The Appalachian Voice
Six Degrees: Read the Crystal Ball of Climate Change
By Sarah Vig For this issue, the AV Book Club choose to read a book that delves into an issue with the potential to impact the lives of every human being, indeed most every living thing on the planet: global warming. In “Six Degrees: Our Future on a Hotter Planet” (HarperCollins, $16.95), British journalist Mark…
Read MoreEnvironmental Stewardship: When Beliefs Become Actions
“The world’s religions have a crucial role to play in the fight against global climate change.” United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, speaking to the leaders of nine major religious movements. By Julie Johnson Approximately 85 percent of the world’s population adheres to some form of organized religion, and these organizations could be the key…
Read MoreToxic Ponds: Coal Ash Ponds Pollute North Carolina Water
Story by Maureen Halsema Thirteen coal ash ponds in North Carolina are contaminating ground water with toxic pollutants known to cause cancer and organ damage, a recent report shows. Appalachian Voices’ Upper Watauga Riverkeeper team conducted an analysis of groundwater contamination data and reviewed the test results of wells surrounding 13 coal ash ponds located…
Read MorePrenter Hollow Sues Coal Companies Over Contaminated Water
By Maureen Halsema A clean glass of water is difficult to find in Prenter Hollow; a glass from the tap looks more like a glass of dirty tea. In Boone County, W.Va, nearly 300 people are suing nine coal companies for water contamination. Residents in Prenter claim that their private water wells were contaminated from…
Read MoreThe JOBS Project Proposing A Community-Owned Biopower Association in West Virginia
Story by Julie Johnson Appalachia has been hit hard by the economic downturn, but communities of the region are collaborating to find a way to rebound. Enter the JOBS project-a nonprofit organization proposing a sustainable solution. The program calls for a number of small-scale biomass and wind power generation facilities in the most impoverished areas…
Read MoreASHEVILLE 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,…
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