Hemp.

I feel very strongly about hemp. Sometimes my enthusiasm bubbles over and I start to feel like all we need to solve all of our challenges is hemp. I get dizzy with excitement and potential and then I take a step back and reorient myself, looking at the situation with a discerning eye.  Then I think to myself, "Yup, still feels like hemp is a major piece of the current earth puzzle."

In an America where we have conscious capitalism and widespread industrial hemp, we can create sustainable solutions for fashion, energy, construction and most preciously - food.

Check out this awesome, info-packed graphic from BurnandLearn. It gives an amazing visual overview of industrial hemp's uses and benefits.



Just by looking at the graphic, you can see what I'm saying. I would love to know the drawbacks of industrial Hemp. I'm sure it's not a perfect solution but so far I've literally never heard how hemp hurts the environment.

I just keep finding out more amazing facts about it! Farmed responsibly, hemp replenishes up to 60% of the nutrients in the soil after it is grown. It absorbs CO2 from the environment so when used/burned for fuel, it releases that which it used from the environment, keeping the overall release closer to neutral than fuel sources pulled from the ground. Gosh, we could all go on for hours about this.

Let's continue to expand the commercial use for hemp and to advocate for wider industrial authorization from the Federal government. VoteHemp has compiled an updated list of legislative action. So far, thirty two states have introduced pro-hemp legislation, and ten states have passed legislation clearing the way for legal industrial hemp production!

To immerse yourself in some hemp right now, support your local merchants! We are lucky in SoCal to have many likeminded people around us, and many of them have been working with hemp for years. It would be a beautiful thing to find a future where these businesses can create garments out of locally farmed hemp! Here are just a few local hemp merchants:

Vital Hemp - Hemp clothing boutique in Santa Monica

Natural High Lifestyle - Hemp clothing and lifestyle products in Santa Monica

The Recreator - Local advocacy group working to "recreate" the industrial hemp industry in the US. Follow this link to their Kickstarter campaign!

Lassen's Natural Food and Vitamins - Natural food, hemp oil products and vitamin shop located in Los Feliz