Sierra Club hosts talk about environmental election stakes

WNC Sierra Club Political Co-Chair Ken Brame will discuss what is at stake for the environment in this fall’s election. He will advise voters on how to make an environmental difference at the WNC Sierra Club meeting at 7 p.m. Oct. 2. 

Smokies Life welcomes new CEO Jacqueline Harp

Smokies Life, a nonprofit partner to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, announces Jacqueline Harp as its new chief executive officer. After a national search, Harp was selected and approved by the board of directors and will begin as CEO on Sept. 11, 2024.

NCDEQ recognizes WNC institutes for energy reductions

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s State Energy Office recognized thirteen state agencies, universities and community colleges for their significant energy reductions and progress towards Executive Order 80’s goal. 

Snorkeling event offers river education opportunity

On Aug. 3, join Haywood Waterways Association on the Blue Ridge Snorkel Trail to discover the fish and other wildlife that call the Pigeon River home. 

Managing invasive species: Plant removal begins in Pinnacle Park

After a botanical survey identified the location of several invasive species in Jackson County’s Pinnacle Park, work has begun to manage the ecologically threatening pests. 

Learn all about septic systems

Haywood Waterways Association and the Haywood County Environmental Health Department are hosting a workshop about septic systems. 

Word From the Smokies: Fireflies are surprisingly diverse

For many people who grew up in the eastern United States, the soft yellow blink of fireflies drifting over dusky fields and lawns is synonymous with summer, a nostalgic symbol of warmth and childhood. But few would guess that the common eastern firefly (Photinus pyralis) is one of more than two thousand firefly species worldwide. 

Continuing the cleanup: Pigeon River slowly bounces back as mill environmental violations mount

Once Pactiv Evergreen’s Canton paper mill shut down for good, people wondered how the Pigeon River and the aquatic life it supports would change. 

Environmentalists make the case for housing

Hear the case for building more housing from an environmental perspective with a webinar offered 5:30-6:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 22, from MountainTrue. 

Air quality report reveals good news for N.C.

North Carolinians continue to breathe the cleanest air in decades as emissions of harmful air pollutants like nitrogen oxides and particulate matter reach historic lows, according to the latest update of the “Air Quality Trends in North Carolina” report published by the N.C. Division of Air Quality. 

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