Hemp has been in the news recently as the country's largest producer of industrial hemp, (Hemcore Ltd ) recently announced major expansion plans, on the back of a 6-figure investment from the construction industry.
Hempcrete, is a new take on a construction material which is hundreds of years old. In short its a traditional concrete or cement dressing which contains hemp.
The concrete's inherent strength and flexibility allied to the insulating qualities of the hemp provides a material which is durable, as well as being environmentally friendly.
Hemp can save the planet
Hemp's appetite for primary greenhouse gas CO2 is well known, and Hempcrete offers one of the most environmentally rewarding construction materials on the market today, as the CO2 which is sequestered from the atmosphere as the hemp grows, is locked into the concrete or cement, removing it permanently from the global carbon cycle.
No other building material can offer this and in a bid to build homes with as small a carbon footprint as possible, Hempcrete is in high demand.
Versatility
Industrial hemp has a myriad of other uses a world apart from industrial applications like construction. Tough comfortable textiles
Hemp clothing for instance, has long been renowned as being comfortable as well as being extremely durable. But in an environment in which it is important to be seen to be activlely minimising carbon emissions, hemp has also become "tres en vogue" in the fashion industry and the UK Hemp Expo brings together manufacturers from all over the world, displaying products which are organic, kind to the environment, as well as being sustainable.
UK Hydro Expo 2008
And if sustainability is important to you, you could check out the UK Hydro Expo, which is taking place in an adjoining hall over the same weekend (14th, 15th and 16th of November 2008).
Hydroponics is another new "old" technology.
Aztec
The science of growing plants without soil has been around since the Aztec nation existed, who used the technology to "float" their crops, grown on rafts covered in river bed silt, where ever the Aztec nation roamed in search of new resources.
Its a practical art form or a simple scientific excercise, which has long appealed to the horticultural amongst us, and with ground prices what they are today, precious few of us are in a position to own a large garden, but would still like to grow some fresh, sweet cherry tomatoes, or some salad-crunchy sweet red or yellow peppers.
Using hydroponic methedology it is possible to grow fresh vegetables or soft fruits like strawberries on a small balcony, in a loft, or even in a cupboard under the stairs, due to the fact there are no huge pots of soil to worry about.
The term "Hydroponic" is a hotch-potch of greek and latin, with hydro meaning "water", and ponic meaning "to work".
Go on..work with water
Its clean in operation, simple to grasp, and as your feed tank can take space "upwards", in a barrel, floor space used is minimal so its physical footprint is as small as its carbon footprint.
Growing hydroponically can be as technical, or otherwise, as you choose. You can feed your plants using electronically operated submersible pumps, dripper systems operated by either air or electric, or you can do it the way the Aztecs used to do it, powering their turbo charged growing system by nature, using "wicks" to transport water to the plants.
Its a fascinating subject and one which the whole family will enjoy learning about so make a date for the 14th, 15th and 16th of November 2008.
The UK Hemp & Hydro Expo 2008, Trumans Brewery, Brick Lane, London E1. E-mail
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for more information.
The UK Hemp Expo is organised by: Waccy Ltd.
TEL/ FAX : 0044 (0) 1974 821555 OR: 0044 (0) 1974 821518 The UK Hemp & Hydro Expo 2008
www.ukhempexpo.com
www.ukhydroexpo.com |
