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‘Let’s Turn Our Community Into A Demonstration Plot’: A Faith Spotlight on Piney Mountain United Methodist Church
MountainTrue is inspired by the example of Piney Mountain United Methodist Church, a congregation east of Candler, NC that has distributed over 1,300 LED light bulbs in their community as an act of love for their neighbors and care for the earth. Piney Mountain Pastor Kevin Bates serves on the Steering Committee of the Creation Care Alliance, and his congregation’s work embodies the heart of CCA’s mission.

Press Release: Duke Energy Request to Raise Energy Bills Would Hurt Working Families, Limit Energy-Efficiency in Western NC
Macon County– On Tuesday, January 16, residents of Western North Carolina will have the opportunity to gather at the Macon County Courthouse in Franklin to voice their opinions about Duke Energy’s proposed rate hike. Duke Energy Carolinas, which serves 2.2 million customers across the state and much of Western North Carolina, has requested approval to raise residential energy rates by 16.7% and to increase their revenue by approximately $647 million. Public interest advocates call the request an attempt to pass Duke’s coal ash clean up costs to the public, which they say would discourage energy-saving measures and be especially harmful for low-income families.

MountainTrue Defends Old-Growth Forest in Jackson County
Because old-growth trees like those in the Mossy Oak Project are so rare, so ecologically valuable and take hundreds of years to form, MountainTrue believes that existing old growth on public land should be protected from logging. That’s where we come in. Our Public Lands staff reviews all timber projects in Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests for the presence of old growth.

Super-Volunteer Sky Conard Receives 2017 Esther Cunningham Award
Sky Conard is the winner of the 2017 Esther Cunningham Award, given in honor of Esther Cunningham – the founder of the Western North Carolina Alliance, one of three organizations that merged in 2015 to become MountainTrue. To celebrate Esther’s legacy, this award is given to people who have fought the fight, often giving over a large portion of their lives to these battles, who win some and who keep fighting even in the face of defeat.

Youth, Ecology, and Compassion: Creation Care Alliance Looks to Future Generations
The Creation Care Alliance partnered with the Asheville Youth Mission and Christmount Conference Center on Oct. 14 for our 2nd annual “Mission: Earth” conference, an afternoon of youth programs about climate, social justice and faith. The afternoon was a sight to see: teens cultivated pollinator gardens, distributed food to those in need at 12 Baskets Cafe, and listened to stories and shared time with people without homes at the Saturday Sanctuary Homeless Day Shelter at First Presbyterian Church.

Read Board Chair Katie Breckheimer’s Article on the Southeast Regional Recycling Council Forum for Hendersonville Times-News Here!
MountainTrue Board Chair and Recycling Team member Katie Breckheimer recently wrote an article for the Hendersonville Times-News on the Southeast Regional Council’s fall recycling forum. Check out Katie’s full piece and learn more about MountainTrue’s Recycling Team efforts here.