Here’s a first hand account by Goldman Prize winner Maria Gunnoe describing first hand the devastation residents are facing.

Mountaintop removal mining study will test Obama’s commitment to science
Just days after the Environmental Protection Agency approved the expansion of a massive mountaintop removal mine in West Virginia, a dozen prominent scientists published a landmark study documenting the severe environmental and human health damage caused by the practice — and called on the government to impose a moratorium.
The findings will test the Obama administration’s stated commitment to basing policy on science instead of politics.

Titled “Mountaintop Mining Consequences,“ the study by some of the nation’s leading environmental scientists appeared in the Jan. 8 issue of the journal Science. It takes a broad look at the impacts of the practice, which involves clearing upper-elevation forests, stripping the topsoil, and blasting the rock with explosives to get to the coal below. The resulting waste is pushed into the valleys, burying headwater streams.

The researchers found that mountaintop removal mining operators have destroyed around 500 peaks in West Virginia, Virginia and Kentucky, and about 2,000 miles of streams. They also found that efforts to restore the damaged sites have not prevented metals and other contaminants from moving into waters downstream. The study documents deformities found in young fish in water contaminated by mountaintop removal mine runoff — as well as higher disease and mortality rates in the coal fields’ human residents.

The authors include Emily Bernhardt, a biologist with Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment in Durham, N.C.; Dennis Lemly, U.S. Forest Service research biologist at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C.; plant biologist Peter White of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Michael Hendryx with West Virginia University’s Department of Community Medicine; and William Schlesinger, the former dean of Duke’s Nicholas School who’s now with the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, N.Y.

via The Institute for Southern Studies

Visit the National Resources for Defence Council to TAKE ACTION and send a message to Congress.

More First Hand Accounts from Kentucky residents and miners.

Carl Shoupe talks about Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining in Kentucky

Back in July we posted NC Don’t Ban Wind Power .   There have been some opposing comments that do to their nature and misinformation we have struggled to approve.  We have approved the comments for view in hopes that the debate surrounding this issue remains open and educated even though we might strongly disagree.

We have responded to each comment and would like to share our most recent response with you.

We stand firm on the comments posted by Kiesha Jean earlier.  We believe a combination of wind and solar is the right way to go. We’re all for seeing wind turbines versus nuclear power plants and the already proven (very close to home) disaster coal plants can bring to both humans and wildlife. The new bird friendly Windspires are what prompted us to write this post, they only stand 30ft tall which is far shorter than the McMansions that pollute the ridges now. We would much rather see a surge in Windspires versus Turbines but we’re more then delighted to see either.

We do have a great love for the raptors and an even greater love for our children. A Wind Turbine will never produce harmful nuclear waste nor will they ever accidentally leak deadly radiation. A Wind Turbine will also never spill ash into rivers, give workers black lung or trap workers underground.

One out of every 50 Americans living near landfills or ponds used to store ash or sludge from coal-fired power plants has a high risk of getting cancer from drinking water contaminated with arsenic.

So, if you really want to do good … help promote Windspires and stop the ludicrous denial of just how dangerous coal and nuclear power plants are versus wind.

More Info
http://www.carolinamountain.org

PHOTO BY: KIESHA JEAN

If you have had the privilege to see Food Inc.  you have seen the horrible truth behind GMO companies.  They are destroying the heart of our great nation by controlling, unlawfully suing and spying on hard working honest farmers.   H.R. 6637, The Genetically Engineered Farmer Protection Act, places liability from the impacts of genetically engineered organisms on the biotechnology companies that created the GMOs, and protects farmers from law suits by biotechnology companies. Dennis Kucinich is fighting for the right to protect farmers from large companies such as Monsanto with H. R. 6637.  Kucinich is proud to give strong and unwavering support to our organic family farmers.

Please fill out the petition below to have North Carolina Congressman Heath Schuler protect farmers rights and support Bill H. R. 6637.  I know our audience reaches far beyond the mountains of Western North Carolina.  If you agree with this bill, please sign the petition and I will forward your information to your elected official.

View the full H. R. 6637 bill

Sign the Petition

You can also share your personal message with Congressman Heath Shuler by clicking here

This message is very near and dear to me.  Our farmers sustain our life with the food that they provide, please help give them a voice.  We can make a difference!  Share this link with your friends | family | coworkers | followers & Digg this submission below.   The bigger the audience the bigger the voice.  Thank you.

note to news and onlines sources: you have our full permission to share this message either in part or whole on your site.

Majestic Birds Make a Big Impact at the Mountain Green Conference

By far one of the most popular attractions at the conference was the Carolina Raptor exhibition!  The center brought 3 of it’s educational birds to visit for the day including two owls and a hawk.  The raptor center does it’s best to rehabilitate and release birds back into the wild.  The birds that are part of the education program are unable to be returned to the wild but sure do a huge service for their kind.  The raptors make a tremendous impact on children and adults which helps to tell their story and raise funds to help rescue and rehabilitate others.   In the very near future WeAreGreen.tv will be visiting the center and we hope to tell you more about their incredible story and share some amazing photos and video!

With your support, you can help other orphaned raptors be released into the wild.

Click Here to make a donation

Bald Eagle Release on The 4th of July! “Carolina Raptor Center will release a bald eagle in honor of North Carolina’s veterans and fallen service men and women. The event will be at McGuire Nuclear Station’s EnergyExplorium. The free event begins at 8:30 AM, led by military and political leaders, culminating with the eagle release at 9:15 AM. Local and state dignitaries expected to attend with keynote speaker Colonel Charles A. Dunn II of Pope Air Force Base. Local veteran and Mayor of Davidson, John Woods will release the eagle.”  Click Here for more info on this event.

Race Car Driver Leilani Munter Making a Difference at Top Speed!

Kelly Miller (Senior Vice President & Executive Director of the Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau) introduced Leilani Munter a.k.a. Carbon Free Girl.    Leilani is a biology graduate, racecar driver, vegetarian and environmental spokeswoman.  Her keynote speech helped to inspire both young an old to do all that is possible to help the environment.

Leilani’s extraordinary mission to stay carbon neutral has proven to be quite the challenge yet she remains strong.  Leilani is going the extra mile only accepting ‘Green’ sponsors for her race car.  This challenging step has kept her off the track for a short period while on her mission to green her car.

So, any of you forward thinking green businesses out there who want a cool female racecar driver as part of your marketing contact:

Leilani’s Eco Dream Team

Blown Away by Speaker Eric Henry of TS Designs!

TS Designs prints and dyes T-Shirts.   What sets them apart is their 3-part bottom line that focuses equally on People, Planet and Profit.  They use local and organic cottons and top quality low impact dieing process.

We were so blown away by Erics A+ quality shirt and mission that we’ll soon be dedicating a few post to the companies incredible mission and achievements.

One of these future post will include the full video of his presentation at the Mountain Green Sustainability Conference.

TS Designs has an industrial location with:

• A small farm that employees volunteer in and benefit from.
• Solar panels on the roof
• Bio-diesel station out front along with a Bio-Diesel Co-op facility
• Walking path
• Beehive
• Natural landscaping based on permaculture
• Compost & compost heating
• Recycled carpet
• Water free urinal and grey water toilet

… I mean really what has your business implemented lately!  Just buying recycled paper, take it up a notch or ten. Click here to see a full tour of the complex and be inspired.

Some of our Favorite Vendors at the Conference

The image above is from the Living Roofs display.  The plants they use are so pretty, I would need to have a roof top garden just to admire them.  I was really impressed with Alkemi Recyled Surface Material I’ve never seen such beautiful textured material green or otherwise a really impressive product.  Click below to see images