Do you know how energy intensive it is to grow marijuana? According to POLITICO, 80 percent of cannabis is cultivated indoors with sophisticated lighting and environmental controls designed to maximize the plant’s yield.[1]
This is mainly because federal prohibition prevents interstate commerce from states where it can be grown outdoors in natural sunlight.
While we fight to end federal prohibition, which should help bring down that rate, we want to also make sure that we are able to live on a planet that can enjoy the fruits of our hard-fought gains. To that end, we’re joining allies in a Joint Action demanding action by the Commerce Department to promote solar energy development and expansion right here in the United States.
As our political system continues to grapple with implementing solutions for addressing climate change, this should be a no-brainer. Solar power has the potential to be dramatically expanded in this country so we can reduce our dependence on pollution-centered power like coal.
The indoor cultivation of cannabis requires a setup that can consume up to 2,000 watts of electricity per square meter, 40 times what it takes for leafy greens like lettuce when grown indoors.
So as the legalization of marijuana continues to unfold in states around the country, it’s critical we do our part to make sure we do not solve one problem by creating another. Let’s build a country that grows the best cannabis in the world in a sustainable fashion. Join us and our allies in saying telling the Department of Commerce to speed up the growth of green, solar energy.
Solidarity,
Justin
Justin Strekal
Organizer
BOWL PAC
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