Methane is a major cause of global warming. It is potentially explosive gas formed when organize materials decompose in an oxygen free environment. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is 20 times more dangerous than carbon dioxide. A denser gas than carbon dioxide, methane prevents heat from escaping the atmosphere.

The park captures the methane gas and pipes it into a collection system, which allows the park to put the gas to use heating greenhouses, powering artist studios and a biodiesel manufacturing operation.

The Jackson County Green Energy Park is the first of its kind to use methane to power blacksmithing shops. The park has issued a call to attract the best blacksmiths from across the nation. They eventually hope to team up with local community colleges to offer classes to aid blacksmiths in improving their talents. In addition, the park’s greenhouses will begin to grow the county grounds department’s plants for landscaping county buildings in the spring in an effort to conserve funding.

Source: The Smoky Mountain News