Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

Eileen Claussen on Wash. Journal just said...

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread
This topic is archived.
Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (1/22-2007 thru 12/14/2010) Donate to DU
 
slor Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-04-07 09:21 AM
Original message
Eileen Claussen on Wash. Journal just said...
she did not know about the energy uses of hemp to a caller. She is President of the Pew Center on Global Climate Change and Strategies for the Global Environment. I find that to be quite mind-boggling.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
BridgeTheGap Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-04-07 09:26 AM
Response to Original message
1. There is vast ignorance on the subject of hemp
This is just one more example of the ignorance.
We could achieve energy independence by producing hemp (diesel) fuel, not to mention all its other uses that are currently derived from petroleum.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Saturday Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-04-07 09:34 AM
Response to Reply #1
2. We need to do everything to be energy independent.
Google "plasma waste converter" and see what St. Lucie Co FL is doing.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Aristus Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-04-07 09:57 AM
Response to Reply #1
4. Can hemp fuel be produced without using fossil fuels to do it?
That seems to be the biggest obstacle to creating a biofuel infrastructure. Ethanol, for example, requires more fossil fuel to produce than it makes up for in fuel on its own.

We need to find a way...
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
BridgeTheGap Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-04-07 11:10 AM
Response to Reply #4
9. I assume electricity is involved in producing hemp fuel, so it depends on the source of electricity
but hemp oil can also yield plastic. Not sure if that's the case with other bio sources, i.e. soy, though I think soy oil can also be turned into plastic?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
yellowcanine Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-04-07 09:59 AM
Response to Reply #1
5. Hemp Biodiesel may not have any advantages over other oilseeds
Hemp Biodiesel
Hemp plants can produce about half a ton of seeds per acre, but such production is currently expensive—Canadian-grown hemp seeds cost about $.41 American per pound, while other common oil crops (soybeans, canola, and flax) average $.10 per pound. Hemp seeds are about 30% oil, soybeans contain about 18% oil2, canola upwards of 30%3, and flax about 41%4. Thus hemp is, except in price, the equal of any other common oil crop. It is not without its problems—the oil degrades even more quickly than other vegetable oils and, as mentioned, it is much more expensive than current oil crops. Hemp biodiesel, as recently proven by the hemp car, would be a viable source of energy. However, it does not appear to offer any significant advantages5 over other biodiesel sources. To quote Jenna Higgins of the National Biodiesel Board:
"emp-based biodiesel now is really just a novelty, while biodiesel itself isn't a novelty<.>"6
http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1466717



That said, hemp biodiesel could be part of the mix of things that comes from the hemp plant of course. It is unlikely that hemp alone could be the basis for energy independence. But nothing is. We need to think about a mix of things - including domestic petroleum, solar, tidal,wind geothermal, ethanol, biodiesel, etc. and good old conservation and efficiency.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
slor Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-04-07 10:29 AM
Response to Reply #5
6. I am more intrigued by oil from algae but...
I was simply surprised that she was unfamiliar with the hemp potential.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
yellowcanine Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-04-07 10:43 AM
Response to Reply #6
7. The truth is that anyone with even a rudimentary knowledge of biology knows that any plant
has potential as a source of energy. The devil as always is in the details.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
RebelOne Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-04-07 09:48 AM
Response to Original message
3. Here is plenty of info about hemp on Woody Harrelson's Web site
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Cha Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-04-07 10:57 AM
Response to Reply #3
8. Thanks for that link, Rebel..
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DU AdBot (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view 
this author's profile Click to add 
this author to your buddy list Click to add 
this author to your Ignore list Tue Apr 30th 2024, 05:41 AM
Response to Original message
Advertisements [?]
 Top

Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (1/22-2007 thru 12/14/2010) Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators


Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC