Sustainability in Cannabis: From Farm to Dispensary

The cannabis industry is increasingly focused on sustainability, aiming to grow, process, and package cannabis in environmentally conscious ways. Cannabis goes through six key stages before reaching dispensary shelves: cultivation, harvesting, processing, extraction, manufacturing, and transportation. Each step is heavily regulated to ensure each client’s safety and satisfaction, but it also produces emissions and waste. While many cannabis farms have integrated renewable energy sources into their production and operations, there is still room to set new standards and practices in place for sustainable cultivation and production.

Canna Culture is the most trusted dispensary in the Bay Area, helping each client #JoinTheCulture. We provide a vast selection of lab-tested THC and CBD products, and we are proud to only sell our clients the highest-quality cannabis we can source.

To view our current selection of products, please check out our current menu. To reach our San Jose storefront, please call (408) 264-7877 or fill out our contact form.

To learn about the latest news in cannabis, please check out the Canna Culture blog.

Cultivation

Cultivation is the first and most essential step in cannabis production. Cannabis can be grown either indoors, in a greenhouse, or outdoors, with state regulations rapidly changing as cannabis-related laws shift. ⁽¹⁾

When an individual is interested in growing cannabis or another crop on a larger scale, there are many regulations and laws California has set in place to ensure that the integrity of the environment is maintained. Cannabis is a resource-heavy crop, and each individual plant is estimated to consume 22.7 liters, or 6 gallons of water, a day during the growing season, which can range from June to October. ⁽²⁾ To offset this, the majority of growers use groundwater as their primary source of irrigation, which is beneficial during times of drought, a common occurrence in California. Many farms have also started joining state water compliance programs and implementing systems to avoid overwatering.

Cannabis cultivation is one of the most energy-intensive agricultural practices in the United States, accounting for approximately 1% of the country’s electricity use and 3% of California’s, which equates to almost $6 billion annually. ⁽³⁾ This energy use has grown as more states decriminalize and legalize cannabis and will continue to grow in the foreseeable future, but growers can offset their impact by switching to more efficient LED grow lights, installing solar panels, or using passive ventilation systems.

Furthermore, a big concern for many consumers has been the use of pesticides during cultivation. Pesticide use in cultivation not only affects consumers but also poses significant risks to local wildlife. As cannabis is still federally illegal, there is no pesticide product federally registered for use on cannabis. However, California has pesticides listed that can be legally used as long as they meet certain criteria, and California also has the strictest pesticide and cannabis cultivation laws in the country. ⁽⁴⁾

Clean Green

The Clean Green Certified program was established as a way to regulate sustainably grown legal cannabis products. This program was designed to mirror the USDA organic standards when accounting for cannabis cultivation, as cannabis cannot technically be labeled as “organic” due to its federal status. Clean Green ensures compliance through each step of the production process, from the use of natural pesticides to the energy systems in place. Cultivators and producers must renew and requalify for their certification each year and undergo annual on-site audits to ensure they are implementing the most sustainable practices possible.

Harvesting

Harvesting is the process of cutting and trimming cannabis plants to prepare them for drying and curing. About 93% of outdoor growers yield one annual harvest, while others, especially indoor growers, report yielding up to 9 harvests per year. ⁽³⁾ Harvesting consists of five steps:

Harvesting is not as energy-intensive as other steps in the process, but it requires more manual labor as cutting and trimming are often performed by hand. There is a concern for green waste, as burning stripped leaves, stems, or roots can contribute to emissions, but many growers often choose to compost plant waste, and the state legally requires that any tossed plant matter must be unusable, unrecognizable, and mixed in with non-cannabis waste so that it is unsalvageable. Many growers practice sustainable harvesting already, implementing practices such as energy-efficient drying and ethical labor sourcing.

Processing

Processing cannabis is the procedure of preparing the harvested leaves for immediate use or preparing the raw flower for extraction into oils or other products. Similar to harvesting, this step yields low emissions and uses minimal amounts of water. After the plant has been harvested and trimmed, it is cured in airtight containers for several weeks. This helps the plant retain its moisture, preserves the terpenes and cannabinoids, and enhances the aroma of the cannabis. Once adequately dried, the product is sorted by quality, with sorters taking into account the size, appearance, and trichome presence. Trichomes are tiny resin-producing glands on the plant’s surface that contain cannabinoids and terpenes and are responsible for cannabis’s effects and aroma.

During this stage of the production process, cannabis and cannabis products must also undergo pesticide residue testing by a Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) laboratory before any products can be sold. Each product is tested for high-precision measurements of potency, moisture content, solvents, heavy metals, microbial impurities, as well as pesticide residue. ⁽⁴⁾ Once the cannabis has passed this test, those that are being sold as flower are packaged in child-resistant, tamper-proof packaging. If the product can be used more than once, the packaging must also be resealable.

Extraction and Manufacturing

Extraction and manufacturing are the stages where terpenes and cannabinoids are pulled from the plant and manufactured into products. Manufacturers can either extract trichomes using a solvent-based method or a solventless method, with the type of extraction method used varying depending on the type of product being produced. Solvent-based extraction requires the use of a chemical solution to dissolve the cannabinoids and terpenes from the plant before it is evaporated. Solvents include ethanol, butane, and CO2, and this method is often used to produce distillate, shatter, vape oils, and edibles. Solventless extraction methods utilize heat, pressure, or water during the extraction process, and are often used to produce hash, rosin, or live rosin vapes and edibles. Solventless extraction is often considered cleaner and more natural, though it typically requires more labor and precision. ⁽⁵⁾

Once extracted, the cannabis oils are turned into finished products, such as vape pens, edibles, tinctures, and more. Each product is given a precise dose of THC or CBD, and every product is capped and packaged in compliance with California standards. The DCC requires each package to be child-resistant, tamper-evident, resealable (if more than one serving is provided), and opaque (if sold as an edible cannabis product). Additionally, there are laws in place to regulate what cannot be on a label. Companies cannot make unproven health claims, imitate candy or candy labeling, or use the name of a specific county unless 100% of the product was grown there. ⁽⁶⁾ The strict regulations ensure that each client understands the product they are buying.

The extraction and manufacturing process often uses a lot of electricity and runs the risk of air pollution and releasing hazardous waste. There are many practices set in place to help minimize the environmental impact of this stage, such as using a closed-loop extraction system to reduce emissions, switching to solventless methods for small-batch growing, and composting unusable edible products. Companies can also reduce packaging waste by placing products in reusable or recyclable containers, using local or plant-based ingredients, or investing in energy-efficient equipment and systems.

Transportation

Transportation is the final — and often unseen — step when processing cannabis from the plant to the dispensary. Licensed distributors manage cannabis transportation at every stage, from cultivation to final retail delivery. In the state of California, cannabis must be tracked through the METRC system. This is a track and trace platform to facilitate the status of each plant and product to ensure the chain of custody is clear, visible, and traceable by local and state regulators. Each transport vehicle must also meet certain security standards, with certain temperature-sensitive products requiring specialized or refrigerated transportation. As most vehicles run on gasoline or diesel, this final stage in production can impact carbon emissions, especially when the supply chain is fragmented or the vehicle must make multi-stop deliveries. Many distributors have started optimizing their delivery processes to help reduce fuel usage and mileage. Clients will also start to see a shift in the use of electric or hybrid vehicles as California works towards its new zero-emission vehicle standards, helping to reduce the industry’s carbon emissions further.

Natural and Vegan Products

Canna Culture offers a wide array of natural and vegan products for each client to enjoy. Brands like Wyld, Stiiizy, Kanha, and more focus on pesticide-free growth and offer numerous vegan and gluten-free products. Additionally, these brands make active efforts to reduce their environmental impact and support their local communities.

Cannabis Delivery in San Jose

Canna Culture offers premium, same-day delivery throughout Santa Clara County and Silicon Valley. We offer free delivery within a 20-mile radius of our store, with delivery minimums based on proximity. We accept both cash and card payments for deliveries, but ask that clients paying in cash either have the exact amount or close change, as our delivery drivers keep minimal cash change. We also offer curbside pickup for clients who happen to be passing through the area but may not have the time to browse through our in-store selection.

To start placing your order, please view our selection of products listed on our current menu. To reach our San Jose storefront, please call (408) 264-7877 or fill out our contact form to find out what the minimum is for your delivery address.

VIP Program

Sign up for our VIP Rewards Program to receive special discounts, exclusive offers, and exciting swag that is only available to our members. VIP Members receive exciting perks, such as:

Additionally, our VIPs receive updates about exclusive rewards, as well as our current specials and upcoming events.

FAQ

References

1. de Ferreyro Monticelli D, Bhandari S, Eykelbosh A, Henderson SB, Giang A, Zimmerman N. Cannabis Cultivation Facilities: A Review of Their Air Quality Impacts from the Occupational to Community Scale. Environmental Science & Technology. 2022;56(5):2880-2896. doi:https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.1c06372
2. Zheng Z, Fiddes K, Yang L. A narrative review on environmental impacts of cannabis cultivation. Journal of Cannabis Research. 2021;3(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/s42238-021-00090-0
3. Wilson H, Bodwitch H, Carah J, et al. First known survey of cannabis production practices in California. California Agriculture. 2019;73(3):119-127. doi:https://doi.org/10.3733/ca.2019a0015
4. Seltenrich N. Into the Weeds: Regulating Pesticides in Cannabis. Environmental Health Perspectives. 2019;127(4):042001. doi:https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp5265
5. AL Ubeed HMS, Bhuyan DJ, Alsherbiny MA, Basu A, Vuong QV. A Comprehensive Review on the Techniques for Extraction of Bioactive Compounds from Medicinal Cannabis. Molecules. 2022;27(3):604. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27030604
6. Requirements for cannabis goods. Department of Cannabis Control. https://cannabis.ca.gov/licensees/requirements-cannabis-goods/