2009 – Issue 6 (Dec/January)
ASHEVILLE GO: Green Opportunities
By Maureen Halsema There is much ado about green collar jobs, but who is qualified to work them? An Asheville-based program called Asheville Green Opportunities (Asheville GO) is ready to fit the bill, training unemployed young adults to launch careers in this growing industry. Asheville GO provides training, education and services to help enhance and…
Read MoreA Vision of Virginia’s Energy Future
Commentary by Tom Cormons Special to The Voice My 21-month-old daughter seems to know no greater joy than that of splashing in the cool, clear waters of our mountain creeks, or walking along a rocky trail beneath the lush hardwood canopy, happily chewing on a birch twig. A favorite destination is the Blue Ridge’s Humpback…
Read MoreSaving North Carolina, One Watt At A Time
By Austin Hall Amid the growing discussion of energy use, global climate change and how to implement renewable energy, North Carolina state legislators and a coalition of grassroots organizations have proposed a measure that directly tackles the issue of using electricity efficiently in state. North Carolina SAVE$ Energy is an initiative to create a statewide,…
Read MoreBlasting Begins on Coal River Mountain
By Julie Johnson On Oct. 24, Massey Energy began blasting on Coal River Mountain, a ridgeline that has become symbolic in the nationwide campaign to end mountaintop removal coal mining. This West Virginia mountain is home to the highest peaks ever slated for mountaintop removal in the state. The state’s Department of Environmental Protection has…
Read MoreTensions Continue to Grow Over Mountaintop Removal Mining
By Sandra Diaz From civil disobedience with ever-increasing fines to public-hearings-turned-shouting-matches, the tension between mountaintop removal factions has turned explosive. Fines for acts of civil disobedience in actions opposing mountaintop removal have been increasing, but the additional costs have not stopped the protests. On Sept. 9, four protesters, along with a journalist covering the event,…
Read MoreAIRE and MOTM: Combining Music With Renewable Energy
By Jeff Deal The 4,200 folks who turned out for this year’s Music on the Mountaintop (MOTM)raised $5,000 for community driven renewable energy. The August festival in Boone, N.C. hosted stellar performances by four-time Grammy Award winner Sam Bush and music favorites Acoustic Syndicate and Kellar Williams. The Appalachian Institute for Renewable Energy (AIRE)—an organization…
Read MoreN.C. Residents Speak Out About Four-Lane Highway Proposal
By Julie Johnson A proposal for a four-lane highway through the Stecoah Valley drew residents from Graham County, N.C. and surrounding areas to speak out at a packed community center on Oct. 28. This ten mile, split-median road is being proposed by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) at an estimated budget of $350…
Read MoreBe a Locavore: Support your community and sustain yourself
By Maureen Halsema As you are savoring your roasted turkey, dumplings, cranberry sauce, and hot apple pie this holiday season, keep in mind the average item in the grocery store travels over 1,000 miles to your table. Appalachia is rich in farmer’s markets and food co-operatives featuring locally grown and organic foods. Besides being fresher…
Read MoreGreen Gifts That Keep on Giving
By Maureen Halsema The holidays are upon us and as visions of sugarplums begin to dance through our heads, thoughts of presents for loved ones are not far behind. Instead of searching the crowded stores for a gift that may get thrown in the back of the closet, this year give a gift that really…
Read MoreChasing Copenhagen
By Bill Kovarik (In September, Appalachian Voice was invited by the governments of Germany and Denmark to see first hand the commitments and the costs of renewable energy development, as the world considers what might be done at the international climate summit planned for Copenhagen in December of 2009.) A sobering dinner with…
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