Pactiv Evergreen contests chemical dumping allegations
In response to a July 10 notice of violation accusing Pactiv Evergreen of illegally dumping unused chemicals into the wastewater treatment plant at its now-shuttered Canton paper mill, the company has submitted a letter stating that it acted “on a good faith belief” and that the discharge was legal.
Pactiv Evergreen accused of illegally dumping chemicals during shutdown
In a notice of violation issued Monday, July 10, the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality has accused Pactiv Evergreen of dumping chemicals directly into its wastewater treatment system rather than disposing of them properly, as required by the company’s permit.
Loss of paper mill is a loss for forests
The closing of the paper mill in Canton is a major loss for its 1,100 employees and a shock to the area’s economy. The ripple effects also make it very bad news for sustainable forestry in the mountains.
Learning from the young to protect our planet
My 12-year-old son is extraordinarily inquisitive. Since he was a little boy, he’s inquired about everything from politics and finances to sports and geography to space and the environment to all topics in between. He loves to learn and fully absorbs all the knowledge he acquires, to the point where he’s often concerned about the outcome or implications of what’s going on in this big, confusing world of ours.
Eating for the world around us
Eating, whether you’re food obsessed like me or not, is a huge part of our lives. At least three times per day, every day we are alive, we get to decide what we put into our bodies. Influencing that decision are taste buds, hormones, cravings, nutrient needs, cooking and baking impulses, culture, friends, family, location, money and more.
Four essential reads for the Anthropocene
By Boyd Holliday • Guest Writer | Concerned about the reports of global climate change? Depressed? Confused by the competing arguments of warring sides? Can’t find signs of hope? May I suggest four resources that will inform and inspire?
The Naturalist's Corner: Speak up
If you want the opportunity to have knowledge about and input on actions, policies and/or decisions affecting property you own, you need to speak up now. The present administration and the USDA Forest Service announced, in June, plans to “streamline” the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) protocols when it comes to actions receiving federal funding on federal lands, which the public owns.
Like canaries in a coal mine
By Sandi Sox • Guest Columnist
I have been haunted this week by words Kathryn Stripling Byer wrote in a piece about changes around her home near Cullowhee. “We are losing our homes,” she wrote.
Denuding paradise to erect strip malls and apartment complexes is certainly heartrending, especially when ugliness slouches ever closer while you watch from your front yard.
Haywood County native behind ‘#trashtag’ sensation
A trending hashtag … err … #trashtag has been gaining worldwide attention for encouraging people to photograph pictures of the trash they pick up, so it should be no surprise that the person who came up with the idea is from rural Haywood County in rugged, scenic Western North Carolina.