Industrial hemp is an extraordinarily useful plant that can provide more environmentally friendly food, fiber, fuel, medicinal and building products. Hemp is incredibly robust to the point in some places it is invasive and is considered a noxious weed. Some varieties are very hardy and able to thrive in saline and heavily degraded soils. It's these characteristics that make it a great candidate to replace pesticide and herbicide dependent crops such as cotton. Hemp is also a water miser and can be processed into useful products with little energy and without requiring toxic chemicals. Here's some other fast facts about hemp Hempseed has high levels of protein, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, essential fatty acids and trace elements. Hempseed oil comprises nearly a third of the seeds' weight; making it a viable source for cooking oil, lighting and bio-fuel. Hempseed oil is also beneficial as a body care product and can be made into soaps, conditioners and lotions. The stalk provides an incredibly strong, durable and rot resistant fiber that's been used in the shipping industry for centuries. As hemp can grow over ten feet tall, the long fibers are perfect for rope. The short fibers of the stalk can be used in textiles as a replacement or blender fiber for cotton. The core of the stalk can be used to make paper and organic plastics. The woody core, known as hurds, can be mixed with lime, sand, plaster and cement to create a very strong concrete or building bricks. The core <b>...</b>