Grex Environment Conference

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Grex Environment Item 19: Resource Substitution
Entered by logos on Thu May 5 19:52:52 UTC 1994:

I'm interested in the use of hemp and kenaf to be used in the making
(oops) instead of using up our diminishing groves of trees.  Often I find
this area of interest to be marginalized.  That is, until rcurl suggested
*resource substitution* as a possible item.  Alternative energy, 
appropriate technology, practical basics of grassroots manufacture
of paper, cloth, fuel, etc.  Whaddaya say?

12 responses total.

#1 of 12 by logos on Thu May 5 19:57:47 1994:

That would correctly be:  I'm interested in the use of hemp and kenaf
to be used in the making of paper and cloth.

#2 of 12 by rcurl on Fri May 6 06:48:43 1994:

How much paper is made from hemp and kenaf now (and, what is kenaf?)?

#3 of 12 by kaplan on Mon May 9 09:54:57 1994:

I agree that government restrictions on the production of hemp are
inefficient and should be lifted.  As smoking tobacco becomes less
fashionable and more taxed, is it possible that current tobacco farmers
looking for new crops will join the fight to legalize hemp?

#4 of 12 by logos on Tue May 10 00:42:35 1994:

Given the emotional climate inthis country surrounding the fact that
hemp for fiber is of the same species as hemp used for marijuana,
many people, tobacco farmers included, might still not want to
grow hemp.  However it is easy to grow and a potentially lucrative cash 
crop. As they say, money talks. I am quite interested in agricultural
cooperativessuch as the grange,  which gives small farmers an eco-
nomic forum and a sharing of resources.  Thus I can imagine many
farmers growing at least a little hemp, and sharing harvesting
and refining equipment.

Thank you for your legitimate and challenging question, rcurl.  It
helped me to realize that my research skills are shamefully shoddy,
or perhaps shoddily shameless.  I have not yet found out how much
paper is made from hemp and kenaf.  

What I do know is this:  Little companies are springing up all over
the place, selling clothing made of hemp.  I have seen some hemp paper
sold by Tree Free Ecopaper in Portland, Oregon.  They import theirsw from 
China, where most paper is made from hemp.  Hemp has very tough fibers
which are also quite long.  It tends by the same token to be a bit
coarse.  It's similar in some ways to flax, and a linen-type fabric can
be produced from it.  One ecological advantage of hemp paper and cloth,
I am told, is that hemp doesn't require as much harsh chemical
treatment to render it useable.  Hemp was the major source of paper
in the USA until arougn the 1920s, when wood pulp became feasible
as a fiber source.  Hemp's toughness and rot-resistance are the reasons
seagoing ropes and sails were always made from it.

I can tell you al bit more, and list a few sources, but I'm doing this
grxian monologue here and feel a bit sheepish.  Baaaaaaaaaaaa.

#5 of 12 by rcurl on Tue May 10 04:43:49 1994:

Don't worry about it. We all talk through our hats part of the time
;-). My home library has information on wood-pulp and artists paper
(apparently most of the latter is made in Europe *not* from wood
pulp - hemp, maybe?), but not enough information about the world
wide distibutions of different fibre sources.

#6 of 12 by logos on Thu May 12 19:35:01 1994:

re:3   Oh...Kenaf is a very tough plant used a great deal in 
India, Africa, and Latin America.  Its fiber is pretty stringy
I guess, and so it is mostly used for cordage or coarse fabric.
In Spanish it is "Mesta."  It is also called "Bastard Jute."
I've been called worse, however.

#7 of 12 by topaz on Fri Sep 2 02:03:54 1994:

Wouldn't it be more sensible to put more effort into recycling and reuse
of paper. Recycle + Reuse = Reforest. Will the use of Kemp or Kenaf increase
the number of trees or will the trees be cut down in order to plant
Kemp and Kenauf?

#8 of 12 by dirt on Sat Nov 19 23:22:55 1994:

Recycling and reuse is very important, I agree.  Hemp and kenaf are valid 
agricultural crops, and are generally planted in existing crop fibelieve that
having a viable alternative to trees for paper production w (oops!  :))  would
help save trees.  Currently, about half of our country's tree harvest is
chipped for paper.  So recycling is good no matter what, and I think that
alternatives are a good idea, too.

#9 of 12 by val on Wed Jan 11 01:54:37 1995:

Right now it is illegal to grow hemp in the US and probably will be for 
some time to come.  All of the hemp proudcts sold are made from hemp grown
in Asia i beleive and imported.  Hemp and Kenaf take less space to grow the 
same amount of pulp.  They also produce a paper that  is of higher quality.
Also it is an interesting fact to know that most timber cuts on federal
land are subsidized and the gov't takes a loss allowing timber companies 
to log in federal lands.
I have info on the USFS and proposed cuts in Wisconson if anyone wants it.
<please ask i feel that i am pushing things on people  :)  >

#10 of 12 by rcurl on Wed Jan 11 02:00:44 1995:

Push. You have facts and opinions -- that's what conferences are here
to air and discuss.

#11 of 12 by gibson on Tue Jan 6 03:30:56 1998:

        For info on imported hemp products contact 

        Richard Orawiec
        chinamax@macatawa.org

        He is an importer, home based.

#12 of 12 by keesan on Tue Jan 6 20:44:10 1998:

The public library has a fairly new book on hemp, mostly on its medicinal
uses, and they might have something on fiber uses as well.   Dial into the
on-line catalog (it was and may still be 994-5301) and type in hemp or fiber
under Subject.

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