The City Council of Boulder, Colo., just passed an ordinance regulating the growth and distribution of medical marijuana with a spin that no one familiar with Boulder should be surprised to hear — all medical pot growers in the city limits must offset their energy use with wind or solar power.

 

I love Boulder.

 

I lived in the small city nestled at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains for more than five years. Both of my children were born there, and while I was there I happened to have been involved with starting a company selling wind credits, Renewable Choice Energy — a company, one would assume, that will soon see new customers from the medical marijuana industry. Boulder is known for being super progressive (local bumper stickers proudly proclaim “Keep Boulder Weird”) and is home to a large assortment of tree-hugging hippie types. It’s extremely fitting that they would require their medical pot to be offset with renewable energy.

 

According to the Daily Camera, Boulder has about 100 licensed dispensaries that are required by a state law to grow at least 70 percent of the marijuana they sell. Purchasing the wind or solar credits to offset their power use could add around 20 percent more to their monthly power bill. The city ordinance also allows dispensaries to subscribe to a community solar garden.

 

Puff puff pass, just make sure it’s green (and green).

 

~

 

Via Treehugger