“More than 410,000 people live in 171 food deserts across North Carolina” – Jorge Valencia for WUNC North Carolina has a serious problem with food deserts, defined as “an area without access to affordable fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat milk and other foods that make up the full range of a healthy diet” in an […]
The weather was perfect for a morning walk outside. After a week of snow and sleet, the temperature gods had smiled upon us North Carolinians and granted a gorgeous weekend of sun. It was the ideal time to explore someplace new, and I chose the Little River Park and Natural Area. The park is managed […]
Take a spin around New Hill and Raleigh this weekend with a long walk in the woods at Harris Lake County Park, followed by delicious, farm-to-table appetizers at Glenwood Grill. 2:30 p.m. Arrive at Harris Lake County Park, 2112 County Park Drive, New Hill, NC. At 680 acres, the park sits on a peninsula stretching […]
Unilever, a multinational company that owns brands such as Ben & Jerry’s, Dove, and Hellman’s mayonnaise, has emerged as a global leader in arresting deforestation. As an industry giant, “Unilever alone purchases about 3 percent of the total global palm oil output,” writes Tiffany Stecker in an article posted by Scientific American. As such, their […]
I arrived in mid-morning to the Johnston Mill Nature Preserve, my designated Great Backyard Bird Count site. The air was chilly but the sun was shining with the promise of warmer temperatures, and I could practically hear the snow melting from the forest floor and running into New Hope Creek. Even from the parking area […]
Recycling is good. By placing glass, aluminum, plastic, and other materials in designated recycling bins or dropping them off at recycling centers, we are attempting to do our part for the environment by reducing waste. Still, according to the Container Recycling Institute 60 million water bottles are thrown away each day in the U.S., and […]
A few years ago I took an epic journey to the Southwest – boarded a plane from Tampa to Chicago and then took the Amtrak Southwest Chief through America's heartland into Albuquerque, New Mexico. For two weeks, I traveled across the mystical lands of desert, buttes, canyons, and pueblos. In search of nature. In search […]
The Farm Bill, the massive federal legislation that funds everything from nutrition assistance to crop insurance to conservation, is being signed into law by President Obama today. Like any big piece of policy, there’s plenty of debate on the merits of the bill, which authorizes $956.4 billion over 10 years (see a good overview […]
10 a.m. Arrive at the Al Buehler Trail, maintained by Duke Forest. While there may not be an exact address to plug into your GPS, head down Duke University Drive towards Wallace Wade Stadium. Take a right onto Cameron Boulevard, and a small parking lot will be on your left, .3 miles down Cameron Boulevard. […]
“Europe’s fluvial highways are becoming the test bed for conservation biologist Edward O. Wilson’s dream that the 21st century should be ‘the era of restoration ecology’” – Fred Pearce, Yale Environment 360 Europe’s rivers are a mess. After centuries of dams, levees, straightening, and pollution, the 2000 European Union’s Water Framework Directive required “that all […]
