#CannabisJournalism — What does cannabis cultivation mean for the environment?
When I think about cannabis, I immediately think about growing it.
When I think about growing it, I immediately think about resources.
From water to electricity, to even pesticides, cannabis cultivation can’t possibly be the most environmentally friendly practice, because when it comes down to it, growing things (especially indoors) really sucks.
So, as an environment-loving, plant-eating, Earth-saving-hippie, I want to pursue a final project that would focus on the topic of cannabis and its environmental impact(s). Because what’s better than writing about something you’re passionate about? Nothing.
So, in the coming week, that’s what I intend to do.
Hopefully some research (along with some more research) will grant me a compelling article about the “dark side” of something green (literally). But who knows? Maybe my findings will leave myself and my readers pleasantly surprised.
When walking through the grow house at Sweet Grass Kitchen on Nov. 30, the first thought that popped into my mind upon seeing the abundance of plants soaking up artificial light in a temperature-controlled room was: “Well, this sure isn’t sustainable.”
In Colorado, the majority of cannabis grows are located indoors, which means that these facilities are incredibly dependent on carbon and water, making them the opposite of “environmentally friendly”. Both water and carbon are restricted resources, and when they’re used heavily, they have a major impact on our current and future landscapes. So, what can we do to ensure that this industry takes a sustainable path?
Additionally, when there’s an increase in demand, which is something that’s rapidly occurring within the cannabis industry, especially now with more states legalizing usage, there is an increase in the need for resources. With this spike in demand across the nation, the environmental degradation created by the cannabis industry is looking pretty bleak.
Grist did an excellent job of breaking down some of the environmental numbers of the cannabis industry in their article published in April of 2016. Accompanying strong statistical data and arguments with fun and user-friendly infographics, Grist presented the environmental problems within the cannabis industry in a way that was both eye-opening and interesting.
Upon reading this piece though, I was automatically curious about where their numbers were coming from, for instance, that one pound of pot takes an average six gallons of water per day to grow.
The numbers and data on this topic will have to be something that I dig into a little deeper in order to ensure that my argument and its resources are credible as I continue to work on writing my final piece.
Moving forward on my research, I’m hopeful to either hone in on a specific environmental impact, whether that be water, energy or pesticide usage, or touch on all three.
Personally, I’m most intrigued by the industry’s water usage, simply because this resource in particular is incredibly precious and scarce. But, at the end of the day, my nerdy self would be thrilled to investigate all sides to this story.
So, to leave you with one of my favorite sentences that I have read so far about cannabis…
“Pot’s not green.”
And we must remember that.
