The Washington State Liquor Control Board's decision to
allow marijuana to be grown outdoors could have an unintended consequence for
the environment—a good one. Some environmental advocates believe that this
alone will reduce the electrical use and associated carbon emissions in our
state; after all, indoor cannabis production is estimated to consume 3-5% of
the state's electrical grid power. Being allowed to grow cannabis outdoors may
help to significantly reduce the carbon dioxide emissions and help to conserve
electricity, which in turn could lead to a lower cost to electrical ratepayers
across the state.
Peer reviewed research published in the Journal of Energy Policy estimates that 1% of the nation's
power is used for indoor cannabis production. This is valued at $6 billion
annually and would be a significant reduction in our electrical consumption
annually. Indoor cannabis production also produces 15 million metric tons of
CO2 which is equivalent to 3 million cars on the road each year.
While the environmental impacts of being allowed to grow
marijuana "out in the open" have not been extensively researched, environmental
advocates will be watching Colorado and Washington with renewed interest. If
the outdoor production of marijuana does indeed reduce CO2 emissions and
electricity consumption, you can be sure other states are bound to follow in
our "reduced" carbon footprints.
