AVERY ISLAND, La. (AP) — As storms grow more violent and Louisiana loses more of its coast, the family that makes Tabasco Sauce is fighting erosion in the marshland that buffers its factory from hurricanes and floods. Overall, the effort’s probably a standoff, says CEO and president Harold “Took” Osborn, great-great-grandson of the McIlhenny Co.’s founder. But in a state that has lost 2,000 square miles (5,200 square kilometers) of its coast since 1932, it’s a victory to hold your ground. Much of the work is low-tech, enlisting volunteers to plant marsh grass in the 30,000 acres (12,100 hectares) around Avery Island.
