Around the world, plastic straws are being banned and otherwise limited for the good of the environment. It may seem small, but our use of straws is indicative of a larger problem. The average person produces about 88 pounds of plastic waste annually and the packaging industry is steadily growing – most of this growth seen in flexible plastics. In the United States alone, we use about 182B straws per year.  Cultiv8 believes we can solve the plastic straw problem with an environmentally friendly alternative – hemp – and, like many others, we believe that straws are a starting point for more environmentally friendly food packaging.

 

Hemp has a complicated history in the US. It is one of the oldest known domesticated crops and in the 1800s it was grown widely in the US, but in 1890 it was replaced with cotton. Growth and cultivation of hemp steadily declined and later, in 1937, the Marijuana Tax Act was passed. This act taxed and restricted growth of all cannabis- related cultivation and production. It is widely believed that other industry leaders – those in wood paper, nylon, and petroleum production –lobbied against hemp, as it lent to a cheaper alternative to each. In 1970 all cannabis plants were placed under the Controlled Substance Act effectively making it illegal to cultivate or possess. All intellectual property including cultivating, seed sourcing, processing, and supply chain was destroyed. 

 

Over time, the laws have changed, and as of December 2018 – given the passage of the US Farm Bill – industrial hemp has been removed from the controlled substance list and insurance along with federal subsidies and institutional investments have opened up to include the controversial crop.

 

The human consumption of paper and plastics has damaged the ecosystem of the planet. Our responsibility is preserving the place where our most precious plants survive, trees. For decades we have ignored the potential for an alternate measure due to the overwhelming influence of big business a political agenda. It is imperative that we begin to take responsibility and move to innovation and creativity. As societies evolve we must evolve. We have discovered a sustainable solution that is not only a viable answer to the problem, but has created a whole new world of possibilities.  

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The world’s plastic waste issue will never solve itself – it is up to all of us to do our part to solve it. Cultiv8 intends to do its part by perfecting biofuel and truly biodegradable alternatives to traditional paper and plastic products using hemp. We began with an idea, transformed into reality.  From one, to five, to ten individuals looking to change the world with a simple plant. Hemp, as we discovered many years ago, has more than 50,000 uses. One simple plant that can change the world. Let's start here.

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