Giving Compass' Take:

• In West Point, Georgia, the shoulder of a small stretch of highway is planted with Kernza, a type of wheatgrass that can help fight the effects of climate change.

• This could be a model for other state transportation departments to follow if proven successful. Would this be a viable solution to curb climate change issues in your community? 

• Read about other innovative solutions for climate change. 

On a small section of highway near the exit for the small town of West Point, Georgia, a new experiment is underway: The shoulder next to the road is now planted with Kernza, a perennial grain that can help fight climate change.

Until recently, like most roadsides, the area was planted with grass, and this particular stretch of highway in a relatively rural part of Georgia might seem like an unlikely place for sustainable innovation. But it happens to be part of “The Ray,” a project to create the world’s first sustainable highway.

The plant was bred at the Kansas-based Land Institute from a type of wheatgrass related to wheat, but unlike more common grains, like corn, wheat, and barley, it grows perennially, rather than having to be plowed and replanted every year. As it grows, its roots stretch as far as 10 feet underground, helping make the plant more resilient, preventing erosion, and capturing more carbon in the soil.

Read the full article about the plant in Georgia fighting climate change by Adele Peters at Fast Company.