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.
Are You Adding To, or Subtracting From Your Environment?
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.