Make Your Dispensary Greener

It turns out that grass is not always greener. Cannabis has an astonishingly large carbon footprint. Unsustainable manufacturing and distribution practices, enormous amounts of non-recyclable, plastic packaging and the amount of energy it takes to cultivate cannabis indoors all factor into the industry’s large environmental footprint. Despite all of these negatives, it’s possible for the cannabis industry to shift its practices and create an overall more sustainable, eco-friendly space – but, where does it begin? The first step may lie at the dispensary. Make your cannabis dispensary eco-friendly with these tips! 

If you’re interested in creating an eco-friendly cannabis dispensary modeled on sustainable ideals, there are a variety of cost-effective, easy ways to off-set environmental impact:

1. Reduce or Eliminate Single-Use Plastics

It’s no secret that cannabis contributes to a very large amount of plastic waste. Due to stringent child-proofing laws set by state regulatory bodies, companies are essentially forced into using plastics in order to ensure that their packaging stays compliant. However, there are tons of companies manufacturing eco-friendly cannabis packaging solutions. As a matter of fact, here at HISIERRA®, we pride ourselves in not only creating packaging out of recycled glass and ocean plastics but we’ve gone even further to establish green manufacturing processes. Cannabis companies don’t have to sacrifice quality when seeking out sustainable alternatives. Packaging like ours comes in a variety of sizes and formats and has been designed to be compliant and maintain freshness.

2. Make Recycling Programs Easy & Accessible for Customers

Though this option may not be available for all states with cannabis programs, more mature recreational markets, like California and Washington, have the ability to offer recycling programs and incentives for their customers. This may be as simple as setting up a recycling bin at the dispensary for customers to drop off their empty containers. To incentivize customers recycling their old containers, some dispensaries offer loyalty points which eventually lead to discounts.

Another fun way to foster a recycling program is by holding events or contests at the dispensary centered around recycling. This strategy will bring customers back into the dispensary to drop off their containers and in turn, may actually translate into more sales. Hosting a recycling program eliminates the guilt of single-use plastics for the customer and creates a “feel good” purchasing experience.

3. Offer Alternative Delivery Methods

We are part of a culture that loves convenience. Delivery programs for dispensaries and mobile dispensaries are a major part of the retail portion of the cannabis industry and a big draw for customers for a variety of reasons. Since fossil fuels are expensive, non-reusable sources of energy, dispensaries dedicated to a green agenda can utilize alternative forms of transportation to fulfill their delivery needs. In many cities, bike delivery is becoming a popular option. If a delivery service’s radius is too large to employ bicycles and a company has the resources, eco-friendly vehicles are a good alternative to traditional, fuel-guzzling vans. This is one of the best eco-friendly dispensary tips because you can tailor it to fit your unique dispensary! 

4. Invest in Education Programs for Customers

Educating customers doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated, it could be as easy as adding simple facts to marketing materials or receipts. The public should be aware of the industry’s environmental impact so they could make their own decisions regarding which companies to support based on their own commitment to living sustainably. If your cannabis dispensary is eco-friendly, your perfect customer is also dedicated to an eco-friendly lifestyle. By letting your customers know that sustainability is a major concern, it’s marketing your business and also highlighting the need for more environmentally friendly practices within the cannabis space. An additional way that a dispensary can educate its customers on sustainability is by promoting a blog on its website or an email newsletter. 

There are many ways to make your dispensary “greener” and it doesn’t take massive funding, brainpower or bandwidth. Simple methods, like the strategies outlined above, can make a significant impact and set a standard that other dispensaries may follow. Although the struggle to make cannabis a truly “green” industry is a long game, transitioning to more sustainable packing options, offering incentivized recycling programs, delivery methods and educational materials are all actionable strategies for positioning your dispensary business as an eco-friendly cannabis business. The cliché rings true; be the change you’d like to see in the world, by being the change you’d like to see in the cannabis industry. Love these eco-friendly dispensary tips? You’re going to love our products. Check them out here!