Digging our way into hell

It was that time of year again, when practically all of the people in the building industry journey down to London for the www.EcoBuild.co.uk Show. Having gone every year for the last 3 years, I had seen most companies before many times, and this time I was here for a seminar panelled by some pretty contraversial “environmentallists”.
The subject of the seminar was where will obtain our source of energy from for the foreseeable future.
Mark Lynas was one of the panellists, along with some journalists from New Scioentist magazinne.
Mark Lynas’s proposition was that we keep on digging all the minerals out of the earth, along with nuclear energy, and we should be just fine.
Once they had stopped pollutin our brains with all the drivel about how we have to go nuclear, I mustered up the courage to ask a question.
I proposed that we do not to go nuclear, as evidence has shown that plant based cellulose will be able to provide the energy we need, specifically from the hemp plant. Rudolph Diesel had designed the infamous deisel engine to run on hemp seed and vegetable oil is what I stated as my proof.
I was quickly ridiculed by Mr Lynas with a very stale comment about hwo the only time he heard about hemp was from his father who ranted abpout this fibre too much.
I later went to him to continue a question, to which he responded with an angry response, pretty much like dinasours that got destroyed in the last climate catastrophe, about a few million years ago.
I left with a sigh, but I do not despair, as I had met several positive holistic individuals at this show.

Remineralising this blog!

Yes, I have returned back to the fold of the blogging world.  Apologies to all my fellow readers that I went underground for such a long time, 27 days to be precise.

In the last few weeks, I became very busy with my job that pays me money (this blog is only a hoby at the moment), and thus I was only able to devote very little time to hemp, and that was only for research.  The last few weeks of late, I had become a bit withdrawn with all my efforts of educating and convincing people about the benefits of industrial hemp.  It has become my experience that most people want to do good for the people, but when it comes to listening to a simple solution, most people will laugh at the proposition to use hemp as a simple and effective solution to cure the many ills of our planet.  It is no longer a case of releasing the information and solutions to the public in an easy way, that is within their comfort zone. These solutions and changes need to be made now.

In spite of all of that has happened, please do not perceive that I am bitter.  I am frustrated not so much at the apathy from the public, but am actually dissappointed by the media and environmental ngos that show so much ego towards these solutions.

At the same time, I am fully aware of the dearth of solutions that are made available, and it also difficult to disseminate all this information, and figure out the green wash from the authentic solutions.

Since I have attended many events in the last few weeks, I have decided to post
the relating articles corresponding to the date they happened. Amongst attending these events, I have been asking pertinent questions of government ministers and industry executives.  Having seen the drought that I had created on my blog, I have started the process of remineralising the soil of this blog with lots of regular posts. Keep on checking all articles before this one, as I have many more updates to come.

Natural composites show the way forward

The Institute of Materials is a great centre of knowledge and networking on the industrial application of materials.  A major amount of their research is focused on mineral fibres (coal, steel, concrete, etc).  However, they have started to offer a more balanced approach to all fibres, and so they did a Natural Composites showcase at their offices near Charing Cross.

Although a bit late, I was able to catch the last few minutes of the first seminar on carrot fibre, that was pioneered by CelluComp from Scotland.  The carrot fibre has been blended with carbon fibre as a composite for fishing rods, some of which can cost up to £1,000.  I posed the question as to whether they feel that they would be able to make the fishing rod and other products that follow it, 100% from natural fibres, and so combined with hemp instead.  They kept their minds by stating that carbon fibre is the material that prouces the bind with the carrot fibre.

It was good fortune, in some ways, that the next speaker, Brett from ADAS, an environmental consultancy, was to give a full and concise seminar on natural fibres.  I have posted the slides which are very brief and concise, and will help you understand very quickly almost everything about natural fibres.  I will say though, that I was very impressed by Brett’s seminar which even developed on the carrot fibre, by saying that hemp and flax are much more superior in their quality and sustainability.

The last seminar focused on fibres from insects, an absurd idea that involved killing live insects for the fibres from their body.  I questioned how sustainable this is for the environment and biodiversity?  Even though the two speakers before him had spoken about the tested benefits of plant fibres, he was quite adamant that insect fibres was the way.  This method is a very perculiar and deluded way of getting industrial fibres, and one which would involve the genocide of mass insects for a car part or textile.  Buy clothing made from insect fibres, or cuticles as the professor has termed them, and you will get ants in your pants.

In summary, I was happy to have learnt about the carrot fibre, and the new research and work done on hemp and flax fibre.

Rawlicious food with Raw Rob

Exactly one week after educating a roomfull of vegans about hemp, I was on my way to get educated about the art of raw food, with hemp (obviously) as one of the key ingredients.

I was welcomed in Walthamstow town by Rob, from there we walked to his house.  After winding through a few streets, we arrived at his house, where I met several more raw foodists.  Rob Hull sells amazing superfoods through his site, Funky Raw, in addition to giving raw food training days like the one I went on.

I had arrived too late to see Rob making hemp milk, but being the kind soul that he is, he did have a glass of the magic milk waiting ernestly for me.  The first four pictures in the slide show above, are of the hemp milk making process, taken courtesey of Rob.  Having already tasted hemp milk, I savoured every last drop of this serving.

We then progressed on to make a chocolate pudding.  Eating a whole bowl of this pudding felt quite naughty, but in fact, I did feel very nourished and full (recipe guide to follow).

A raw food day would not be complete without a day foraging in your local park.  Yes, you heard me right.  No nipping of to the local grocers, since raw food is also about sourcing your food locally, and a park in Walthamstow was full of nutritious berries and leaves.  Taking a walk with the group and talking about real food, while breathing in the cool fresh air, was quite invigorating.

We got back to the house, and with our minds focused on the chefs training, and our stomachs waiting for the end result, lunch was coming ever closer.  Getting ready for lunch felt very much like a cosy, community experience, combined with the benefits of wholesome food too.  We set the table and ourselves into position for this raw moment.  You can tell how happy we all are in the photos, and are stomachs were a testament to that.

A chocolate cake, need I say more, was the desert of the day, but felt more like a second lunch or an early dinner, or actually both.  I was famished after eating this cake, and utterly speachless.

To sum up the day, in addition to the great food and learning a lot about raw food, I was glad to have met the other raw foodists, who I felt made the day complete.  Lolita was very instrumental in making the whole day possible with her knowledge and help.  Well done to Rob for having having developed his raw food business, and passing on his knowledge to others.  Oh yes, might I add that Rob would not be Raw Rob without his raw beard, which is a key feature of this very nice and humble chap.  To anyone who is thingking of going for a Raw Food day, Rob is your man, and hemp is all part of the master plan.

Healthy Eating Made Possible at London Vegan Show

Reading the title, you are probably thinking that healthy eating was what the Vegan Show was all about, right?  Well, I would agree with with reagards to all the lovely raw food that was available at the show, but not with all the processed soy about which there has been a mass release of real facts about this over-hyped plant, and which has become a main ingredients for many Vegans.  It was through presenting a seminar entitled Hemp, Soya and the Environment. that Kenyon Gibson and myself were hoping to provide some more information to the masses.

We arrived quite early on that Sunday morning, and the place was already bustling with excited visitors.  We had hardly been in the place 5 minutes, and we met Kate Molson, an extremely talented designer whom I shall talk about more later.

I have a slight confession to make here.  Apart from getting the samples from the various hemp brands, I had not done any preparation for my speech, simply because I have to remember what I have to say, which I will then forget anyway.  I was quite lucky that all of my visuals were the hemp samples rather than graphs, charts and bullet points.

On arriving in our designated seminar room, I was glad to find Caroline, the event organizer, who has been a great help to me.  We got the table brimming with samples, and as I looked up into the room, I was surprised to find the room was also brimming with upto 50 delegates all waiting to hear about this wonder plant.

While Kenyon began to ask how may of the audience were wearing hemp clothing, I handed out the sample packs I was given by Good Oil, followed by postcard promos from Innocent Oils and Jill Cholmodely.  The table displayed samples also from VEGA (cortousey of Cellular Foods) and Nutiva, and copies of the Spetmber issue of the Ecologist.  As Kenyon concluded his speech, I began mine, which although I was dreading, went very well.

Question time from the audience had arrived, and sure enough the questions came in thick and fast, which in short form translated into:

1. I have eaten soya for 20 years and my health has not been affected.  Why is hemp better than soya?  The same could be said for some smokers who were not affected by lung cancer.  Each individual has a different constitution.  Basically, hemp is the whole protein, whereas most soya is a protien isolate.  The best soya or tofu is organic and comes from Japan, where they eat it as a delicacy, not as a main part of the meal.
2. Is hemp more expensive than soya? Yes.  However, hemp does not need to be kept frozen, cooked or finished within a certain number of days before going off.
3. What consumer end foods are made hemp?  Staple foods such as bread, muffins, cakes and vegetarian burgers.

The irony of the first question was that the person who offered it was the very same person who introduced Kenyon and myself to the audience.  He also turned out be the staunchest ally of soya, to which I did offer him a free copy of The Ecologist, which he declined.  The article by Pat Thomas was well researched and documented on the dangers of soya food.

The best way to end of a successful seminar is to give out prizes to the eager to learn audience.  Hemp protein bars were only given to those who were wearing hemp clothing.  As I got packing, half the audience had already crowded the table for a peak at these hemp samples.  I was happy to have seen so much interest from the audience.

The seminar had finished, but for me the hemp campaign had only just begun.  I met the Carlo and Rabekkah from Hemp Global Solutions who were selling their Hemp Porridge.  I spoke to the good people from Vegan Organic Society, where the knowledge about hemp was quite sparse, except for the Director who did impart the difficulties he has experienced with promoting hemp amongst the Vegan crowd.  Vegan Runners were promoting a diet for athletes based pretty much on soya for protein.  Cue here for Brendan Brazier, pioneer of the VEGA diet (based on hemp and other superfoods), world triathlete champion and vegan athlete.  Elsewhere,  I found the Vegetarian and Vegan Foundation, whose literature on nutrition was imbalanced by its commitment to soy, and its factsheets to go with it.  When I referred to the articles on hemp and soya in the Ecologist, I was dissapointed to hear from the lady that it was all a conspiracy against soya by the Ecologist.  She made some rediculous allegations which I will have to investigate further for a future article.

With little time remaining, I began to give out the sample packs from Good Oil to almost all of the exhibitors.  The response was very positive, and they were genuinely happy to get a sample of hemp seed oil with my hemp flier.  There needs to be a lot of education of the truth to correct the miseducation that has been spread about both hemp and soya.

Overall, the festival was very good, had some nice samosas and raw food, and made a few good friends. Many thanks again to Caroline, all of the organizers and volunteers who helped put together the Vegan Festival and Mahersh for the lovely samosas.

Only hemp stand in the village!

It is so easy to forget how little sun we do get in Britain.  It was great when we had it for the very short two months that we had it, and now September has arrived, and I am all flustered about what to wear when going into London.  Do I take a sweater that I shove in my bag, or brave the cold snap that might come unexpected.

Luckily, that Monday afternoon, was a mild day with a slight chill.   With all this weather change, was there a fibre that could repel the cold snap and absorb the sweat.  There is such a fibre and it so happens that the fibre is made out of hemp.  This autumn opening was also the time of the year when the alternative fashion brands bring out their lines for the traders to stock up on at London Edge.

My main objective from the very beginning was to see the clothing from THTC.  I went straight to the only hemp stand in the show, manned by owner, Gav Lawson.  I have got to know Gav more in the last few months.  I would honestly he is probably one of the veterans of the hemp industry, and also one of the hardest working.  In addition to great quality hemp material, that can deal with the very wacky British weather, the designs are great and the accessories are original.  Oh, I must not forget to mention that THTC Clothing were the only sustainable clothing company in the show.  Everything else was cheap cotton and synthetic materials.

As a parting gift, I rewarded Gav, the ultimate hempreneur with a Vega protein bar, a great meal replacement for a very long day.

God giveth….

Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.”

The Bible
Genesis 1:29

Get Raw, Go Naked, Just go Hemp!

This is what to expect at the London Vegan Fair this weekend.

Some of you may want to get raw, and start a diet of unprocessed veggies.

The activist inside you will say no to animal fur, and Go Naked.

Those of you who want to eat ethical food and wear ethical clothing, will do both of the above, and will Just go Hemp.

The seminar on Hemp, Soya and The Environment will help you Just go Hemp, if you have not already. Brands on display will be Good Oil, Nutiva, VEGA and Gmund.

We will be holding a contest to find out the person who is wearing the most amount of  hemp clothing in the room, to put their hand up.  Sorry, but everyone else will have to go naked.  So, if you want to save your blushes and everyone else’s, then Just go Hemp.

If you havn’t worn any hemp, then do not despair, as Green Knickers who are in the main exhibition hall, may be able to help you cover up with a pair of very fetching hemp/silk knickers.

So come and take a seat to learn more about “Hemp, Soya and The Environment” from Kenyon Gibson and Sagar Shah, who will be speaking at 1pm in Room B.

Natural treasures tukked away in Hackney

After I left the Good Oil team to indulge more public into the taste of the nutty oil, I took a stroll through the local market.  There was a baker in the shops, a butcher and a coffee shop.  When I am  seriously searching for something, most times I will end up crossing paths with that exact thing on my list.  I passed shop which had handicraft type items in the shop window, and so I popped into have a look.  As soon as I stepped into the store, my eyes fell onto the fabric of the most beautiful flags that I had ever seen.  The lady at the store, told me that these flags were made out of a variety of different natural fibres such as wool and linen.  The material felt so soft and natural, a vast difference from the many flags that I have bought that already have rips in them after a few months.

The superior quality of these flags did leave me wondering about the possibility of hemp flag.  My only knowledge of a hemp flag was that of the flag of the USA, made by Betsy Ross.  Betsy was an American woman said to have sewn the first American flag which incorporated stars representing the first thirteen colonies.  More to come on this amazing lady in a later blog.  For those patriotic Americans who are fed up with the cheap and plastic looking flags, check out this hemp flag as an ethical alternative.

How many items do we buy in the Uk, that are designed to be sold as flags in some form or another.  Count up all the sports, the different nationalities that live in the UK, small to large sizes and the sheer amount of events that happen every year.  Yes, now that you look at the numbers, we purchase a lot of flags made out of unsustainable materials like polyester.  The flags tear easily, and before the next sports match is scheduled, or the standing for some national anthem, and we have already consumed a flag which is as eco-friendly as upto 3-5 plastic bags.

It is time that we started looking at natural flags as an alternative to the ones we are sold at the moment, which nurtures a throw away society before the whistle blows.  I would feel so much more proud of my little adventure with a flag that is made of the earth.  Does anyone else feel the same?

Pay your taxes with Cannabis Hemp

“In 1619, America’s first marijuana law was enacted at Jamestown Colony, Virginia, ‘ordering’ all farmers to ‘make tryal of’ Indian hemp seed. More mandatory hemp cultivation laws were enacted in Massachusetts in 1631, in Connecticut in 1632 and in the Chesapeake Colonies into the mid-1700’s. Cannabis hemp was legal tender in most of the America’s from 1631 until the early 1800’s, and you could pay your taxes with cannabis hemp for over 200 years.”
from the Hemp and Marijuana Conspiracy