Posts Tagged ‘North Carolina’
Serving residents by saving energy
Students at Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C. spent a recent Saturday volunteering with Appalachian Voices and others to give two local homes an energy efficiency boost. The work was part of the school’s 18th annual MLK Challenge. “They caught energy leaks I knew nothing about,” said Faith Wright of Vilas, N.C., who was grateful for the volunteer energy of what she called the “student worker bees.”
Read MoreGov. Cooper nominates new environmental secretary
Gov. Roy Cooper has appointed Michael Regan as the next secretary of the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality. Regan pledged to develop greater transparency at the agency. That alone could signal a shift from the prior DEQ leadership’s approach to public engagement on environmental issues.
Read MoreTrouble is afoot in NC special session
After days of deflecting questions and refusing to explain their priorities for the “emergency session,” Republicans introduced a slew of bills that would make sweeping changes and dramatically shift the balance of power away from the governor. Take action to stop this blatant abuse of power.
Read MoreDevastating Forest Fires Ignite Southeast
Numerous forest fires burned across the Southeast throughout the autumn. Nearly 120,000 acres of forest burned, and the city of Gatlinburg, Tenn., was badly damaged, with 14 lives lost.
Read MoreCoal Ash Cleanup News in North Carolina and Georgia
Across the Southeast, communities near coal ash impoundments continue to face challenges in getting these facilities cleaned up.
Read MoreLighting up the night with the Daylight Savings Challenge
To make this winter a little easier for folks in Boone, N.C. facing high energy bills, Appalachian Voices devised the Daylight Savings Challenge. Five student volunteers helped us distribute energy efficient LED light bulbs to seniors. All together, the project should save the residents at least $280 a year. That translates to about 1.75 tons of coal that won’t get burned and more than four tons of carbon dioxide pollution that won’t contribute to climate change
Read MoreAmerica’s miners deserve better than this; time to do your part
America owes a debt to the nation’s coal miners. The Miners Protection Act would begin to pay that debt, but the opportunity for Congress to pass the bill is quickly slipping away.
Read MoreFrench Broad communities broadly support on-bill financing
Our recent “French Broad Community Energy Forum” in western North Carolina brought together more than 60 residents and representatives of local government, community service agencies, and businesses to learn and talk about the advantages of providing upfront financing for residents to make home energy efficiency improvements.
Read MoreBoone community comes together to tackle energy waste
At the first-ever Boone Energy Stakeholder Meeting, Appalachian Voices and other stakeholders took an important first step toward identifying solutions that could help tackle the problem of energy waste for the Town of Boone.
Read MoreHurricane Matthew flooding elevates coal ash concerns
Earlier this month, North Carolina was devastated by the impacts of Hurricane Matthew. Flooding occurred across much of the state, with the hardest impacts felt in the east and among communities that are least able to bounce back from such a catastrophic event. While the flood waters are still receding, we are learning about the impacts left in their wake.
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