What is CBD?
Before we jump into whether CBD is eco-friendly or not, let’s look at the basics; what is CBD?
Cannabidiol, AKA CBD, is one of the 113 cannabinoids plants that is used for seizures and various ailments of our body. If you’re a frequent reader of the “Green Planet” blog, you already know the uses and advantages of CBD plants. Starting from Coffee to Oil for anxiety and pain, there’s no shortage of benefits of this plant.
But this article is not about the benefits, nor the uses. Today, we will look at the environmental effects of producing CBD and everything there is to it.
Is CBD Eco Friendly?
CBD is a fast-growing industry with the rapid growth of almost 218% each year and a growing user base worldwide. While the demand and use of CBD will not decrease soon, we should be careful of what we get in the long run.
When it comes to environmentalism, hemp or CBD can be considered a blessing. While the agriculture industry is one of the highest environmental threats, CBD is quite the opposite of most agricultural products.
Zero Waste: One of the best things about hemp is almost all of it has multiple uses, hence zero wastage. This makes it an excellent choice for dedicating your land to it. Some of the byproducts of this plant are paper, rope and textile. Also, the seeds are being used for omega fatty acids.
Minimal land usage: Luckily, CBD or Hemp plants have a high speed of growth. Hence, they don’t require a higher portion of land to be cultivated. Because of their efficiency in cultivation, a significant amount of plants can be grown in a smaller portion of land each year.
Enhance Soil Quality: A little-known fact is that CBD plants are hardy and competitive plants, especially compared to their size. They require minimal pesticides and still thrive, letting their roots reach deeper into the solid and ensuring ground isn’t drained of vital minerals.
Energy and Heat Efficient: There are types of cannabis that require indoor cultivation, for instance, Marijuana. While there’s nothing wrong with it and often indoor cultivation can also be eco-friendly; however, some challenges arise.
Indoor cultivation requires light, which generates heat. And hence, an HVAC system might cause pollution or emission to the environment. No matter what type of plants, indoor cultivation always requires a higher energy consumption than outdoor cultivation.
CBD is a type of cannabis that can thrive well with outdoor cultivation with low and minimum human effort requiring minimal resources. This means the cultivation of CBD poses no harm to the environment at all.
Water Consumption: This one’s my favorite. The wastage and pollution resulting from agriculture are one thing, but the water wastage caused by this industry is truly enormous.
Fornutaley, CBD plants require very few amounts of water and still thrive naturally. In addition, most farmers collect rainwater and use drip irrigation, making the process even more nature-friendly, ensuring less water is consumed and wasted.
CO2 Absorption: While the world faces increased carbon emissions day by day, hemp plants are like a shining light for the environment. They absorb more CO2 than trees, making them a savior for air pollution.
Challenges Around Being Eco Friendly While Producing CBD
While more and more CBD companies are aligning for environmental causes and making their products eco-friendly, there are some challenges that they must overcome.
As you already know, CBD and hemp products have multiple uses. And companies tend to do a lot of research and development of their product lines. And due to this, trial and error and heavy wastage produced can affect the environment.
A lot of the companies face challenges in packaging the materials. While the cultivation and production of the product can be eco-friendly, the packaging might not. A lot of companies still use plastic packaging to ship their products.
Like any other industry, the hemp industry also has more scope to improve its recycling process. During the production and after-sales, recycling can positively impact the environment if done correctly.
Opportunities for Brands Who Step Up
While CBD and Hemp have a wide range of customer bases, a big chunk of them are young users and millennials. And they are conscious and passionate about the earth and what they consume.
Considering this, many companies are now shifting their business to be more sustainable and nature friendly. And it’s working great for them. For example, companies have introduced creative and eco-friendly packaging for their products, attracting many passionate customers about the cause.
In today’s market, eco-friendly packaging is available for CBD flavored coffee, CBD oil, CBD balms and lotions, pills, soaps and shampoos and almost any other product. Not only that, companies are putting a lot of emphasis on making their products 100% recyclable. All ensuring customers get a complete environmentally friendly product at their hand.
Examples of Good Brands in the Space
Here are some brands that practices what they preach:
Coffee Brands:
Oil Brands:
Personal Care Products Brands:
Conclusion
On a general note, the cultivation and production of CBD are way more eco-friendly than we can imagine. However, there is still scope for improvement for the companies that produce CBD products. The good news is that many of them are coming forward towards making their product lines and distribution more friendly towards nature and the users.
However, as a user, you can contribute immensely to that cause as well. First, ensure the products you’re choosing are 100% eco-friendly. Second, don’t limit to the products only; check if the company is eco-friendly too. Not only that, ensure the item is recyclable and poses no threat to nature in any way.
Author Bio:
Jared spent most of his working life in financial markets. He observed corporations making decisions for profit regardless of the impact on the environment. As these decisions were outside of Jared’s control he decided to make changes in his own life to help our planet. He found it difficult to find eco-friendly cleaning products that were not harmful as well as finding the correct information about how he could make a difference. It was from this frustration The Eco Friend was born.
