Cutting Cannabis’ Carbon Footprint

Thanks to taxes and fees, Colorado’s booming cannabis industry adds almost $400 million yearly to the state’s coffers.

Unfortunately, though, indoor cannabis production accounts for about 1.3 percent of the state’s total greenhouse gas emissions. It’s been rising as growers move their operations indoors in record numbers, due to catastrophic crop damage from unpredictable weather and climate-fueled wildfires. Growing indoors requires energy-intensive lighting and cooling systems that wouldn’t be needed outdoors.

To help reduce the environmental impact of cannabis cultivation, Boulder County recently launched the Boulder County Carbon Conscious Certification (BCCCC) in partnership with The Cannabis Conservancy, an organization that offers a certification platform for growers meeting certain requirements.

The BCCCC certification process is a step-by-step framework for growers to make impactful reductions in their energy consumption and carbon emissions in one of two ways—by either offsetting their electricity usage with local renewable energy or by paying an energy surcharge.

“The BCCCC seal allows the consumer and others in the supply chain to know that they’re supporting a cultivator who is working towards carbon-neutral cannabis production,” says Jacob Policzer, co-founder of The Cannabis Conservancy. “We want to celebrate and support the leadership that these producers are exhibiting to tackle the climate emergency.”

For more info about the program, visit bouldercounty.org.