Given the title of the talk — Zombies, Sports, and Cola: What does it mean for Communicating Weather and Climate? — Shepherd had quite a bit of explaining to do. Remarkably, however, the former NASA scientist managed to demonstrate, with these seemingly disparate subjects, how a significant portion of the public (mis)understands meteorology — and how the problem may be solved.
What do zombies, sports and cola have to do with the weather? On Monday, Feb. 23, Dr. Marshall Shepherd — the director for the program in atmospheric sciences at the University of Georgia — intends to tackle that question in a presentation titled “Zombies, Sports, and Cola: What does it mean for Communicating Weather and Climate?” The […]
In her talk at UNC Asheville, Allen discussed how social justice is entwined with food — and she encouraged people to take action, saying, “I want you all to think big about what to do.”
. Gathered on an unpaved road, beside a never-bridged brook, in a forest that’s never been logged, the group itches to begin — to explore and experience, assist and learn, and join with the world outside. These are the Forest Keepers, and the wild slopes of wooded places are their workspace.
How does a culture combat an entity that cannot be seen? Start with awareness of the issue. “As humans, we all have bias,” says Dr. Rebecca Bernstein of Mission Health. “It doesn’t make us bad people, but when that bias affects how we make decisions, it can have adverse effects on our patients.” “We hope to help […]
In literal terms, “solstice” means “sun stands still.” This year, according to the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute, the sun will stand still (in the Northern Hemisphere, at least) at 6:03 p.m. EST on Sunday, Dec. 21. That night will be the longest of the year, and the solstice will mark the official onset of the […]
What’s the future of Western North Carolina’s public woodlands, particularly the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests? Public lands biologist Josh Kelly has worked with the Asheville-based nonprofit, WNC Alliance, since 2011, helping determine the answer. And with the U.S. Forest Service updating its plans for Pisgah and Nantahala for the first time in 20 years, the […]
As Lenoir-Rhyne University wrapped up its third annual Taste of Bioneers conference on Friday night, Nov. 21, the panel presentation “Scaling Solutions for Social Change” took center stage. Three local business leaders fueled discussions about the opportunities and the challenges Asheville-area businesses face as they seek to expand their organizations and contribute to community sustainability as […]
On Friday, Nov. 14, the Asheville Bioneers kicked off their third annual “Taste of Bioneers” Conference at the Lenoir-Rhyne Center for Graduate Studies of Asheville. In the first of three events to be held this year, wilderness was at the fore. “The theme for tonight is how we can build better bridges to make our […]
Who knew that a pastime as pedestrian as gardening could be downright dangerous? On Wednesday night, around 20 people took refuge from November’s bluster at the Green Sage Café to hear Bill Jones, president of Carolina Native Nursery, explain both the risks of importing non-native species plants and the benefits of proliferating indigenous plant-life. The […]
On Thursday, Nov. 13, the Asheville-based investigative news outlet Carolina Public Press hosted its first Newsmakers series — in this case, a lively discussion that dived questions about the U.S. Forest Service’s draft plan for 1 million acres of public lands in Western North Carolina. (photos by Pat Barcas)
Recently, Mountain Xpress sat down with Alexandra Guest, the AmeriCorps Forest Keeper who’s helping lead a new initiative in Western North Carolina.
Feeling lost? Lack a sense of direction? The Western North Carolina Alliance Forest Keepers initiative may be able to help. This Saturday, Nov. 8, a group of forest keepers will trek into the Craggy Mountains for a hands-on field workshop on orienteering and navigating in the woods (both on- and off-trail). The outing will run from 9 a.m. […]
The piercing glare of a red-shouldered hawk; the regal trot of a burnished stallion; the silent grace of a moonlit wolf; the reassuring purr of a well-loved tabby; the furry muzzle of a family dog. Animals console us; they dazzle us and, in some cases, they love us unconditionally. But however impressive their prowess — […]
Ted Minnick has been a military man all his life. You can see it in his disciplined posture, his purposeful gait, his even gaze. What you cannot see, however, are the wounds he suffered as a result of his service — not from gunfire or shrapnel, but from exposure to a deadly, now-infamous herbicide known as […]
You can be a hero. That was the message imparted by Peter Marks, president and CEO of Seed Programs International, at the 527th edition of Asheville Green Drinks. A crowd of around 20 people showed up at the Green Sage Café in downtown Asheville on Wednesday night, Oct. 22, to listen to – and participate […]
From 1965 to 1970, the United States dumped some 13 million gallons of the dioxin-based compound on Vietnam. The effects of exposure still linger.
Ever been stuck halfway in and halfway out of an overcrowded bus shelter, pelted by rain and silently cursing a bus that is running behind schedule? Ever feel at such a moment that no one from the city’s transit system much cares about your plight? Fear not, for a committee of people no different from […]
“Our perspective of wilderness begins inside,” says composer Stephen Wood. “The wilderness of the mind affects our connection with nature.” (photo by Lori Kincaid)
“I had hiked to the top, going from 3,500 to 11,000 feet. … I sat there looking over this valley; I could see for miles. The feeling of the insignificance of me in the world was tremendous — but such a grand setting, the immensity of it all, was overwhelming. And then I realized, ‘This […]
She may refer to herself as a “Georgia cracker,” but Janisse Ray is sowing the seeds of a food revolution. A writer, naturalist, environmentalist, professor and farmer, Ray will be in Asheville to deliver the keynote address on Saturday, Sept. 6, during the Organic Growers School’s first annual Harvest Conference at A-B Tech.
