10/31/2009

Support for Marsh Smith Campaign

[personal message from blogger Maureen Sutton]

As a Southern Pines resident for the past 28 years and as one of her local urban farmers, I'm supporting Marsh Smith's campaign for a seat on Town Council.

For at least two decades I've watched Marsh's tireless efforts at educating us on issues surrounding responsible land and water use, responsible development and the creation of an infrastructure that best supports those of us fortunate enough to live here now.

We know of many town's having been saddled with costs and results only to see developers leave the area and the responsibilities subsequent to their developments. Marsh supports growing business from inside the existing community and keeping as many dollars as possible circulating within our local region.

One of the most-used arguments for development is jobs creation. I have never met a young person whose driving ambition is to work at a big box store; rather, many young people would stay in the area for training in and working in professions that support green development and responsible use of irreplaceable resources, those being clean, abundant water, clean air and permeable land surfaces, without which our water sources become more and more polluted.

Marsh, known as a water regulations expert and the environment's legal counsel, is our best bet for bringing alternative views to local jobs creation, to conserving water, recycling materials, and to using already available land sites without disturbing the green ambience that supports tourism, local food production, recreation, horse country and our rare and precious longleaf ecosystem.

10/29/2009

What to Plant Where, Nov. 4, SCC

THE RIGHT PLANT FOR THE RIGHT LOCATION

November 4 at 10 AM The Sandhills Horticultural Society and the Council of Garden Clubs will sponsor a program at the Ball Visitors Center of Sandhills Community College. Noted television host of “In the Garden with Bryce Lane” will present a free lecture on “The Right Plants for the Right Location.” Contact Trisha Mabe at 910-695-3882 to register.

Nutrition Workshop, Nov. 14, Raven's Wing

Workshop: Soil Science for the Human Being with Ron Veitel

Saturday, Nov. 14, 1:00-4:00
Raven’s Wing Center, 325 N. Page St. Southern Pines

pregistration fee before Nov. 8: $30
registration Nov. 8 - 14: $38


“The life cycle of nature is an expanding spiral. At the base of this spiral is the soil. A fruit or vegetable’s health is determined by the health of the soil it is growing in, which inevitably has an influence on the health of those who eat it. Key principles in soil science carry over to the science of the human terrain.

“In this workshop we’ll discuss the correlation between what’s healthy for our soil is what’s healthy for the human. We’ll learn to use Brix Refractometry as a way to analyze a plant’s mineral status and thus the health of the soil it was grown in.

“Come join us for a new and refreshing way to view nutrition from the perspective of soil.”

Ron Veitel
holds a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and is a Certified Nutritional Consultant and a Certified Metabolic Typing Advisor. Ron has worked in the field of nutrition for the past 15 years as a consultant to health food stores and doctors around the country and as the Director of Education for MegaFood Vitamins, a whole food nutrient company, for whom he has lectured throughout North America.

Currently one can find him at the Saxapahaw General Store or moonlighting as the Nutritional Consultant for Integrative Functional Medicine in downtown Pittsboro.

Ron Veitel CNC,CMTA
Integrative Functional Medicine
www.integrativefunctionalmedicine.com

to register, contact Maureen 910-692-9413 or suttonmaureen@hotmail.com or mail fee to her at 345 N. Page St, Southern Pines

Jan Leithschuh and Maureen attended Veitel's workshop last month and were so impressed that Raven's Wing decided to proudly host Ron here in Moore County. We know you'll be rewarded by the wealth of information that Ron presents! We have room for only 20 participants, so you'll be wise to pre-register by Nov. 8. We sincerely hope you'll come! (beware, your Turkey Day menu may change after hearing what Ron has to say. . .!)

Bluefin Tuna Ban

Tuna ban 'justified' by science
Banning trade in Atlantic bluefin tuna is justified by the extent of their decline, scientists advising fisheries regulators suggest.

Marsh Smith for Town Council, Sou. Pines

http://marshforcouncil.com/index.html

You can get flyers at Marsh's office, New York Ave east of Bennett St.

To volunteer, contact Tom Goergen at 691-1917.

Election Day, Tuesday Nov 3. For Southern Pines it's crucial that Marsh wins a seat on the council.

10/27/2009

Sustainable Sandhills Wins Energy Award

The 2009 Sustainable Energy Community Leader of the Year Award goes to…. Sustainable Sandhills!

Sustainable Sandhills is the 2009 Sustainable Energy Community Leader of the Year! The NC Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA) honored SS for “Faithful and Valuable Leadership in Promoting Sustainable Energy in North Carolina.”

"Thanks to the hard work of the Sustainable Sandhills staff and board, the organization continues to grow and increase their impact on the eight county region surrounding Fort Bragg. Sustainable energy has a champion in Southeastern NC, and it is Sustainable Sandhills," announced Ivan Urlaub, Executive Director of NCSEA, while presenting the award.

SS is dedicated to community involvement in programming, including:
- A community-driven Sustainability Master Plan recently adopted by Fayetteville’s City Council.
- A low-income weatherization program using local utility-donated materials and community/faith-based volunteers.
- The SS Certified Green Business program recognizing sustainable energy, water and solid waste practices by small businesses in the region.
- Community Action Teams in each county providing an opportunity for residents to learn about sustainability and participate in local projects.

A few easy ways to conserve energy in your everyday life include:
- Turn off lights when not needed
- Unplug laptops, battery chargers and electronic devices when not in use
- Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs
- Dry clothes on a rack or clothes-line instead of in the dryer
- Place weather stripping on doors and windows to keep heat in this winter

Sustainable Sandhills is hosting the Green Living and Design Tour on November 7, 2009 in Cumberland, Moore, Hoke and Harnett Counties, and on Fort Bragg. The Tour highlights local homes and businesses with green elements and practices. For more information, please visit http://sustainablesandhills.org.

10/26/2009

Birnbaum Reminder, Oct. 28, Sunrise Theater

A KIND REMINDER! ... 7:00 Wed, October 28th--Sunrise Theater

CHARLES BIRNBAUM
Founder and President, The Cultural Landscape Foundation
Introduction by Lawrence Earley, author of "Looking for Longleaf: The Fall and Rise of an American Forest"

From the v-shaped cuts etched in longleaf pines by former slaves and their descendants, to the development of James Boyd's Weymouth estate, we have shaped nature in a way that marks us as a community.

Recognized for his ground-breaking achievements in preserving endangered landscapes throughout the United States, Mr. Birbaum will turn his attention to the Sandhills in celebration of the natural and man-made beauty that defines the singular character of the Southern Pines landscape.

FREE ADMISSION

This event is presented by The Classical Design Foundation in association with: The North Carolina Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, Preservation North Carolina, The Sandhills Council of Garden Clubs, Sandhills Natural History Society, The Southern Pines Garden Club and Sustainable Sandhills

www.classicaldesignfoundation.org

Workshop, Central Park, Star, NC. Oct. 29

http://www.centralparknc.org/AM2009Workshop.cfm

MICHAEL SHUMAN WORKSHOP

Michael Shuman will give a “Local Works” workshop on October 29, 2009 from 2:00-4:30pm. During this workshop, Mr. Shuman will discuss an alternative approach to economic development that focuses on nurturing and expanding the local and small business sector.

In his book, The Small-Mart Revolution: How Local Businesses are Beating the Global Competition, Shuman makes a compelling case for his alternative business model, one in which communities reap the benefits of "going local" in four key spending categories: goods, services, energy, and finance. He argues that despite the endless media coverage of multinational conglomerates, local businesses give more to charity, adapt more easily to rising labor and environmental standards, and produce more wealth for a community. They also spend more locally, thereby increasing community income and creating wealth and jobs. According to Shuman, ““The ability to solve our economic problems is not just the responsibility of the city council or the chamber of commerce,” he said. “It is everyone’s collective responsibility.”

[to register, click website]

To Foster Compassion, Empathy

Take a break from the stories and judgments that you may have created about others or yourself. Maybe write them on a notepad and come back to them later. Then, take a few deep breaths to relax and let your compassion and clarity develop about the person or situation.

May you find ways to meet your needs.

Rick Goodfriend
Founder - World Empathy Day
http://www.walkyourtalk.org/

Big Week in Southern Pines, 3 Events

Tuesday, Oct. 27--Long-Range Planning Meeting, the last one for public comments, Sunrise Theater

Wednesday, Oct. 28--Our Cultural Landscape lecture by Charles Birnbaum, Sunrise Theater, 7:00, FREE

THE CLASSICAL DESIGN FOUNDATION presents CHARLES BIRNBAUM, Founder and President of The Cultural Landscape Foundation, Washington, DC. Introduction by Lawrence Earley, author of "Looking for Longleaf, The Fall and Rise of an American Forest."

When a design is successful, how long is it worth keeping? When the design is a landscape of historical significance, why should we care? Understanding the value of where we live will be the subject of “Our Cultural Landscape.” This event unites two acclaimed speakers in an illustrated talk on the natural and man-made beauty that defines the singular character of the Southern Pines landscape.

Charles Birbaum is the Founder and President of The Cultural Landscape Foundation in Washington, DC. Recognized for his ground-breaking achievements in preserving endangered landscapes throughout the United States, Mr. Birbaum will turn his attention to the Sandhills--from our lumber and turpentine industry past, to the development of James Boyd's Weymouth estate.

As the Vanderbilts were to Asheville or the Tufts to Pinehurst, so were the Boyds to Southern Pines. Under their influence, town founders overcame the devastations of clear-cutting that by the turn of the twentieth century had left a wasteland. With emphasis on plantings of native flora along with naturalized drought-tolerant ornamentals, Southern Pines emerged as a "garden place." A leader in this movement was Alfred Yeomans, a Boyd family relative who guided town landscape design in a patchwork of efforts spanning more than half a century.

Lawrence Earley, author of "Looking for Longleaf, The Fall and Rise of an American Forest," will describe the cultural and natural history of our region's longleaf pine habitat, setting the stage for an understanding of Southern Pines as a resort named for a forest, and why residents should sustain our landscape heritage.

Thursday, Oct. 29, 7:00 --Save Our Sandhills Meets at Civic Club, downtown Sou. Pines. Craven Hudson on the topic “More people, same land . . . What are we going to do?”

10/25/2009

Now On-line Transition Times

http://allalongtheedge.blogspot.com/2009/10/fabulous-new-online-publication.html

10/24/2009

Will Allen Coming to Raleigh, Nov. 9

http://eatinginraleigh.wordpress.com/2009/09/24/will-allen-speaks-in-nc-nov-9/

10/23/2009

Great Advice

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary." - Steve Jobs

10/22/2009

Fresh at SCC, Oct. 22

Sustainable Sandhills
presents "FRESH", a FREE sustainable film
Thursday, October 22nd, 6:30-8:00pm
Sandhills Community College,
Dempsey Student Center, Clement Dining Room

Fresh at the Sunrise, Thurs, Fri.

A quick reminder, the solution-oriented food movie "Fresh" is playing today (Thursday) and Friday evenings at the Sunrise theater. 7:30PM.

The Sunrise was kind enough to take a risk back in August, even if documentaries "hadn't done well" before. Make a point to return the support. It's our community theater, and brings us films we wouldn't see otherwise.

You're Invited, Oct. 22, Sou. PInes Election Campaign

"As a downtown Southern Pines business owner I am very interested in the up coming Southern Pines Town Council Election. I love the feel and activity of Southern Pines and am invested in its success. I know many of you feel the same way.
I would like you to have the opportunity to meet and talk to my friend Marsh Smith who is running for town council.
Marsh is long term Southern Pines resident and business owner himself. He is dedicated long term economic prosperity for our community. Attached please find a note inviting you to my Office on Thursday October 22nd at 5:30 pm for a chance to meet Marsh. We’ll be here for about an hour and I’ll even spring for some refreshments!
Hope to see many of you then, feel free to bring your friends.

Best Regards,
Sue

PS: if you do not live in SP… sorry to bother you but feel free to come and meet him anyway. Moore county towns are so connected we are all impacted by each other.

Sue Stovall PT DPT
Southern Pines Physical Therapy
210 S Bennett Street
Southern Pines, NC 28387
(910) 692-8269 V
(910) 692-8479 F

10/20/2009

The Last Beekeeper, Oct. 24

On Saturday, October 24th at 8pm on Planet Green TV (channel 115 on Time Warner cable), will be a program called "The Last Beekeeper". It deals with the problem of the decline of honeybees.

NC Poetry Society, Weymouth, Oct. 24

Saturday, October 24, 2009 — NCPS Fall Meeting
Southern Pines, NC — Weymouth Center, 555 East Connecticut Ave.

Event Schedule

09:15 Registration and Annual Dues Payment
Keep your society membership current by paying your annual dues. Order a box lunch ($10, cash or check payable to "I95") until 10:15 am. Enjoy coffee, tea, and snacks. If you’re a member and didn’t pick up your 2009 Pinesong (edited by Debra Kaufman) in May, claim it in the book room.
10:00 Business Meeting and NCWN Greetings
Tony Abbott, president, presides. Ed Southern, director of the North Carolina Writers’ Network, delivers a brief message.
10:15 Randall Jarrell Poetry Competition
Honorable mention Marjorie Hudson reads. This NCWN competition was judged by poet Sarah Lindsay.
10:30 Brockman-Campbell Book Award
Winner, Dannye Romine Powell (A Necklace of Bees), reads, followed by honorable mentions Irene Blair Honeycutt (Before the Light Changes) and Joe Mills (Angels, Thieves, and Winemakers). This award was judged by poet David Romtvedt.
11:30 Open Mic and Recitation
If you're interested in participating, sign up. If you're not sure how to sign up, ask a board or society member.
12:00 Lunch (book room open)
01:00 Cutting Edge of Poetry
Poet and professor Alan Michael Parker talks about what's going on in contemporary poetry
01:45 Open Mic and Recitation Reprise
02:30 Reception to Honor Readers and Speaker

10/18/2009

Reminder, Food, Inc. and Fresh, Oct. 20-23, Sunrise Theater

The movie "Food, Inc" is returning to the Sunrise Theater in October.
Pairing up with it is a brand new solution- and action-oriented food movie called "Fresh".

After two sell-out nights in August for the documentary "Food, Inc," the Sunrise Theater is bringing it back.

Yes, the important and much-talked-about "FOOD, INC" will make its return engagement Tues-Wed, Oct 20-21. If you didn't get to see, now is your chance, and bring a friend. If you have seen it, tell a friend.

Hard on the heels of "Food, Inc", comes another food film. The Sunrise has also booked the new movie "Fresh" for Thur-Fri, Oct 22-23 .

It's been said that if "Food, Inc" was your wake-up call, "Fresh" is a look at some of our options.

"Fresh" (see: www.freshthemovie.com).
is confirmed for Thur-Fri, Oct 22-23 on the heels of "Food Inc."

Get the dates down on your calendar. And bring a friend!

10/17/2009

Salatin and Polyface

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091016/ts_alt_afp/usenvironmentfarmfoodorganic

10/16/2009

U.S., New Zealand Rank at the Bottom

Food Day praise for Brazil, China
Brazil and China are praised, and India criticised, in a new report on efforts to tackle hunger, published on UN World Food Day.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/-/2/hi/in_depth/8309979.stm

10/15/2009

Pickin' on the Porch, Tonight

Sustainable Sandhills Hosts Concert, Barbecue

Sustainable Sandhills will host "Pickin' on the Porch," an acoustic music concert and backyard barbecue from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15
Joe Craven will perform along with local favorites, The Parsons, at a historic Gray's Creek farmhouse built in the 1840s.

All entertainment, food and beverages are included in the ticket price.

"Please bring a lawn chair to relax comfortably during the concert," says a spokesman.

Tickets are only $35 per person or $60 per couple. Children 12 and under are only $15 each. Purchase tickets online at www.sustainablesandhills.org or by calling (910) 484-9098
All proceeds benefit Sustainable Sandhills local programs.

Sustainable Sandhills is a nonprofit organization working in the communities surrounding Fort Bragg that is committed to protecting natural resources and encouraging green growth.

Internat'l Seed Bank

Banana marks seed bank milestone
An international seed bank has hit its target of containing 10% of all the world's wild plant species, researchers announce.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/-/2/hi/science/nature/8305456.stm

Small-scale Photovoltaic Workshop, Pittsboro

http://theabundancefoundation.org/photovoltaic

Sustainability Master Plan , Fayetteville

Sustainable Sandhills eBlast
October 14, 2009
www.sustainablesandhills.org · PO Box 144 · Fayetteville · NC 28302 · 910-484-9098

City of Fayetteville Sustainability Master Plan Adopted!

The City of Fayetteville’s Environmental Services Department, with help from their consultant Greenworks Partners and Sustainable Sandhills, engaged key citizens and stakeholders in creating a comprehensive and visionary Sustainability Master Plan to guide the City’s efforts over the coming years. The plan was adopted – UNANIMOUSLY – by the City Council on October 12, 2009!

The final and adopted Sustainability Master Plan can be downloaded from the city’s website. The Master Plan includes a set of seven Guiding Principles:

1. Promote national energy independence, reduce carbon emissions and contribute to a healthier environment.
2. Increase competitiveness and produce economic benefits.
3. Promote regional cooperation.
4. Preserve neighborhoods and maintain housing affordability.
5. Develop healthier communities and social equity.
6. Lead by example.
7. Utilize performance metrics and ensure accountability.

The Master Plan is organized into 4 sections, each with its own specific goals and a list of current efforts and future proposed efforts.

1. Environment and Natural Resources Air, climate, energy, water, solid waste
2. Planning Green buildings, land use & open space
3. Community Health, economic development, social equity, education
4. City Agencies (internal operations) City and Public Works Commission facilities & operations

The Master Plan will further the Greater Fayetteville Futures II vision of the Greater Fayetteville community becoming one of the top 10 places to live in the Southeast.

Congratulations to City staff (especially the City’s Environmental Services Department), Liz Burdock from Greenworks Partners, the residents and stakeholders whose input created the Master Plan, and to the City Council for adopting this plan.

10/14/2009

Farm Up the Street Is On the Tour!

Almost twenty sites so far • FREE!!! • Self guided tour
Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, & Moore Counties

Come out and join us to see firsthand what ordinary people with ordinary homes are doing with “GREEN DESIGN.” We’ll also highlight what each of us can do on a daily basis to “LIVE GREEN.” Talk with vendors one-on-one at tour sites about all sorts of green technologies, and visit some of our areas greenest businesses. We’ve got everything from a straw bale house to an inside look at Fort Bragg’s sustainability initiatives to Raft Swamp Farms, a completely organic farm right here in our region!
Don’t miss it! Want to go green but don’t know how? ... Let us give you a 'green'print!
for more info: www.sustainablesandhills.org • 910-484-9098

Farm Stand Just South of Kolcraft, Hwy 211

Just south of Kolcraft on 211 a farm stand is selling pumpkins, apples, winter squashes, honey (when they can get it), and later, Christmas trees.

On commission they will sell things for you if you have a bumper crop of something. Stop by and visit Miles and his brother!

Non-Electric Fridge

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/west_yorkshire/8305408.stm

10/13/2009

Sacred Demise

"The collapse of industrial civilization is rapidly unfolding and offers us an opportunity far beyond mere survival, even as it renders absurd any attempts to "fix" or prevent the end of the world as we have known it. Sacred Demise is about the transformation of human consciousness and the emergence of a new paradigm as a result discovering our purpose in the collapse process, thereby coming home to our ultimate place in the universe.

Our willingness to consciously embark on the journey with openness and uncertainty may be advantageous for engendering a quantum evolutionary leap for our species and for the earth community.

"Carolyn Baker is tireless in her quest to understand and speak about the collapse of civilization. Her message is simple: our journey through collapse will be as much a spiritual one as a physical one, a journey back from profound disconnection to the sacred.

And so our emotional, psychological and spiritual preparations will be as important as the gardens we plant, the healing skills we acquire, and the actions we take in defense of the community of life. A book of tools and exercises to help with that preparation, then, is a welcome and much-needed addition to the literature of collapse."

--Tim Bennett and Sally Erickson, Writer and Producer of the documentary "What A Way To Go: Life At the End of Empire"


http://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Demise-Spiritual-Industrial-Civilizations/dp/1440119724/ref=pd_sim_b_3

10/12/2009

Herbals--Stinging Nettle!

http://www.hairlosssupplements.com/hair-care-herbal-supplements/stinging-nettle-herbal-supplement.shtml
[it can also be eaten as a cooked, spring green. Try it for some relief from fire ant stings; both the ant and the nettle contain formic acid]

Growth and Quality of Life, Moore County

SAVE OUR SANDHILLS GUEST TACKLES ISSUE:
POPULATION GROWTH and/or QUALITY OF LIFE

On October 29, Save Our Sandhills will host guest speaker Craven Hudson to give a talk on the topic “More people, same land . . . What are we going to do?”

For years, North Carolina has been a magnet for newcomers. We have so much to offer as a state. Our location, favorable climate and friendly folks make North Carolina the final home destination for so many. Golf courses beckon to tourists and retirees, and a growing economy both in the military and private sectors brings workers looking for opportunity. Couple that with a decline in traditional agriculture, and you get the equation for drastic land changes.

This situation did not sneak up on North Carolina. Demographers, university researchers, and business people have been predicting these changes for years. In fact, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that North Carolina will grow to a population of 12 million by the year 2030, which is an increase of more than 50% from the tally made in the year 2000. Many would argue, however, that major public policy changes or even small local land use planning decisions have not nearly kept pace with the swift population growth. Tackling growth at the macro level is extremely difficult. As the saying goes: “all politics is local.”

Craven Hudson, Moore County Extension Director, will discuss state level trends in growth and natural resource protection. He will focus primarily on what has happened, what is happening, and what may take place in the future within Moore County.
Hudson’s background gives him a unique perspective in which to consider the effects of burgeoning population growth. A forestry graduate from Virginia Polytechnic Institute, his early career included working on natural resource issues as a NC Cooperative Extension agent in the Raleigh Triangle area. Other than a 2-year stint as an agricultural missionary in Venezuela, he has worked in North Carolina first as a member of the NC Cooperative Extension’s Neuse River Team, then as a Cooperative Extension agent in Gaston County, and finally as Moore County’s Extension Director since 2005.

Please join us at our regular meeting, with refreshments, on Thursday October 29 at 7 PM in the Southern Pines Civic Center, corner of Ashe Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. This timely topic affects the quality of life for each one of us.

World's Youngest Headmaster

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8299780.stm

10/10/2009

More on Biochar

http://www.biochar-international.org/

Conservation Insider Bulletin, Oct. 9

Conservation Insider Bulletin
Published weekly for the Conservation Council of North Carolina
Conservation News to Peruse & Use
Editor: Dan Besse, cib@conservationcouncilnc.org

October 9, 2009
There were mixed greens & browns in the Raleigh races this week, while in one upcoming Senate race green becomes stylish, this week in CIB:

--Campaign Watch: Raleigh Results; Senate Energy Action

--Global Warming Update: Chamber Bleeding High-Profile Membership Over Climate Obstructionism

--Washington Watch: EPA Finalizes Greenhouse Reporting Rule

--Conservationists: Remembering Margaret Pollard and Margie Ellison



Campaign Watch: Raleigh Results; Energy Steps Up as Issue in Dem Senate Race

Raleigh Results: The balance of power on the Raleigh City Council underwent an apparent shift as former council member John Odom re-took a seat over District B Councilor Rodger Koopman, an ally of strong land use planning. This is viewed as likely to end a previous Council majority for Mayor Charles Meeker's policies such as higher impact fees on development. However, other environmental allies such as Meeker himself, At-Large Councilor Russ Stephenson, and District D Councilor Thomas Crowder succeeded in retaining their seats. Local observers speculated that the heated Wake County school board races attracted many conservative voters in the North Raleigh contest which overlapped with Koopman's district, affecting that outcome.

Energy Steps Up as Issue in Dem Senate Race: So far, two North Carolina Democrats have declared their candidacies for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Richard Burr, and at least one other is nearing a decision on whether to run. Interestingly, it is the still-maybe candidate, former State Sen. Cal Cunningham, who has jumped into the debate with the greatest enthusiasm for action on clean energy / climate change legislation recently introduced in the U.S. Senate.

Cunningham traveled to Washington last week to attend the unveiling of the Barbara Boxer / John Kerry legislation on clean energy and climate change. He (along with N.C. House environmental leader Pricey Harrison, D-Guilford) is a cheerleader for that proposal.

When asked, Chapel Hill attorney Ken Lewis said he supported such legislation, and N.C. Secretary of State Elaine Marshall indicated that she was studying it. Lewis and Marshall are the two declared Democratic candidates thus far.

Global Warming Update: Chamber Bleeding High-Profile Membership Over Climate Obstructionism

Here's an encouraging twist on the ongoing, intense national debate over climate change policy. Several high-profile business organizations have dropped their memberships in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in protest over the Chamber's obstructionism on this issue. In contrast to many other business organizations, the U.S. Chamber has uncompromisingly fought against efforts in Congress to require reductions in U.S. emissions of greenhouse gases.

As a result, two large electric utilities dropped their memberships in late September, and this week it was electronics leader Apple, Inc. In a letter to the Chamber president, Apple vice president Catherine Novelli said, "Apple supports regulating greenhouse gas emissions, and it is frustrating to find the Chamber at odds with us in this effort." (Washington Post, 10/5/09.)

The Chamber president, Thomas J. Donohue, is receiving criticism for what some perceive as a conflict of interest between his duties to that group and his membership on the board of directors for Union Pacific Railroad. Union Pacific opposes climate action legislation, as an estimated 20% of its business comes from shipping coal. Donohue has agreed to Union Pacific's policy for its board members, which calls for them to back Union Pacific's interests in other contexts. There have been calls for him to resolve the conflict by resigning one position or the other. Thus far, he has refused. (National Public Radio, 9/28/09.)

Washington Watch: EPA Finalizes Greenhouse Reporting Rule

As expected, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in late September issued its final Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Rule. The rule will require approximately 10,000 industrial facilities to monitor and report their greenhouse gas emissions. The first reports are due on March 31, 2011 for calendar year 2010 emissions. Monitoring and recordkeeping activities must begin January 1, 2010, at covered facilities. EPA rejected arguments to delay the rule's implementation for a year.

If nothing else, this helps reinforce the message to potential obstructionists in Congress and lobbying groups that action is coming on climate change. Congress can set the policy—or, the Obama Administration is signaling, the executive branch has the existing authority under previous clean air legislation to act on its own through rulemaking.

Conservationists: Remembering Margaret Pollard and Margie Ellison

Two strong environmental activists with a history of special service to North Carolina's minority communities passed away recently. Margaret Pollard was a Chatham County Commissioner, and a trail-breaker as an African-American women in that post. A community organizer for decades, she also served at times as a member of the N.C. Environmental Management Commission and as a member of the board of directors of CCNC. N.C. House Speaker Joe Hackney (D-Chatham), speaking at Pollard's funeral, told mourners, "She had a real passion for helping poor people, for helping provide good nutrition for them and building houses for them."

Margie Ellison, also African-American, served as NC WARN's organizing director since 2006 and was a founder of the Grassroots Energy Alliance. Her work for Chatham County included chairing its Human Relations Commission, and serving on both its Economic Development Board and its Green Economy Task Force. In a statement, NC WARN said that "Margie's life was dedicated to the struggle for civil rights and for social, economic, and environmental justice."

Cheap, Easy Oil Is Behind Us

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/10/08-12

First Space Clown, for Water!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8300273.stm

Not Nearly Far Enough

http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2009/10/08-8

One Man One Cow One Planet

http://www.imdb.com/video/wab/vi1966932505/

10/09/2009

Land Suitability Workshop, Pinehurst

http://sustainablesandhills.org/docs/LandSuitabilityWorkshopRelease2.pdf

Trendy, Small 'Hobby Farms'

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/10/05-2

Moore County Beekeepers, October 13

The October meeting of the Moore County Beekeepers Association will be held on Tuesday, October 13th at 7pm in the Moore County Agricultural Center in Carthage. The program will be presented by Taylor Williams on "Cooperative Extention Services".

Raven's Wing Movie Tonight Is. . .

Award-winning film Kilowatt Ours: A Plan to Re-Energize America is a timely, solutions-oriented look at one of America’s most pressing environmental challenges: energy.
Filmmaker Jeff Barrie offers hope as he turns the camera on himself and asks, “How can I make a difference?” In his journey Barrie explores the source of our electricity and the problems caused by energy production including mountain top removal, childhood asthma and global warming. Along the way he encounters individuals, businesses, organizations, and communities who are leading the way, using energy conservation, efficiency and renewable, green power all while saving money and the environment.

This often amusing and always inspiring story shows, “You can easily make a difference and here’s how!”

10/08/2009

Dreaming a Green Home

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRghXwLN_64

Doctors on Health Care

http://www.madashelldoctors.com/ from Oregon to Obama

Many Believe It Already Has

Warning over global oil 'decline'
There is a "significant risk" that global production of conventional oil could "peak" and decline by 2020, a report suggests.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/-/2/hi/uk_news/8296096.stm

What Is an EcoVillage

http://earth911.com/blog/2009/10/05/sustainability-in-suburbia/

Food Do's and Don'ts

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/10/11/magazine/20091011-foodrules.html

10/06/2009

Free Longleaf Pine Seedlings

Free Longleaf Pine seedlings, you just have to dig them up! Contact Susan Campbell susan@ncaves.com if you are interested in getting some seedlings for your property. They are in a pasture that is due to be disked this fall, and the landowner is interested in transplanting as many of the trees as possible.

10/05/2009

Dem Women, Oct. 10, Carthage

The Democratic Women of Moore County will hold their next meeting on Saturday, Oct. 10 at 10 AM at Democratic Headquarters, 104-A North McNeill St., Carthage.
Steve Gerkin, Visitor Educator and Public Programs Coordinator for the NC Zoo in Asheboro, will be talking about the NC Zoo including what’s new, the zoo’s conservation efforts, the role of zoos today, and upcoming plans. He will also be bringing along some biofacts (skulls or teeth or other animal artifacts) to share with the group.
The meeting is open to the public and all interested persons are welcome to attend. Don't forget to bring along some non-perishable food items for the food bank collection.

e Coli, Cargill, Ground Beef

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/health/04meat.html

Sustainable Sandhills Meetings, Events

MOORE COUNTY COMMUNITY ACTION TEAM

Thursday, September 24, 2009 | Team Meeting

The Team was given updates on the following projects and events. To learn more, please view our meeting summary.

Local Food Consumer Survey
Green Living and Design Tour, November 7th
Sustainable Sandhills Pickin' on the Porch Fundraiser, October 15th
Our next film in the sustainable film series is "Fresh", October 22nd
Household Hazardous Waste collection day, November 21st
During the "take action" portion of the meeting we invited Rich Cregar to discuss carbon legislation, global warming and green transportation.

Please view our full meeting summary for more details.

If you have a green topic you would like to learn more about, please contact Amanda Blue and we will try to include that topic in future meeting presentations, discussion and community action.

SAVE THESE DATES!

Thursday, October 22, 2009 | Sustainable Film "Fresh", Sandhills Community College, Dempsey Student Center, 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009 | Charles Birnbaum lecture, "Our Cultural Landscape" at the Sunrise Theater, 7:00pm to 9:00pm

Charles Birnbaum, Founder and President, The Cultural Landscape Foundation, Washington, DC, will speak on "'Our Cultural Landscape." Introduction by Lawrence Earley, author of Looking for Longleaf, The Fall and Rise of an American Forest. The program will explore the unique role landscape design played in the establishment of the town, and why residents should care to sustain our landscape heritage. For more information visit The Classical Design Foundation website at www.classicaldesignfoundation.org, or contact Ray Owen at (910) 638-3982

Our next CAT meeting and green topic will be determined soon. Please check our website for updates. www.sustainablesandhills.org

10/03/2009

Biofarm Pepper Festival, Pittsboro

http://theabundancefoundation.org/pepper-festival/

Events at Raven's Wing Healing Center, Sou. Pines

http://www.rwnaturalhealing.com/events.html
Raven's Wing Healing Center, Page St. Sou. Pines offers:
vegetarian dinners, sustainability documentaries, massage therapies, Alexander Technique, holistic nutrition counseling, and various workshops:

mushroom cultivation; chemical-free, kitchen beauty recipes; vermiculture; sheet-mulch techniques for building garden soil; creating a food forest; basic sewing skills; raw food; and nutrition

Also offering:
A Halloween Social
A vegetarian Thanksgiving Dinner with our family

Check us out at http://www.rwnaturalhealing.com

10/02/2009

Cool Cities in NC; Why Not Sou. Pines?

http://www.coolcities.us/state.php?state=NC

Solar Fire Ant Trap

http://www.antcharmer.com/infopage.html

Our Cultural Landscape, Oct. 28, Sou. Pines

Media Contact:
Ray Owen (910) 638-3982, E-mail: information@classicaldesignfoundation.com

Event title: “Our Cultural Landscape” with Charles Birnbaum
Date: Wednesday, October 28, 2009, 7:00-9:00 PM
Location: Sunrise Theater, 250 NW Broad St., Southern Pines, NC
Presented by: The Classical Design Foundation
Admission is free and open to the public.

Southern Pines, NC - October 28, 2009, THE CLASSICAL DESIGN FOUNDATION presents CHARLES BIRNBAUM, Founder and President of The Cultural Landscape Foundation, Washington, DC. Introduction by Lawrence Earley, author of "Looking for Longleaf, The Fall and Rise of an American Forest."

When a design is successful, how long is it worth keeping? When the design is a landscape of historical significance, why should we care? Understanding the value of where we live will be the subject of “Our Cultural Landscape.” This event unites two acclaimed speakers in an illustrated talk on the natural and man-made beauty that defines the singular character of the Southern Pines landscape.

Charles Birbaum is the Founder and President of The Cultural Landscape Foundation in Washington, DC. Recognized for his ground-breaking achievements in preserving endangered landscapes throughout the United States, Mr. Birbaum will turn his attention to the Sandhills--from our lumber and turpentine industry past, to the development of James Boyd's Weymouth estate.

As the Vanderbilts were to Asheville or the Tufts to Pinehurst, so were the Boyds to Southern Pines. Under their influence, town founders overcame the devastations of clear-cutting that by the turn of the twentieth century had left a wasteland. With emphasis on plantings of native flora along with naturalized drought-tolerant ornamentals, Southern Pines emerged as a "garden place." A leader in this movement was Alfred Yeomans, a Boyd family relative who guided town landscape design in a patchwork of efforts spanning more than half a century.

Lawrence Earley, author of "Looking for Longleaf, The Fall and Rise of an American Forest," will describe the cultural and natural history of our region's longleaf pine habitat, setting the stage for an understanding of Southern Pines as a resort named for a forest, and why residents should care to sustain our landscape heritage.

This event is presented by The Classical Design Foundation in association with The North Carolina Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, Preservation North Carolina, The Sandhills Council of Garden Clubs, Sandhills Natural History Society, The Southern Pines Garden Club and Sustainable Sandhills.

The Classical Design Foundation is a Southern Pines based nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization. It exists for the preservation, education, and practice of classical visual design. For more information visit The Classical Design Foundation website at www.classicaldesignfoundation.org, or contact Ray Owen at (910) 638-3982, E-mail: information@classicaldesignfoundation.com. Mailing address: 115 W. Pennsylvania Avenue, Southern Pines, NC 28387.

10/01/2009

Moore Tells Dems "Find Your Spine"

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/09/30-3
link includes Moore's health care speech to both the Dems and to Obama.
$1.4 million a day being spent right now by the health care lobby...
Dynamite!

Dieting and World Peace

Ancient wisdom from a good friend: "Eat a big breakfast, share your lunch with your friend, give your supper to your enemy."