Hemp is one of the few bright spots in humankind’s struggle to fit industry into the equation of our fragile ecosystem. Hemp is what we like to call the miracle fiber of the future because it provides many solutions to the problems found in traditional manufacturing. For one, it grows fast. With such a fast turnaround, the same fields can produce more fiber, using less water than other crops, such as cotton and flax. Hemp has so many uses that are continually being discovered, and in some cases rediscovered. Researchers are working on replacing fiberglass applications with a hemp composite, so that way less carbon is emitted. Even building materials are able to incorporate the strength of hemp fiber so that construction can be seen a green activity, not a devastating one. Dr Mike Lawrence is Director of the Building Research Park  at the University of Bath in the U.K. This facility is finding ways to turn plant fiber into building materials, and the findings are very promising (2). It’s all about reducing one’s carbon footprint. Hemp is where everyone is looking for solutions in just about any industrial product.