Embracing Environmentally Conscious Cannabis Cultivation
Thirty-six states have legalized cannabis. Demand for the product has skyrocketed as a result. But so has the debate over whether indoor cannabis growing uses excessive amounts of electricity and water, harming the planet.
Recent studies and media reports have spotlighted the issue. But not enough attention has been trained on the many ways that private and public entities have found to address it. New technologies, along with governmental guidelines and incentives, have unleashed a wave of environmentally conscious options for both indoor and outdoor cultivation. Conversion of operations out of the illicit market into the legal regulated market is creating huge sustainability wins. As opposed to operations being in basements, caves or forests, licensed operators are working with architects, equipment manufacturers, large-scale growers and other experts to create resource efficient operations.
Advanced, energy-conserving lighting technology is one innovation that’s making a significant difference. Energy-efficient LED (light emitting diode) lighting is common for illumination in our homes or offices but not for indoor cultivation. That’s because plants use different spectrums of light to grow. Growers have long used traditional High Intensity Discharge (HID) lighting to achieve desired quality and yield outcomes. But in the past few years, LEDs are gaining traction in indoor cultivation thanks to innovation that is making this technology more effective, practical and affordable. Compared to traditional HID lighting, LED lighting generates five percent more light while using 20 percent less energy. LED technology in horticulture is still in its infancy. But the reality is even more energy efficiency coupled with greater light output is within reach.
Water shortages and wastewater pollution are commonplace in many states as are corresponding conservation requirements. Here, too, innovation is making a difference. Indoor irrigation has evolved to the point that nutrient-rich water used to grow cannabis can be purified and reused. Even water pulled from an indoor growing facility’s dehumidification system can be captured for reuse in irrigation systems. This is a welcome alternative to the common practice of hauling away excess nutrient-rich water to safe disposal locations or putting it in a sewage system.
For outdoor growing, land-use planning efforts like California’s “Retirement, Remediation and Relocation” program are increasingly regulating the location and size of new cannabis cultivation. This kind of preparation can incentivize the voluntary relocation of existing growing locations to more suitable agricultural land, thus reducing damage to wildlife and minimizing expansion into environmentally sensitive areas.
More is also being done at the state level to encourage investment in energy-efficient growing. Retrofitting HID lighting with double ended HPS and LED lights, for example, is costly. Energy utilities are making rebates available to cannabis cultivators who do so. “Efficiency Maine” – a ratepayer-funded agency that promotes sustainable energy – allows licensed cannabis businesses to apply for energy-efficiency grants.
Government can provide additional incentives. For instance, broader application of energy rebates and state tax incentives can and should be offered to install LED and other energy efficient lights in new cannabis buildouts.
But the public debate should not pit indoor versus outdoor growing. Both have their place. Local weather conditions, farming situations and natural resource limitations will always be the primary drivers of cannabis cultivation methods. But because cannabis remains illegal at the federal level, the industry does not have the wealth of baseline research and established regulatory framework available to other agricultural sectors that would make the choice between installing indoor or outdoor operations less random and make more environmental sense.
Also missing is a centralized process of gathering environmental impact data on cannabis growing and cultivation methods. Organizations like the Resource Innovation Institute are trying to collect data through programs such as EPIC to help create a baseline and better inform future activities on sustainability. Outdoor growing venues in different regions have their own cultivation methods and resulting environmental impacts. Indoor grows are more uniform, but varying methods still yield different results in terms of energy use and carbon footprint.
Whichever type of growing is used, developing and nurturing partnerships between business, stakeholders and government officials will encourage more sustainability initiatives and at a faster pace. Given that cannabis is a high-value crop, it is incentivizing the development of these technologies and practices that will have application to the cultivation of other crops, too, including indoor growing of food in tough climates. In the meantime, manufacturers of supplies and cannabis operators will continue to work toward creating a more sustainable product and will continue to press ahead with energy and water efficiencies, waste reduction and innovations and technology focused on sustainability. Everyone wins in the process.
Brian Herrington is Vice President, External Affairs of Hawthorne Gardening Company.
