Today is the annual celebration of Earth Day, and although some things may be different this year, it is still a day to celebrate the planet. While many are remaining at home due to quarantines or stay-at-home orders, the planet has been thriving. Around the world, cities are documenting unprecedented reductions in air pollution and improved air quality. While the environment is benefitting for now, eventually life will return to normal and people will leave their homes.
When the world reopens, it is possible that people will leave their homes with a revitalized appreciation for the world they live in, striving to reduce their impact on the environment. For business owners in cannabis or other high-risk industries with extensive security, there are ways to secure property with reduced environmental impact through things as simple as landscaping for crime prevention.
PREVENT CONCEALMENT OF POTENTIAL CRIMINALS
One way that cannabis or other high-risk businesses can use landscaping for crime prevention is by maintaining the surrounding foliage and keeping the property free of environmental debris. By trimming all trees, bushes, and other foliage around the site business owners can ensure no one can conceal themselves from the security cameras or guards. Another way that business owners can prevent potential criminals from concealing their presence is by planting aggressive foliage, such as thorn bushes or spiny shrubs. Concealment within these plants would be a literal pain!
CONCEAL VALUABLE CROPS WITH ENVIRONMENTAL BARRIERS
One of the best ways to prevent crimes on outdoor grows is to create physical or visual barriers between potential criminals and valuable cannabis crops. While perimeter fences are often implemented, environmental barriers can be just as effective to obscure visibility or act as a physical deterrent to potential thefts. Environmental barriers can be created using resources already available on most properties, like tree lines, large bushes, or existing buildings. One example of this would be to cultivate cannabis or hemp in the middle of a corn field or other tall-growing plant. This is effective because as long as the cannabis plants remain shorter than the surrounding crops, the cannabis will not be visible from the outside to potential criminals.
Business owners should always consider the impact that their business will have on the surrounding environment and strive for ways to reduce their environmental impact. These are just a few of the ways that business owners can prevent crimes using landscaping, although many creative and environmentally-friendly solutions exist. Through planet-conscious decisions, businesses owners can do their part to ensure a healthy world for Earth Day 2021 – without everyone staying home.