Batteries
With chronic complaints of iPhone lithium batteries dying way too quickly, it’s obvious that energy-storage technology needs to evolve—and cannabis may spur this along. Alternet reports that researchers are focusing on using cannabis products to produce more efficient supercapacitors. The engineering is quite complicated, but the key is the development of nanosheets using hemp fibers, in much the same way that graphene, a strong electrical-conductor material, is used. Hemp is much less expensive, so production costs could drop and, hopefully, so could the price of the batteries and chargers.
Eyewear
Hemp Eyewear, located in Edinburgh, Scotland, was founded by Sam Whitten and produces hemp eyeglass frames. More lightweight than plastic frames, which typically weigh around 1.5 ounces, hemp frames reportedly weigh half of that. Each of the frames has its own unique plant-fiber pattern, in a choice of five different styles. While the lenses are still plastic, the company recently announced it is taking the business to the next level by adding prescription and sunglass lenses to a new and improved collection. “We want to ease the burden of plastics on the environment,” Whitten says.
Building Materials
Building materials are among the most exciting new cannabis-based products, especially in areas of the world where resources are limited. A concern is the threat to the mighty timber industry, but, on the other hand, preserving trees is a pretty good idea for ecological reasons. Certainly, hemp crops can be turned over much faster than forests. As an example, trees require about 20 years to grow into usable timber, while hemp only requires three months. In some climates, farmers can