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Green Travel: Pot Plants Polluting Parks

Just when you thought national parks were the ideal places for a trouble-free vacation comes news that some parks have unwanted visitors. Over the past 10 years, more than 150 marijuana gardens have been found in Sequoia National Park alone.

To protect their cash crops, the, uh, gardeners often use harsh bug sprays, miles of PVC pipes for irrigation and even rat poison to keep animals away from the plants. Obviously these chemicals don't do wonders for the surrounding plants and animals.

Volunteers are the primary force when it comes to cleaning up the parks. The High Sierra Trail Crew is planning to take about 30 volunteers into the Sequoia National Park to remove debris, pesticides and all the other garbage left behind from these illegal farmers. But if you're thinking about bringing home a souvenir, just remember what one state official says:

You ain't just smoking pot, bud. You're smoking some heavy-duty pesticides from Mexico.

Related Stories:
· Illegal Marijuana Growing Pollutes US National Parks [CNN]
· National Parks coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: stinkie pinkie]