Is Hempcrete the Secret to a Fire-Resistant California?

00;00;07;21 - 00;00;40;05
Maria
Hello. Hello and welcome to Just Say KNOW The show that spotlights the innovators behind cannabis newest products, and the groundbreaking ideas driving that legal cannabis movement. I'm your host, Maria Calabrese, broadcasting on KCAA radio 1050 AM, 106.5 FM, the station that leaves no listener behind. Hey, I'm so grateful to be here today and so glad that you're able to join me.

00;00;40;08 - 00;01;11;28
Maria
Before we dive into today's topic. I want to take a moment to acknowledge the devastation caused by the recent wildfires in Southern California. Our hearts go out to everyone affected by these fires, as well as by any other natural disasters happening somewhere on the planet. Hey, whether you've lost at home, face the drama of evacuation or struggling with insurance claims, please, please know that you are not alone.

00;01;12;00 - 00;01;24;06
Maria
And hey, a huge, huge, heartfelt thank you to our first responders.

00;01;24;08 - 00;02;01;07
Maria
Standing ovation guys. Your tireless efforts, courage and dedication to keep us safe. Cannot be understated. You know, while these challenges bring out the best and the worst of us, but mostly the best. I'm reminded of our resilience times like these test us in unimaginable ways. And I highlight Angelinos extraordinary resolve and unity. Southern California, we will recover. Our communities have come out to help in droves.

00;02;01;09 - 00;02;41;16
Maria
Compassion and strength for one another. We'll drive the rebuild, and we will all thrive after absorbing such an unimaginable loss. Now, if you're wondering, Maria, what rebuilding has to do with cannabis? Well, I'm going to tell you, not that kind of cannabis. In moments of rebuilding, hope often lies in the solutions we choose. Today's show will explore one such hopeful solution hemp, and why this sustainable crop is proven to be a real game changer in construction.

00;02;41;19 - 00;03;12;22
Maria
From fire resistant building materials to environmentally friendly building practices, hemp is making a comeback after decades of prohibition in the United States. And it's showing us how we can rebuild smarter and more sustainably. So sit back, take a deep breath, relax, and get ready to learn more about Hemp's promise and post disaster recovery and ways you can help to build a stronger, more resilient future.

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Intro
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00;04;25;21 - 00;05;01;05
Maria
Hello, I'm Maria Calabrese. You're a host you're listening to Just Say KNOW on KCAA Radio 1050 AM, 106.5 FM. We're talking about hemp as a sustainable crop and building material in the aftermath of what Southern California has just been through. You know, Southern Cal has experienced an increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires dating back to the enactment of the 1937 marijuana tax Act, which effectively prohibited the cultivation of industrial hemp in the United States.

00;05;01;07 - 00;05;42;04
Maria
Now, several factors have contributed toward this increase in intensity in wildfire trends, including climate change, urban expansion into fire prone areas, and historical land management practices. Now, if we look at wildlife statistics that on wildfires from the early 1900s, I'm sorry. If we look at wildfires statistics, that's what I meant to say. Data on wildfires from the early 1900s is limited, but based on the records that I was able to find large scale wildfires were less frequent during the 20th century.

00;05;42;06 - 00;06;32;00
Maria
From 1900 to 1999, California experienced 45 mega fires. Now, what's a mega fire or mega fire? Or is a fire burning over 100,000 acres? Since 2000, there have been 35 mega fires in California, indicating an enormous uptick in these large scale fires. I mean, think about it. For almost an entire century, we experienced 45 mega fires. But in the last 25 years, 35 mega fires, the Palisades, even fires in Los Angeles have have burned already nearly 40,000 acres, destroyed over 12,000 structures, and resulted in at least 27 fatalities.

00;06;32;03 - 00;07;01;23
Maria
For a visual representation, check out the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. It's called Cal Fire. Cal fire three. They provide up to date statistics on wildfires, including annual data on the number of fires and acres burned. Another good resource for STAT is the California Fire History Map. It offers an innovative tool to explore wildfire data over time.

00;07;01;26 - 00;07;32;19
Maria
While these resources admittedly they don't go back as far as 1937, they do offer and provide good insights into the trends and impacts of wildfires in the region. Now, climate change is among the factors influencing the increase in these wildfires. Rising temperatures and prolonged droughts have created conditions conducive to more frequent and severe occurrences, according to The New Yorker.

00;07;32;21 - 00;08;14;01
Maria
Scientists are now describing a phenomenon known as hydro climate whiplash. Hey guys, as far as I know, last time I checked, Mother Earth does not have airbags or insurance. So this hydro climate whiplash is defined as periods of extreme wetness followed by extreme dryness, which exacerbate fire severity. The growth of urban areas. Urban expansion into wildland urban interfaces has also increased.

00;08;14;01 - 00;08;51;13
Maria
The risk of wildfires impact in densely populated regions. AP news reported that the recent Los Angeles fires have scorched the largest urban areas in California in at least 40 years, affecting nearly four square miles of densely populated zones. Historical land management. Past forest management practices, including fire suppression and logging, have also led to an accumulation of fuel in forests, contributing to larger and more intense fires.

00;08;51;16 - 00;09;28;19
Maria
The Palisades native fires underscore the growing threat posed by these wildfires to our homes, businesses, communities, and environment. This vulnerability is only expected to grow in size as climate change intensifies the frequency and scale of these fires. And we cannot, cannot, cannot take into consideration the impact of the 1937 marijuana Tax Act can't be ignored. Basically, the act effectively criminalized marijuana imposed strict regulations on hemp cultivation.

00;09;28;22 - 00;09;58;22
Maria
This legislation led to significant decline in hemp production in the US, making its cultivation and importation less economical. When we think about our homes, we picture comfort security. What comes to mind? I mean, your kitchen, the smell of something nice baking in the oven. But have you ever thought about what your home is made of? Believe it or not, oil plays a big role.

00;09;58;24 - 00;10;31;22
Maria
From vinyl flooring to plastic siding. Many of the materials that make up modern homes are derived from fossil fuels. Our growing reliance on petrochemical based materials is a major contributor to climate warming pollution globally. The building sector is responsible for 11% of energy related emissions. Concrete, steel and aluminum alone account for 23% of all emissions. But what if there was a better way?

00;10;31;24 - 00;11;08;23
Maria
In the aftermath of these catastrophic wildfires, not just here in Los Angeles, but across the entire country, the world, it begs the question, why not turn to hemp? Could this natural, sustainable material be the key to rebuild more resilient, fire resistant communities? Well, stay tuned, because when I come back after this quick break from our sponsor, I'm going to explore hemp as a natural, carbon storing, building material that can help us rethink how we recover and rebuild.

00;11;08;25 - 00;11;09;24
Maria
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00;11;09;25 - 00;11;14;25
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00;12;01;13 - 00;12;09;18
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00;12;09;20 - 00;12;36;11
Maria
Welcome back. You're listening to Just Say KNOW on KCAA Radio 1050 AM, 106.5 FM I'm your host, Maria Calabrese. And we're discussing hemp as a sustainable crop and building material. And Southern California looks to rebuild after these recent horrific fires. There's a growing pressure to incorporate green building practices that reduce carbon footprints and promote sustainability. It's a no brainer.

00;12;36;13 - 00;13;06;08
Maria
Building materials made from hemp, namely hempcrete, are excellent candidates for this as they not only reduce the carbon footprint of construction but also contribute to carbon to carbon sequestration over the lifespan of the building. Many structural engineers will tell you from the green building community, and I spoke with, and they all agree that carbon storage has become a top priority.

00;13;06;08 - 00;13;42;27
Maria
And Hempcrete is leading the charge. Hemp building materials aren't a new idea, guys. Hemp has been used in construction for centuries, with examples of hempcrete structures lasting hundreds hundreds of years. But in the United States, the materials history was disrupted by the 1937 Marihuana Tax Act, which effectively banned hemp farming. It wasn't until the 2018 farm bill that industrial hemp was legalized, paving the way for its reintroduction into the construction industry.

00;13;42;29 - 00;14;08;26
Maria
While reporting on the introduction of hemp building into the Los Angeles Trade Technical College, I caught up with Sergey Kovalenov. He's the founder and CEO of Empire. He is leading, the charge, and I was able to discuss with him after he led a panel discussion, a little bit about hemp as a building material. Let's have a listen.

00;14;08;28 - 00;14;20;18
Maria
Hi, Maria. Calabrese greenbeelife. And I've got the great pleasure of being joined by Sergey Kovalenov, CEO and founder of Empire. Tell us a little bit about Empire.

00;14;20;21 - 00;14;41;27
Sergey Kovalenov
Well, it's the company that I founders four years ago. Back in Europe, in Ukraine. It's a company that focuses on hemp building and installation using hempcrete technique. So what we have done, we have developed our own all natural binder that we successfully used on about 50 to 60 projects that we have completed all across the world. And now we're here in USA, while in Europe, for example, like Hempcrete houses.

00;14;41;27 - 00;15;06;03
Sergey Kovalenov
Is this something that's already normal in U.S.? It just arriving. So not many people are aware about it. So it's a it's an educational process. We need to educate students. We need to educate architects, builders and building departments. What can hemp do, what kind of benefits it has? We can get it into the minds of young people, young professionals, having them understand how incredible this plant is with the 20 something thousand different uses.

00;15;06;03 - 00;15;25;29
Sergey Kovalenov
I mean, this is just paving the roadway for success. It's the industry leaders. There need to be educated as we speak. It's an old, mature, old plant that we used for centuries. Now it's relatively new because, you know, this country lost 70 years of development and that the agricultural processing industries, you know, us, has to catch up to Europe.

00;15;25;29 - 00;15;30;26
Sergey Kovalenov
The rest of the countries that's been quite advancing on different techniques of cultivation and processing.

00;15;30;28 - 00;15;44;01
Maria
Well, it's going to have a very disruptive effect on the textile industry. Right. Timber, cotton. And what advice do you have for other company founders and CEOs to get involved the way you are?

00;15;44;03 - 00;16;04;19
Sergey Kovalenov
Eventually they're going to have to switch their sights on hemp and something biodegradable and natural, because that's the only solution right now. For the last 70 or 80 years, no one could care less what type of car you drive, what type of clothes you wear. You wouldn't even question their origin or what type of chemicals were used. Now people are starting to ask this questions.

00;16;04;21 - 00;16;09;14
Maria
On the proliferation of cancer, Alzheimer's, global warming.

00;16;09;17 - 00;16;22;12
Sergey Kovalenov
Yeah, yeah, people people are asking legitimate questions. The industry leaders, you need to set the record straight, you know, by lowering carbon emissions during the cultivation, production of different types of products. That is what's important right now.

00;16;22;12 - 00;16;28;18
Maria
And is it true that hemp sucks five times the CO2, or much more CO2 out of the air than other crops?

00;16;28;18 - 00;16;50;28
Sergey Kovalenov
Two and a half acres of hemp throughout four years growth period, it sequesters about ten tons of CO2. I mean, isn't it fantastic? You know, it's carbon based material. It's a no brainer. We can create all kinds of different things, you know, textiles, paper. We don't need to cut trees no more to create paper.

00;16;51;00 - 00;17;25;07
Maria
It's a no brainer. We don't need to cut trees anymore to make paper. So listen, hemp grows fast, reaching up to 15ft tall and just 120 days. It absorbs more CO2 per acre than most plants, up to 15 tons of carbon dioxide per hectare during its growing cycle. Now, a hectare, by the way, is equal to 10,000m², which is about two and a half acres.

00;17;25;10 - 00;17;57;18
Maria
To visualize it, a hectare is roughly the size of a professional rugby or soccer field, making hemp a hero crop for mitigating climate change. Equally impressive, when the stalks are turned into hempcrete, the carbon is locked. It's locked in a way for the lifespan of the building. So while the process of growing hemp captures CO2 from the atmosphere when it's used in construction, this carbon remains locked in the material.

00;17;57;20 - 00;18;35;26
Maria
This makes hempcrete a carbon negative material, meaning it actually helps combat climate change by absorbing more carbon dioxide than is emitted during its production. Southern California it's exciting. I mean, it's look, you know, it's tragic, but there is an opportunity on the horizon. We have the unique opportunity to set a precedent for eco friendly construction that aligns with state level environmental goals, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

00;18;36;03 - 00;19;11;11
Maria
If we were to use Hempcrete in our rebuilding efforts. But the benefits of hemp as a crop, they don't even end here. Let's talk about hemp regenerate soil. Its deep roots, break up compacted soil, prevent erosion, and leave the soil enriched with nutrients for future crops. It even has the ability to remove toxins through a process called phyto remediation, famously demonstrated and used in areas like Chernobyl.

00;19;11;14 - 00;19;52;14
Maria
And let's not forget water usage. Compared to thirsty crops like cotton, hemp requires 50% less water, while producing 250% more fiber per acre. If that's not enough, it's also a crop that thrives in a wide variety of climates, and it doesn't require pesticides or herbicides, further reducing its harmful impact on the environment. Now. Harms resurgence in the United States began, as I mentioned, after the passage of the 2018 farm Bill, which legalized industrial hemp after decades of prohibition.

00;19;52;17 - 00;20;32;14
Maria
This is allowed farmers across the country to grow this sustainable crop once again, with hemp acreage expanding rapidly by 2020, U.S. hemp production was already valued at over $824 million, which, with much of this growth, focused on fibers for industrial use. So industrial use, what exactly is Hempcrete? Well, Hempcrete it's a mixture of hemp, herbs, not herbs. Herbs, which is the inner woody core of the hemp stalk line and water.

00;20;32;16 - 00;21;05;23
Maria
The result is a lightweight, durable and highly insulating material. Here's what makes them create such a game changer. And not only does not burn easily due to the fire resistant properties of lime based hempcrete, it is becoming a preferred choice for rebuilding efforts in areas that are vulnerable to wildfires. Studies and industry applications show that Hemp Crete is noncombustible and it can withstand higher temperatures better than traditional building materials.

00;21;05;25 - 00;21;38;15
Maria
The lime component of the hempcrete forms a protective barrier that helps resist flames, while its porous structure helps it absorb and dissipate heat. I'm going to throw to a visual demonstration that Sergey from Empire did while he was actually reborn on the house in Northridge, California, using Hempcrete drywall. He took a blowtorch to it. If you have access to KCAA TV, streaming TV, you'll see it.

00;21;38;15 - 00;22;01;02
Maria
If you're listening to the podcast, you can watch the video at greenbeelife.com.

00;22;01;04 - 00;22;27;28
Maria
Wasn't that amazing? I mean, given the increasing occurrences of wildfires in Southern California using Hempcrete for the reconstruction of areas like Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, Malibu, Pasadena and all the DNA could provide an added layer of protection, reducing the risk of structural damage in fire areas, you know. But here's what blew me away I was already blown away.

00;22;28;01 - 00;23;00;26
Maria
But are you ready for this? Hempcrete is not only fire resistant, it's mold resistant to. By naturally managing moisture. It makes indoor air quality healthier, especially important in areas affected by wildfires where homes and commercial properties are susceptible to both water and fire damage. During recovery efforts. If fire and mold resistance were not enough. Hold on. Here we go.

00;23;00;28 - 00;23;33;20
Maria
It's energy efficient. It's highly selective, which means homes built with hempcrete require less energy for heating and cooling. Jennifer Martin is a design build professional who specializes in hempcrete. She explained to me that among its standout features is its thermal regulating properties that allow it to absorb and release heat and moisture, keeping indoor air temperatures and humidity levels stable.

00;23;33;23 - 00;24;08;23
Maria
Could you imagine a home that stays cool in the summer, warm in the winter, and doesn't require energy guzzling Hvac systems to do it? It's going to have a disruptive effect. But we have to either, you know, air conditioning and cooling companies and the old infrastructures not going to like this. However we have to either mitigate the effects of of of climate change or adapt to just to modernize our infrastructure and how we rebuild to adapt to the increasing intensity and severity.

00;24;08;23 - 00;24;47;07
Maria
It's that simple. I mean, hempcrete fibers can also be used to create a hemp based drywall, which is stronger, lighter and more sustainable than conventional drywall and drywall. Check this out. It does not emit harmful volatile organic compounds, VOCs. That's right. It does not emit VOCs. Offering a healthy alternative for indoor spaces. It makes sense that globally, hemp is already being utilized as a key material for rebuilding efforts.

00;24;47;09 - 00;25;14;00
Maria
In the Ukraine, for instance, hempcrete is being used to reconstruct homes and buildings destroyed by the war because of its fire resistant and insulating properties. They're doing this in an effort to rebuild safer, more energy efficient structures in a country facing both rebuilding challenges and really, really harsh weather in the winters. But are there caveats to these environmental benefits?

00;25;14;02 - 00;25;40;19
Maria
I had the pleasure of attending a webinar shortly before the passage of the farm bill, led by Chris Magwood. Chris is the executive director of a wonderful, not for profit, sustainable building school called the Endeavor Center in Peterborough, Ontario. The school runs two full time certificate programs Sustainable New Construction and Sustainable Renovations. Chris is the author of numerous books on sustainable building.

00;25;40;22 - 00;25;46;21
Maria
Here's what he had to say relating to his pros and cons.

00;25;46;23 - 00;26;17;04
Chris Magwood
For the environmental benefits. Again, if you're if you're researching, you can create online. This is, the kind of stuff that you'll, you'll hear about. And, some of it is true and some of it is sometimes a little bit exaggerated, but, the hemp production, is low intensity and relatively low impact. And by that, what people mean is quite often they're able to farmers are able to grow it, with either fewer or absolutely no pesticides, herbicides.

00;26;17;09 - 00;26;57;13
Chris Magwood
So it's it is, it is indeed and it grows. It jumps up quickly in the spring and it grows fast. So it tends to choke out competitors. And, there aren't, a lot of, insects or other pests that that tend to disturb it. So, you know, in comparison to some other crops or lots of other crops, there's often a lot less input into, into the hemp plant and, and other crops that the heard that portion of the plant that you're interested in using for hempcrete, is also secondary to the cedar fiber production.

00;26;57;14 - 00;27;21;26
Chris Magwood
So, you know, if you're if you're sort of calculating the impacts of farming, it we're actually using the byproduct. So, you know, it's a it's a way of making sure that you can use the whole plant and not just the, the key to the fiber, it's production doesn't sort of cause any byproducts or industrial waste, that carbon sequestration.

00;27;21;28 - 00;27;48;29
Chris Magwood
I think I've got a slide that that sort of, formulates that a bit later on. But, as with any plant based material, you know, about 50% of the weight of your hemp herd is literally carbon. And so that's carbon that's been, you know, pulled the CO2 is pulled over the atmosphere and, added to the, to the makeup of the plant itself.

00;27;49;02 - 00;28;11;27
Chris Magwood
And so if we are kind of these plants taking that out of the atmosphere and we're bundling it up and putting it in the wall for, you know, a good long time, 5000 or 200 years, then that's, that's carbon that's been, you know, removed from the atmosphere cycle. So, it's sort of a positive effect that way in terms of, carbon and climate change.

00;28;11;29 - 00;28;33;13
Chris Magwood
There's little to no on site waste or offcuts. It's, it's a loose mix material that you're, you're sort of packing into the area that you want to insulate and so, you just make as much as you need. And, if there's any leftover, it can just be composted. There's things you need for it to go landfill.

00;28;33;15 - 00;28;57;21
Chris Magwood
And it does have really good indoor air quality properties. The combination of the porosity of the plant and the antifungal nature of the lime, means it's it's, it's really clean. It's not off gassing anything, and, it's not sort of emitting any toxins into your building or introducing anything else that it's anything less than to create.

00;28;57;24 - 00;29;22;28
Chris Magwood
So those are all, you know, great, environmental benefits. But there are some, caveats to that. And this is the stuff that sometimes the, the online, proponents of temporary don't like to talk about, and I don't think that reason to, to not use it, but that there are things to keep in mind and that is that, the production of the lime, is both energy and carbon intensive.

00;29;22;28 - 00;29;52;27
Chris Magwood
You're harvesting fine stone, you're burning it at a high temperature. And you are creating a bunch of, carbon emissions and other emissions in that burning process. Advocates of hempcrete will sort of say, well, you know, the lime actually decarbonize it. And that's true as it know, back into limestone. That process is reversed and that CO2 gets drawn back into, into the lime.

00;29;52;29 - 00;30;19;23
Chris Magwood
But that that process is not, 100%, depending on how thick the wall is. You know, Castro would be sort of absorbing somewhere between like, maybe 25 and 75% of the CO2. And, it doesn't at all address the CO2 that was emitted, from the fuel that was used to burn that block. So, you'll see later on in the slideshow we will actually quantify this.

00;30;19;23 - 00;30;46;27
Chris Magwood
And overall, the material is a net carbon sequester. But, unlike other plant materials, if you're using cellulose or straw or cork or bamboo or any of those things, because they don't have the lime or sequestration, metals are actually higher. Another caveat is that large scale hemp production does is, typically used by quantities of fertilizer. So that obviously has environmental implications.

00;30;46;29 - 00;31;10;26
Chris Magwood
The plant grows anywhere from 8 to 12ft tall in a season. And, and clearly takes a lot of it takes a lot of, Nutrients out of the soil. And in order to be able to do that, and, unless you're finding organically grown hemp, which I have not been able to source anything like that in North America.

00;31;10;28 - 00;31;28;12
Chris Magwood
There is that fertilizer issue and also, as I talked about the lime earlier on, if you want to use natural hydraulic lime instead of formulating your own, that only comes from European sources. And clearly there's a, an environmental,

00;31;28;15 - 00;31;37;25
Chris Magwood
Impact to, to, to bringing that from Europe.

00;31;37;27 - 00;32;07;21
Maria
Caveats aside, Hemp's potential in construction is transformative. We can't deny that. Yet, despite its promise, Hempcrete isn't quite yet mainstream. In the US, only about 100 hemp based homes have been built, according to the US Hemp Building Association, which is a great association to support, by the way, US Hemp Building Association, full of some really wonderful information and resources.

00;32;07;24 - 00;32;35;15
Maria
Part of the issue is supply. Only 18,000 acres of industrial hemp were harvested in 2022. This is force builders to rely on importing hemp driving up cost. See, this is because of the prohibition and we lost our infrastructure. So we have to import it from countries in Europe or Canada or China that have the infrastructure. But we'll get there.

00;32;35;15 - 00;33;02;16
Maria
We're America guys. However, things you know, they're changing companies like South Bend industrial hemp processing they're out of cannot Kansas for the Dresden company, South Bend industrial hemp processing. They're building they're working to build the infrastructure needed to support a domestic hemp create industry here in the United States. Not only could this lower cost, but it could also bring jobs to rural communities.

00;33;02;16 - 00;33;39;15
Maria
As the processing and manufacturing of hemp based products, they need to happen close to where the crop is grown. Cost could be another barrier. Historically, hempcrete homes could be 30% more expensive than conventional homes. That's due to the prohibition. But with legalization and as domestic supply chains improve, these cause, they're starting to come down. And in some cases, such as a hempcrete building program in Minnesota's lower CIS community, the material has even led to cost savings.

00;33;39;17 - 00;34;02;17
Maria
And let's think about it, looking at what the cost is going to be to rebuild Southern California, maybe if the bulk of those structures were made from Crete here, even if it had increased cost upfront, it would have been a bargain at twice the price. Just saying, just saying we need to Just Say KNOW. We need to find out o w.

00;34;02;19 - 00;34;45;12
Maria
And when it comes to making it more accessible to builders across the US, Hempcrete did achieve a major milestone in 2022. It was accepted into the International Residential code. Now, this doesn't mean it's automatically approved in every state or everywhere, but it's a big step forward. It is a big step forward. As we wrap up this part of our discussion, I want to throw back to Chris Mag Wood, the executive director of the Endeavor Center, the not for profit sustainable building school in Ontario, to review and recap the various uses of hempcrete in building materials.

00;34;45;14 - 00;35;10;22
Chris Magwood
Okay. So, uses for hempcrete in the building. You're looking at a whole bunch of them here. So it can be used as a ceiling roof installation, wall insulation, under slab insulation. We also use it as the insulation, around the windows between the window and rough framing and, in this particular building, it's also that integral with that window sills and the trim.

00;35;10;22 - 00;35;41;13
Chris Magwood
So all of that is actually built out with hempcrete, there's a benchtop and you can do other decorative things with it. And then also, can be incorporated into plasters. So, you know, in that that one building we're looking at, there's there's temp used in all those different of these different areas. And so we'll kind of now look at the specifics of, how each of those works.

00;35;41;15 - 00;36;12;20
Chris Magwood
So as wall insulation, which is, you know, by far and away it's most common use, the most typical scenario is, it's installed into a frame all and quite often a double sided wall, which allows people to thickness, to be tailored to the, to the amount of insulation you want. So up here in our climate in Ontario, Canada, you're doing, hempcrete walls or anywhere between sort of 12 and 16in thick.

00;36;12;25 - 00;36;40;10
Chris Magwood
And so, the, the two double sided arms are spaced that far apart. And then we're using a fairly lightweight mix for those walls. From many because it's, 200 to 2, 75kg/m³. And, and that's, you know, just enough density to, have the material turn into a solid in the wall so that it maintains its own shape.

00;36;40;13 - 00;37;15;23
Chris Magwood
And, and, is rigid, but as light as possible to get the best R-value. And, also I mentioned packing it in around the windows. So, we do that in some places, you know, spray foam, the packaging around the windows, and you can either just use it as a window insulation. But what we found works really well is to, kind of put it in, in the framing gap around the window, but then actually build it, all the way out onto the surface of the wall and make an integral trim.

00;37;15;26 - 00;37;37;19
Chris Magwood
And that's a great way to, quite quickly get a nice airtight, insulated, window system and a trim, detail all at once. And, you can continue that to the inside and the outside, or just one or the other, or, like I said, you could just use that between the windows. It's it's not the most common use for hempcrete.

00;37;37;21 - 00;37;55;03
Chris Magwood
You know, our particular building practice, we're, you know, we're always trying to move towards the most natural materials possible. So to be able to replace something like spray foam in this scenario. Sam Creech, it suits our goal is for, you know.

00;37;55;05 - 00;38;17;15
Chris Magwood
So for roof insulation, it's a very lightweight mix. And typically we're not, sort of tamping this material at all, so we're just sort of, mixing it and, and pouring at least into those cavities, so that, that gives us our best R-value and, because it's, it's on either the slope or the flat surface.

00;38;17;17 - 00;38;36;13
Chris Magwood
It doesn't need any tamping or any added density to, to keep it in place. There. And then I mentioned before that the, the, some slab mix, you know, you can see where we're making that a bit denser. So we're doing that both by, adding more lime to the mix. But also doing a bit more tamping.

00;38;36;15 - 00;38;46;22
Chris Magwood
And, that gets us to the point where that where we can handle the loads of a slab on top of it.

00;38;46;25 - 00;39;19;12
Chris Magwood
And a few, less common uses, but also quite, you know, valid and interesting ones. Hence it makes a great, masonry material if you're doing cordwood construction. Because what it means is that rather than having to do a, a masonry skin on the inside of the outside and pour, use insulation into the middle, you can just do the full width with hempcrete so you get a much more airtight, cordon construction, much more intuitive, like it's only happens that a few times.

00;39;19;14 - 00;39;43;27
Chris Magwood
Some interior of, some decorative interior elements. If you, if you get a chance to work with the material, it's it's, it's got a lot of really unique properties. It's extremely sculptural. It just kind of like you stick it together. And even though it's lightweight, it, it holds its shape incredibly well. So it allows you to, to do all kinds of, sculptural things with that.

00;39;43;29 - 00;40;01;19
Chris Magwood
And, in one case, you can see on the bottom right there, we actually used it as a perimeter beam foundation. So that that's a pretty based perimeter beams that hit the walls and sit on top of.

00;40;01;22 - 00;40;39;08
Maria
From hempcrete to drywall wall, window roof and slab insulation to decorative interior elements, these innovations have the potential to transform how we rebuild not just in response to disaster, but as part of a broader movement toward sustainability. Kaja cool, who's a designer, she used hempcrete in two micro homes in New York's Hudson Valley. She says it more than just the material, and describes it as part of a larger movement to build in harmony with nature.

00;40;39;10 - 00;41;11;26
Maria
Again, unless we're going to take measures to, you know, rollback climate change and its effect on nature, we have to build in harmony with nature and with our impact on nature. So now free, right? Hempcrete success is also going to depend on overcoming misconceptions like the idea that it's related to marijuana. Believe it or not, this is so old, it's nothing new, but we still have this stigma to deal with, as though marijuana is a bad thing.

00;41;11;29 - 00;41;43;19
Maria
One structural engineer I caught up with from Virden Structural Engineers joked said everyone thinks we could smoke the house. Okay, you know, I know, industrial hemp contains less than 0.3 percent THC, so I'm not sure you're really going to want to. And the stocks used for hempcrete have no psychoactive properties. But did I mention it's fire retardant?

00;41;43;22 - 00;42;21;21
Maria
Right. But listen, speaking of the stigma, we can't fully explore Hemp's future without looking at its past and the story of hemp in the United States is one of unrealized potential, largely due to the stigma around marijuana. It has association to it marijuana, hemp both being cannabis and the prohibition. So before the 20th century, hemp was widely grown and used for a variety of purposes, from ship sails to rope.

00;42;21;24 - 00;42;57;11
Maria
However, when the 1937 Marijuana Tax Act came about, hemp was lumped together with psychoactive cannabis. THC, i.e. the cannabinoid found in marijuana, leading to its declined. It's absurd. It should have never been lumped together with it. And as far as the company you keep, there's nothing wrong with being lumped together with it. Marijuana, THC, the psychoactive cannabinoids, they got a bad rap.

00;42;57;14 - 00;43;38;15
Maria
So this was further reinforced by anti cannabis campaigns and the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, which classified all cannabis plants as schedule one. I like to call a public enemy number one, including hemp. It's just baseless. It's not maddening. So I caught up with the iconic Richard Eastman, Richard is a national treasure. He's a Vietnam War veteran. He's the co-founder, the co-founder, him and Dennis Perone with the Medical Marijuana Act in the United States.

00;43;38;17 - 00;43;49;18
Maria
I caught up with him as well at the Los Angeles Trade Technical College panel on hemp. And I'm going to I'm just going to hand it over to Richard. Richard, take it away.

00;43;49;20 - 00;44;09;03
Richard Eastman
Dennis Peron and I and Jack Herrera were the three pioneers that changed a lot of the things that happened with proposition 215, a medical marijuana in America. Hemp can save the planet. Jack's words were hemp can save the planet. The ancient Chinese used to call it ma, the mothers of all plants, and ultimately the germ. It's a vegetable.

00;44;09;06 - 00;44;27;07
Richard Eastman
You know, racism played a lot into this over the years. Literally longer than 1937, a lot of black and brown kids had to go to jail for a little plant that not only saved my life, but saves little kids. Marijuana is such a healing plant. Doctor Todd Mcelrea, who was with the Shafer Commission when Nixon was the president.

00;44;27;07 - 00;44;44;16
Richard Eastman
It's the same war we're fighting 50 years ago when Jack and I and Dennis were just young hippies. We're fighting an evil government that wants to sell you a whiskey to make you stupid tobacco that kills your lungs. It killed Dennis Baron. Hemp can save the planet. Clothing, oils, medicine. Even Henry Ford made a car out of hemp.

00;44;44;18 - 00;44;57;00
Richard Eastman
My name is Richard Eastman, one of the co-founders of medical marijuana in the United States. Thank you.

00;44;57;02 - 00;45;29;13
Maria
That's true. Even Henry Ford made a car made from hemp. So, this legal landscape, it's stunted industrial hemp growth in the United States. While countries like France and Canada continue to advance hemp production and infrastructure. The prohibition. It also meant that innovations in hemp based materials like hemp create and hemp textiles, they were left unexplored here in the United States, while other nations surged ahead.

00;45;29;15 - 00;46;06;05
Maria
Visionaries like Jack career recognized this missed opportunity in his seminal book, The Emperor Wears No Clothes Jack Herrera detailed back in the 60s, Hemp's incredible potential to revolutionize industries. He famously wrote, you can't make adorable and sustainable society without hemp. Listen, even if you're not one of the folk involved and advocated for green initiatives. If you're not, sustainability isn't at the top of your your list.

00;46;06;05 - 00;46;41;14
Maria
You can't make a durable and sustainable society without hemp. I don't think there's anybody against making adorable society, especially given the changes our weather systems are producing. So, you know, hurrah! He argued that hemp could serve as a cornerstone for sustainable infrastructure, durable as well, not just for construction, but also for textiles, energy and paper. His work remains an inspiring call to action for industries.

00;46;41;14 - 00;46;56;26
Maria
Industries please to embrace hemp as a solution to environmental and economic challenges. Let's have a listen to my interview with Patrick Moore, founder of Hemp Clothing Line A solution.

00;46;56;28 - 00;47;04;00
Panel
How many of you know have you heard of Jack Herrera I have okay. Can you just for those who don't know, can you remind me?

00;47;04;00 - 00;47;26;21
Intro
Jack Herrera often referred to as the Emperor of Hemp. He is the man who wrote The Emperor Wears No Clothes, the pioneer groundbreaking masterwork of historical, research. Pulling together our long lost history of hemp. You know, a few people knew a little bit about hemp in the 70s and 80s, and Jack just kept collecting knowledge and collecting knowledge.

00;47;26;24 - 00;47;50;20
Patrick H. Moore
And by time he pieced it all together, it became the most recognized counterculture book in history. So, yeah, we all owe Jack here a big not a favor. There are very few people in this industry worldwide I've met who didn't say that. All started with reading this book by Jack Herrera by a friend of mine in 1990. Found himself in Eastern Europe and, because there were behind the Iron Curtain, they said, to the drug war for 50 years.

00;47;50;20 - 00;48;12;27
Patrick H. Moore
And so they kept their hemp industry. The family we work with in, in Romania had been producing hemp and processing it for 800 years. So, yeah, after the fall of the Eastern Bloc and the wall came down, the, the trade in hemp opened up with Eastern Europe. And they were decades, a century ahead of us. We were were they were 100 years ago by 80 years, 90 years of this war.

00;48;13;01 - 00;48;39;24
Patrick H. Moore
We've lost all the processing. We have feral hemp in America. We have no infrastructure. And we're close. We're America. We'll catch up quickly. But the lesson in all of this is we went medical 22 years ago. I helped work on, prop 215, the medical marijuana bill here in California with, Dennis Peron and Germany about the same time when industrial Germany went industrial and started pushing Mercedes-Benz to use some hemp.

00;48;39;26 - 00;48;58;29
Patrick H. Moore
And they did. They used 1% of hemp 20 years ago, put a couple seats in the car. They're all Mercedes-Benz produced in the world today, 35% hemp. And they're not giving up things to go environmental. We're not going to end up having to dress like hippies or or only drive 20 miles a day, or have tiny little cars or something.

00;48;59;06 - 00;49;12;24
Patrick H. Moore
No, we can do everything we've done, but the wealth of that will be spread out around the world. So it's the consolidation of wealth that has been the greatest cost of hemp prohibition.

00;49;13;00 - 00;49;17;12
Panel
And not to mention a lack of education too. Right. Which the information being spread.

00;49;17;15 - 00;49;43;21
Patrick H. Moore
That's, that's the that's the greatest loss is information and knowledge. There were references in the 30s and 40s who were pushing prohibition, but by the year 2000, hemp would be cannabis would be a historical ancillary, something or another that a couple of academics would know about. Well, here we are in the 21st century, and it seems like 1 in 10 people in the world is wearing a big pot leaf on their hat, and I can hardly watch the news without the mentioning it at least once or twice.

00;49;43;23 - 00;50;00;09
Patrick H. Moore
So the exact opposite has happened. It has become more popular than it ever was in history, and it is branching back out into every major industry on the planet, from manufacturing to airplanes to to right now, one of the most exciting breakthroughs. Graphene.

00;50;00;15 - 00;50;05;24
Panel
What advice would you give to these, hemp students and hemp pioneers? I would say.

00;50;06;00 - 00;50;20;23
Patrick H. Moore
Sure. Right now, the only thing that's important is getting involved. If we don't have fair and equal access to cannabis, we don't have a cannabis industry.

00;50;20;25 - 00;50;53;00
Maria
If we don't have fair and equal access to cannabis, we don't have a cannabis industry. If we don't have fair, unequal access and we don't have a cannabis industry, we don't have industrial hemp. And I you know, I talk to people all the time. And he made a good point. He was talking about his involvement in the Compassion Care Act, which brought medical marijuana to the forefront in the United States, made it legal originally in California.

00;50;53;03 - 00;51;37;09
Maria
But there's a whole other side to this multifaceted plant and crop. There's the medicinal side, but there's the industrial side and, the industrial side. While it will have a disruptive effect, hey, I'm sure glad we graduated from the horse and buggy to the car. Now, maybe we could go back to the hemp car. Listen, you know we can't hold back progress, but the environment suffering, and we're paying the price, so, kudos to the Los Angeles Trade and Technical College for bringing industrial hemp and have building classes into their curriculum.

00;51;37;11 - 00;52;04;28
Maria
I while I was attending a panel there, I also I was so excited, I couldn't believe it. We heard Jack carrier's name mentioned so many times, and I had the good fortune to just bump into on the floor. His son, Dan Herrera Dan Herrera, is the founder of the Herrera Foundation. And, let's hear what he had to say about how investing in this versatile hemp plant and its many applications can.

00;52;05;06 - 00;52;25;18
Intro
We all know, or at least everybody here knows, that hemp can save the world. Do you think it will save the world? Well, it's the only thing that can. Yes, we have a great opportunity to use this to its full utility. And by doing so, we not only give ourselves sustainable food and sustainable building materials, clothing and medicine.

00;52;25;18 - 00;52;55;22
Intro
There's so many other products that can be developed, used, produced and brought into the consumer market that changes how we live in everyday lives. It really is an opportunity for us not only to develop technology, and a use for this application not only gives us the ability to survive the future, but to thrive in it.

00;52;55;24 - 00;53;30;22
Maria
We're not just rebuilding homes and communities, we're building a better future. You know, I have to say, just about everyone I've run into and I speak to and listeners all want to know how they can support the affected communities, bringing it back to the current situation and devastation to our buildings in Los Angeles. So if you're looking for ways to support those impacted by the wildfires or other natural disasters, consider volunteering your time.

00;53;30;24 - 00;53;55;22
Maria
Organizations like the American Red cross, United Way or local food banks, they're they're always they're always in need of boots on the ground, hands on support in disaster affected areas. You can, of course, donate to local organizations, but unfortunately we really have to vet these. There are there are fraudsters out there, I'm sorry to say it. It is what it is.

00;53;55;24 - 00;54;35;06
Maria
So do your due diligence. Make sure your donation is directly helping impacted families. I can recommend groups like the California Community Foundation's Wildlife Relief Fund to instill will ensure your contributions make an immediate and tangible difference to the families impacted. Consider donating supplies like nonperishable food, water, clothing, and personal care items. Many shelters and community centers are posting the specific needs online, and, you can find those at KCA and NBC news.

00;54;35;09 - 00;55;06;20
Maria
They're accessible. Remember, every small action counts. This can get daunting. It can get overwhelming. Everybody can feel very helpless at times like these. But the most important thing is to take care of yourself. You have to take care of yourself first before you can give to others. And whether it's offering your time, your resources, or even just random, not just random acts of kindness, you have the power to uplift those around you.

00;55;06;23 - 00;55;32;01
Maria
But first, you've got to be realistic. You've got to reset. You got to bring your best to this game, guys and Angelinos always do. So I wanted to talk a little bit about when it comes to long term planning. And preparedness. Natural disasters remind us of the importance of preparedness. We can reduce future risks by changing the way the world sees green.

00;55;32;01 - 00;55;59;12
Maria
And rebuilding the US had been restructure, but in the meantime, we could focus on education and sustainable practices like advocating for and investing in fire resistant materials, eco friendly materials. We could support efforts to restore natural ecosystems. To act as buffers against these disasters. We have to do one or the other both ideally, and isn't harm such a win win because it does hit both boxes.

00;55;59;14 - 00;56;21;24
Maria
But educate yourself and your neighbors on emergency plans, evacuation routes and safety measures. Long term resilience isn't just about rebuilding what was lost. It's about building smarter, stronger and in harmony with the environment. Once we get through this and Southern Cal recovers, it's going to be crucial to take steps to protect ourselves and our communities in the future.

00;56;22;01 - 00;56;46;25
Maria
Review your insurance policy annually to ensure your coverage is adequate. Many people myself included, are surprised to learn their policy limits haven't kept up with the rising cost of rebuilding or replacing property. Pay close attention to fire coverage and exclusions. For example, some policies may exclude damage from certain types of wildfires, or they may require additional riders for complete protection.

00;56;46;27 - 00;57;14;23
Maria
Lastly, this is really important. I've put it off way too long. Consider creating a home inventory and itemized list of your belongings, including receipts and appraisals. Get appraisals for valuable items. This will streamline the claims process should you ever have to face a disaster in the future. And cities rebuild in the wake of Palisades and wildfires, Hempcrete offers a forward thinking solution that aligns with the global shift toward sustainability and construction.

00;57;15;00 - 00;57;44;22
Maria
Not only can it be used for homes, but it can also play a role in building public infrastructure, including our very own fire station, schools and community centers. The road ahead isn't without challenges Angelinos, but as more builders design owners and policymakers recognize the benefits of Hempcrete and your desire for it. This historical material could play a vital role in tackling the climate crisis.

00;57;44;24 - 00;58;05;28
Maria
Thanks for listening. To Just Say KNOW. Be sure to subscribe at greenbeelife.com for more insights into sustainable innovations from the Cannabis plant. And if you enjoyed today's episode, share it with someone who might be inspired to build greener. Together, we can rebuild stronger not just our homes, but our sense of community and a greener, safer hope for the future.

00;58;06;04 - 00;58;29;26
Maria
Remember, challenges may test us, but they also bring out the best in us. Let's carry that spirit forward as we work together in this rebuild. Stay safe. Stay inspired and let's commit to showing up for one another. Not just the moments of crisis, but in everyday efforts. Until next time. I'm Maria Calabrese reminding you to rethink, rebuild and restore with nature in mind.

00;58;29;29 - 00;59;04;13
Maria
Until next week. Just say know is a greenbeelife presentation airing live weekly on Friday afternoons from 4 to 5 p.m. Pacific on KCAA Radio and KCAA TV. Archived audio episodes are on greenbeelife, greenbeelife.com, iHeart Radio, Spreaker and most third party major platforms. For archived videos,

00;59;04;14 - 00;59;38;06
Maria
check them out on GBL TV on greenbeelife, YouTube and Rumble. To follow us! Our Instagram and Facebook is at Just Say Know Radio to apply to be a guest on the show or for sponsorship and advertising opportunities, go to greenbeelife.com/just-say-know and feel free to reach out to me Maria for any questions 

00;59;38;17 - 00;59;46;15
Maria
at Maria@greenbeelife.com or (818) 758-6925.