As the city of Denver and Boulder County set goals to fight climate change, the cannabis industry appears to be a road block.There is a collective total of 350 grow operations in Denver and Boulder and each facility needs the lights to stay on between 12-18 hours a day. Heating and cooling are also key factors since grow operations need to stay in 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. The history of cannabis stems from an underground nature; leaving the the sustainable side of growing as a new frontier.
However, Denver does hold an annual Cannabis Sustainability Symposium that helps guide the best practices ranging from lighting to water efficiency. RiNo Supply (medical marijuana supplier for 700 patients)
tried an early version of light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, but the bulbs reduced yield. Brian Matthews, General Manager of RiNo Supply, settled on double-end bulbs (think light bulbs with a socket on each end), which are more efficient and brighter, but burn cooler than standard bulbs.