Marijuana greenhouse is behind freakishly pink sunsets seen for miles in Pennsylvania
Not long after the start of fall, the evening sky began glowing hot pink over a substantial stretch of southern Pennsylvania, photos show.
Look up in Cumberland County and you’ll likely see it — a cotton candy sunset from a dream, its color like something in a can of spray paint, instead of nature’s more subtle paintbrush.
The first of these eye-catching displays came Oct. 1 and they’ve returned every evening since, lingering into the night, visible in a 50-mile radius around the source.
That source? A medical marijuana greenhouse in Carlisle — a town of 20,000 or so roughly 124 miles west of downtown Philadelphia.
Some call the glow “light pollution.” Others say it’s “absolutely beautiful.” Whatever people think, the plants must like it, and marijuana growers often use the red spectrum of light, among other colors, to encourage growth.
Normally, blackout curtains keep the light contained but Organic Remedies, the company that owns the facility, is pulling them open throughout the month of October — from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. — in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the company said in a release.
“We want to do our part to support women currently battling breast cancer and celebrate the heroic survivors who have won the fight,” Organic Remedies CEO Mark Toigo said.
The company is also partnering with the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition, and will be giving a portion of profits from the sale of selected products to the local nonprofit, according to the release.
“Lighting the sky pink throughout the month not only demonstrates our commitment to this worthy cause, but it also brings awareness to all who see this vivid display and will hopefully help us to raise more funds to support women with breast cancer,” Toigo said.
Organic Remedies added that it was given permission by township officials to pull back the curtains at their greenhouse and share the glow.
This story was originally published October 5, 2022 at 5:38 PM with the headline "Marijuana greenhouse is behind freakishly pink sunsets seen for miles in Pennsylvania."