Written by Molly Moore
Molly Moore
Molly is passionate about sharing the environmental and cultural stories of our region. She has worked with Appalachian Voices since 2011 and currently serves as AV's Director of Program Communications and Editor of The Appalachian Voice publication.
’80s Flashback: Dr. Hansen’s carbon dioxide warning
On this date in 1988, Dr. James Hansen of NASA testified about the scientific evidence clearly linking carbon dioxide to global climate shifts before a Congressional committee. But Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry Be Happy” was one of the top tunes of the time and that attitude drowned out climate scientists for years. Twenty-six years later, America is beginning to take Hansen’s warning seriously.
Get Ready: Confronting Carbon Pollution
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s efforts to reduce climate-changing carbon dioxide emissions from the nation’s existing power plants are expected to be unveiled on Monday, June 2. For environmental news junkies like us, this is the equivalent of the Super Bowl pre-game show. See what the buzz is about, and read our coverage of the rules in The Appalachian Voice.
Discover the Latest Issue of The Appalachian Voice
As the cover photo indicates, the latest issue of The Appalachian Voice features coverage of the ongoing water crisis in West Virginia water crisis, but there is much more Appalachia-inspired content inside too — from pieces sharing seasonal ways to enjoy the beauty of Appalachia to stories about significant points in our past such the TVA disaster, which occurred 5-years ago this past December. Here’s a rundown of featured stories you’ll find in this issue of The Voice.
The War on Poverty at 50
On this day 50 years ago, President Lyndon Johnson sat on a front porch of a weary-looking eastern Kentucky home and declared war on poverty. At the time, one in three Appalachians were considered poor. The poverty rate in the region is now closer to the national average — 16.1 percent in Appalachia compared to 14.3 percent nationally — but, as you might suspect, those statistics tell only part of the story. Economic disparities between Appalachian counties and sub-regions remain high, and, as it was in 1964, eastern Kentucky remains a focal point.
27 Visionaries: Stories of Regional Changemakers
When the battlefield on Blair Mountain was removed from the National Historic Register in 2009, West Virginia resident Doug Estepp was outraged. As the site of a landmark uprising of coal miners in 1921, Estepp reasoned that tourism centered around the state’s compelling history could be a source of sustainable economic diversification and also help raise awareness of the region’s stories and struggles. After Blair Mountain was delisted, Estepp decided that it was time to make that vision a reality.
Lost and Found: AV Teams Up With Photographer to Educate the Public
For the past 18 years, photographer Carl Galie has devoted his artistic talents to conservation work, and his latest exhibit — “Lost on the Road to Oblivion” tackling the difficult subject of mountaintop removal coal mining — is no exception.
Appalachia’s Environmental Vote Tracker: Dec/Jan 2013-14 issue
See how Appalachia’s congressional delegation voted on environmental issues.
Lenny Kohm: Creating a Better Appalachia
By Molly Moore At Appalachian Voices, the nonprofit…
