The Appalachian Voice
Congressional Hearing on Stream Buffer Zone Neglects Residents
By Jamie Goodman On Sept. 26, a Congressional hearing took place in Charleston, W.Va. to discuss proposed revisions to the controversial stream buffer zone rule designed to further protect waterways in Appalachia. Conducted by Representatives Doug Lamborn (R-CO) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) from the Subcommitte on Energy and Mineral Resources in Charleston, W.Va., the…
Read MoreSaying Hello to Our 2011-12 AmeriCorps Team
Appalachian Voices is excited to welcome three new members from Americorps Project Conserve to our team for the 2011-12 service year. Brian Sewell Communications Outreach Associate Brian graduated from the College of Charleston with a B.A. in Communications and a minor in Religious Studies. He was a freelance writer in Charleston, S.C. before relocating to…
Read MoreResponding to the Threat on Our Water
In 1969, a fire on Ohio’s heavily polluted Cuyahoga River shocked the American public into taking action. Out of that movement, several federal laws, including the Clean Water Act of 1977, were established to safeguard U.S. waterways from industrial pollution. Now, a mere 30 years later, members of Congress are attempting to undermine the very…
Read MoreCider Beans, Wild Greens and Dandelion Jelly
By Molly Moore After several decades living and eating in the hills of east Tennessee, California native Joan E. Aller proves her love for southern Appalachian cuisine in Cider Beans, Wild Greens and Dandelion Jelly. This is a serious cookbook, and Aller has her priorities straight. In it, food is given the respect true cooking…
Read MoreCreepy, Crawly Centipedes (at a Halloween Party Near You!)
By Jillian Randel They’re creepy, they’re crawly and they give you the heebie jeebies. As you gear up for Halloween, consider one of Appalachia’s scariest, most squirm-inducing invertebrates: the centipede. These nighttime crawlers may not be the cuddliest creatures, but they are beneficial to our eco-system — especially to those who garden. Although centipedes come…
Read MoreEco-friendly Living in Outdoor Spaces
By David Pferdekamper and Brian Sewell Considering the changing colors and the crisp air, autumn is as good a time as any to spend outdoors. If you don’t have an “outdoor living space” yet, it may be time to create that welcoming, comfortable and eco-friendly addition to your home. Humans have long incorporated garden spaces,…
Read MoreTrading the City for the Farm
Morel Bliss and August Stringer of Mascot, Tenn., have bid vacations good-bye since their honeymoon last October. Days start at 6 a.m. and are wrapped up at about 9 p.m. seven days a week. Important daily tasks, almost all done by hand, include caring for a huge garden, more than 100 chickens (some egg layers…
Read MoreForward Thinkers Move Back to the Land
by Rachael Goss When we think about the 1960s, certain iconic images pop up. From flower children and festivals to fierce protests and racial unrest, the decade was marked by a turbulent change in the social and political fabrics of our nation. In the late 1960s, many idealistic young Americans turned away from the mainstream…
Read MoreThe Coal Report
Cross-State Air Pollution Rule Will Save Lives By Meg Holden The Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR), the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) newest regulations to limit air pollution from coal-fired power plants, will take into account the problem of air currents whisking pollutants far away from their original sources. “Pollution that crosses state lines places a…
Read MoreEditorial and Viewpoint
A Politician A Day Keeps The EPA At Bay What is it about politicians that calls them to be so obedient to the worst of the bad apples in big business? The mantra of the 112th Congress seems to be that we should use the pain of an economic recession to justify more unsustainable and…
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