fibre, we look into a whole bunch of products that are made with hemp fibres.

From making clothing to the more modern developments like hemp graphene, we can’t help but ask... Is there anything hemp can’t do?

Innovative Hemp Products In 2020

Shoes, plastic grinders, 3D printing filaments, designer sunglasses - There isn’t much that isn’t being made with hemp now.  In this post, we look to showcase some of the latest products and innovations in the hemp industry.  

Hemp History: Hemp In Ancient Egypt

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Based on archaeological findings and translations of the text, it seems reasonable to assume that the Egyptians experimented a lot with hemp, and are even regarded by some of the first civilisations to discover its holistic use. 

The Egyptians used hemp for textile and utilised the psychoactive and therapeutic properties of cannabis for medicine and spirituality. Learn more about the early Egyptians and how they used hemp and cannabis here.

Wrap Up

So, have you found yourself thinking “Woah, these guys sure do talk about hemp a lot”?

Well, won’t you now too?

Here’s a fun exercise: When you look around you right now, how many things can you see which could potentially be made out of hemp?  How many of those things contain materials that harm the planet?  Maybe even you? With today’s technology, how much easier would it be to start switching over to hemp-based alternatives?

If you could see three things that could be made from hemp but aren’t, make sure to leave a comment below letting us know what they are!

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