Muddy Water Watch: Volunteers needed

If you're concerned about local water quality and want to do something to help, then please consider the following volunteer opportunity:

Riverlink, an out-standing non-profit and home to our French Broad River Keeper, is offering volunteer training in the "Muddy Water Watch" program. This program is a state-wide initiative to reduce sediment runoff from construction sites by providing training workshops and materials to help volunteers understand erosion control violations. Volunteers will learn how they can help prevent impacts from the number one water pollution problem- sediment.

No previous knowledge of erosion and sedimentation is needed, just a motivation to learn. After the training, volunteers will be able to:

-monitor construction sites and take pictures of potential violations

-document and report streams, creeks, and other waterways that are polluted with excessive sediment

-learn how to use several data storage websites

-take photographs after heavy rainfalls

-MUCH MORE!

Training Dates

The trainings will take place at RiverLink’s office in Asheville on Sept. 9th (5:30-8:30pm), Sept 23^rd (5:30-8:30pm) and Oct 7th (5:30-8:30pm). Volunteers will need to attend all three trainings.

How do I learn more about MWW?

Visit www.riverlink.org or www.muddywaterwatch.org. Here, you will find directions, job descriptions, contact information, workshop dates and locations, and much more. Or contact Hartwell Carson, French Broad Riverkeeper at 828-252-8474 ext. 114 or email Riverkeeper@riverlink.org.

From Drought to Drain

As I was riding my bike along the French Broad Sunday afternoon, I really enjoyed noticing the river at height, running at a merry clip. Brown and busy. Today's Citizen-Times has an article with more information about the turnaround since last summer/fall.

Public Forum on Wind Energy

Public Forum on Wind Energy
Friday, March 7, NC Arboretum Auditorium, Asheville, NC

The North Carolina Wind Working Group invites the public to attend a “Public Forum on Wind Energy in Western North Carolina,” Friday, March 7, from 4-7 p.m. at the NC Arboretum Auditorium in Asheville, NC. This meeting will be a forum for the public - from local government representatives, local environmental and business groups, and residents – to voice their support, questions and concerns about wind energy development in the mountains of Western North Carolina. After a brief presentation on topics such as WNC wind resources; benefits of wind energy; wind energy concerns; and the process of developing a wind project, the floor will be opened for a question and answer session with our panel of environmental and technical experts.
This is a free event, no registration is required.

Brochure: http://wind.appstate.edu/doc/mar7publicforum.pdf

The State Of Our Air

This looks interesting:

From the Buncombe County eNewsletter:

WNC Air Quality Noon Workshop

Date: July 18
Register: By July 16. Contact Grace Young at 250-4265.
Cost: $6 covers lunch.
Location: Buncombe County Parks & Recreation Services
Office at 49 Mt. Carmel Road.

"Learn how pollution and air quality is regulated in WNC including trends in air pollution levels and what is being done at local, state and federal levels to address air pollution problems and what we can all do as citizens to reduce air pollution."

Asheville Live Earth Party a Hit

Bruce Mulkey over at Talking My Walk posted about the big Live Earth party at Asheville Brewing Company on Saturday. I accidentally stumbled into the scene, too, intending to go by the bar and catch some Live Earth on the HDTV while reading a book. No way was that going to happen with hundreds of Asheville's enviroluminaries there. Here's an excerpt from Bruce's post:

"Approximately 500 people at the Friends of Live Earth event in Asheville joined two billion other folks from around the world on 7/7/07 in a gigantic wakeup call for our planet about the perils of global warming."
[...]
"Event organizers Cecil Bothwell, David LaMotte, Shonnie Lavender and yours truly were well pleased with the entire event. The representatives of environmental organizations and green businesses tabling engaged the folks attending and gave them empowering ideas about actions they can take right now to address global warming. The kids events were entertaining and educational. Local merchants provided valuable door prizes. The music from the Live Earth concerts on the big screen TVs was something to behold. The And our gracious host Asheville Pizza Company provided a lot of their fine beer and tasty pizza, plus their staff displayed grace and attentiveness in the midst of what was sometimes a whirlwind of activity."

Read the rest. That's Bruce in the foreground of the photo.