As the two-month campaign nears its close, donations are surging toward the philanthropic project’s second-year goal of $60,000. Anyone thinking about making a donation is urged to do so quickly. The effort to raise funds for 47 outstanding WNC nonprofits ends at the stroke of midnight, Dec. 31.
Duke Energy shows off excavated ash basin at Lake Julian plant
Duke Energy operating personnel and communications representatives proudly showed off the newly excavated 82 basin at the company’s Lake Julian power plant to local media on Tuesday, Oct. 25. The former coal ash pond is now being readied for its next act: the site of the utility’s new natural gas-fired plant, which is scheduled to begin operations in 2020.
WNC locals support protesters at Standing Rock
The Dakotas may be far from Asheville, but many WNC locals have traveled to the Standing Rock Sioux reservation since protests began there in late August over a disputed oil pipeline that crosses tribal lands. Others in Asheville have donated money or supplies to support the tribe’s efforts to block construction of the Dakota Access pipeline.
In photos: 15th annual Organicfest
Local wellness, food and art vendors converged on Pack Square Park on Sunday to celebrate all things organic and sustainable.
Horse power: Using draft animals in the 21st century
While tractors and mechanized farm equipment have now largely replaced draft animals, a small but passionate contingent of farmers in Western North Carolina continues to rely on them to help with the daily work around their farms and as a source of extra income at times.
Duke Energy’s planned power plant tied to fracking
Natural gas will dethrone coal as the fossil fuel generating most of WNC’s electricity when Duke Energy’s new Lake Julian plant goes online in 2020. But how does natural gas get to this area, and where does it come from? Though tracing the gas molecules to their source is tricky, Xpress found that much of the area’s gas supply comes from hydraulic fracturing, and new pipeline projects are in the works to bring more fracked gas into the region.
Beer Scout: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. wins top environmental certification
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.’s Mills River production facility recently became one of only two breweries in the country to receive the U.S. Green Building Council’s Platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certification.
McCrory vows veto as new coal ash legislation passes House
Contentious behind-the-scenes negotiations on coal ash spilled out into the open this week as the House took up and ultimately passed new legislation despite threats of a veto and lawsuit from Gov. Pat McCrory.
Ashevillage’s Community Resilience Challenge tests residents’ skills, resources
“Be prepared” goes the Scouting movement’s mantra. And being able to face any challenge is often a goal of institutions. But the question is always: How? How can we be best prepared for whatever may come? The Boy Scout carries his pocketknife. Emergency services train for possible scenarios. Young people study to pass the big […]
In photos: 2016 Mother Earth News Fair
The Mother Earth News Fair returned April 9-10 to the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center in Fletcher, bringing to the area a host of workshops, demonstrations, vendors and exhibits related to homesteading, natural health, small-scale livestock production, renewable energy, gardening, green building and more.
Beyond belief: Faith communities embrace environmental stewardship
Churches are a special type of building — funded, operated and occupied by a community of users who must balance such priorities as care for the community, evangelism, education and worship. Even as these considerations remain crucial, many faith communities are also increasingly aware of ethical and faith-based imperatives to reduce the environmental impact of their operations. As Asheville’s […]
In photos: Asheville Brewers Alliance breweries receive Solar Champion Award
Six local breweries were awarded the Solar Energy Industries Association Solar Champion Award Monday afternoon for their leadership in bringing solar energy to Western North Carolina and the brewing industry.
High tension wires: Duke Energy and Henderson County residents at odds over proposed transmission lines
Power giant Duke Energy’s proposal for a 45-mile transmission line through Western North Carolina, part of the company’s multifaceted Western Carolinas Modernization project to upgrade and integrate the mountains with a larger regional power grid, is meeting staunch opposition from residents since the company announced its intentions in mid-July.
Green building thriving in WNC despite legislative threats
Amid a hostile legislative climate in Raleigh, innovative, sustainable design and construction are flourishing in Western North Carolina. The WNC Green Building Council was founded in 2001. Since then — and despite an unstable housing market — local interest has grown steadily, says Maggie Leslie.
Faith-based solar projects at risk if state renewable-energy tax credits end
Time may be running out on the North Carolina renewable-energy tax credits, and, if so, “it may not be possible for congregations to put their faith into action,” cautions Susannah Tuttle, executive director of N.C. Interfaith Power and Light.
Do not drink: Local residential wells may be tainted, state testing reveals
Hundreds of residents draw their drinking and cooking water from wells that lie within 1,000 feet of Duke Energy’s 32 coal-ash ponds in North Carolina. Nearly a dozen of them wells are located in Buncombe County.
Solar Saturday event to raise awareness about energy efficiency
On May 30, Clean Energy for Western North Carolina, the Garden Club for America’s local French Broad chapter and Audubon North Carolina (NC) will be hosting their first Solar Saturday event to “kick off” this summer season.
On the road in our house: Living large with a small footprint
“Initially, we were skeptical because of the large carbon footprint — poor gas mileage, plus the need for propane when not plugged into the grid. We nearly rejected the idea entirely — until we realized we could modify the RV to better match our priorities.”
WNC and nation get a $30 million push to move ‘Beyond Coal’
A public hearing on Duke Energy’s Lake Julian air-permit renewal is scheduled this Wednesday, April 29 — on the heels of an announced $30 million boost to the Sierra Club’s “Beyond Coal” initiative.
Mother Earth News pioneers gather at Asheville fair
Some of Mother Earth News’ earliest “Mothers” — whose roots go back to the 1970s and 1980s — got together this past Sunday at the Mother Earth News Fair, which was held at the WNC Agricultural Center in Fletcher. Nearly two dozen former employees and families met for brunch and to share their recollections from the decades past. I was one of them.
In photos: Mother Earth News Fair 2015
Crowds of locals and visitors converged on the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center Saturday and Sunday, April 11-12, to take in the sights, sounds and tastes of the 2015 Mother Earth News Fair. Click through for a slideshow of photos by Tori Pace.