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Last Updated on 5 months by Lindsey Holthaus
Hemp continues to go mainstream as it continues to replace materials that do more harm than good to and for Earth. Hemp is replacing wood, plastic, fuels, cotton, and more. In Plain Jane’s, Hemp Goes Mainstream column, we have covered hemp going mainstream with: skin-care, hair-care, hempcrete, straws, and more. In today’s ‘hemp goes mainstream’ installment, we talk: tupperware, plastic bags, and eating and kitchen utensils.
Hemp Goes Mainstream with: Tupperware
Doing a search for “what tupperware is made of”, the results pull up explanations that all lead to: most tupperware is made from #4 and #5 plastics. Those marked #4’s are: LDPE (low-density polyethylene), a number 4-coded plastic, commonly used to make shopping bags, dry cleaning bags, and flexible bottles and lids. Those marked #5 are: PP (polypropylene), the second most used/produced plastic, and these are hard and resistant to heat.
Generally, these plastics are safe, but not totally. Science Direct says: “Plastic waste results in deteriorating soil and underground water qualities and participate in global warming.” A safer and better option is tupperware made with hemp instead of plastic.
Hemp plastic is biodegradable and doesn’t contribute to waste. Biodegradable products are capable of being decomposed by bacteria and other living organisms. LDPE and PP plastics are not biodegradable so, they are contributors to waste, and waste is a huge contributor to global warming issues.
Photo Credit: Hemp Wellness NZ
The University of Colorado explains: “Because single-use plastic is produced from fossil fuels, the process of extracting and creating these plastics emits huge amounts of greenhouse gases. Landfills, where thrown out single-use plastics are sent, account for over 15% of methane emissions.”
Hemp tupperware is the better option all around because as explained by Earth Eclipse: “You may use a food container made for conventional plastic for a few minutes, but it will take centuries to completely decompose. Hemp plastic, on the other hand, takes about 3-6 months to decompose. Moreover, this eco-friendly plastic can be recycled indefinitely. So it doesn’t contribute to permanent pollution.”
Hemp tupperware and various containers are available, not in as many places as plastic right now, but available. There is a slow shift happening toward plant based fibers being used to replace plastic. As hemp continues to go mainstream and as global warming becomes more of a focus, hemp plastics will become the new plastic.
Hemp Goes Mainstream with: Plastic Bags
Hemp plastic bags are a great alternative to regular plastic bags, for many of the reasons as noted above in the tupperware section; actually, all of them. LDPE and PP plastics are no longer good for us. They never have been. But as Earth continues to melt, it’s very clear that we have to move away from LDPE and PP plastics.
Photo Credit: Weedstockers
Hemp plastic bags, like hemp tupperware, are the better alternative; we need more biodegradable products. There is a slow shift happening towards this realization. Hemp plastic bags are becoming popular and as hemp continues to go mainstream, we will continue to see the variety of options increase. Doing a search online, options like: grocery style, produce style, and ziploc style are the first to appear.
Hemp Goes Mainstream with: Eating and Kitchen Utensils
Like hemp plastic bags and tupperware, hemp eating and kitchen utensils are a better option for humans and Earth. Hemp is stronger than steel and because of that, lasts longer; this means less waste. The same when we consider plastic eating utensils.
We are seeing a shift in the use of bamboo based eating materials (bamboo is another plant that can be used to replace plastic, it is as versatile as hemp). Hemp going mainstream means the use of hemp based eating utensils, which like tupperware and plastic bags, are available. We aren’t seeing them in stores everywhere YET but, it’s coming.
Photo Credit: Vecteezy
In Closing
It is my belief that hemp, bamboo, and a plant based society must continue to go mainstream in order to save Earth. ResearchGate says: “Hemp is the future of plastic. The NCBI says: “Hemp as a raw material toward a sustainable new world. Academia.edu says: “A transition from petrochemicals and conventional building materials to hemp plastic could significantly cut carbon emissions by locking up carbon in the end products, alleviate pollution, and improve agriculture land and crop yields.”
The Baines Report says that the solution to climate change is hemp: “Hemp removes 10 times the amount of CO2 from the atmosphere per acre as an acre of trees, makes four times the amount of paper per acre as an acre of trees and grows in almost any climate without the need for pesticides or fertilizers. Considering that 25% of all of the world’s pesticides are used on American cotton, hemp is an environmentally friendly and sustainable competitor in the fiber market.”
What are your thoughts around this? Comment below and stay tuned for the next installment of hemp goes mainstream.
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