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Contamination Concerns Mount as Gas Fracking Heats Up
Story by Jillian Randel The negative effects of fracking for natural gas just keep, well, stacking up. The impact of drilling in Appalachia has already been substantial. The Marcellus Shale formation, which stretches from New York to Pennsylvania and Ohio down to West Virginia, contains large reserves of natural gas, and instances of water contamination…
Read MoreColorado Appalachian Treasures Tour: Video Update!
Tickets On Sale for 2010 Music on the Mountaintop Festival
Event Expanded to Two Days; Features Fantastic Lineup and Stronger Emphasis on Pressing Environmental Issues July 27, 2010 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Contact: Jimmy Hunt …. (919) 818-2614 or jsh@yellowdogent.com Sandra Diaz …. (828) 262-1500…
Read MoreCome celebrate the river Watauga Riverkeeper Festival July 24
]By Jeff Deal Appalachian Voices is hosting Watauga Riverkeeper Fest, an outdoor recreation celebration, July 24, at the Community Park in Valle Crucis, N.C. from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m., rain or shine. “Outdoor recreation is healthy, wonderfully fun, and leads to resource stewardship,” says Willa Mays, Appalachian Voices’ executive director. “We need to get…
Read MoreA Miner’s Response
Dear Editor, I am writing on behalf of myself and many coal miners throughout Southwest Virginia. I am a reader of your newspaper and an avid outdoorsman and conservationist. Recently, as I read through [Two Miles from Hell: a Miner’s Story in the March 2010 issue], I was appalled at the biased point of view…
Read MoreHold Fossil Fuel Industries Accountable
The last few months have shocked us all with headlines reporting the fossil fuel industry’s negligent disregard for security and safety. Mine disasters devastated a West Virginia community in April, with 29 miners killed in a blast at Upper Big Branch — the biggest mining disaster since the 1970s. In Kentucky’s Coal Dotiki Mine, a…
Read MoreFeed Your Lawn: Composting for Beginners
By Maureen Halsema Instead of tossing those table scraps in the trash, try feeding your lawn those leftovers. Composting is a natural recycling process that takes little to no management. Follow these quick guidelines to a hardier, healthier lawn. Bacteria, worms, fungi, protozoans and other microorganisms break down the plant and animal matter into nutrient-rich…
Read MoreThis Green Yard: Bringing Organic to Your House
Jillian Varkas If you are not convinced that organic gardening and knowing what goes into your ground is important, place a few sticks of celery in a cup full of water and add red food coloring. After a few days, the celery will begin to turn red. That is what happens to our food; pesticides…
Read MoreUSDA: Label Fuels Continued Controversy
By Bill Kovarik The USDA certified “Organic” label first appeared on foods in 2002 following 12 years of testing, rulemaking and controversy. By last year, organic agriculture had become a $26.6 billion business, growing at a rate of 5.3 percent per year – five times faster than regular foods. As its importance has grown, so…
Read MoreNon-timber Product Offer Farmers a Unique Opportunity
Collecting ginseng, ramps and yellowroot has been an Appalachian tradition for generations. It is a skill that families pass on; recognizing, harvesting and even selling these non-timber forest resources, particularly in southern Appalachian hardwood forests. “There is a tremendous growth of interest in these products both from an economic standpoint and from and ecological standpoint,”…
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