Just kidding. Well, sort of. Remember then-candidate Clinton, during his first presidential election debates, and the question that floored everyone was, "did you ever smoke marijuana?"
Clinton's famous reply? "I never inhaled".
What in the hell does our prohibited medication, smoking-but-not-inhaling, former President have to do with Global Warming?
That my friends, is a very good question. Find out the answer(s) after the jump...
According to former Vice President Albert Gore (and anyone else on the freakin' planet with at least
half a brain functioning), the
Earth is in trouble.
The root of the evil© is us, people, humans, home erectus habilis nee sapiens. Unfortunately, for us, that sucks. To cure the Earth of it's problem, it appears that what is needed is to get rid of the people.
Wait a second there, that's not a cure, insofar as I can see, it's a solution, but not one that seems to be on a list that I'd want to choose from.
There must be some other solution.... hmmmmmm... what could it be....
Stop cutting down the rainforests. That would be a great start. Keep the CO2 at a level that will still support human life. Now, that sounds pretty good.
But wait - if we stop cutting down the rainforests, what in the hell will we do for materials to make necessary stuff, like, you know, carpeting, homefurnishings, construction materials, auto parts, textiles, paper, industrial oils, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and food (to name just a few things that can be produced from hemp or hemp byproducts).
Well, it just so happens that there is this terrific completely natural product, that for much of recorded history, as far back as the Stone Age, was a veritable boon to mankind.
This product is, of course, hemp.
Interesting Facts about Hemp:
- The first Gutenberg bible was printed on hemp paper.
- The first drafts of the Declaration of Independence were printedon hemp paper.
- The first American flag was made out of hemp.
- George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew it. In 1794, Washingtonsaid, "Make the most of the hemp seed. Sow it everywhere."
My personal favorite quote regarding hemp:
"Why use up the forests which were centuries in the making and the mines which required ages to lay down, if we can get the equivalent of forest and mineral products in the annual growth of the hemp fields?" - Henry Ford
Hemp grows wild in various parts of the world, from Afghanistan to China to the midwest plains of the United States. This is a hardy plant which requires little care to survive, but grown with care could provide the world with an opportunity to, at the very least, slow down the effects of global warming.
Besides, who could be against saving the Rainforests???
Links to interesting websites with volumes of information regarding hemp, and it multiplicity of uses:
Hemp: New Uses for North America
Possible Industrial Uses of Hemp
More on Industrial Uses
Hemp Industry Association FAQs
Currently Available Hemp Products
Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance
Hemp production will of course, not be the cure-all to the issue of Global Warming. But, hey, we've got to start somewhere folks, and I can pretty much guaran-damn-tee that the automakers of the world are very much not going to be voluntarily switching over to alternative fuels such as switchgrass anytime soon.