John Kerry's energy problem and the homegrown solution

[littlejoe]

Assuming that John Kerry becomes the next president of the United States, one of the major problems he will face is to undo the previous administration’s dangerous and short-sighted energy policy. It will be a daunting task, but one that must be met head on with vigor and courage.

As a senator who has been a consistent defender of our environment, Kerry realizes the need to wean ourselves from the teats of foreign oil producers. This is why he has called for renewed investment in a sustainable energy infrastructure. There are a number of ways to tackle this problem, with the expansion of gasohol being the frontrunner.

But if we really want to solve our long term energy problem, President Kerry will have to step up to the plate and lift the sixty-five year old ban on the production of industrial grade hemp.


Homegrown Oil (Hemp Farming in America)

Why, might you ask do we need to lift the ban on hemp farming, when we have corn based energy programs in place? Well, the reasons are numerous.

Hemp is much cheaper to grow. It requires no pesticides or herbicides. The byproduct of this alone, is a much cleaner and safer environment, due to no chemical runoff.

Hemp pulp is a better biomass than corn or any other plant for the production of fuel.

The charcoal byproduct from hemp fuel production can be burned in place of coal, thus reducing dangerous emissions into our atmosphere.

By burning hemp fuel, we would dramatically reduce acid rain, as well as begin reversing the greenhouse effect.

Estimates by scientists indicate that, if only six percent of our land is used to grow hemp for fuel production, we could replace entirely the amount of oil that we import.

Unlike corn or other potential biomass fuels, hemp can be grown virtually anywhere on the populated planet. It can be grown in the southwest, or any other part of the U.S. which currently is unfeasable for large scale production of any plant.

The yield from the production of hemp makes it financially attractive to all farmers.

Energy products made from hemp can be made for a fraction of the current cost of oil, coal or nuclear energy, allowing for longterm, sustainable cheap oil and gas.

When hemp is grown, it takes in CO2 from the air. When it is burned in the form of fuel, it releases CO2 back into the air, helping to create a balanced system.

Hemp fuel is safer, eliminating dangerous spills into our environment, since it is biodegradable. It also has a flashpoint of 300 degrees, as opposed to 125 degrees for normal diesel fuel.

Now, hemp fuel by itself will never be able to completely replace the amount of fossil energy we consume. But hemp fuel, used in conjunction with wind, solar, tidal and hydroelectric power could save our planet by providing ALL of our energy needs.

Think about it; no more wars would be fought for oil. No more reliance for fossil fuel. No more ecologic devastation, due to oil spills or pollution. No more high fuel costs. And, we can save American single family farms!

So, when Senator Kerry becomes President Kerry, I, and I hope all Americans would strongly urge that the ludicrous ban on industrial hemp be lifted. The peak oil problem is real. It’s time to show some political courage and do the thing that just makes plain sense.

A Few Fun Hemp Facts

In the mid 1920’s, Henry Ford, understanding the need for sustainable fuel sources, constructed an automobile made from resin-stiffened hemp fiber, and ran the car on ethanol made from hemp.

How Hemp Saved George Bush (the elder)

When George Bush’s plane was shot down in WWII, the engine parts in his plane were lubricated by hemp oil. The webbing from his parachute was made from hemp fiber. The ropes that hauled him out of the water were made from hemp. The firehoses on board the ship that hauled him out were made from hem, as well as the stitching in his boots.

Links:

http://www.hemp4fuel.com/nontesters/hemp4fuel/challenge.html
http://www.angelfire.com/ca7/ddc/Fuel.html

[kalian]

1. I agree...but....

we're going to be devoting acreage to the cultivation of hemp
in order to continue having "cheap energy". Not going to happen.

Cultivating hemp will require a substantial investment in 1) land
and 2) energy in order to produce it and its by-products.

I'm not saying that it cannot be done, but the same arguement has
been used against biomass based energy sources as well. We need to
think beyond what we "need" as energy. We need to restructure our
cities and our way of life first...THEN we can proceed to find the
most viable alternative energy SOURCES.

[littlejoe]

2. They can be rotated into fallow crop ground. Also, the crops are

hardy and require little water.

[cprise]

8. Sounds like a good crop to add to the mix

...of other biofuels.

Some points I'd like to emphasize, that people don't always pick up on:

Biofuel crops are intended to ADD energy to our economy, not use it up. This is why corn is considered a 'problem' biofuel... it's not very productive and needs to be replaced with better fuel crops. My experience with biodiesel has taught me that biofuel can and does return much more energy than it uses.

Crops that can be grown on otherwise unproductive land are desirable. This helps ensure they add to our overall resources.

[Dogmudgeon]

9. The Biofuel energy equation

Plant + Sunlight energy = Biofuel

Biofuel = Energy (potential chemical) + carrier

Biofuels are potentially very efficient ways to use solar energy. The only real problem right now is that most of them don't have very high energy densities (though I think Hemp oil is pretty good in a diesel engine).

Hemp -- and bamboo -- are very useful and very neglected.

--bkl

[slor]

3. "Just say grow"

I say we push for this with our new Prez!

[RainDog]

4. So who here knows what people in this nation can do

to make our govt. get over the public hysteria and misinformation (and monopolistic practices of forestry and plastic industries) to put hemp on the agenda?

executive fiat is not my idea of good policy.

local level actions, with farmers as part of the base, seems to be what we need.

just like the current gay marriage movement across the land, farmers, alternative energy producers (and wannabes), and reasonable citizens need to put this issue before their local govts.

In addition, someone mentioned before the idea of "Johnny Hempseed" ala Johnny Appleseed...hemp grows wild. it's a weed. I wonder why people don't use direct action? it's crazy to try eradication anyway, as it stands.

from what I read in Reefer Madness, there is hemp growing all over the place in my state (Indiana) left over from the war effort.

[junker]

5. You talk like there is more than 4 years left. Peak oil is real, and mil

military (USofA DOD) expects global diesel fuel shortages in 2007 leading to collapse of western agriculture and global food shippments leading to massive starvation and wars intra-continental over food and water.

Their best assessment is that earth, without globally available, cheap oil, can only support 1.5 billions, the number that existed prior to widespread adoption of energy-slaves based on petroleum. Since there are better than 6 billions now, the USofA military DOD expects that 4.5 billions will die-off. They think it will take 20 years for the die-off process UNLESS countries resort to nukes for the developing resource wars.

So hemp may work as a solution, but we have no time for slow changes of any kind.

[jmcgowanjm]

6. Did the Pentagon say 4.5B will dieoff in20 years?

[kalian]

7. The Pentagon dind't report that 4.5B would be killed off....

where are you getting your sources from? What they DID state is
that they are concerned about climatic impacts affecting
"national security" from abroad.
Peak oil WILL have its effect and it will take a large segment
of the world's population but I don't think that 4.5B will die in
20 years...it'll take a little while longer. Of course, if we
go nuclear early in the up and coming conflict...then all bets are
off.