RE:The cost of climate change. "You always hold onto hope until it hits you in the face that there's nothing here," Pearson said.
Georgia is known as the "Peach State" for its normally abundant crops, producing more than 130 million pounds of the fruit every year. But this year, about 90% of the state's crop has been lost, prompting those affected to hunt for solutions.
Pearson's 1,500-acre peach crop has suffered nearly total loss, leaving Pearson and other farmers devastated. The primary culprit is a phenomenon known as "chill hours." Georgia peaches, known for their quality, typically require 850 hours under 45-degree Fahrenheit temperatures to blossom. However, this year's crop — influenced by climate change — experienced only about 700 chill hours.
Pearson said he's worried that this isn't a one-time occurrence. Meanwhile, Pearson said being unable to produce peaches on a consistent basis makes farmers question whether "this is a viable enterprise."
"I don't care how pretty it is, or how tough it is, or if it's bulletproof. If it doesn't eat well, I'm outta business either way," Pearson said."
Georgia's peach crop plummeting due to changing weather patterns, threatening the industry and its farmers - CBS News
Think of it this way: Every litre of gasoline you burn is another conifer reduced to ash.
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