{"id":3598,"date":"2023-04-21T11:00:50","date_gmt":"2023-04-21T01:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dalgarnoinstitute.org.au\/wp_site\/earth-day-2023-dear-plant-e-weed-is-not-your-friend\/"},"modified":"2023-04-21T11:00:50","modified_gmt":"2023-04-21T01:00:50","slug":"earth-day-2023-dear-plant-e-weed-is-not-your-friend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dalgarnoinstitute.org.au\/wp_site\/earth-day-2023-dear-plant-e-weed-is-not-your-friend\/","title":{"rendered":"Earth-Day 2023: Dear Plant E, Weed is NOT Your Friend!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Environmentalists, Policy Makers, Futurists, Communities, Families, and anyone who cares about the well-being of our planet, cannot \u2013 must not \u2013 endorse, enable, or empower cannabis use. Only the in-toxic-ated don\u2019t care about the environmental catastrophe that is the #cannabisindustry.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s an incredibly, unusually energy intensive activity,\u201d said Dr Evan Mills, a Californian energy scientist who was one of the first to examine the environmental impact of indoor cannabis cultivation. In a landmark study in 2011 Mills estimated that each kilo of weed grown indoor in the U.S. takes 6,074 kilowatt-hours of electricity to produce\u2026 Every kilo of weed grown in UK illegal cannabis farms produces the same carbon emissions as a return flight from London to New York.\u201d Vice \u2013 Illegal Cannabis Farms are Making Climate Crisis Worse<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThe cannabis industry accounts of 1% of the US total Energy use, equivalent to the energy use to 1.7 million homes\u2026The emission associated with producing just one kilogram of Weed is equivalent to driving across the continental United States 11 x in 44 mile per gallon car.\u201d  Dr E Mills (Source: Why weed isn’t sustainable.)<\/a><\/p>\n

\"growingpotindoors\"<\/strong><\/p>\n

Most of this data was from 2012! Guess wh<\/strong>at\u2019s happening now!?<\/strong><\/p>\n

This addiction for profit industry is a not only addicted to energy, but it is also a \u2018gift\u2019 that just keeps on TAKING \u2013 Not least from our precious environment. <\/p>\n

Whilst many pro-pot activists are screaming for the closure of fossil fuel driven power sources, the same are drawing down even harder on the already taxed power-grid for their Indoor pot-producing practices.<\/p>\n

A 2020 study of the environmental impact of Colorado\u2019s indoor cannabis grows saw it exceed the Coal Industries greenhouse gas output!<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"coalmining\"<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sustainable Cannabis Policy in California: Addressing the Legal Cannabis Industry\u2019s Carbon Footprint: <\/strong>As cannabis cultivation can be highly energy-intensive, the legalization of cannabis growing has created concerns for energy forecasting, electric system reliability, rate design, and energy efficiency policies, as well as possible ramifications for the state\u2019s electricity grid (California Energy Commission, 2018b). Indoor cannabis cultivation in California accounts for 3% of the state\u2019s total energy consumption (Mills, 2012), and as the industry continues to grow, its energy consumption will result in significant greenhouse gas emissions, unless otherwise mitigated (Warren, 2015). The addition of a new industry that is highly energy-intensive, such as the legalized cannabis industry, is a problem for California. The legalized cannabis industry\u2019s high demand for energy consumption will result in significant greenhouse gas emissions, leading to higher concentrations in the atmosphere, and may adversely affect local governments\u2019 climate goals, if renewable energy and energy efficiency standards are not incorporated when developing local cannabis regulations in accordance with new state regulations. <\/p>\n

(Source <\/a>https:\/\/scholarworks.sjsu.edu\/etd_projects\/946\/<\/a> )<\/p>\n

 Also See: The greenhouse gas emissions of indoor cannabis production in the United States<\/a><\/p>\n

\"aalmWhat about Weed & Water?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

WATER AND WILDLIFE…OR WEED?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Executive Summary<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Marijuana growers are responsible for theft of water during droughts.<\/p>\n

2. This water is needed elsewhere to grow food and to fight wild fires, and for human use.<\/p>\n

3. Many \u201clegal\u201d and all illegal marijuana grows are not regulated safely.<\/p>\n

4. The increase in water theft has exposed the vulnerabilities in the state systems to secure water and the complications of weak marijuana law enforcement.<\/p>\n

5. Current marijuana cultivation activities have led to significant environmental impacts, including habitat degradation, loss and fragmentation or burying of streams, diversion of surface waters, and impacts to water quality, including sediment, garbage, pesticides, and petroleum products.<\/p>\n

6. Intimidation by marijuana growers is an impediment to more robust reporting and enforcement.<\/p>\n

7. Much of the marijuana industry is out of control and has made water more scarce and more polluted.<\/p>\n

8. Lack of clean water and pollution is killing wildlife.<\/p>\n

9. Although there may be some regulations, there are massive number of illegal grows that are not regulated.<\/p>\n

 Conclusion<\/strong>: The states that have legalized marijuana and do not really regulate marijuana growing must choose. They cannot continue as they are and have water and wildlife and weed.<\/p>\n

(See attached PDF<\/a>) <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 And there\u2019s more\u2026<\/p>\n