Written by AV's Intern Team
AV's Intern Team
Every year, Appalachian Voices is fortunate to assemble a phenomenal team of rockstar interns from numerous Appalachian and East Coast universities. Enjoy these posts from our interns.
West Virginia Communities Still at Risk Despite Idled Mines
West Virginia communities, including Naoma and Sundial are still dealing with problems related to mountaintop removal coal mining. Toxic coal slurry impoundments, increased blasting and diminished water quality are among the challenges facing such communities at risk.
Powering Up: Diversifying central Appalachia’s economy
As coal production continues to decline, many citizens and groups in Central Appalachia are working hard to find new avenues for economic diversification.
Sumac: A Winter Spice
The bright red berries of the sumac plant add color to the winter landscape. While poison sumac has earned a bad reputation, other varieties of the plant have a long and multicultural history of use, including as a spice and as a dye or tanning agent.
“After Coal,” Beyond the Big Screen
By Samantha Eubanks Appalachia has long been misrepresented…
Knoxville Homes Get an Energy Makeover
The Knoxville Extreme Energy Makeover project is working to weatherize 1,278 homes by September 2017. They aim to reduce energy spending by at least 25 percent for each home weatherized.
Trek to the Top of Mt. Cammerer
Enjoy a strenuous 11-mile hike to the top of Mt. Cammerer, located in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The hike culminates with a view of the Pigeon River Gorge 3,000 feet below and the opportunity to stroll around the catwalk of the historic fire tower at Mt. Cammerer’s peak.
Two New Children’s Books Share Tales of the Outdoors and Activism
Two new children’s books are set in Appalachia. “Saving Annie’s Mountain” is a picture book about mountaintop coal removal, and “The Adventures of Bubba Jones” is a chapter book about kids exploring nature in the Great Smoky Mountains.
EPA May Take Over Cleanup of Asheville Superfund Site
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is weighing whether to takeover the cleanup of the CTS Superfund site near Asheville, N.C., or allow the company to manage the cleanup itself.