In the article “Marijuana Crops in California Threaten Forests and Wildlife” the author says, “It took the death of a small, rare member of the weasel family… The animal, a Pacific fisher, had been poisoned by an anticoagulant in rat poisons like d-Con… a scientist… concluded that the contamination began when marijuana growers in deep forests spread d-Con to protect their plants from wood rats.” In order to grow marijuana and protect it from rodents destroying the crops farmers use pesticides. This changes the ecosystem and the pesticides can kill other animals. The pesticides can also contaminate the water supplies and soil. A study in 2013 found that rat poison in illegal growing operations was making its way through the ecosystem in the Sierra Nevada and killing off wildlife. (Kathleen, 2013). To complete legalizing marijuana would affect the environment because marijuana requires pesticides to be grown and pesticides kill the wild life. Indoor marijuana growing involves a lot of energy and lights. According to Evan Mills, staff scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and consultant at Energy Associates says,
In the article “Marijuana Crops in California Threaten Forests and Wildlife” the author says, “It took the death of a small, rare member of the weasel family… The animal, a Pacific fisher, had been poisoned by an anticoagulant in rat poisons like d-Con… a scientist… concluded that the contamination began when marijuana growers in deep forests spread d-Con to protect their plants from wood rats.” In order to grow marijuana and protect it from rodents destroying the crops farmers use pesticides. This changes the ecosystem and the pesticides can kill other animals. The pesticides can also contaminate the water supplies and soil. A study in 2013 found that rat poison in illegal growing operations was making its way through the ecosystem in the Sierra Nevada and killing off wildlife. (Kathleen, 2013). To complete legalizing marijuana would affect the environment because marijuana requires pesticides to be grown and pesticides kill the wild life. Indoor marijuana growing involves a lot of energy and lights. According to Evan Mills, staff scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and consultant at Energy Associates says,