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. 

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. 

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. 

I have the pleasure of being with a partner that takes his time each morning to center his energy before he starts his day. He has taught me through his own example that I have many more choices in life than I ever realized, and most of those decisions start from the moment I open my eyes in the morning. Instead of reacting to my day, I have started implementing the techniques he uses in his own life to orchestrate my day in ways that brings me more joy and makes me more present in my exchanges. I try to make good choices and recover quickly from bad ones to increase my personal power. Perhaps this is new information for you. Like me, you might have been raised to react to life rather than orchestrate your life. Here are some ways that I leave that notion in the past and find ways to make the most of my 24 hours.

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. 

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. 

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.

During a visit to Canton Tuesday, May 2, N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Elizabeth Biser met with a room full of leaders in local government, business and education. They held a wide-ranging conversation about the ongoing response to the impending closure of Canton’s 115-year-old paper mill — and Biser made it clear that she intends to hold Pactiv Evergreen accountable for cleaning up any messes left behind.

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, 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.