Story by Bill Kovarik When most people envision green jobs, they see recycling, ecotourism and solar panels. Luke Staengl, president of Pesco-Beam in Roanoke, Va., sees cellulosic biofuels, methane and hydrogen gasification, wood pellet manufacturing and other large-scale renewable energy…
Monthly Archives: April 2009
Green Collar Jobs
Sustainable Jobs for the Appalachian Future Story by Gregory McNamee A quarter-century ago, a friend of mine moved from Wytheville, Virginia, to southern Arizona to take a job in an emerging, fast-growing field: installing rooftop photovoltaic panels to take advantage…
Green forestry redefines the profession
Story by Bill Kovarik They’re not just loggers with horses. When Jason Rutledge and his colleagues walk into the woods, they are thinking about how to protect the forest ecology, not how quickly they can deliver ten thousand board feet…
Blue Skies for Green Education
Story by Bill Kovarik As new green technologies transform the economic landscape, the need for focused education and training has become apparent. While only a few pilot programs specifically designed for green collar jobs are currently in place, community colleges…
Comers Rock and Hale Lake
Story by Joe Tennis Ah, the view: That’s what makes Comers Rock such a jewel. But shhh! Don’t tell everybody: Let this jewel of southwest Virginia remain hidden. Comers Rock sits on the Grayson-Wythe county line at an ear-popping 4,102-foot…
Less Twittering in the Trees
Story by Kathleen McFadden Spring comes slowly to the mountains. Long after the early-season flowers have come and gone in the lowlands, winter-weary mountain dwellers wait patiently for their first sight of a royal purple crocus, the golden glory of…
Taking the Price Tag Off Our Heritage
Story by Sarah Vig At the Center for Cherokee Plants, the seeds are not for sale. “People will stop by and ask us if we sell the plants, or why we aren’t trying to sell our seeds,” said Kevin Welch,…
Water Wars: West Virginia Coalfield Residents Sue Over Contaminated Water
Story by Sarah Vig In Mingo County, W. Va., one of the largest coal-producing counties in the nation, 760 residents are preparing to face off against Big Coal. The group filed a class action suit against Massey Energy and its…
Courts, Congress and Universities Consider How to Change Mountaintop Removal Policies
Story by Bill Kovarik The fight over mountaintop removal coal mining accelerated this spring, with action in the courts, the regulatory agencies, Congress and universities. For the first time in almost a decade, environmentalists appear to be winning. Courts gave…
Kids’ National Park Companion Hopes to Excite New Generation
Story by Alison Singer In 1986, the Eastern National Park & Monument Association (ENPMA) began the popular Passport to Your National Parks program. ENPMA, in cooperation with the National Park Service (NPS), developed imitation passports to encourage parents and children…
