There are plenty of 4/20 events going down this week and throughout the rest of April, but not many are addressing the cannabis industry holiday and ongoing the climate crisis like 420PPM.

On April 20, the 420PPM event will be held in Venice, California. PPM stands for parts per million, and during the month of April, the Earth’s atmospheric carbon concentration ppm will reach 420 for the first time ever. In 2021, atmospheric carbon peaked at 419 ppm, and 10 years ago, it was recorded at 395.06, according to event’s Instagram. Overall, the carbon dioxide concentration increases annually by about 2.5 ppm.

According to event organizer, Pete Deneen, 420PPM wants to bring attention and awareness of these facts. “The 420 numeral holds a high place in cannabis culture. Breaching the 420 ppm milestone creates this one-time convergence of climate and cannabis where we can activate a space for people to channel the positive energy of the cannabis community into climate action, particularly with regard to the increasingly overwhelming choices facing cannabis consumers.”

Described as a “420 panel-and-workshop-by-day and party-by-night,” there is much to experience. According to a press release, it is “an event centered around the convergence of the climate crisis and cannabis holiday seeks to channel the pro-environmental values of cannabis consumers into direct action, inviting party-goers to an inspiring afternoon-to-evening of conversation of climate solutions and intentional cannabis consumption.”

420PPM is inviting numerous speakers to attend, such as “climate scientists, regenerative cannabis farmers, intersectional environmentalists, musicians, filmmakers, artists, and futurists,” and will be hosted at the Hopper Compound, which is the former home of the late actor Dennis Hopper.

To kick things off, panelists will discuss the climate crisis, and how regenerative cannabis plays an important role in preserving our planet’s future. This includes Tina Gordon (founder of Moon Made Farms), Stephen Smith (found of Onda Wellness), Heather Dunbar (director of marketing and communications for Sun+Earth), Aura Vasquez (community organizer), Chelsea Sutula (founder of Sespe Creek Collective), Mary Carreon (drug + culture journalist), Daniel Stein (owner of Briceland Forest Farm), and Lynne Lyman (former director of California State Drug Policy Alliance).

After this, attendees are invited to join a Highlites yoga session and meditation (it’s BYOM—bring your own mat).

Beside the wealth of panelist knowledge and experience to learn from, the event will also show a preview screening of a documentary called Tending the Garden. Created by filmmakers La Osa (Claire Weissbluth) & Jesse Dodd, creator of Biovortex, the film explores the lives of three family cannabis farms—Green Source Gardens, Briceland Forest Farm, and Radicle Herbs—and the overall goal to promote a future that is both profitable, embraces regenerative farming, and puts a spotlight on the farmers of the community.

Further panel discussions will resume, with “a conversation on the future of cannabis and its climate impact.”

The “party-by-night” portion of the event begins after the conclusion of the panel discussion, with live performances by Leah Free and Oliwa.

Regenerative farming is an agricultural technique that uses specific plants to improve soil health. Cover crops, residue mulching, composting, and crop rotation are just a few ways that this is accomplished. This type of farming ultimately can help reduce climate change, but in relation to cannabis, is said to improve flavor and bud structure as well. 

Countless cannabis farms have embraced this approach to growing. Most recently, a limited-time Airbnb listing for a rentable residence on a cannabis farm hopes to help guests see and enjoy “regenerative recreation.” Airbnb is making a donation to the Regeneration International organization in partnership with the rental home.

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“I’ve always been somebody who was a minority among minorities, being marginalized and also being attracted to marginalized subcultures. Rock ‘n’ roll is where I found my family, and in cannabis, I found another family.” Inspired by the “female expression of the most powerful plant on Earth,” her words, Tina Gordon of Moon Made Farms carved out a cannabis brand, and a name for herself, in Humboldt County, California. But it hasn’t always been this way.

“I was living in San Francisco for most of my adult life, and during that time, I was living a very underground lifestyle with art, music and playing in bands, releasing records, van touring, that kind of thing, for about 20 years,” Gordon said. “I was in a bunch of different punk and metal bands; I did a mobile soundstage, that kind of thing. And I used to do art shows, photography, video. I really dedicated myself to having a full, creative life, to live lean, and to live life to the fullest.”

However, after two decades living that lifestyle, things began to transition. After going through a band break-up and a career shift, she was looking for where to go next. Suddenly, Gordon found herself spending more and more time in Humboldt County instead of the Bay Area, first filming a documentary, then even dating someone in the area and realizing she wanted to spend all of her time there. She also fell in love with growing the cannabis plant, something she never would have tried in her previous life.

“Moon Made Farms acknowledges the feminine in this plant, the moon being a symbol of femininity. The moon has a regular schedule with subtle changes every, single night. So, sun-grown isn’t just about the sun; it’s about the moon and the night cycle as well.”

“I didn’t even have houseplants in San Francisco,” she admitted. “I was really urban. And then when I went through my first season in Humboldt, and I saw this plant grow from seed to full expression, I was completely captivated, and it shifted my awareness to the natural world and how incredible it is. The sensory experience of growing this plant changed my life.”

As she began listening to the earth and the plants she was growing, she started to realize how sacred the relationship between cannabis and grower truly is. Seeing how cannabis thrives when given rain-caught water, fresh air, full sunlight and all the other natural elements that can be granted through outdoor growing in the Emerald Triangle, Gordon knew she had a new obsession. Now, instead of making music and art, she’s all about growing the juiciest, most gorgeous buds. But she never left the social justice element behind.

Gordon started learning permaculture regenerative techniques and working them into her growing to develop more sustainable practices around producing cannabis. As an advocate for outdoor growing, she is always trying to learn more. And as a social justice advocate, she always tries to pull in queer folks, women and other marginalized people to work on her farm.

“I’ve always been somebody who was a minority among minorities, being marginalized and also being attracted to marginalized subcultures,” Gordon said. “Rock ‘n’ roll is where I found my family, and in cannabis, I found another family. And when something changes your life as much as cannabis, there is a responsibility to pay it forward, a responsibility to do activism work and social justice work and to help educate people about the true value of this plant.

Through education, she wants to make sure that the focus is on sun-grown and natural cannabis, a personal passion.

“Misconceptions about outdoor-grown flower are based on the industry standard,” she said.

“That started because of prohibition, when all the outdoor farmers were forced inside, so indoor farming became the industry standard. Now that we’re emerging out of prohibition, it just feels like the plant should go back outside. Now, during that time, some incredible advancements have happened. A lot has happened in the way of genetics and techniques around this plant, but I would love to see this plant go back outside, and for there to be extensive research done on the properties and potential of what this plant has to offer.

Now, Moon Made Farms is known on the market for producing quality, sungrown, sustainable cannabis that stands out from the rest, but it wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work and ethos that Gordon puts into her work. She’s also thrilled that she gets to revisit her musician days and sell merch for her farm, and she loves studying the growth cycle of the plant. As for the moon, to her, it’s a celebration of the feminine within the cannabis plant, the dark within the light.

“Moon Made Farms acknowledges the feminine in this plant, the moon being a symbol of femininity. The moon has a regular schedule with subtle changes every, single night. So, sun-grown isn’t just about the sun; it’s about the moon and the night cycle as well. This is a photosensitive plant. It’s sensitive to light. And that quality of light will affect the plant in every way, so one of the most important things about the plant being grown outside is that exposure to the night sky. And so, Moon Made Farms is acknowledging lunar farming techniques, an ancient way of cultivating all plants, as well as the symbol of the feminine that the moon represents.”

Read this story originally published in High Times July 2021 Issue in our archive.

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