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In San Francisco’s often foggy, dune-filled Outer Sunset neighborhood, landscape design firm Talc Studio transformed a small “sand pit” into a lush and characterful garden. While the garden is equal parts custom and artful, there are a number of design details and useful sources to glean. Here we detail our favorite components. Materials Furniture & […]
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Why do sometimes the things loved most cause the worst problems. Sugar, chocolate, coffee, salmon and rice are some of the worst crops for the health of the planet. Already climate change is having effects on crops, countries (Maldives) and dramatic weather.
The environmental impacts of alcohol are observed across the entire production and consumption chain and include the depletion and degradation of water resources, greenhouse gas emissions, soil and air pollution and waste production. But are large scale grows of marijuana good for the environment? While not as harsh on the planet as sugar, almonds, and coffee, currently there are issues around legal and black market crops.
RELATED: California or New York, Which Has The Biggest Marijuana Mess?
Both are responsible for environmental damage to varying degrees, experts say, potentially contributing to pressures on Earth’s “safe operating space.” Among the concerns are the impacts on freshwater supplies, threats to biodiversity, changes in land use, and potentially vast emissions of CO2, adding to ever-worsening climate change. As cannabis remains a Schedule I drug for the moment, it encourages those in non-legal states to grow marijuana illegally in covered forests, mountains, to clear cut deep in forests.
Black market farmers use enormous amounts of energy to run lights and regulate proper temperatures to grow their crops. Ushering marijuana growers into the light would allow them to embrace more eco-friendly practices, like green energy on solar farms.
New York is particularly enticing for the illegal cannabis business. That’s partly because of the problematic rollout of legal recreational marijuana, with critics saying excessive regulations and a complicated licensing process have stymied legitimate efforts. There is are a significant number of grows to support the 1,500 unlicensed dispensaries.
Colorado set standards in 2015. Boulder County established rules where licensed growers must use 100 percent renewable, sustainable energy in cultivation. Those who cannot comply due to space or financial reasons, must pay into an energy offset fund, with part of those funds going toward educating growers on how to adopt energy reductive practices. States can adopt similar practices when collecting taxes from marijuana sales, setting aside part of the revenue for eco-focused or conservation projects.
In California, when government officials find illegal grows, they destroy the crops. And they aren’t shy about it either. Environmental Magazine shared law enforcement officers tend to be a it overzealous when it comes to the destruction of illegal marijuana crops. They spray the plants and the lands with harsh herbicides like glyphosate.
Federal legalization would open up traditional farming areas, giving the opportunity for more climate friendly ground and less reliance “grow factories” which are damaging to the environment in multiple ways. Indoor cannabis cultivation is energy-consuming, mainly due to heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and lighting. Energy consumption leads to greenhouse gas emissions.
While using cannabis as a medicine might be at the forefront of the legalization conversation, its boost to the environment shouldn’t be dismissed.
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Sarah Johns
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If you live in a hot summer climate, you may have wondered if a greenhouse would be beneficial. Questions like:
Would a greenhouse get too hot in Arizona?
How many months of the year could I use the greenhouse?
This article discusses the benefits of having a greenhouse (even in a hot summer climate), the challenges to consider, and the best ways to make the greenhouse a productive space during the year’s hottest months.
Historically, the function of a greenhouse is to trap heat. However, during the summer heat, greenhouse temperatures can surpass 150°F (65.6°C), which is too hot for plants. High winds during the monsoon/windy seasons also present a challenge.
Typically, a greenhouse is placed in an area with the most sunlight. However, in a hot summer climate, taking advantage of locations that offer natural shade is crucial.
Here are a few considerations about where to position your greenhouse:
Greenhouses come in various shapes, sizes, and use of materials. Available types include traditional, hoop houses, lean-to’s, cold frames, polytunnels, and attached solariums.
Considerations for greenhouses in hot summer climates:
Each method will only partially bring down the heat, but combining techniques will bring the temperature down and make the greenhouse usable throughout the year.
Once you have a greenhouse, a few essential practices will help ensure your greenhouse is a place where plants thrive.
Larry Burnett is a retired Administrator from Banner Health and a Partner from KPMG. Larry has lived in Arizona since 1984 and gardened here extensively.
He is a Master Gardener through the University of Arizona and a mentor for Master Gardener students. His favorite time of the day is when he is outside in his greenhouse, garden, and flower beds. Here’s a link to Larry’s Jansen Greenhouse, featured in this article.
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Angela Judd
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Press Release
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updated: Jun 13, 2017
Piscataway, NJ, June 13, 2017 (Newswire.com)
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The Mudavis Performing Arts Company, in conjunction with LetUsConnect, presented a special fundraising event at the Piscataway high school. Proceeds will go toward the LetUsConnect hydroponic greenhouse project, which supports the development of vocational and life skills training for individuals on the autism spectrum. Donations will also support TheSpectrumCareers.com, a one-of-a-kind employment portal connecting individuals with autism to corporations, businesses, and service providers. Developed by Rangam Consultants and championed by Autism Speaks, TheSpectrumCareers™ is designed to promote inclusive employment through advocacy, awareness, training, and support.
“The LetUsConnect project is something that I am very proud of. The idea is to empower differently-abled individuals to get a head start by learning the skills they will use to make a better future for themselves,” said Nish Parikh, Advisory Board Member of LetUsConnect. “We have 19 acres of land in Princeton, New Jersey, which will be the site for the Employment Research Park. When ready, it will continue to serve the local community for years as people with special needs will always find sustainable employment at their doorstep,” Nish added.
“The LetUsConnect project is something that I am very proud of. The idea is to empower differently-abled individuals to get a head start by learning the skills they will use to make a better future for themselves. We have 19 acres of land in Princeton, New Jersey, which will be the site for the Employment Research Park. When ready, it will continue to serve the local community for years as people with special needs will always find sustainable employment at their doorstep.
Nish Parikh, LetUsConnect Advisory Board Member
“What we are trying to do is educate the employers about how they can take advantage of some of the strengths that people with autism have to offer. Right now, globally — not just in the United States — the best estimates that we have is that 80-90% of the people with autism are unemployed or underemployed,” David Kearon, Director of Adult Services at Autism Speaks, said in reference to TheSpectrumCareers™. “With years of experience running a staffing business, Nish and Hetal know how to connect employers to employees by fitting people’s interests and strengths into the needs that businesses have. TheSpectrumCareers.com lets people with autism show what they are capable of. With video and photo tools, it also lets businesses create visuals to demonstrate what a job actually entails. At the moment, we have 5,000 job seekers with autism, 450 service providers nationwide joining the website, and almost 200,000 jobs posted from around the country — all thanks to the generosity of Nish, Hetal, and their technology team, who developed the portal at no cost to Autism Speaks, no cost to job seekers with autism, and no cost to businesses,” he added amidst thunderous applause from the audience.
The event attracted the attention of like-minded, socially responsible individuals and companies, raising over $12,500 in funds. LetUsConnect would like to thank our generous sponsors, who included:
Companies:
Rangam Consultants Inc.
Dynamic Consulting
The ViaQuest Foundation
Indian Association of Greater Somerset County
Semple Inc.
National Consulting Group
Synergy Global Technologies Inc.
Phone Tech Inc.
South Asian Mental Health Initiative & Network
JM Technical Services Inc.
SAPC
Krish Corporation
Kashi Consulting Company
Individuals:
Deepak Raj
Eswar Sundar
Matthias Ehrhardt
Swati Datar
James Duffy
Kalpana Kumari
Dhruven Gandhi
KJ Sharma
Umang Shah
Vikas Aggarwal
Paul Price
Wendy Loonin Sklarin
Vinay Mehta
Lov K Kher
Geeta Mansukhani
Ashmi and Haresh Patel
Robin Suydam
Amit Singh
Robert Titus
Jigna Patel
Rita Yaganamurthy
Suketu Trivedi
Sneha Pandya
Subhra Chakraborty
Karan Bhagat
About LetUsConnect
LetUsConnect aims to build an environment-friendly, self-sustainable, and economically viable employment model involving individuals with autism and other special needs. With an emphasis on economic independence, it offers vocational training programs aligned with the unique skills that individuals with disabilities commonly bring to the table. For more information, please visit https://letusconnect.org.
Source: Rangam Consultants Inc.
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