Hashing out the emissions of the cannabis industry
What comes to mind when you think of cannabis? Some might feel contempt for individuals who consume it. Others might be reminded of peaceful moments with friends.
Cannabis, also referred to as marijuana, is a mixture of the dried leaves and flowers of hemp plants. Its most common effects are generally positive, including feelings of euphoria and relaxation. Nevertheless, it can also have adverse effects such as anxiety or the increased risk of developing psychotic illnesses when consumed regularly or in great quantities.
One’s vision of marijuana is no doubt influenced by cultural forces as well as by the time period in which they are living. To understand why that is the case, let’s take a look back in time!
The history of cannabis
The use of marijuana products for medicine, recreation, as well as spiritual practices dates back to at least 5,000 years. First evolving in Central Asia, the plant then made its way to Africa and Europe before arriving in the Americas in the 1600s.
The ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Arabians used marijuana for medical purposes, similarly to the Chinese which had developed more than 100 medicinal uses of marijuana by 100 AD. Marijuana even made its way into the writings of ancient Greeks.
Fast-forward to the 1600s in the colonies of the New World and hemp was being cultivated for commercial purposes, including the creation of clothes and sails. Within the United States, marijuana was legal and used for medicinal applications in most states until the early 20th Century.
Come 1937, the Marijuana Tax Act was one of many regulations which would ultimately lead to the prohibition of marijuana. As with many elements of American history, its prohibition has a racist past. Following the act, Blacks and Mexicans were respectively three and nine times more likely to be arrested than whites having committed the same drug law infringements.
Following the Great Depression, the US government aimed to change public opinion on the plant, associating it in the minds of Americans to a source of evil brought about by immigrants, scapegoats for an unprecedented economic crisis.
The booming business of legalisation
Following years of the US government fighting the use of marijuana, such as Raegan’s War on Drugs, the tide turned for the cannabis industry in 2012 as its consumption was legalised in Colorado and Washington state. Since then, the consumption of marijuana for recreational purposes has been legalised in 18 states, while 37 states have legalised its medical usage.
The industry has become very lucrative, with the sales of legal cannabis in the United States reaching $17.5 billion in 2020, a 46% increase from the previous year. Valued at $61 billion, the industry supports the livelihood of 321,000 employees and is a source of tax revenues for states such as California which collected more than $600 million in 2019.
Although sustainable economic growth is projected, what can we say about the industry’s environmental sustainability performance?
A consequential environmental impact
The cannabis industry loves energy. In 2011, it was estimated that the growing of cannabis indoors was responsible for 1% of electricity consumption within the United States. The issue is exacerbated in states heavily reliant on coal to generate power such as Colorado. Indeed, the cannabis industry is responsible for 1.3% of Colorado’s annual carbon emissions.
For the growing of cannabis indoors, electricity is needed to power lights, recreating natural growing conditions. Energy is also used to ensure that the environment is conducive to the growth of the plants, requiring the powering of air conditioners or heaters.
As you can imagine, the carbon emissions associated with growing marijuana will vary by the state in which it is grown and its respective power grid. In the most inefficient state of Hawaii, growing 28 grams of cannabis would emit 147 kilograms of CO2, whereas it would emit 65 kilograms of CO2 for the same quantity of marijuana in California. With California producing more than 6000 tonnes of cannabis per year, that would equate to nearly 14.2 million tonnes of C02 for the state alone. That’s the equivalent of the carbon footprint resulting from the annual energy use of 1.7 million homes!
Considerations for the future of the industry
So what can be done to ensure that truly green marijuana can be grown?
A good starting point for cannabis growers and distributors would be to measure the carbon emissions of their operations and supply chains. Equipped with data, these entities could then understand the carbon inefficiencies and hotspots within their business and proactively work to address them.
An array of solutions exist to minimize the environmental impact of the cannabis industry, whether the product is grown indoors or outdoors.
- Installing energy-efficient LED lighting and upgrading one’s heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) for more modern and climate-friendly systems
- Favouring renewable energy providers or producing clean energy onsite through solar panels or wind farms
- Collecting rainwater and minimizing the use of pesticides and fertilizers in fields
- Reducing unnecessary packaging and favouring materials such as glass and cardboard which have higher recycling rates than plastics
The United States has the potential to set high standards for environmental sustainability in the cannabis industry, ultimately providing a blueprint for countries wishing to legalise cannabis consumption whilst minimizing its environmental impact.
