A composite made from hemp "shiv" (the core of hemp) and lime binder make an aggregate that does a good job of constructing walls, roofing and flooring. European and British builders have used Hemcrete as a green building material for 10 years.

The hemp and lime products are natural, renewable construction alternatives with insulating properties that increase energy efficiency. Hemcrete is pest- and fire-resistant, and it's free from toxins, so it's not harmful to construction workers.

Because it's environmentally safe, it's also sustainable in another way -- it can be broken down and recycled, so it has good life-cycle circulation. The crushed composite can be reused as fertilizer.

One of the most beneficial aspects of Hemcrete is its ability to capture and store carbon. For every cubic foot of composite wall, approximately seven pounds of carbon dioxide can be sequestered and stored -- the hemp plant uses carbon while it grows and the lime sequesters carbon during its curing cycle. An application of Hemcrete can capture and store more carbon than the amount of carbon it takes to manufacture and transport the material.