It may be green, but the modern cannabis industry is by no means environmentally friendly.

The commercialization of cannabis and continued expansion into new markets means the industry is gobbling up more and more resources.

With its release 2020 Sustainability Report, Aster Farms is a cannabis company that has chosen to address the industry’s sustainability issues head-on.

Inspired by other eco-pioneers like Patagonia and All Birds, CEO and co-founder Julia Jacobson is looking to build a transparent, eco-friendly cannabis brand in the North California.

Aster Farms is the first grower to publish detailed information on the environmental impact of its cultivation and production activities.

By delving into data about water usage, energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and more, Jacobson and team learned a lot about their sustainability wins and areas for improvement.

Sustainability is a long-term project for Aster Farms

Building a truly sustainable cannabis brand is an all-encompassing and never-ending goal.

From the perspective of its environmental impact, all aspects of cannabis cultivation require careful consideration.

Every choice, from soil to transportation to Bale, contributes to the resulting carbon emissions and waste generated, as well as the energy consumed.

The complexity of sustainability is why Aster Farms starts with the basics. They plant most of the canopy outdoors in the sun, which means no grow lights and HVAC.

They currently have 33,000 square feet of outdoor canopy and counting.

according to a 2012 Study of energy consumption, indoor and hybrid light hemp cultivation in U.S. industry produces up to 15,000,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide₂ Annually – equivalent to the production of three million U.S. cars.

Aster’s initially seemingly simple outdoor growing choices had a direct impact on the farm’s carbon intensity per pound of flower.

In 2020, a pound of flowers in Aster’s mixed outdoor and greenhouse canopy produced 9 kilograms of carbon dioxide₂ emissions according to their reports.This is an amazing feat, especially compared to the industry average of 1,000kg of CO2₂ 580 kg from indoor and from greenhouse operations.

Another factor that makes Aster Farms a leader in the green hemp movement is its commitment to living soil, no-till farming and other regenerative farming practices.

On the ground, this means planting directly in the field and focusing on living soil, which requires far less revision than traditional potting soil preparation.

As Jacobson detailed, this is not the industry standard for outdoor farms. “A lot of outdoor growers are potted in the ground,” he said. “That means, in most cases, not necessarily developing living soils. That means they’re importing soil, pumping it with amendments, and treating that soil often.”

Currently, Aster’s compost and potting soil is sourced from local facilities within a 40-mile radius and delivered in bulk rather than in bags.

Jacobson wants his soil production and compost to be up and running as quickly as possible. However, since it “really takes years of physical development” from the organic waste from their cultivation, it’s a long-term project that requires a little patience.

One final impressive tidbit to glean from the sustainability report is the farm’s commitment to water conservation.

According to the report, indoor cannabis cultivation typically uses 198 gallons of water per square foot, 80 gallons in greenhouses and 11 gallons outdoors.

When Aster ran the numbers, their combined outdoor and greenhouse canopy had 22 gallons of planted area per square foot. To reduce water usage, farms are adapting to local conditions that are taller and drier than comparable farms in the region. One such transformation is a 400,000-gallon agricultural pond that captures spring rain for use during the drier months.

Sustainability report has many surprises

Jacobson was the first to admit that the 2020 report was surprised by their approach. One of the biggest shocks was the main cause of the farm’s carbon footprint.

When they started compiling data, employee commute miles became an obvious issue. “It accounts for most of our greenhouse gas emissions, and I’m the biggest offender,” Jacobson said.about 90% carbon dioxide₂ The farm produces products from employees’ commuting miles to and from get off work.

Another surprise is the role that current regulations now play in solid waste development. As highlighted in the report, “The millions of tracking labels issued to growers, the millions of zippers required to attach labels to plants, and the need for child-resistant packaging are all part of an effort to achieve sustainable A blatant offense when developing.”

Jacobson, however, was undeterred by the surprises. This report gives Asters the tools they need to learn, adapt and plan. Jacobson said: “This is one of the things our sustainability report does for us. Helps us focus on our quick success and the bigger things we want to do in the future.”

The farm is planning to make more than a few adjustments based on the findings in their first report. Jacobson has signed up to a carbon offset plan to expand solar power on farms and will begin trials of biodegradable zippers.

Sustainability: New Conversations in the Cannabis Industry

Even for a company whose premise is eco-friendly cannabis, Aster’s first sustainability report is a wake-up call. As Jacobson puts it, “This is the only industry that we started from scratch, and we are building from the ground up. We have an opportunity to really address these issues from the start and build the foundations of the legal profession on a better track.” She hopes This report can inspire other companies to dig deeper into their impact on the environment.