A look at how cannabis sustainability is improving with new technology developments.
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Industrial hemp carries significant uses in multiple fields, which is why the cannabis industry continues to shine as each passing day goes by.
But as an industry grows, it faces new challenges in all aspects – the cannabis industry is no different. Modern technology has helped the cannabis industry accelerate its growth and overcome these hurdles with little effort.
It has enabled hemp-owning businesses to meet customer demand, reduce waste, eliminate lousy air quality, and keep track of essential data.
You may wonder how an “organic” industry like cannabis can benefit from technology – so vague, right? Well, fasten your seatbelts as we enlighten you on three ways cannabis technology can increase cannabis sustainability.
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3 Technologies Improving Cannabis Sustainability
LED LIGHTS
Growing hemp isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Some farmers give up as well. Why is it hard to grow cannabis? Well, not every season is a blossoming season for these flowers. Sometimes, you may even face climatic limitations.
That’s where LED light technology has helped growers tremendously. Every plant requires a set of conditions, such as hormonal balance, light concentration, etc., to grow.
According to a report, having just the right amount of wavelengths (blue, red, and green) can allow cannabis to grow efficiently. Not only this, but using LED lights can also lead to a decrease in operational costs! So, it’s basically a win-win situation here.
LED lights can also enable a better evaporation rate in hemp, thereby decreasing the need for fertilizers during cultivation. Also, the lighting system requires little to no maintenance.
We’re not done quite yet. LED lights are 60-70% more sustainable than traditional indoor cultivation lamps!
CROP STEERING
As we mentioned before, every plant’s growth depends on various factors. Hormonal balance, temperature, climate, and light are just a few.
Keeping these factors optimum, a plant will follow its natural growth trajectory. But how could you alter that?
There’s only one answer: crop steering.
Crop steering allows you to “alter” how a plant grows by controlling the environmental conditions. This way, farmers can increase overall yield and make up for the high cannabis demand.
Farmers use different tools to track their crop’s growth and development to ensure the whole process is successful. As you might’ve imagined, this process requires data storage and processing to get accurate results.
So, software and hardware tools come in handy here. By using these resources, farmers can identify the conditions that work best for their crop and produce high-quality and high-yielding hemp.
GENETIC ENGINEERING
We’ve seen the genetic engineering field go above and beyond in recent years, but can it benefit the cannabis industry?
It surely can. With the help of genetic engineering, farmers or growers can now crossbreed hemp with other plants to ensure cannabis sustainability. By doing so, they get access to “genetically better” flowers that can survive harsh environmental conditions and counter pests!
Farmers can also increase their crops’ CBD/THC ratio – giving rise to high-quality cannabis with low harvesting time.
There are no limitations when it comes to genetically engineering a plant. It has done much already, and with the growth of the cannabis industry, you can imagine this becoming an integral part of the process.
HOW CAN TECHNOLOGY BENEFIT DELIVERY & IMPROVE CANNABIS SUSTAINABILITY?
As the cannabis industry continues to flourish, extra attention is being given to adopting reliable and fast delivery methods for cannabis ingredients. The prime focus here is to eliminate the inconveniences involved in delivery methods and boost the process to meet consumer demand.
Although a significant amount of states have legalized the usage of medicinal marijuana, the licensing process is quite hectic.
No dispensary or cannabis-related service provider can deliver their goods to patients or consumers without a license.
That being said, you can’t depend too much on it. So, many businesses have acquired the usage of logistics software to deliver their products to the relevant parties. These software applications allow dispensaries to track all their outgoing deliveries, analyze their workflow, and cut down on time and cost.
All eyes are set on the cannabis industry as it gets competitive with each passing day. You must have an efficient delivery system to ensure that you’re staying caught up.
Uber’s Role in Cannabis Sustainability
Keeping this vital factor in mind, Uber Technologies took a revolutionizing initiative when it partnered with Tokyo Smoke to give rise to online cannabis orders via the Uber Eat app in Ontario.
This was just the beginning.
Other brands will likely step in on the show as well. One notable contestant here is Amazon. Amazon’s involvement in selling online cannabis has been the talk of the town for quite some time.
Although nothing is confirmed yet, this will likely take place considering the growth of the Cannabis industry.
This does seem like the perfect start, and it is! However, cannabis companies still face a risk in terms of delivery due to employee theft, driver vetting, safety, and possible vehicle disasters.
Getting the right insurance is the first step to protecting yourself from theft and other cannabis delivery challenges. Here’s an insurance guide for your cannabis delivery services.
FINAL THOUGHTS
As technology continues to advance further, so does the cannabis industry. By adopting new cultivation methods and sustainable approaches – cannabis companies have met an increased growth rate, high-quality hemp and boosted their profits.
Technology has played a role in multiple aspects of the cannabis industry. An honorable mention goes to the delivery services here.
With technology, cannabis companies have become accustomed to the software that allows them to track their deliveries, analyze and improve their performance, and meet consumer demand efficiently.