Effects of

Cannabis
Cultivation on
the
Environment
By Group 4:
Erum Hamid, Morgan
Sharinn, and Wyndham
Rothblatt

This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY.

What does it take to
cultivate cannabis?
• Land/soil with proper nutrients
• Type of lighting
• Sunlight
• Indoor lighting
• Water
• Human capital
• Planting
• Growing
• Farming
• Security
• Time
Post-Harvest Requirements
• Plants must be flushed of all its added nutrients in the final two weeks to avoid any harsh
chemical tastes
• Plants must be kept in a dark room just prior to harvest to protect trichomes THC
• A week of drying in a pitch-black room with effective circulation and humidity control are
required to prevent mold and preserve tasting
• Bud Washing is required if pesticides are being used or if they are being grown outdoor
to clear off any unwanted flavors.
• Immediately after trimming the buds should be placed into sealed containers or bag and
kept in a cool dark room
How does the environment
affect cannabis cultivation?

• Different types of growing:

• Indoor
• Mixed-Light
• Outdoor
• Indoor allows for more control over
all aspects of growth
• Temperature
• Lighting
• Humidity
• Amount of water
• Critter control
• Leads to more consistent products
What effect does the cultivation of cannabis have on the environment?

• Marijuana has the potential to more than double the existing rate of VOCs in the
atmosphere
• VOCs caused by cannabis cultivation can produce more than 2,000 metric tons of ozone per year
• When the water from a Hydroponic system is discarded, those nutrients make their way
into sewers, streams, lakes, and other water systems.  
• This can devastate local ecosystems by contributing to excess phytoplankton and algae blooms, depleting
oxygen levels, and releasing toxins into the environment
• Indoor cannabis facilities can consume 2,000 to 3,000 kWh of energy per pound of
product, the lighting requirements are similar to those of hospital operating rooms
• About 3 billion liters of water is used per square-kilometer of greenhouse space and 430
million liters per square-kilometer of outdoor growing space
How to reduce negative impacts of
cannabis cultivation on the
environment?
• Air Pollution:
•  Require VOC control
• Energy Use: When growing indoors air conditioning/HVAC
systems are the most significant contributor to greenhouse gas
emissions
• Utilizing clean energy like Solar panel lighting
• Incentives for using less energy
• Land Cover Change:
• Proper soil treatment
• Water Pollution:
• Filtration mechanism
• Water Use:
• Efficient Irrigation
• Pesticide Use:
• Limit the types of pesticides that can be used
Although growing outside can result in loss of product due to
environmental factors, cultivating cannabis outside or even in a
greenhouse is significantly better for the environment than
growing inside
LEGALIZATION LEADS TO
RESEARCH AND
REGULATION
Works Cited: 
Ariani C. Wartenberg - Departmentof Environmental Science, Patricia A. Holden - BrenSchool of Environmental Science &
Management, Hekia Bodwitch - Departmentof Environmental Science, et al. “Cannabis and the Environment: What Science
Tells Us and What We Still Need to Know.” ACS Publications. Accessed July 14, 2021.
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.estlett.0c00844. 
“Environmental Impact of Marijuana on Our Planet Examined.” GAIACA, February 2, 2021.
https://www.gaiaca.com/environmental-impact-of-marijuana/. 
Leafly. “4 Stages of Marijuana Plant Growth.” Leafly, February 18, 2021.
https://www.leafly.com/learn/growing/marijuana-growth-stages. 
“What Does from Seed to Sale Mean? How Does It Work?” Nugistics, January 1, 2020.
https://www.nugistics.io/seed-to-sale-software/. 
"The Environmental Downside of Cannabis Cultivation."JSTOR, June 18, 2019. 
https://daily.jstor.org/the-environmental-downside-of-cannabis-cultivation/
“Volatile Organic Compounds' Impact on Indoor Air Quality.” EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, February 10, 2021.
https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/volatile-organic-compounds-impact-indoor-air-quality. 
Yarlagadda, Tara. “Weed's next Big Problem Is the Wrong Type of Green.” Inverse. Inverse, March 10, 2021.
https://www.inverse.com/science/marijuana-greenhouse-gas-emissions-study. 
Questions?
Thank
You!