Cannabis Sustainability: Why It Matters and How to Achieve It With Practical Inexpensive Measures
The cannabis industry faces a significant sustainability challenge. A recent article in Forbes noted that due to federal prohibition and the resulting ban on interstate commerce, manufacturers are forced to establish costly production facilities in locations with less-than-ideal growing conditions. This is making the cannabis industry as polluting as coal mines.
This inefficient production locations includes areas that are too hot, too cold or too windy, leading to energy-intensive, water demanding cultivation processes. Compounding this issue is the marketing myth that indoor cultivation is superior to outdoor, further exacerbating the industry’s unsustainable practices. There’s room for improvement.
The WholeSale Ban Problem
Federal prohibition enforces restrictions that prevent high-quality outdoor cannabis, like that grown in California, from being transported and sold in states like New York. This restriction forces manufacturers to build indoor cultivation facilities in unsuitable climates, leading to high energy consumption. One result is that …