It may not be the Yankees-Dodgers, but here’s a match that oddsmakers should consider because the stakes are higher. Especially as the Florida economy turns from a coronary virus.
Which plant makes more sense in removing contaminated water from the water: toxic algae or cannabis? Or more specifically, the type of cannabis without psychoactive THC – industrial hemp. The answer can be worth billions in either way.
The first phase of the challenge proceeds on two small lakes in Avon Park, on one of South Florida State College’s three campuses in downtown Florida. And if the experiment undermines the prediction of entrepreneur Steve Edmonds, the end result could solve a riddle that no one has been able to solve – how to clean up the troubled Lake Okeechobee. The repair could alleviate the scourge of the red tide and the starvation of Karenia brevis, which seasonally contaminates Florida’s waterways.
The Florida Hemp Pilot Project, approved by the Florida Department of Agricultural and Consumer Services, seeks to determine how much of the two main nutrients that burn toxic algae – nitrogen and phosphorus – can be removed from cannabis-contaminated water. And if the anticipated levels are reached at the end of the 190-day trial, it could be a “real game changer,” says SFSC project manager Kendall Carson.
Promote, an Oveido entrepreneur, environmentalist, and longtime cannabis activist, founded the nonprofit Hemp4Water in 2013, shortly after a catastrophic, oxygen-absorbing algal eruption broke out in Florida seven years ago.
Mainly due to runoff water saturated with heavy metals, fertilizers, and other contaminants, flowering caused most of its destruction in Southwest Florida. But nearly 250 manatees died nationwide, and stabbing brevetoxins made life miserable for beach residents and businesses. What made Edmonds think …
“How can we deal with all this coming extra nitrogen and phosphorus, millions of acres of water at once, and kill the estuaries of my hometown?” wondered the natives of Palm City bordering the St. Lucie River. “And I talked to many (marijuana) farmers who said: Wow, that kind of nitrogen and phosphorus for ph (acidity) would be really nice to grow.
“I measured nitrogen, phosphorus, and physics on Lake Okeechobee, and the concentrations were pretty damn close to what farmers needed; in fact, they spend a lot of time and money trying to create water with such nutrients. “
The red tide is a naturally occurring phenomenon whose energy is likely to pollute the discharge of fresh water into the Gulf of Mexico. In the most recent period, in 2017-18, the damage required $ 14.5 million in emergency relief funds to land tons of fish on the non-lethal beach. The prolonged outbreak collapsed the coastal tourist economies, where economic losses rose to billions.
And while another long hot summer is around the corner, nature doesn’t expect Florida or anyone else to recover from COVID-19.
To clean 440,000 acres of Lake O, Edmonds estimates that it will break down the cultivation of 10,000 to 20,000 acres of cannabis plants, which could take five to 10 years. These plants could then be harvested from everything from high quality fiber to biodegradable plastic. He said the role of hemp in creating sustainable water infrastructure through Florida could start a billion-dollar growth industry.
However, the first step is to repeat a Canadian study that showed that one hemp factory can handle up to 200 pounds of nitrogen and 160 pounds of phosphorus. Edmonds lobbying took nearly a decade to make today’s experimental scenario possible, according to a Florida industrial hemp pilot project. He stopped looking for a partner late last year.
That’s when SFSC Agriculture Program Coordinator Kendall Carson met Edmond by chance at a conference in Orlando. He was fascinated by the field, and brought the idea back to President Thomas Leitzel, who jumped on it.
The study is conducted using two 4-foot-wide hydroponic “biomatates” with a mesh size of about 9 to 10 inches. Cannabis shoots are placed in those floating structures and placed on two campus lakes in Highlands County, where they are monitored throughout the spring and summer.
“I’m going to probably kaipata biohoito opportunities, because I have limited stocks, which produce less than .3% THC,” Edmonds says. “Because a plant produces stress after receiving THC – that’s its natural defense mechanism. And if we clean toxins, heavy metals and nutrients from water, it becomes stressful. “
To prevent THC production, sunlight floods the sprouts several hours after sunset to prevent the development of fertility. “Male plants are believed to make their best biotreatment change in the first 60 days of their growth, so the plants don’t go into flowering or seeding,” Edmonds days. “So we eliminate the attack.”
According to Carson, SFSC recognizes the urgency of testing and commits laboratory workers, researchers, and students to work on the project.
“There are a lot of companies and organizations that always need help cleaning up after these blooms and red water,” he says, “so I think we could get tons of support for that.
“People know we have to start turning things around soon, or we can’t turn back. We are desperate to find something, and people are open to proven information. “
Among the Ironmen, as cannabis recovers, Edmonds sees how its status has begun to achieve what it was a hundred years ago before its demonization became legal under the 1937 federal marijuana tax law. Until then, cannabis could be legally bought in pharmacies and drug stores. The American Medical Association strongly opposed the bill.
Prior to 1937, the THC version of marijuana was routinely prescribed for medical purposes, and its industrial fibers were staples of American industry. But according to Edmonds, cannabis has not been an option against strong commercial pressures.
For example, press barn William Randolph Hearst diverted his print production from hemp to wood paper because of his interest in wood. Her chain of delivery books routinely rushed to marijuana. And the DuPont chemical empire had just created nylon whose durability competed directly with hemp. Congress’ political allies supported quarantine, and hemp growers were forced to switch to new crops.
“This is true, this is history,” Edmonds wants to say, “whether we want to talk about it or not.”
Nearly a hundred years later, the weed is in the ring again and is ready for the show with budget-breaking killer magazines. So stay tuned.
Which plant makes more sense in removing contaminated water from the water: toxic algae or cannabis? Or more specifically, the type of cannabis without psychoactive THC – industrial hemp. The answer can be worth billions in either way.
The first phase of the challenge proceeds on two small lakes in Avon Park, on one of South Florida State College’s three campuses in downtown Florida. And if the experiment undermines the prediction of entrepreneur Steve Edmonds, the end result could solve a riddle that no one has been able to solve – how to clean up the troubled Lake Okeechobee. The repair could alleviate the scourge of the red tide and the starvation of Karenia brevis, which seasonally contaminates Florida’s waterways.
The Florida Hemp Pilot Project, approved by the Florida Department of Agricultural and Consumer Services, seeks to determine how much of the two main nutrients that burn toxic algae – nitrogen and phosphorus – can be removed from cannabis-contaminated water. And if the anticipated levels are reached at the end of the 190-day trial, it could be a “real game changer,” says SFSC project manager Kendall Carson.
Promote, an Oveido entrepreneur, environmentalist, and longtime cannabis activist, founded the nonprofit Hemp4Water in 2013, shortly after a catastrophic, oxygen-absorbing algal eruption broke out in Florida seven years ago.
Mainly due to runoff water saturated with heavy metals, fertilizers, and other contaminants, flowering caused most of its destruction in Southwest Florida. But nearly 250 manatees died nationwide, and stabbing brevetoxins made life miserable for beach residents and businesses. What made Edmonds think …
“How can we deal with all this coming extra nitrogen and phosphorus, millions of acres of water at once, and kill the estuaries of my hometown?” wondered the natives of Palm City bordering the St. Lucie River. “And I talked to many (marijuana) farmers who said: Wow, that kind of nitrogen and phosphorus for ph (acidity) would be really nice to grow.
“I measured nitrogen, phosphorus, and physics on Lake Okeechobee, and the concentrations were pretty damn close to what farmers needed; in fact, they spend a lot of time and money trying to create water with such nutrients. “
The red tide is a naturally occurring phenomenon whose energy is likely to pollute the discharge of fresh water into the Gulf of Mexico. In the most recent period, in 2017-18, the damage required $ 14.5 million in emergency relief funds to land tons of fish on the non-lethal beach. The prolonged outbreak collapsed the coastal tourist economies, where economic losses rose to billions.
And while another long hot summer is around the corner, nature doesn’t expect Florida or anyone else to recover from COVID-19.
To clean 440,000 acres of Lake O, Edmonds estimates that it will break down the cultivation of 10,000 to 20,000 acres of cannabis plants, which could take five to 10 years. These plants could then be harvested from everything from high quality fiber to biodegradable plastic. He said the role of hemp in creating sustainable water infrastructure through Florida could start a billion-dollar growth industry.
However, the first step is to repeat a Canadian study that showed that one hemp factory can handle up to 200 pounds of nitrogen and 160 pounds of phosphorus. Edmonds lobbying took nearly a decade to make today’s experimental scenario possible, according to a Florida industrial hemp pilot project. He stopped looking for a partner late last year.
That’s when SFSC Agriculture Program Coordinator Kendall Carson met Edmond by chance at a conference in Orlando. He was fascinated by the field, and brought the idea back to President Thomas Leitzel, who jumped on it.
The study is conducted using two 4-foot-wide hydroponic “biomatates” with a mesh size of about 9 to 10 inches. Cannabis shoots are placed in those floating structures and placed on two campus lakes in Highlands County, where they are monitored throughout the spring and summer.
“I’m going to probably kaipata biohoito opportunities, because I have limited stocks, which produce less than .3% THC,” Edmonds says. “Because a plant produces stress after receiving THC – that’s its natural defense mechanism. And if we clean toxins, heavy metals and nutrients from water, it becomes stressful. “
To prevent THC production, sunlight floods the sprouts several hours after sunset to prevent the development of fertility. “Male plants are believed to make their best biotreatment change in the first 60 days of their growth, so the plants don’t go into flowering or seeding,” Edmonds days. “So we eliminate the attack.”
According to Carson, SFSC recognizes the urgency of testing and commits laboratory workers, researchers, and students to work on the project.
“There are a lot of companies and organizations that always need help cleaning up after these blooms and red water,” he says, “so I think we could get tons of support for that.
“People know we have to start turning things around soon, or we can’t turn back. We are desperate to find something, and people are open to proven information. “
Among the Ironmen, as cannabis recovers, Edmonds sees how its status has begun to achieve what it was a hundred years ago before its demonization became legal under the 1937 federal marijuana tax law. Until then, cannabis could be legally bought in pharmacies and drug stores. The American Medical Association strongly opposed the bill.
Prior to 1937, the THC version of marijuana was routinely prescribed for medical purposes, and its industrial fibers were staples of American industry. But according to Edmonds, cannabis has not been an option against strong commercial pressures.
For example, press barn William Randolph Hearst diverted his print production from hemp to wood paper because of his interest in wood. Her chain of delivery books routinely rushed to marijuana. And the DuPont chemical empire had just created nylon whose durability competed directly with hemp. Congress’ political allies supported quarantine, and hemp growers were forced to switch to new crops.
“This is true, this is history,” Edmonds wants to say, “whether we want to talk about it or not.”
Nearly a hundred years later, the weed is in the ring again and is ready for the show with budget-breaking killer magazines. So stay tuned.
