Cannabis is, at its core, a plant. It comes from the earth, it has traditionally been grown organically, and it carries an inherent connection to nature. But as our industry has scaled and commercialized, I’ve watched that connection erode, replaced by mountains of single-use packaging, non-recyclable vape products, and manufacturing processes that prioritize speed over sustainability. That disconnect has always bothered me. Getting Green Certified by the state of California was our way of doing something positive and impactful. The Artist Tree is now one of the few cannabis companies in California to have achieved Green Business Certification from the California Green Business Network (CGBN). Our Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, and Koreatown locations are all certified, with more on the way. The West Hollywood location holds the distinction of being the first dispensary in that community to achieve Tier 2 Certification — a milestone the city noted in its formal announcement to us. Lauren Fontein, Co-Founder & Chief Compliance Officer But what does this certification actually mean, and why did it matter enough for us to pursue it? Becoming officially certified was important on two levels. First, it confirmed that the sustainable practices we had already put in place were […]