Though the T.V.A. told residents of Harriman, TN that their drinking water was safe following the December 22nd spill, and backed up their claim with the results of water quality testing conducted at the Kingston water facility intake (a site…
Monthly Archives: January 2009
Ruffed Grouse: Drummer of the Woods
By Maureen Halsema It sounds like a drum beat; starting slow, the tempo increases as the air compresses between his cupped wings flapping towards the side of his body. The ruffed grouse stands on his display log in early spring…
Hope in the Colombian Coalfields: A Lesson For Appalachia?
Story by Sandra Diaz This article is the last in a series about a trip organized by Witness for Peace to the coalfields of Colombia, South America for people in the Appalachian coalfields and other parts of the U.S. Last…
A Prayer for Peace in Appalachia
Amid Christmas hymns and Hannukah lights, we ask you to join us in a prayer for peace in Appalachia. No one who follows events would ask why we need this prayer. Clearly, the climate of political violence escalated in 2009…
Community-Owned Electricity Gets A Breath of Fresh AIRE
By Jamie Goodman and Jeff Deal Why is there so little renewable energy in Central and Southern Appalachia? It was this question that launched the Appalachian Institute of Renewable Energy (AIRE), a grassroots organization working to promote and provide renewable…
Six Degrees: Read the Crystal Ball of Climate Change
By Sarah Vig For this issue, the AV Book Club choose to read a book that delves into an issue with the potential to impact the lives of every human being, indeed most every living thing on the planet: global…
Environmental Stewardship: When Beliefs Become Actions
“The world’s religions have a crucial role to play in the fight against global climate change.” United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, speaking to the leaders of nine major religious movements. By Julie Johnson Approximately 85 percent of the world’s…
Toxic Ponds: Coal Ash Ponds Pollute North Carolina Water
Story by Maureen Halsema Thirteen coal ash ponds in North Carolina are contaminating ground water with toxic pollutants known to cause cancer and organ damage, a recent report shows. Appalachian Voices’ Upper Watauga Riverkeeper team conducted an analysis of groundwater…
Prenter Hollow Sues Coal Companies Over Contaminated Water
By Maureen Halsema A clean glass of water is difficult to find in Prenter Hollow; a glass from the tap looks more like a glass of dirty tea. In Boone County, W.Va, nearly 300 people are suing nine coal companies…
The JOBS Project Proposing A Community-Owned Biopower Association in West Virginia
Story by Julie Johnson Appalachia has been hit hard by the economic downturn, but communities of the region are collaborating to find a way to rebound. Enter the JOBS project-a nonprofit organization proposing a sustainable solution. The program calls for…
