Industrial hemp is a versatile, sustainable plant with several applications of its various forms, including fiber obtained from hemp stalks, food obtained from hemp seeds, and oil obtained from hemp flowers and seeds. Industrial hemp has the potential to offer a solution to the crisis of climate change, since it is a viable energy source that satisfies the three pillars of sustainability, namely economy, environment, and society. Although industrial hemp has been growing as an agricultural commodity in different parts of the world for decades, its production was banned until recently in the U.S. because of its association with marijuana. We conducted a literature review to explore some of the reasons why the U.S. production of industrial hemp has increased significantly since the ban was lifted. Our findings revealed that hemp’s rapidly increasing popularity in the U.S. since 2018 can be attributed, in part, to its sustainability potential (defined as the potential to positively impact the sustainability of products, using hemp as a renewable raw material). This study fills a gap in the knowledge regarding hemp’s potential as a sustainable crop.

In the present work variation of the two main parameters–viscosity and critical cooling rate, required for the recent upcoming optical data storage devices, have been analysed for different compositions of Se_80-x Sb _x Te₂₀ (0≤x≤9) system. Temperature dependence of viscosity has been determined using the activation energy for glass transition and for crystallization obtained from heating rate dependence of glass transition temperature and peak crystallization temperature from DSC measurements. Vicsocity has been estimated with the help of Vogel-Tamman-Fulcher equation. It has been found that for samples containing Sb≤4 at.%, the viscosity increases with the increase in Sb content. Further increase in Sb concentration causes a decrease in the viscosity. These results are consistent with the structural changes taking place in the Se–Te system with increase in Sb content. Using these values of viscosity and kinetics of crystal nucleation and growth process, the time-temperature-transformation curves were obtained. The critical cooling rate R _c is found to increase for Sb>4 at.%. For good reversible phase change optical recording, the critical cooling rate of the material should be high enough so as to get an erasure time of less than 1 µs. From the analysis of the data the suitability of the SeTeSb system for optical recording has been discussed.

Supply chain management (SCM) involves complexities and uncertainties in the flow of goods and services from raw materials to end users. Inaccurate estimation of raw materials, labor, or equipment can lead to financial losses and environmental impacts. This study explores the application of system dynamics modeling (SDM) in manufacturing hemp-reinforced polymer composites (HRPC) to optimize resource usage. Using SDM software STELLA^® (Version 3.7.3), selected for its affordability and features, the research demonstrates how system dynamics (SD) can enhance sustainability by minimizing materials, labor, and equipment, reducing energy consumption. A literature review identified a gap in existing research, as we found no prior studies simulating HRPC manufacturing using SDM. The study concludes that SDM is an effective tool for optimizing resource use and improving manufacturing efficiency. By simulating multiple supply chain scenarios in a risk-free environment, the model helps reduce resource consumption and enhance sustainability. Additionally, outputs from the STELLA^® model can be used as inputs for life cycle assessment (LCA) to quantitatively measure environmental impacts.