Xpress publishes the 2015 Get It! Guide

Cover photo by George Etheredge; cover design by Lori Deaton

Mountain Xpress is excited to bring you the second annual Get It! Guide — our guide to sustainable living and resilient communities. The publication will be on stands all year and is also available online with enhanced listings and links to other Xpress stories that explore similar issues or provide background on the topics the guide discusses.

You’ve heard the word “sustainable” plenty of times. But what does it really mean? Part of sustainability is protecting the beauty that surrounds us in Western North Carolina — from our mountains to our rivers to our pollinators. Another piece is creating a strong, diversified local economy where employees receive fair treatment and living wages and businesses explore more conscientious definitions of success.

But sustainability also means branching out into green jobs and renewable energy sources. It means increasing our access to green space and local foods. And ultimately, sustainability means looking out for all members of our society, from high- to low-income communities, from children to elders — making sure access to quality jobs, education, nutrition, the environment and equal representation is shared by all.

In this guide you’ll find a directory of businesses and organizations that are invested in promoting socially and environmentally responsible practices. You’ll also find articles, profiles and how-tos exploring local groups and initiatives that are working to put sustainable concepts into action.

Get It Guide 2015 LogoAll Get It! directory listings have been screened by our partner groups and contributing nonprofits:

Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project

Asheville Grown Business Alliance

B Lab

Blue Ridge Food Ventures

Green Opportunities

Green Restaurant Association

Just Economics

Mountain BizWorks

Western North Carolina Green Building Council

We hope the Get It! Guide will inspire you to consider your own definition of sustainability and connect with local efforts. After all, the more people who join the conversation — the more people who “get it” — the stronger the movement becomes.

— The team at Mountain Xpress

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.