The following is a comment made on an AlterNet article questioning the benefits of ethanol fuel.


Cannabis could stop, and perhaps reverse, global warming.
http://www.alternet.org/healthwellness/56047/?comments=view&cID=691967&pID=691655#c691967

Absent prohibition of the world's most useful, nutritious, environmentally beneficial agricultural resource -- Cannabis, a.k.a. hemp, kaneh bos, marijuana, ganja, Santa Maria... -- the global economy would benefit from standardization of fuel production, for maximum efficiency and even distribution of wealth, by assessing the value of Cannabis, differently. What if Cannabis was suddenly not viewed, narrowly, as a "drug," but as the most sacred herb? I believe that cultivation of Cannabis is so essential that mankind will not achieve sustainable existence without it. Everything I understand about ecology tells me that widespread cultivation of Cannabis is critical to the proper functioning of the the Natural Order.

Cannabis agriculture is not optional, if our species is ever to achieve sustainability within a Natural Order recovering from induced scarcity, causing radical imbalance, and eventual synergistic collapse. Economic inertia, carrying the dominant political regimes, is favoring punishment, globalization and the control industries, because it is animal nature for the vicious to prey upon the peaceful. Predatory techniques have been refined to make people feel good an dbe complacent about the major problem we all face. If we don't solve global broiling, then it won't matter what other problems we do solve.

Fortunately, truth is more powerful than any number of guns and time is more precious than anything else. For the common good we have "natural, god-given, self-evident rights" afforded by Constitution. The world's most vigorous rotational, organic crop, capable of growing 10 centimeters per day, also provides unique and essential food and cover for wildlife. Legislating scarcity of such a critical resource is far beyond the rightful authority of our species. Cannabis is a lynch-pin species, connected to the entire global ecosystem by its inherent value. Prohibiting Cannabis agriculture has crippled organic food production, obviated a free market economy, created a black market economy, engendered endless wars and bred a costly, runaway bureaucracy, while blocking environmentally sane development of the organic pesticide and biodegradable plastics industries.

As for the problems with ethanol, there is no mention in the article regarding what it would take to filter the NOX and particulate. This seems an obvious and technologically achievable solution. Transport of feedstock from the field, to the regional energy production facility would benefit from localized efficiency and effect a drastic reduction of bureaucracy. Armed aggression must be replaced with farmed affection. Thirty million years of evolution has yielded dolphin economics, "You help me help you help everyone." Unless we prioritize strategies for peace that agree and cooperate with the laws of the Natural Order, then there is no chance for future generations.

"...nothing to fear but the atmosphere itself."

If we don't stop global broiling, it won't matter what other problems we solve. Every solution must be considered. Working with Nature, by using Cannabis to produce an atmospheric, monoterpene screen, sequester carbon, produce hydrogen, ethanol, methanol, diesel seed oil, and pyrolitic charcoal fuels, is the best strategy for stabilizing global temperatures.

Monoterpenes are atmosperic aerosols that reflect solar radiation back into space, and seed cloud formation. The clouds are brighter and last longer than non-monoterpene clouds.

Cannabis produces 58 monoterpenes and 38 sequterpenes. Cannabis sequesters carbon from the atmosphere with extreme efficiency, while regenerating de-mineralized and contaminated soils. Carbon sequestration is the process of storing carbon in biomass or the soil for long periods of time. Storing carbon reduces or slows the atmospheric build-up of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. Increasing carbon sequestration can temporarily offset greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to global warming.

As a source of essential nutrition, Cannabis is the only common seed with three essential fatty acids (EFAs), and is the best available source of organic vegetable protein on Earth. Hemp seed is an excellent source of three essential fatty acids (EFAs), Omega-3, Omega-6, and Omega 9 which are known to prevent, and in some cases, reverse a wide range of illnesses, including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Hemp nutrition also helps to bolster the immune system. These EFAs cannot be produced by the body and so must be present within the diet. Hemp seed is also a nutritious source of vitamins and minerals including beta carotene, vitamins A, C and E, and it does not contain any cholesterol.

Everything that's being made from petroleum (hydrocarbon) can be made better, cheaper and with less pollution using Cannabis (carbohydrate).

One hectare (2.5 acres) of seed hemp produces about 1,000-1,500 litres of hemp oil plus several thousand kilograms of cellulose-rich fibre. One hectare of fibre hemp produces about 8,000-11,000 kg of dry biomass.

Reclaiming desertified lands and expanding the arable base is the most urgent challenge facing our species. Respecting Nature means adding Cannabis back into the equation of survival.

Time is the limiting factor in that equation. Every spring planting season that passes without intensive cultivation of Cannabis is an opportunity that is gone, forever.

This year at Cannabis Ministries everywhere, we are celebrating the only truly global culture, and the most ancient. We are claiming our "natural, self-evident, god-given" Article One, Bill of Rights, by recognizing the true, unique and essential value of the Cannabis plant, never within the rightful jurisdiction of any court.

Any one who might care to, is invited to consider information published at the California Cannabis Ministry blog:
http://www.californiacannabisministry.blogspot.com

and

Project P.E.A.C.E.
Planet Ecology Advancing Conscious Economics
http://www.webspawner.com/users/projectpeace

Mindful of those who cannot speak for themselves, yet...

Brother Paul J. von Hartmann
California Cannabis Minister