Health & Wellness

Doing Good with that GOOD GOOD

April 22, 2022 marks the 52nd annual Earth Day: a worldwide teach-in on the state of our environment. Consider it a moment to pay homage to and celebrate the place that all of us call home.

Most cannabis lovers would likely consider themselves some varying degree of hippie, no need to convince us on: a deep appreciation for mother nature, a counterculture point of view, a willingness to stand for what we believe in, often in the face of naysayers. Flower, child.

But some of that spirit has been lost in the race to billions, that green we know and love not really quite as green as we think.

One of the unspoken aspects of legalization that’s often overlooked is the negative effect cannabis production has on the environment. There are exceptionally high amounts of emissions baked into indoor cannabis processing, a result of a number of factors including high-intensity grow light systems, HVAC units required for air circulation, fertilizer and bottled carbon dioxide runoff, waste materials and water use.

A study by Colorado State University examining the relationship between greenhouse gas emissions and indoor cannabis cultivation in the US revealed that each kilogram of dried flower results in between 2,283 - 5,184 kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions, depending on location.

By comparison, a year of driving a car that burns 2,000 litres of gasoline will release about 4,600 kilograms of carbon emissions.

Environmental accountability will be the next evolution for a cleaner, greener cannabis industry, the ability to affect change laying with three stakeholders in the category: business owners, government regulations and consumer demand.

As consumers it’s easy to believe that we might not have any real say in the matter: that the cost of doing business simply includes an environmental debit. But the power to vote with our dollar - choosing brands that share the same values, ideals and future-forward as us - remains. We have a say.

And class of values-based brands are heeding the call: floating to the top as brands and businesses built with care, willing to walk before they talk.

Call it Sustainability, CSR, ESG, Future-Proofing, whatever you will: at this inflection point in our time it’s clear there’s a better way of doing business. Here are four brands in the space who are doing good with that good good.

WYLD Edibles

“We had the power to act as an agent of change and an obligation toward a greater good—to be about more than simply capitalism,” says WYLD’s Ben Gaines.

WYLD is known for delicious edibles and an enviable ethos. From combatting the war on drugs through record expungement, lobbying and legislative efforts through to their clear commitment to environmental responsibility, WYLD shows up. They’ve invested in an ecosystem that supports initiatives around future-proofing: achieving carbon neutrality, eliminating single-use plastics, transitioning to paper packaging and bringing the most sustainable sources into the production lines. And, of course, ‘The Canada Project,’ their fully-compostable, resealable zipper packaging. Alongside a commitment to planting 50,000 trees, the brand is illustrating the way forward. “If we can keep being better and inspire real change for the industry,” says Gaines, “then we’ve created a better definition of success.”

DOJA

With roots in the Okanagan Valley, DOJA is the West coast craft-grown spirit available for all. Founded in 2017 as a B.C.-based cannabis cafe, it was a community destination holding conversations about cannabis before the plant was legal. The spirit of dialogue and the community collective lives evergreen—it’s time to come together and talk about a greener tomorrow.

Both their genetics and grow techniques take place “with respect for the land” delivering a premium cannabis experience for Canada (and small-batch craft drops for BC) that gives back. After the B.C. wildfires devastated large swaths of the forest cover, the brand committed to a large reforestation effort, planting back 20,000 trees in partnership with One Tree Planted. Keepsake tokens representing that tree planted were distributed in-stores, a reminder: even small efforts can have true impact.

WEEDME

You know WeedMe: cannabis products offering ultra-premium products at great prices. From flower, gummies, vapes and grinders, WeedMe offers a full array of both format and cultivar thanks to its unique (and impressive) genetics library. But you may not know that they’ve been sharing the success of their impact by supporting Second Harvest Food Rescue by donating over 100,000 nutritious meals to people in need across Canada.

Canada’s largest food rescue organization, Second Harvest is a global thought leader on perishable food redistribution. Operating at the intersection of hunger relief and environmental protection, they tackle food waste through redistribution, research and awareness .

Working with thousands of food businesses from across the supply chain, they reduce the amount of edible food going to waste by diverting surplus food to thousands of charities and nonprofits across the country.

Learn more: second harvest.ca

THE GREEN ORGANIC DUTCHMAN

TGOD invests in environmental, social and governance initiatives: the flower is grown in organic living soil, allowing the nutrient-rich blend to feed the plant with an optimal (and clean) buffet of biodiverse ingredients.

By choosing to grow in living soil there’s also less waste sent to landfill: over 100,000 lbs of waste are saved. The company captures and conserves rainwater, promoting the biodiversity of pollinators and birds and supports full-fledged energy efficiency—the greenhouse works on an energy-independent, virtuous cycle.

The TGOD team also has been utilizing their community farm to grow produce that they then donate back to local feedback initiatives. So far 32,628 lbs of fruits and vegetables have been grown using organic methods for community feed initiatives. The brand has also helped community foodbank Neighbour to Neighbour purchase over 140,000 lbs of food. Talk about passing that Dutch.