Building a Sustainable Cannabis Dispensary: Practices That Lower Your Carbon Footprint & Drive Customer Loyalty

By Brendan McKee, Co-Founder, CFO & COO, Silver Therapeutics

A recent PwC survey found that 46% of consumers are buying more sustainable products to reduce their carbon footprint. In fact, consumers are actually willing to pay nearly 10% more (9.7%) above average price for sustainable products. What does this tell us? Today’s consumers are becoming more aware of how their consumption habits impact the environment. Which means organizations need to prioritize sustainability to stay competitive.

This is especially true for cannabis dispensaries. A dispensary is often the first line of communication between a canna curious consumer and a lifelong customer. And when nearly half of consumers want to purchase from eco-friendly supply chains, having sustainable practices throughout your dispensary is no longer a luxury, it’s a must-have to attract and keep environmentally conscious consumers.

Being more sustainable in your dispensaries impacts the customer experience. Here’s how you can incorporate sustainability into the day-to-day operations of your cannabis dispensary.

Sustainability Practices for Cannabis Dispensaries

Recycle Everything

I’d be remiss not to mention recycling as a sustainability practice. Of course, it’s important to recycle bottles, plastics, etc., as they’re used, whether from cleaning supplies or food packaging from the employees (to name a few examples).

Opt for Clean Packaging

Two-thirds of consumers report sustainable packaging is important when making a purchase, according to McKinsey. For packaging and carry-out bags, always try to use recycled materials that can be recycled again or even reused. For example, selling linen shopping bags at your dispensary and encouraging customers to pick one up and reuse it, just like at a supermarket, is an easy way to become more sustainable. Don’t forget to strongly encourage your customers to recycle any packaging after use!

Embrace Energy Conservation with Solar Energy & LED Lights

Utilizing solar energy for the dispensary’s utilities, primarily for electricity, is a surefire way to conserve energy and show consumers your business is committed to environmental conservation. If solar energy is not an option for you at this time, a simple way to improve your energy efficiency is to use LED lights.

Conserve Water at Your Grow Facility

Not all dispensaries have their own grow facility. However, if you do, implementing a water recycling system enables you to minimize water waste and reduce your ecological footprint.

Connect with the Community on Environmental Issues

A great way to not only be more sustainable, but to prove that saving the environment is a top priority for your business, is to get involved with the local community by organizing regular local cleanup initiatives. For example, host events such as trash collection and area beautification efforts in your community. While this will make a positive difference to the Earth, it will also help your business reach new customers and increase brand awareness.

Use the Right Building Materials

If you’re building your dispensary from scratch, be sure to implement sustainable building materials. In some cities, there might even be specific requirements for using materials that meet or exceed certain environmental standards, from waste management to construction materials selection. Some sustainable building materials could include recycled wood, glass, or steel.

Align With Vendors on Sustainability Initiatives

One challenge dispensary owners face is that many vendors opt for materials that are not environmentally sustainable. Often, dispensary owners receive feedback from customers expressing concern about packaging waste, especially from wholesale partners. Although dispensary owners can’t control how their vendors package their products, customers might inquire about why certain companies were using wasteful materials. If this happens to you, it’s important to share that feedback with your vendors. Your customers will appreciate and recognize your efforts to address these concerns. And hopefully, the vendors will take action to improve their product.

Audit Your Energy Usage

It’s important to measure and track your business’s carbon footprint, especially if you have various dispensary locations. One way to do so is to have an energy audit done annually by a trustworthy group that specializes in evaluating energy use. They’ll come into your dispensary, assess where you can make improvements, and also negotiate better energy rates on your behalf. By locking in better rates when possible, you’re making sure your dispensary or dispensaries stay efficient and cost-effective.

Advice For Building a More Sustainable Cannabis Dispensary

There is no one way to become more sustainable in your cannabis dispensary. While the above list of practices is a great way to get started, there are nuances to what you may actually be allowed to do in your building.

For instance, if you own your building, I strongly recommend pursuing solar energy. If you don’t own the building and it doesn’t already have solar panels, it’s worth having a conversation with your landlord. In the long run, everyone benefits—your business is more eco-friendly and attracts eco-conscious customers, the utility bills are reduced, and the building is positioned for longevity. It’s an easy win for all.

Also consider incentivizing team members to walk or bike to work when possible. Of course, in more rural areas, it can be more challenging, so only encourage it where it’s feasible. Offer a gift card or a specialty product to anyone who bikes to work two days out of the week to inspire employees to lower their own carbon footprint. After all, becoming more sustainable is a team effort.

The truth is, adopting sustainable practices throughout your cannabis dispensary is critical to attracting and retaining today’s eco-conscious customers (not to mention retaining the Earth as well). But that doesn’t mean you need to make drastic changes to your dispensary overnight. Lowering your carbon footprint and becoming a sustainable dispensary takes time. Start by implementing a few of these practices and then gradually increase your sustainability efforts from there. You’ll be surprised at the difference you can make in the world with just a switch of a few light bulbs.