Source: MOUNTAIN XPRESS, 6/4/21


No matter their crop of choice, every farmer in Western North Carolina is essentially harvesting air. The photosynthesis that powers each fruit orchard, vegetable patch and grain field pulls carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to create the sugars that drive growth. Livestock that eat plants might be considered air twice-removed. That basic biological fact takes on major importance in light of the commitments local and federal governments have made to fight climate change. Buncombe County’s 2025 strategic plan targets the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, including carbon dioxide; the city...

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