Just How Much Greenhouse Gas Is Produced By Growing Cannabis Indoors Depends On Where It’s Grown
Indoor cannabis production is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, and the environmental effects vary significantly depending on where it is being grown, according to our new study.
Growing cannabis indoors is an energy-intensive process.
Plantlady223 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
The lights used to grow weed indoors use a lot of electricity, but facilities require a lot of energy to maintain a comfortable environment for the plants. That means air conditioners or heaters to maintain proper temperatures. Producers also pump carbon dioxide inside to increase plant growth. This accounts for 11% to 25% of facilities’ greenhouse gas emissions.
But the biggest energy use comes from the need to constantly bring fresh air into growing facilities. All of this outside air needs to be tre...