Guest post from the Rocking the Daisies Team.

The word hemp always used to conjure up images of Woody Harrelson wearing his famous hemp trousers. Recently I have discovered why this plant is so useful and is so important as a green, sustainable alternative and why we should be actively seeking out products made from hemp.

For a start, farmers need far fewer pesticides, chemical fertilisers and herbicides to grow hemp plants. The plant also needs much less water than most conventional crops. Once harvested, farmers can use the entire plant with no waste: the fiber is the primary product, the essential fatty acid and protein rich seeds can be used for food and fuel and the byproduct of the stalk is used for housing. The green leaves are left in the field and ploughed back into the soil, replacing valuable nitrogen and leaving the soil fertile for the next rotational crop to be planted.

Wearing a hemp t-shirt instead of a conventionally grown cotton one can save thousands of litres of water and nearly a cup of agro-chemicals. Small, simple changes like choosing hemp products make massive changes in our impact on this beautiful planet. Check out Hemporium at www.hemporium.com for more information and where their shop is located.

Rocking the Daisies, South Africa’s first carbon-neutral music festival,  achieved carbon-neutral status for the first time and this year will do the same thanks to the use of environmentally friendly practices and products. The festival’s motto is: play hard, tread lightly.