Does marijuana play with the environment?

In some parts of the country, grass really does grow “like a weed”. However, as states legalize medical and recreational marijuana, most of the natural growing has been tossed aside and replaced with energetic practices.

Some growing techniques use shocking amounts of electricity and natural resources while pumping harmful toxins into the environment. If not controlled, these farming methods can have lasting effects on the environment and global climate.

Most modern farms use some natural resources. However, growing cannabis currently requires significantly more resources than other types of horticulture. “A 2012 report on the carbon footprint of indoor production found that cannabis production accounts for 1% of national electricity consumption,” said the company the National Conference of State Legislatures.

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The reason for that huge electricity bill has a lot to do with how and where marijuana is grown. “Nationwide, 80% of cannabis is grown indoors with sophisticated light and environmental controls designed to maximize the yield of the plant,” she said politics. Cannabis requires certain temperatures, humidity, plenty of water, and hours of sunshine to achieve a highly lucrative harvest.

The ventilation of these indoor facilities is not only crucial for healthy plant growth, but also perhaps the most expensive factor in growing cannabis. This article on TED.com states, “The greatest energy consumption comes from constantly bringing fresh air into the grow facilities, as adequate ventilation is essential to boost photosynthesis and prevent pests and mold.”

Cannabis can grow very quickly compared to other plants. It in turn absorbs a lot of CO2 and gives off a lot of oxygen. If cannabis growing is wild and organic outdoors, it could potentially be good for the environment. But most of the energy used to ventilate indoor spaces negates this potential benefit. Some plants even emit large amounts of dangerous CO2 to increase the plants’ growth potential.

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“They bottle CO2 or burn natural gas on site to basically get CO2 into the room,” said Hailey Summers, lead author of a much-cited study on the energy costs of cannabis and a Ph.D. candidate at Colorado State University , told slate. Not all growers pump CO2 into their indoor systems. However, this practice is permitted and widespread, as there is no current federal ordinance that prescribes such procedures.

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Government legalization could be one of the best ways to reduce the carbon footprint of growing marijuana in the United States. This would contribute to standardized federal farming practices and environmental governance. It would also be legal to move cannabis between states.

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Currently, cannabis sold in a state that has legalized cannabis must be grown and sold in the same state. Look at oranges. If the same rules were to apply to oranges, Maine would have to grow its own oranges. This would require indoor plants, lights, heat, and a lot more energy and money than growing oranges in Florida.

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The same goes for cannabis growth. “The crux of the problem is that the federal ban means you can’t move cannabis across state lines,” said Baylen Linnekin, an agricultural lawyer and senior fellow at the Reason Foundation, told Rolling Stone.

Cannabis doesn’t have to have a huge carbon footprint, but it does and it doesn’t shrink. As world leaders continue to ponder the massive problem of climate change, there is much to consider. It might be worth thinking about the ever-growing multi-billion dollar cannabis business and how to turn your carbon footprint into a new lung.