The consequenc­e of waste: Buncombe’s discarded problem is piling up

From the Get It! Guide: A close look at the trash collected in Asheville was shocking — 26 percent of our waste is compostable matter, 18 percent is recyclable and 56 percent is true waste, fit only for the landfill. With the city alone producing over 22,000 tons of trash a year, what is the cost of all that waste. And what is it going to take for us to reduce it?

Dispatches from the March Against Monsanto

More than 1,000 people gathered at Pack Square in downtown Asheville on May 26 to protest international company Monsanto, a leading producer of genetically engineered seeds. The rally and demonstration were part of "March Against Monsanto," involving 36 countries worldwide. Guest speakers, food activists, farmers, bee-keepers and chefs stood atop the multicolored "Magic Love Bus," […]

A cooperativ­e future

Earlier this spring, a new local group started meeting, discussing and thinking about ways to apply “new economy” concepts and approaches in the Asheville area. On May 8, Co-Creating the New Economy group held its third in a series of monthly meetings, each held at EarthFare’s Westgate location. This month, the featured speaker was Thomas […]

Meet Transition Asheville

According to Transition Trainer and Organizer Dylan Ryals-Hamilton, “there are 458 official Transition Initiatives worldwide, and 137 of those are here in the U.S. We live in a world of volatile gas prices, extreme and unpredictable weather and an unstable global economy. To some the future may look bleak. We’re looking for the positive angle, designing and creating the future we want to see here in Asheville.”

Just say yes: Joyful Birth and Breastfeed­ing Expo promotes natural childbirth

“Giving birth is like running a marathon,” observes nurse-midwife Barbara Davenport, co-leader of the BirthNetwork of Western North Carolina. “It requires endurance, healthy eating beforehand and lots of mental preparation." Like an athlete, therefore, a woman should have a coach, "an advocate, educator and guide — and a midwife is just that,” she adds with […]

Just say yes

“Giving birth is like running a marathon,” observes nurse-midwife Barbara Davenport, co-leader of the BirthNetwork of Western North Carolina. “It requires endurance, healthy eating beforehand and lots of mental preparation." Like an athlete, therefore, a woman should have a coach, "an advocate, educator and guide — and a midwife is just that,” she adds with a smile.