Hello @Hobbyist ! Thinking about sustainability issues in indoor grows and I’m wondering if any of you have actively sought to reduce your carbon footprint of your grow. Can you share what you’ve done? What have the results been?
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No I have not. Would like info if you have any.
Now that you made me think about it I may look into some solar power for lights,fans and ventilation.
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For now just leds and some fans on timer to shut off when lights go off. I should look into 12 volt fans and solar. At some point I’d like to look into methods to re-use my runoff water w/o having to rob a bank
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Switched to qbs to reduce power consumption and heat. Don’t water to run-off, due to organics, so I’m not adding lots of nute run-off to my septic or the ground outside. Slowly switching over to Coco, because peat sourcing releases too much carbon into the atmosphere.
Since I am using so much energy growing, I have tried to reduce my energy consumption in other areas. Now, I rarely watch TV or leave my house (ok, ok, this is because I’m a hermit, but it still counts as not using a vehicle).
I sometimes feel hypocritical for growing, when I know it consumes resources that could be saved for better use, but then I remember that I need weed to live…sometimes, it seems even more than I need clean air and water.
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I think the largest Carbon footprint you can reduce is not ordering from online, and going into a brick and mortar store. (Which isn’t always possible in an illegal state, or you’re too far away)
Otherwise hydro Could possibly have the lowest carbon footprint depending on where your electricity is produced from.
All soil that is produced commercially will need large earth moving equipment to move, dump, mix, and transport. Don’t forget all of the vehicles that brought additional ingredients to the manufacturing facility.
If we were truly concerned about leaving ZERO carbon footprint (or the least amount of impact possible) outdoor growing would leave a minimal impact.
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I move my plants outdoors and back indoors for the extra needed to veg. Saves me about 12 hours a day on fans and my 900W full spectrum light usage. I also use rain water from two 55 gallon barrels that I have diverted roof runoff into. I’m getting ready to build a grow room addition and am going to look into solar panels. I am using Laneco smart plugs right now as timers which are also controlled though my Alexa for voice control. They have worked flawlessly for over a year and a half. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0713SKWQ1/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=bloggn-20&linkId=319c4e6df87a9f479d00ecb7970e211e&language=en_US I’m looking for more ways to reduce not only my carbon footprint but also my financial outlay which from what I have seen go hand in hand. Maybe not initially, but in the long run.
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No actually I have never thought about it before, but now that you have planted this seed in my head and I have sat and thought about it I guess I’m off to a good start if that was my objective. Now my home does have solar panels and we typically have under $50 electricity bill. We run off well water & Have been using the same batch of soil for the most part for the past few years now minus the occasional few bags of fresh soil added every so often, I try & make as much of my own nutrients as i can so less plastics there… I do feel though that just the waste from the MH & HPS bulbs and all that goes into the things I do buy that it doesn’t really make much of a change. But who knows 
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That is so true…one good crop outdoors and I am good…hell I am cleaning up my weed locker and the kid is getting some really good weed from 3-4 years ago…only because it doesn’t press worth shit and will make dirty dark hash…lol…
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As I have said here and on another forum… I just simply refuse to run out of weed…lol… and that is extracting as much as I do…lol…
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Will try to post tip every so often based on my decades of engineering and environmental experience.
Just saw this post. I was consultant engineer for 9 x 3,000 grow houses. Everything from rural water well, water storage / treatment, dehumidify, electrical, back-up electrical, instrumentation, laboratory testing and grow lights. Just got thermal camera certified for emissions and have a different focus now.
- Don’t limit carbon and other greenhouse emissions to just the greenhouse or outside grow.
- if limiting emissions saves money every day, that’s more funds for your hobby / business.
- Help non-profit Farmers training groups that share efficient growth for small operations
Solution: https://www.metalconditionersquared.net/veterans
A Nanotechnology with many ASTM standards and California Proposition 65 Compliant
The link provides a discount to you and is a fundraiser for Veterans to Farmers
We just finished a 3 month test on a fleet of County delivery vehicles that drive an identical route each day. Average fuel savings was 9% for gas. For Diesel trucks 7.7% with load and over `12% idle.
For Electric backup generators, it demonstrates 18% to 27% savings depending on the model.
Besides gas savings - it protects metal, look at this video of a motor running with no oil.
Bandimere Speedway Motor Blowup
On a CBD farm they put this product (2 oz per quart) in everything that needs lubricated.
It saves fuel (and thus reduces emissions) and it drastically lowers maintenance / breakdowns.
It supports Veterans to Farmers. Check out the website. They cover a lot of basics.
A mid-sized car will cost about $15 to treat. Small tractors use about $30 worth.
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Micro sizing and organic methods for a sustainable earth!
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The best I got right now is I have a compost area and started riding my bike to work now it’s not summer time and over 100 degrees everyday. My pops has been collecting parts to piece together a solar system. I feel I don’t have enough experience to be comfortable enough to go hydro. I try to only buy from my local grow shop which is on my way to and from work. All 3 of my dogs love eating fresh cut leafs so there goes most of my waste. It’s like crack to them. They also like eating my damn vegetable garden too. This entire week we are working on switching up rooms. My grow is going to a cooler room and the kids are getting their own rooms. So I’ll be able to control VPD a lot easier. I’m exhausting into my hallway so we don’t have to run the heater at night and running my HPS and MH lights at night. I’d love to hear some ideas the pros have. Even if it doesn’t pertain to growing.
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I’m confused how you guys or gals seeing getting things from a brick and mortar store is green versa online store? They both have truck and a warehouse with trucks that brings the product to them. from there you have to goto them using gas to pick up products. Your logic is so missed led by whom? online and local stores have about the same in shipping side of thing. Plus now add you are going to get the items.
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I’ve just gone through the process of setting up and buying my equipment for my grow from scratch. I took a lot of time to compare products to see which ones will use the least amount of energy. For instance I choose LED lights instead of HID. I went with the ac infinity T series fans because of their low power consumption and ability to run according to my temp and rh settings. I also only run my h20 pump on 1 min off 5 mins, to circulate my nutrient solution.
To be honest my main reason for spending the extra money to have low power consumption is to watch how many amps I draw. I’m limited in the older place I live. But I also wanted to save me money on my power bill.
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First off shop local (when I can) is a rule of thumb for me…Canada’s legalization is so messed up… I grow my own and always will legal or not so I will probably never have to buy from a dispensary… I have gone living soil and all my teas and silica etc are all crop based not salt based…just being conscious on how much you spend on gas hydro etc is enough to make you green in my world…want to go more green learn lights and which ones use more power… time for on-peak and off-peak hours etc… etc… is solar green… look at the batteries and the cost in cells etc… and that is my holier then though rant for the day… grow and enjoy it… you are making oxygen and consuming CO2… good enough for me…
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Wish I could.
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I get it… I can’t always shop local… I just do if I can…
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Ok I currently am running an 8.7k Solar system with a 11k sonnen battery. So i don’t have an electric bill i use timers and led grow lights. I use Advanced Nutrients in my hydroponic
System and I use my waste water on my dirt garden. Oh and my primary vehicle is
an Indian motorcycle. If you are considering a Solar system figure 4.5 dollars a watt
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I do this by using high efficacy LED’s, managing my DLI and putting the plants outside for natural sunlight whenever possible.
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The main thing that I did, was emphasize back to the old school of slow natural growth. The outdoor green house technique and utilizing natural ingredients / nutrients . And the environment. I use to grow next to the housing projects and 3 blocks away from the dope spot where crime and violence was a 24-7 daily frequent events… 14 years. I had to do unthinkable security measures and crashed my mental and physical health in 2001. Then, went back to the country side of California. And reduce my growth cycle to 1 season. This worked well. Until the latin cartels infiltrated the nearby park lands and attracted federal attention and plenty of meth that led to robberies of growers. Currently, restructuring our co-op and develop a conservation / security team of former retired military veterans to supplement the local law enforcement. And a growers co-op that provide free access to naturally cultivated cannabis to the disabled and terminally ill as their designated care provider… I hope that helps. Have a great day !!!
djk.k.baby
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