Posts Tagged ‘Appalachian Voices’
In Defense of the Earth: An Appalachian Poet’s Presence
Stream “Wendell Berry, Poet & Prophet” below or watch it on Moyers & Company by clicking here. Widely celebrated as a caretaker of the culture and myth of rural America, Wendell Berry has a distinct drawl and speaks like he writes, eloquently but with simple words and equal parts conviction and compassion. Beyond being a…
Read MoreAppalachia’s Contested History
By Bill Kovarik It has been 50 years since Harry Caudill wrote “Night Comes to the Cumberlands,” a landmark history that rejected stereotypes of Appalachian people as backward hillbillies and described the ruthless exploitation they suffered. The book spoke with eloquence to the American conscience and set off a firestorm of controversy. Within a year,…
Read MoreTraditions of Resistance:
Lessons from the struggle for justice in Appalachia By Molly Moore In 1964, a 61-year-old Kentucky woman, Ollie “Widow” Combs, sat in front of a bulldozer to halt the strip-mining of the steep land above her home. She spent that Thanksgiving in jail, and a photograph of Combs being hauled away landed on major papers…
Read MoreGateway to Sustainability
By Kimber Ray For Patrick Ironwood, the point where the Sweet Gum Gateway home ends and the wild lands of the Cumberland Plateau begin is blurred, with the sweeping porch and edible landscape of Sweet Gum elegantly blending with the natural environment. Sweet Gum is just one of many such exemplary homes at the Sequatchie…
Read MoreRegional Mountain Photography Contest Seeks Entries for 2014
By Kimber Ray The 11th annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition is now open for registration. competition invites both amateur and professional photographers to “showcase their interpretation of the unique character, people, places and pursuits that distinguish the Southern Appalachians.” Competition categories include: Adventure, Best in Show, Blue Ridge Parkway: People on the Parkway, Culture, Our…
Read MoreN.C. Citizens Speak Up About Power Plant Water Pollution
By Sarah Kellogg Four out of five power plants currently have no limits on the levels of heavy metals they can dump into rivers and lakes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, however, is preparing to change that, and in the process they are hearing from impacted citizens around the country. Since June, more than 165,000…
Read MoreProgress on Black Lung Prevention
By Kimber Ray After over three years of delay, a proposal for stricter coal dust standards appears to be moving forward. The U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration has submitted a final draft of its rules to the Office of Management and Budget for review. This development followed a letter sent by Senator Jay Rockefeller…
Read MoreFederal Court Orders EPA to Move Forward on Coal Ash Regulations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, D.C. – A federal judge agreed with environmental and public health groups that the Environmental Protection Agency needs to set federal regulations for the safe and proper disposal of toxic coal ash. A copy of the judge’s order can be found here: http://earthjustice.org/sites/default/files/files/RCRA_NOI_Order.pdf The groups filed the lawsuit in April 2012…
Read MoreMountaintop Removal in a Nutshell: Tremendous Environmental Capital Spent for Modest Energy Gains
We talk a lot about the external costs of mountaintop removal. And by understanding the true costs that coal puts off on the landscapes, water and communities of Central Appalachia, it’s abundantly clear that the costs far outweigh the benefits to all but a few. But still we hear arguments about the need for a…
Read MoreEnjoy Community and Culinary Creativity in Support of Appalachian Voices
A connection to community and the celebration of all that makes Appalachia special are fundamental to our work. In the ongoing fight to preserve the region we love, Appalachia’s culture, close-knit communities and treasured landscapes sustain us. Thankfully, our values are shared. On Sunday, September 22, Hill and Holler, a roving farm dinner that brings…
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