Green bud ain’t so green

Though public support for the recreational use of marijuana is reportedly on the rise, pot cultivation and distribution remains detrimental to the environment.

Pot presents a host of environmental issues including high energy costs for indoor growing, irresponsible forest clearing, illegal stream diversions, and fertilizer and pesticide runoff that can kill wildlife and stimulate blue-green algae blooms, according to Grist. And that’s not to mention the high cost of transportation—most reefer is shipped hundreds of miles from production to customer.

Some experts believe many growers in Colorado and Washington—both of which voted recently to legalize recreational marijuana use—will opt to cultivate indoors even during summer months, to avoid prosecution by the Federal Drug Administration.