Why sustainability is key to the cannabis industry

Thanks to its associations with the counterculture, hippy movement and right-minded prohibition-era growers; cannabis has a proud history of going green (no pun intended). But while it once was a haven for the environmentally conscious, the sad truth is that since legalization the impact of our industry has been headed in the wrong direction.
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The down side of growth

On its own, out in the wild, cannabis plants aren’t bad for the environment. Yet, as with most things, the problems begin when you start to cultivate them en masse. You see, the commercialization of cannabis has seen cannabis brands start to grow crops on an industrial scale, a production process that creates a staggering amount of waste and puts a strain on the environment at every turn.

That’s because, to grow ever bigger crops with even bigger yields, commercial growers have turned to harmful growing practices. And the problem is only going to get worse. As legalized cannabis becomes more and more popular, huge pieces of land are being swallowed up to house crops, each of which then requires a massive amount of water and fossil-fuel generated energy to grow.

Why it matters

Some might argue that the environmental impact of cannabis cultivation pales into insignificance when compared to something like the food or auto industry. And do you know what? They’d be right. But they’d also be missing the point.

As a newly legalized industry that’s still in its infancy, it’s vital that cannabis doesn’t fall into the same old traps and bad habits that traditional businesses have perpetuated for generations. Right now, we’re experiencing firsthand the impact that economic growth has had on the environment around us, but cannabis can be different.

Inherently forward-thinking we can show the world there is a different way to do business, and that growers should be doing everything they can to create sustainable practices wherever possible.

Our commitment to sustainability

The future is green. Sustainability is the only way forward. That’s why at Greentone we’re doing everything we can to reduce our environmental footprint and show the cannabis industry that there’s a better way to operate.

We custom-built our flagship greenhouse in Becancour, Quebec with the goal for it to be the most sustainable in North America. We’ve done everything we can to grow high quality cannabis while minimizing our impact on the environment.

We’re proud of our specially designed roof that harnesses 15% more sunlight than others, which in turn means we have much lower electricity use. At the same time, we’ve designed the facility to run on harvested rainwater, installed a smart climate control system that stores warm air during the day and redistributes it at night, and utilized positive pressure to discourage pests.

Put simply, our goal is to do everything we can to achieve maximum yield with a minimum impact on the environment.‍

La vie en vert

At Greentone we’re doing everything we can to produce exceptional cannabis that’s been sustainably grown. But it’s about more than just doing our bit to protect Mother Nature. It’s about delivering on our promise to our customers.

We know that cannabis consumers care about the planet and want the industry to do a better job of protecting it. So, we are doing our part. It’s part of our purpose to inspire the world to live “la vie en vert,'' a commitment to cultivating cannabis in a way that we can all be proud of. And no matter what the future holds for our industry we won’t shirk from our responsibilities or our desire to produce the highest quality products with the lowest possible environmental impact.