An Inconvenient Truth About Smoking Marijuana & Global Warming

Smokin Moose

Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex Moderator
For lovers of both Mary Jane and Mother Earth, the tragedy of global warming has rendered their affections incompatible, even hypocritical. At the halting speed at which any painful truth is disseminated, the role which marijuana smoke plays in the degradation of our earth's atmosphere is finally being acknowledged.

Today's unprecedented rate of CO2 emissions is one of the greatest concerns for environmentalists and other combatants of global warming. Most artificially produced carbon dioxide gas enters the atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels, waste and wood. And further down the list: burning of marijuana. Each and every joint toke, pipe puff and bong hit contributes to atmospheric CO2 emissions, and drives the knife a little deeper into the heart of our environment.

A study performed by the Institute of Medicine in 1988 shows that 57.3 mg of CO2 is released on average when a marijuana cigarette weighing 1115 mg is burned. At first this statistic may seem inconsequential, but by multiplying 57.3 by some very large numbers, like 999,898,989,707 and 84,999,999,999,999,999, and then performing a few more arbitrary calculations, I derived an enormous, undeniably consequential number - 8,549,343,023,499,999,999,999,999,999,999,934,983,532,948,234,982,342,498,533,498. Then, following simple deductive logic, I concluded that marijuana smoke is responsible for 8,549,343,023,499,999,999,999,999,999,999,934,983,532,948,234,982,342,498,533,498 teragrams of CO2 emissions every year, which is a frighteningly large statistic, and should impel all rational green-minded people to wean themselves from marijuana as quickly as possible.

When I shared my discovery with a well-known Cannabis connoisseur and environmental activist - who asked that I use the pseudonym "Geff Jibson" to shadow his real identity - he responded, "That sucks, man. That really stresses me out. I love the earth, because it's so natural and stuff. But weed is natural, too. And it's fuckin' awsome. You know what I mean? What would Bob Marley do? This is so hard, man. Real hard. I need a joint. Wanna' smoke?" Once I reminded Geff that smoking his joint, however cathartic it might be, would probably kill a whale, or at the very least annoy it, he conceded his marijuana cigarette and decided that he would just have to start eating more brownies.

Unfortunately, Geff's proposed alternative to smoking marijuana would still aggravate the problem of CO2 emissions, albeit to a lesser extent. All plants, including marijuana plants, sequester carbon dioxide into the earth, converting it from its gaseous phase into harmless biomass. Every time a marijuana plant is damaged - an unavoidable result of cultivating it for its narcotic uses - less CO2 is sequestered from the atmosphere. Thus, even eating pot brownies, pot salad dressing, pot tomato soup and pot-basted chicken indirectly leads to the "deforestation" of marijuana plants and an increase of greenhouse gasses.

gaia.jpgIndeed, all aspects of the "Pot Warming" disaster have been ignored by politicians, the media and even conservation organizations for quite some time. There are hints of change, however. There is a rumor, for instance, that Al Gore is working on a documentary, "An Inconvenienter Truth, Dude," that will bring the issue international attention.

In our purportedly "progressive" community, ignorance of the effects of marijuana use on the environment is widespread. This was illustrated in Isla Vista during the past week with the nearly contemporaneous celebrations of Earth Day, 4/20 and the Joint Rolling Contest - events that attracted many of the same people.

Hopefully, people who get high and simultaneously advocate the conservation of the environment will begin to question the spurious harmony between their actions and their beliefs. Supporters of both the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws and the Environmental Affairs Board will have to make a tough decision and pledge their allegiance to either one or the other. Like Geff, they will probably ask themselves, "What would Bob Marley do?" and then go get stoned and listen to "No Woman No Cry," and forget about whatever they were thinking about earlier. But all the while, the earth will be crying.

Zach Phillips
 
sorry but I have to disagree with this because smoking weed isn't making global warming happen it's cars, trucks, busses, etc.My point is smoking weed, or cigarettes isnt goign to harm the atmosphere that much
 
Yea while it is true that some CO2 goes into the atmosphere when you burn weed it is not enough to cause global warming. Blame man and his unstoppable drive for progress.
 
I would imagine ( i do not have the information to hand) that both plants (cannabis and tobbacco) have removed far more co2 than they produce when burned. The amount of co2 used by a plant is proven by the fact that some indoor growers have to supplement the co2 in the air, as the plants have used all that is available in there environment. (not environmentally sound i know, but is because of the intense lighting used and high demand for a greater yeild) More weed smoked means more plants grown and more co2 removed to be replaced with oxygen. And as for cutting down the plants being harmful to the environment, they wouldn`t have been grown in the first place if there wasn`t a demand to smoke or cook them. Add to this the fact that the plant is a pirrenial and would die in the winter after flowering, then saying that harvesting them is damaging to the environment is a falicy. So my advice, unless i have missed something quite fundamental, is keep to your current useage safe in the knowledge that you are HELPING the environment.

If someone raises the point of co2 from burning cannabis to you, you should mention these facts, aswell as the fact that the stems and leaves from the harvested plant can be used to make paper more efficiently than the decimation of forrests to use the trees. The life cycle of cannabis is shorter than trees so a sustainable source of pulp is more easily obtained, whilst at the same time allowing the trees that remove massive amounts of co2 to remain standing. And there is also fact that it takes less chemicals and processing to make paper from hemp, and you end up with a more durable product so this can only be a good thing and can only be good for the environment. Paper is only one environmentaly sound use for hemp. Bio degradable plastics can be made, rope, clothing etc. All of which will reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. The whole process of mining, processing, distribution and use of these has no positive impact on the environment unlike cannabis cultivation. If cannabis was grown to supply these markets then extra co2 would be removed from the atmosphere by the plant and also the reduction co2 expelled by the fossil fuel/petrochemical industrys.

So bear this in mind if any politician tries to blame us for damage to the environment, and point out that thier prohibition of cannabis cultivation (not just for the intoxicant effects) makes them hypocritacal scaremongerers that are more to blame for the state of our environment and the world as a whole, than anybody else.

Thoughts anyone?


(sorry for the double post but as i have just realised, the original didn`t make much sense due to me editing out lots of uneccessary rambling and not checking the grammer afterwards!)
 
That's why they are called carbon neutral. They take in more co2 then they produce when burned.

The number one contributor to depletion of the ozone and global warming is.... drum roll...

Cows.

Yep. Meat and dairy cows. Too much methane gas. Why we don't collect and burn it is beyond me.
 
Hi all. Thanks for gettin rid of the first post moose.

I think that rather than feeling threatened by politcians and ingnorant/uneducated non users damaging propaganda, we should turn the whole "environment" issue to our advantage.

First point out the errors of their existing ways. ie governments using paper to promote eco awareness, all the environmental activists that are printing leaflets and banners etc on paper (i know they have to do this to raise awareness) then tell them the alternative and that the government who profess to be working towards a soloution to global warming are actually stopping them from being environmentaly friendly by not allowing the paper they need to be made from hemp. Then continue to point out the clothes they are wearing which are made from nylon or polyester, could be made from hemp. Another, initially daft sounding, point is shoelaces! most are made from polypropelene or similar but could just as easily be made from - u guessed it - HEMP. How many shoes does the average person have, then think how many people there are. What seems like a insignificant 18 inch piece of string then becomes a massive industry creating massive poloution. Then move on to the rope they string up their banners with, plastic again. The list goes on.

I dont wish to make anybody who is trying to help the environment sound as though they are doing more damage than good, They obviously have concern for our planet and want to help, most are just not aware that there are more eco friendly alternatives to lifes essentials and that the government are stopping them from being produced. These people are however, open to alternatives and have proven that they want to help the environment so could become our greatest allies in the promotion of the hemp plant for all of its uses. If we educate ourselves on the benefits of the hemp plant and then pass this on to others, along with the real reasons for it not being allowed, we can create a better public perception of our cause and the real reason for cannabis prohibition. - Money.

If we also apply this tactic to other areas (treating illness, and yes, recreation - less people in hospital through alcoholism, violent attacks, liver faliure etc, basically all of the good things that have been discredited by lies and propaganda for financial gain) then we can expose the governments interest is not through concern for its citizens but for financial gain. And then people will see that we have a real, justified argument and are not stoners that want to "ruin lives for our enjoyment with disregard for the (so called)`damage` it causes"

Ps, don`t forget to include the massive industry surrounding surrounding cannabis prevention. Prisons, police departments, anti drug reserch and advertising and so on. All of this is payed for by increaesd taxation and fines and is a very good earner for the government, not to mention the tax collected from the wages of people in this "industry". This money could be used to build better schools, hospitals, pay for prevention of real crime (gangs, guns robbery - all of which are harder to solve and dont bring in as much money as fines for cannabis)

Whenever i tell people this i am often met with the rhetort "you are paranoid" but in the words of a wise man and one of my favourite bands -

"just because you`re paranoid, don`t mean they`re not after you!"

So come on everyone, do yourselves a favour and get out there and raise some awareness. The more people that know the truth, the stronger we will be.
 
In a way you are right moose, but the most important things in my eyes are - awareness, educated, factual debate using non refutable evidence and the image we portray of ourselves.

At present mj users and activists are seen by the `normal` public as drug users and are grouped together with hard drug users and delinquents, criminals etc with no distinction between a weed smoker and a smack head. Due to the image portrayed by the media, government and of peoples experience with drug addicts, many people do not value our opinion or even give us the time of day. If we can begin to change peoples perception of us and get them to view us as normal everyday people that have the same morals and capabilitys just with a different lifestyle choice as them, then maybe we will be taken seriously.

All our opposition have to do to refute our arguments is to imply "how can you trust someone on drugs" or "the dangers of drugs"and the uneducated, mislead public conjure an image of a crack head or at best some sort of cheech and chong character. By using clear, calm, well thought out, factual arguments and proving that weed does not turn you into a degenerate, as the government would have you believe, we can try to regain the trust of everyday people and gain some credability. Be carefulll about making statements that cannot be substantiated and make sure to respond to criticism in a positive, factual way. Treat every conversation as if you were talking to a high court judge and jury, because rest assured, as soon as you say you have any interest in weed, YOU WILL BE JUDGED!
 
And if your argument is weak, incoherant and ridiculous, that is how you will be viewed. Hardly a good impression or advertisment, don`t you think?
 
many people do not value our opinion or even give us the time of day. If we can begin to change peoples perception of us and get them to view us as normal everyday people that have the same morals and capabilitys just with a different lifestyle choice as them, then maybe we will be taken seriously.

Hell Yeah !!! (smrk) ..

What gets me is the argument that it's
just a PotHead issue(legalization/decriminalization of hemp and/or cannabis.
When it's a solution to soooo Many current issues/problems.
 
Exactly damagoman. Thats why we should try to promote the environmental benefits to the people who have some power in that department, the medical benefit to the likes of ms and aids sufferers, and the cost of prevention to anyone with an aversion to paying too much tax. Each one is suffering because of current legislation and would have there own reason for joining the fight and raising awareness amongst there kindred. The illegal aspect of cannabis dicourages people from finding out anything about its many uses because they dont want to be branded a criminal or `pothead`. Couple that with the governments aversion to promoting cannabis in any kind of favourable way and people are not informed of the advantages it has to offer us and our planet.

That is why it must become the role of those who know the real potential to make this information widespread so that people can make their own informed desicions and break free of the propaganda and brainwashing and show weed for the versatile plant it is, and not as a `evil drug` as most people are sheparded into believing.
 
Exactly damagoman. Thats why we should try to promote the environmental benefits to the people
And the Dollars ,
'er what ever currency you use :cheesygrinsmiley:

I can't belive with the price of fuel in the US somebody hasn't realized we can grow oil and make gas out of the leftovers.
And still have left overs to make paper.
Which can be recycled 5 times more than wood pulp paper.

It just boggles my mind,
how some folks are sooo closed minded.
 
a very informational post. and interesting. reading the whole thread, it seems kinda silly that one would want to quit smoking pot to save the planet. when it releases just as much gas as our daily fart.
not to make a joke of your post. it is a very serious issue about global warming. its just that something so small could not possibly have an impact on our humongus problem. to get peeps to quit smoking is like telling them they need to fart less...
i did see the inconvient truth and its an excellent movie. as well as scary. it was made with facts from 2005. the alternate ending is where the truth becomes inconvient. almost makes me sick...
 
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