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Premium Cannabis: The Next Big Wave
The following content is sponsored by Next Green Wave.
Loosening cannabis laws have resulted in the rapid influx of new products across North America. Substantial growth in the Californian market—valued at $5.1 billion—has led to changing consumer needs, including the need for more premium products and experiences.
Today’s infographic from Next Green Wave explores the demand for these premium experiences and the implications for the future of the cannabis industry.
Premium Cannabis: The Next Big Wave
Modern day cannabis consumers are empowered by information and are willing to invest in a better cannabis experience.
As cannabis evolves from being a novelty to part of a healthier lifestyle, premium products are becoming more prevalent. Consumers are looking for three things: variety of choices, better quality, and to be part of something bigger than themselves.
1. Choices, Choices
The majority of cannabis in the U.S. is currently being smoked as whole flower—but new products like edibles and vapor pens are quickly gaining ground. These products address long-standing concerns with traditional formats, which include:
- Indiscreetness of smoking
- Difficult to use
- Inaccurate dosing
- Safety hazard
- Complete Control
Ability to control climate and air circulation - Increased Productivity
Consistent production all year round - Hygienic Environment
Reduced risk of micro-bacteria and pests - Standardized Product
Especially important for medical grade cannabis
According to Headset, female shoppers prefer edibles and tinctures, whereas men buy significantly more concentrates.
While millennial women rely on these formats primarily for wellness, baby boomers look to cannabidiol (CBD) for pain management and other health issues.
2. Quality is Key
The journey to a premium, quality product starts with the seed. Cultivation in a controlled environment—where careful attention is paid to every stage of the process—is paramount.
Indoor cultivation is an example of a controlled environment, and benefits to this practice include:
3. The Need to Belong
Consumers are looking to satiate their need to belong to a community, and cannabis is providing a wealth of opportunities to do so. Different cannabis formats are used to enhance socializing, with many millennials replacing alcohol with cannabis products entirely. Companies are taking advantage of this mindset by hosting unique cannabis events and pop-up experiences.
As more people veer towards making cannabis central to their lifestyle, more use cases appear. Using CBD for pets or as a pre-workout boost are other ways products have been seamlessly incorporated into everyday life. Brands who capitalize on these cannabis communities by providing memorable and premium experiences will come out on top.
About Next Green Wave
Next Green Wave cultivates premium cannabis products in California. With 25 years of industry experience, Next Green Wave prides itself on their completely integrated operations, covering the entire seed-to-sale process. They are committed to becoming the #1 premium consumer packaged goods brand in California.
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Ranked: Emissions per Capita of the Top 30 U.S. Investor-Owned Utilities
Roughly 25% of all GHG emissions come from electricity production. See how the top 30 IOUs rank by emissions per capita.

Emissions per Capita of the Top 30 U.S. Investor-Owned Utilities
Approximately 25% of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) come from electricity generation.
Subsequently, this means investor-owned utilities (IOUs) will have a crucial role to play around carbon reduction initiatives. This is particularly true for the top 30 IOUs, where almost 75% of utility customers get their electricity from.
This infographic from the National Public Utilities Council ranks the largest IOUs by emissions per capita. By accounting for the varying customer bases they serve, we get a more accurate look at their green energy practices. Here’s how they line up.
Per Capita Rankings
The emissions per capita rankings for the top 30 investor-owned utilities have large disparities from one another.
Totals range from a high of 25.8 tons of CO2 per customer annually to a low of 0.5 tons.
Utility | Emissions Per Capita (CO2 tons per year) | Total Emissions (M) |
---|---|---|
TransAlta | 25.8 | 16.3 |
Vistra | 22.4 | 97.0 |
OGE Energy | 21.5 | 18.2 |
AES Corporation | 19.8 | 49.9 |
Southern Company | 18.0 | 77.8 |
Evergy | 14.6 | 23.6 |
Alliant Energy | 14.4 | 14.1 |
DTE Energy | 14.2 | 29.0 |
Berkshire Hathaway Energy | 14.0 | 57.2 |
Entergy | 13.8 | 40.5 |
WEC Energy | 13.5 | 22.2 |
Ameren | 12.8 | 31.6 |
Duke Energy | 12.0 | 96.6 |
Xcel Energy | 11.9 | 43.3 |
Dominion Energy | 11.0 | 37.8 |
Emera | 11.0 | 16.6 |
PNM Resources | 10.5 | 5.6 |
PPL Corporation | 10.4 | 28.7 |
American Electric Power | 9.2 | 50.9 |
Consumers Energy | 8.7 | 16.1 |
NRG Energy | 8.2 | 29.8 |
Florida Power and Light | 8.0 | 41.0 |
Portland General Electric | 7.6 | 6.9 |
Fortis Inc. | 6.1 | 12.6 |
Avangrid | 5.1 | 11.6 |
PSEG | 3.9 | 9.0 |
Exelon | 3.8 | 34.0 |
Consolidated Edison | 1.6 | 6.3 |
Pacific Gas and Electric | 0.5 | 2.6 |
Next Era Energy Resources | 0 | 1.1 |
PNM Resources data is from 2019, all other data is as of 2020
Let’s start by looking at the higher scoring IOUs.
TransAlta
TransAlta emits 25.8 tons of CO2 emissions per customer, the largest of any utility on a per capita basis. Altogether, the company’s 630,000 customers emit 16.3 million metric tons. On a recent earnings call, its management discussed clear intent to phase out coal and grow their renewables mix by doubling their renewables fleet. And so far it appears they’ve been making good on their promise, having shut down the Canadian Highvale coal mine recently.
Vistra
Vistra had the highest total emissions at 97 million tons of CO2 per year and is almost exclusively a coal and gas generator. However, the company announced plans for 60% reductions in CO2 emissions by 2030 and is striving to be carbon neutral by 2050. As the highest total emitter, this transition would make a noticeable impact on total utility emissions if successful.
Currently, based on their 4.3 million customers, Vistra sees per capita emissions of 22.4 tons a year. The utility is a key electricity provider for Texas, ad here’s how their electricity mix compares to that of the state as a whole:
Energy Source | Vistra | State of Texas |
---|---|---|
Gas | 63% | 52% |
Coal | 29% | 15% |
Nuclear | 6% | 9% |
Renewables | 1% | 24% |
Oil | 1% | 0% |
Despite their ambitious green energy pledges, for now only 1% of Vistra’s electricity comes from renewables compared to 24% for Texas, where wind energy is prospering.
Based on those scores, the average customer from some of the highest emitting utility groups emit about the same as a customer from each of the bottom seven, who clearly have greener energy practices. Let’s take a closer look at emissions for some of the bottom scoring entities.
Utilities With The Greenest Energy Practices
Groups with the lowest carbon emission scores are in many ways leaders on the path towards a greener future.
Exelon
Exelon emits only 3.8 tons of CO2 emissions per capita annually and is one of the top clean power generators across the Americas. In the last decade they’ve reduced their GHG emissions by 18 million metric tons, and have recently teamed up with the state of Illinois through the Clean Energy Jobs Act. Through this, Exelon will receive $700 million in subsidies as it phases out coal and gas plants to meet 2030 and 2045 targets.
Consolidated Edison
Consolidated Edison serves nearly 4 million customers with a large chunk coming from New York state. Altogether, they emit 1.6 tons of CO2 emissions per capita from their electricity generation.
The utility group is making notable strides towards a sustainable future by expanding its renewable projects and testing higher capacity limits. In addition, they are often praised for their financial management and carry the title of dividend aristocrat, having increased their dividend for 47 years and counting. In fact, this is the longest out of any utility company in the S&P 500.
A Sustainable Tomorrow
Altogether, utilities will have a pivotal role to play in decarbonization efforts. This is particularly true for the top 30 U.S. IOUs, who serve millions of Americans.
Ultimately, this means a unique moment for utilities is emerging. As the transition toward cleaner energy continues and various groups push to achieve their goals, all eyes will be on utilities to deliver.
The National Public Utilities Council is the go-to resource to learn how utilities can lead in the path towards decarbonization.
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The Road to Decarbonization: How Asphalt is Affecting the Planet
The U.S. alone generates ∼12 million tons of asphalt shingles tear-off waste and installation scrap every year and more than 90% of it is dumped into landfills.

The Road to Decarbonization: How Asphalt is Affecting the Planet
Asphalt, also known as bitumen, has various applications in the modern economy, with annual demand reaching 110 million tons globally.
Until the 20th century, natural asphalt made from decomposed plants accounted for the majority of asphalt production. Today, most asphalt is refined from crude oil.
This graphic, sponsored by Northstar Clean Technologies, shows how new technologies to reuse and recycle asphalt can help protect the environment.
The Impact of Climate Change
Pollution from vehicles is expected to decline as electric vehicles replace internal combustion engines.
But pollution from asphalt could actually increase in the next decades because of rising temperatures in some parts of the Earth. When subjected to extreme temperatures, asphalt releases harmful greenhouse gases (GHG) into the atmosphere.
Emissions from Road Construction (Source) | CO2 equivalent (%) |
---|---|
Asphalt | 28% |
Concrete | 18% |
Excavators and Haulers | 16% |
Trucks | 13% |
Crushing Plant | 10% |
Galvanized Steel | 6% |
Reinforced Steel | 6% |
Plastic Piping | 2% |
Geotextile | 1% |
Asphalt paved surfaces and roofs make up approximately 45% and 20% of surfaces in U.S. cities, respectively. Furthermore, 75% of single-family detached homes in Canada and the U.S. have asphalt shingles on their roofs.
Reducing the Environmental Impact of Asphalt
Similar to roads, asphalt shingles have oil as the primary component, which is especially harmful to the environment.
Shingles do not decompose or biodegrade. The U.S. alone generates ∼12 million tons of asphalt shingles tear-off waste and installation scrap every year and more than 90% of it is dumped into landfills, the equivalent of 20 million barrels of oil.
But most of it can be reused, rather than taking up valuable landfill space.
Using technology, the primary components in shingles can be repurposed into liquid asphalt, aggregate, and fiber, for use in road construction, embankments, and new shingles.
Providing the construction industry with clean, sustainable processing solutions is also a big business opportunity. Canada alone is a $1.3 billion market for recovering and reprocessing shingles.
Northstar Clean Technologies is the only public company that repurposes 99% of asphalt shingles components that otherwise go to landfills.
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