The Get It! Guide’s mission is to help all of us “Get It” — by offering locals and visitors a readily accessible introduction to the many ways we can engage and have a stake in building vibrant, sustainable community in Western North Carolina by promoting the organizations that underpin, inform and help organize a sustainable community.
School of Integrated Living’s (SOIL) mission is to inspire and empower people to live responsible and creative lives by providing experiential education in integrated living and regenerative systems. We are based out of Western North Carolina at Earthaven Ecovillage, a 20-year-old intentional community devoted to sustainable education. This village and farming community has the unique […]
What are we talking about when we talk about sustainability in Asheville? Do we mean cleaner air and environmental preservation? More city parks, better education, access to good food and quality housing? All these things help make a sustainable, happier, healthier city, but history shows that the vision of a prosperous city often fails to include all the residents.
If a big company comes along and wants to steamroll a smaller corporation with a buy- out, what options are there when corporations must maximize profits for shareholders? Does the smaller company have to sell, even if it means the death of its eco-friendly, socially conscious practices? Maybe not, if the smaller company is a […]
The idea of local economy has become a growing global movement to build a saner and more sustainable world. Increasingly, people are waking up to the simple truth that “local” matters — the best way to help out their economy is by keeping it as local as possible. This is not merely wishful thinking: For decades, local economic development specialists have been practicing this core concept — the more money circulates, the better it is for the economy, and when it circulates locally, then the benefits are multiplied.
Asheville is ahead of the game when it comes to looking at the future of transportation and sustainable fleets. With a real need for sustainable transportation solutions, there are many individuals and organizations working to increase access to those cleaner options in our metro area.
From the Get It! Guide: Often when we talk about sustainability, we focus on clean energy, the local economy or conservation. These are clearly integral to a resilient future — but the cultural fabric and the qualitative aspects that comprise this future are just as vital for creating a foundation for a sustainable community.
Lifestyle activism — everyday actions such as personal conservation efforts or conscientious purchasing choices — may be meaningful ways to shape our world, but in addition to making those day-to- day choices, many still yearn to find their voice and place in a world that feels increasingly loud and anonymous. So what can you do?
Western North Carolina features the greatest variety of flora and fauna north of the tropics, which makes Asheville an ideal place for those who forage for food. In fact, foraging can begin as close as your own backyard.
Learning to respect the land — from observing and interacting with nature or valuing renewable resources and producing no waste — is the foundation of permaculture, which is gaining attention throughout the country and in Western North Carolina. And local advocates say that Asheville and WNC are at the heart of cutting-edge, sustainable land use, which can be used in backyards, at schools, in businesses.
The mission of Xpress’ first annual Get It! Guide is to provide locals and visitors with an introduction to the many ways we can engage and have a stake in creating a vibrant, sustainable community. The guide contains a directory of businesses and organizations as well as profiles of local groups and initiatives that are […]
