Three reasons why sun-grown cannabis is good for the environment

Posted by Henrys Original on November 2nd, 2019

There have been a lot of wrong perceptions of sun-grown cannabis. From the medical personnel to individual consumers, they believe sun-grown cannabis is of lower quality compared to indoor cannabis.

Sun-grown cannabis, also known as outdoor cannabis, is a plant that depends solely on sunlight and other natural elements for its growth. Indoor cannabis, in contrast, requires the use of artificial lighting and other synthetic procedures to cultivate it.

Growers of indoor cannabis have control over every aspect of cultivating the plant, and they can harvest as many as times as they want to round the year. A cannabis plant grown under the sun follows a nine-month cycle which is in sharp contrast to indoor grows, which takes only six weeks.

Medical professionals want indoor-grown cannabis because of consistency, while an average consumer wants it because of its "bag appeal" - well packed inside a bag.

Premium Cannabis was never a product of indoor cultivation. For many decades, cannabis was grown outside under the sun. Today, a large percentage of cannabis is done indoor. The reason is not farfetched; cannabis growers have been prohibited from growing their plants outdoor. This forced them to switch to indoor cultivations, within the confinements of buildings.

Technology has also made it possible to mimic outdoor requirements such as sun and air for indoor cultivations. However, it has been discovered that artificial processes have a high impact on the environment, apart from the cost of setting up the indoor farm.

With more countries legalizing cannabis, attention may soon shift back to sun-grown cannabis. Here are some of the reasons why sun-grown cannabis is good for our environments:

Reduced Carbon dioxide emission to the atmosphere

The carbon footprint from indoor grow is exceptionally high. To cultivate cannabis indoor requires the use of high-intensity lamps, purifiers, atmosphere regulators, fans and others. All these devices result in not only high consumption of energy but also the release of a large quantity of Carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. As discovered by a study, 4,600 kilograms of CO2 is released for each kilogram of cannabis that is produced.

Taking into consideration the number of indoor growers and the kilograms of cannabis that will be produced; this obviously will have a great damaging effect on the environment. Outdoor cultivation drastically reduces energy consumption and the emission of Carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Sun-grown cannabis has a less environmental impact, and it is more economically efficient. It is grown in a natural condition, using the sunlight and rain.

Also, sun-grown cannabis does not need air regulation as indoor grows. Proper ventilation is as important as lighting for cannabis. Sufficient airflow helps to strengthen the stems of a plant, prevent mold and mildew and protect against mites. Natural airflow helps to cut down on energy consumption. The lesser the energy consumed, the lower the carbon dioxide emitted. Likewise, if cannabis is grown outdoor, there will not be wastewater that contains nitrates and phosphates that must be filtered before sending it to sewer systems.

Soil Preservation

Sun-grown cannabis needs little or no fertilizers, fungicides and pesticides. When cultivated the right way, outdoor cannabis can be resilient to the outside elements since it can become part of the natural ecosystem.

Naturally, plants can develop resistance to environmental threats like pest invasion and temperature fluctuations after some time. This helps them to grow very well. Indoor grow cannot create natural resistance to the environmental factors, making indoor farmers to depend heavily on the use of fertilizers and pesticides to make their plants healthy. These fertilizers and pesticides are harmful to the soil, can destroy its viability and cause environmental damage.

Organic farming procedures are crucial in preserving the natural ecosystem. With sun-grown cannabis, farmers can implement various sustainable techniques for cultivating cannabis. Sun-grown cannabis can be grown in such a way that will help preserve the beneficial nutrients of the soil to counter global warming and retain carbon in the ground.

Permaculture methods like covering the planting ground to maintain natural soil nutrients and moisture and companion planting, which involves cultivating different crops with the same closeness are possible with sun-grown cannabis.

High Terpene Profile

Indoor grown cannabis cannot match all the qualities offered by sun-grown cannabis. Sun-grown cannabis has a high terpene profile that cannot be achieved indoor. Outdoors growers have enjoyed the benefit of using the full spectrum of rays from the sun.

Terpenes are produced within the cannabis plant. They are aromatic hydrocarbon that is responsible for providing aroma and flavor for cannabis. Using the sunlight has been discovered to be the most effective method to produce terpenes, and outdoor growers can achieve their desired terpene profile with the sun.

Sun-grown cannabis has more than 100 terpenes. Terpenes improve the health benefits of THC or CBD and other cannabinoids that are in cannabis. Such is the effectiveness of terpenes that manufacturers are now adding it to their products. Terpenes have therapeutic properties that are useful in the treatment of pain, inflammation and arthritis. Some of the terpenes found in cannabis include myrcene terpene, limonene terpene, pinene terpene, linalool terpene, caryophyllene terpene and humulene terpene.

Conclusion

The cannabis industry is expanding globally, and indoor growers constitute majority o the growers. Continuous indoor cultivation does more harm than good to the environments, including water usage, energy consumption, and polluting wastewater. Cannabis indoor growers and governments need to be more conscious of the environment.

Sun-grown cannabis is more environmentally friendly, and it is a growing method that can help fight the effect of global warming. It is high time this method of cultivating cannabis is seen in the right perspective. Sustainable farming practices - which are possible with outdoor farming - are the best for the environment.

Legalizing outdoor cultivation of cannabis will be a step in the right direction to save the environment from hazardous emissions. Sunlight and rain are free and friendly to the environment.

Sun-grown cannabis farmer premiered the cultivation of cannabis, and in the coming years, growing cannabis could return to its earlier sun-grown method as moves are now geared towards protecting the ecosystem. It is also time to enlighten the public about the benefit of sun-grown cannabis.