The post-World War II of the 40’s and 50’s shifted the food paradigm from local to high-yield crops and grocery stores. Steeped in an economy of convenience, this system provides on-demand food, but has shown devastating impacts on the environment, health, and community. Could a shift back to local be the answer to these 3 top issues faced today?

Join us for a discussion entitled, “Localization; the answer to more than just the environmental crisis?” with Tia Wackerhagen, RN, BSN, Food and Agriculture Committee Co-chair, and member of the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments.

We need to protect the night sky if we are to conserve biodiversity in our natural world. This presentation, by Joey Bishop, will focus on the negative effects of light pollution on amphibians, birds, mammals and insects. It will also outline simple steps we can all take to reduce light pollution.

Joey Bishop serves as the AmeriCorps Project Conserve Community Engagement and Education Associate at Conserving Carolina. She grew up in Wisconsin and received undergraduate and graduate psychology degrees in New York before moving to North Carolina. Joey loves learning about and exploring nature, and she has enjoyed many tranquil hours hiking throughout the U.S. and beyond. Joey supported families of infants and toddlers with special needs for 20 years as an early intervention director, and she was an elementary school teacher for 4 years. She is excited to engage with communities as they find more ways to explore, appreciate, understand, and protect our natural world.

The history of air and the science of air pollution is part of the history of Western North Carolina. We will take a brief look into the past, present, and future through the lens of combustion and air pollution. We will discuss how science was used to help clean North Carolina’s air, and to continue to study the air and keep it clean for both individual and environmental health.

Join George Ivy, Director of Blue Ridge Rising, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation’s initiative to unite and serve the gateway communities of the Parkway’s 29 counties in Virginia and North Carolina. While the Blue Ridge Rising Action Plan includes dozens of community-led strategies to enhance tourism and economic development, natural resource protection emerged as a key component of this work. Join us to learn more about Blue Ridge Rising, with a particular emphasis on viewshed protection, dark skies, and related strategies, and how they can benefit our local environment, economy, and communities.

Join us for an educational presentation that sheds light on the exciting trends and advancements reshaping the renewable energy landscape. Dive into key topics such as the progress of solar in reducing dependence on fossil fuels, breakthroughs in efficiency and affordability, and game-changing innovations like solar-powered electric vehicles and smart grid integration. Discover the economic and business opportunities driving growth in solar and renewable energy, and explore how these advancements can help power your home or business for a more sustainable future for Western North Carolina.