2007 – Issue 5 (November)
Christians for the Mountains: Spreading the Gospel of Stewardship
In the past, Christians and environmentalists often seemed to be in separate camps. Sometimes they were separated by stereotypes, even though most Christians believe in environmental stewardship and most environmentalists are devoutly spiritual. Allen Johnson, founder of Christians For The Mountains, has been working to overcome the problem. Part of it, he feels, is that…
Read MoreCabinet Manufacturer Bets on Formaldehyde-Free Wood
Having grown up downwind of several major paper and chemical plants, I approached Columbia Forest Products’ Old Fort NC plant with nothing short of a crinkled-nose expectation of breaking the record for how long a journalist could hold her breath during an interview. CFP used to glue its plywood layers with urea-formaldehyde resins — stinky…
Read MoreWV Council of Churches Statement on Mountaintop Removal
/images/AppalachianVoice/AVNov07/Dr.-Benedict-M.-Anover.gif September 11, 2007 As people of faith, called upon by our covenant with God and each other to safeguard and care deeply for what God has created, we cannot stand by while our mountains are being devastated. The destruction caused by mountain top removal mining, as presently practiced, is unprecedented and permanent. We believe…
Read MoreWorlds Moral Compass Points to the South Again
Worlds Moral Compass Points to the South Again American Southerners are independent people — independent enough to stand for the truth, even if it means standing alone. A few weeks ago, Al Gore joined five other Southerners who have also been awarded the world’s most distinguished honor, the Nobel Peace Prize. We conservatives and liberals…
Read MoreRobert F. Kennedy Joins Appalachian Voices to Celebrate 10th Anniversary and Launch Watauga Riverkee
At a gala event in Blowing Rock, NC, on October 7, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., joined Appalachian Voices to celebrate the organization’s 10th anniversary and announce a new RIVERKEEPER® program to protect the upper Watauga River. Kennedy is a leading environmental advocate who serves as Chief Prosecuting Attorney for the Hudson RIVERKEEPER® and Chairman of…
Read MoreCoalition Organizing to Fight Dominion Power Plant
CAMPAIGN AGAINST PROPOSED POWER PLANT AND HOW YOU CAN HELP Dominion Power, Virginia’s largest utility, wants to build a new 585 megawatt, $1.6 billion coal-fired power plant in Southwest Virginia’s Wise County. The new plant would be a major step backwards for Virginia, increasing the state’s dependence on dirty coal and devastating mining practices at…
Read MoreAbout Broccoli Batiks: Artist Statement by Berkely Brown
Dreams! Everyone has dreams about how they want their life to be. When we follow our passions and work towards those dreams, our world is rich with enthusiasm, creativity, and drive My dream to become a batik artist began in the fall of 2000. I had been visiting my parents in Oregon and attended the…
Read MoreAppalachian Christmas: Reccomended Books and DVDs
WHEN MINERS MARCH is the incredible story of the battles to bring the UMWA and the American Constitution to the West Virginia coal fields. Written back in ‘52 when Blair Mountain hero Bill Blizzard was still alive, this work by his writer/photographer son, William C. Blizzard sat unpublished for over half a century! Pictures and…
Read MoreTilly Wood: Beloved Hostess and Guardian of the Appalachian Trail
In summer, we would always travel the winding country roads past Pearisburg, Va., watching for the dog that chases us those last few feet of pavement, nudging past the cows on the washed out Forest Service road, navigating the ruts, and finally, turning left into Wood’s Hole. Tillie’s warm welcome would always greet us from…
Read MoreHiking the Highlands: Graveyard Fields
Graveyard Fields may not sound scenic, but don’t let the name fool you. This stop along the North Carolina portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway offers not only a chance to splash in a couple of waterfalls. It is also simply pretty, and it provides an environmental history lesson. Graveyard Fields lies between Asheville and…
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