Environmental Sustainability: A Factor That Pushes Cannabis Growers to Search for Better Ways to Expand Their Businesses
Growing medical cannabis indoors is not an easy job. As an indoor grower, you will know that growing indoors as a business needs air conditioning
water balance, and electrical capacity for the grow lights needed for the indoor grow. In most cases, these often lead to environmentally irresponsible outputs, which are expensive as well.
Many trailblazers and professionals in the medical cannabis industry keep searching for the best ways and practice to manage the use of water, wastes, and energy. In the USA, legalization of medical marijuana has lead to the hope that most diseases and health related problems could reduce, if not end. The medical cannabis industry is one of the most energy intensive industries, which requires constant lighting, air conditioning, and venting to ensure the yield of healthy cannabis. However, a major concern for most indoor growers is the sustainability of energy. Growers keep searching for energy efficient means that could also help to reduce their costs and produce healthy plants. This is an important issue for growers to consider, especially if they wish to grow their plants on a larger scale.
The Demand for Energy Keeps Rising
The demand and need for energy can place any business at a high level on the power grid, causing massive peaks in usage, which can cost businesses lots of money. Today, legalized medical marijuana growing operations indoor account for as much as 1% of total electricity in use across the U.S. and this equates to a production of as much as 15 million tons of annual greenhouse gas emissions. Over the years, it is expected that the demand for more energy will only grow because the number of states legalizing recreational medical marijuana is also increasing.
Panels who keep a check on the legal cannabis business across the USA agree that without the use of efficient growing equipment, these facilities will be responsible for the increase in greenhouse gas emissions, which can intensify the demand on the power grid.
Can Non-Cannabis Companies Help Businesses to Become Sustainable?
The use of LED grow lights is one the best means to ensure a medical cannabis business becomes environmentally sustainable. Companies such as Dorm Grow are examples of such companies that play a role for businesses to become sustainable. With one of the most efficient LED grow lights, Dorm Grow LED lights allow growing businesses to reduce their heat emissions and their consumption of electricity.
The Best Practices That Maintain Sustainability
In the medical cannabis industry, business owners are trying to find the best solutions for their indoor grows. However, when it comes to sustainability, a few exemplary environmental practices could help businesses in five key areas. These include:
- Water conservation
- Energy efficiency
- Alternative transportation
- Resource management
- Business management
When it comes to sustainability in horticulture, there are key areas of focus that could help to eliminate the waste of resources in these areas.
Energy
Installing LED lights helps to eliminate the excessive heat buildup in the grow spaces by as much as 90%. Compared to other grow lights, they emit less heat and provide a suitable condition for plant growth. They also help to cut down power costs and allow growers to save 50-60% of their expense on power bills.
This in turn, causes a reduced need for HVAC systems and can help to maintain a healthy environment for plants, controls odor, and prevent pests.
Water
Instead of choosing mechanical means of watering, hand watering can help to limit the waste of water. Hand watering also provides efficiency and accuracy to target the water needs of indoor medical cannabis in grow spaces. Due to the reduces heat output of LED grow lights, the need to water is reduces as well since there will be less water evaporation.
Ten Ways a Medical Cannabis Business Could Become More Sustainable
Growing indoor medical cannabis is all about “balance.” Eco-friendly LED growlights for plants provide a healthier environment and work wonders for plants. They save energy and works well when you wish to target specific growth stages of plants. Here are ten areas for sustainability:
- Growing with LED Grow Lights
- Variable frequency drives
- Using economizers in air handlers
- Motor efficiency
- Installing HVAC systems
- Using automated production equipment
- Implementing precision schedules
- Managing the distribution of light and lighting duration
- Mounting LED lights at a proper level for better light absorption
- Retro-commissioning of systems
Medical cannabis growing is a business that requires constant change in terms of sustainability. Medical cannabis growers have to make sure they implement the best practices that could help their business. Of course, this may require some trial and error, but once growers know what factors they need to manage well, they can eliminate the chances of energy waste and make their business more sustainable and profitable