Atlantic Coast Pipeline Cancelled

Coming soon on Community Rising. 

Climate change is reshaping coastal North Carolina in a myriad of ways, and one of the most striking is the emergence of ghost forests.

As our climate warms, sea levels rise, and saltwater intrusion advances inland, the delicate balance of coastal ecosystems is disrupted.

The result is the eerie transformation of lush, vibrant forests into skeletal remnants of their former selves, populated by dead and dying trees.

Ghost forests serve as a stark testament to the urgency of addressing climate change, highlighting the pressing need for global action to mitigate its devastating effects and protect the fragile ecosystems that are falling victim to its relentless advance.

Want to vote early in coastal North Carolina? Here's how.

¿Quieres votar temprano en la costa de Carolina del Norte? Escucha este anuncio. 

Look to the coast of North Carolina and you may find something a bit unexpected - artificial reefs. These manmade reefs mimic the characteristics of real reefs in order to provide a home to ocean life. In this episode, Jordan Byrum, an artificial reef coordinator with the NC Division of Marine Fisheries, discusses the history, creation and importance of artificial reefs in North Carolina. 

Honey bees not only produce one of the most popular sweeteners used within food and drink products - they also play a huge role in our agricultural system. Onslow County Master Beekeepers David and Lynn Sanbeg, along with Eric Talley of the Onslow County Beekeepers Association, have made it their goal to provide high-quality honey for their communities. These dedicated beekeepers encourage residents of Coastal North Carolina to learn the importance of honey bees, and how they are a crucial component of one-third of the produce that comes from our agriculture systems. 


Music used:
Mind Stream by Chris Haugen, May 2020, 2:24, from the YouTube Audio Library 
Oceanside Bonfire by The Great North Sound Society, May 2020, 2:53, from the YouTube Audio Library
Now I Know by TrackTribe, Oct. 2019, 3:17, from the YouTube Audio Library
Back To Portland by TrackTribe, Oct. 20219, 2:05, from the YouTube Audio Library
Rainy Sundays by The 126ers, Aug. 2019, 3:24, from the YouTube Audio Library
Peace Creek by Ashley Shadow, June 2019, 2:45, from the YouTube Audio Library
Swoop by The Mini Vandals, Mar. 2019, 1:43, from the YouTube Audio Library
High Wire by The 126ers, Dec. 2018, 3:18, from the YouTube Audio Library

Sounds used: 
“Park ambience - mostly birds” by Mafon2 of Freesound.org, May 15th, 2015, 1:02, https://freesound.org/people/Mafon2/sounds/274175/
“Bees.wav” by Benboncan of Freesound.org, May 31st, 2009, 4:36, https://freesound.org/people/Benboncan/sounds/73370/
“Bees.wav” by peachmaster of Freesound.org, Sep. 27th, 2013, 0:17, https://freesound.org/people/peachmaster/sounds/201613/
“Wind in trees.WAV” by nickydunne of Freesound.org, Mar. 14th, 2019, 1:30, https://freesound.org/people/nickydunne/sounds/463551/
“Skylarks at ROC.wav” by genghis attenborough of Freesound.org, Feb. 29th, 2008, 2:58, https://freesound.org/people/genghis%20attenborough/sounds/49006/

Image used:
Creative Commons, "200907011 Honey Bee 021" by cygnus921 is licensed under CC BY 2.0 

Hog farms have been polluting the environment of Eastern NC for decades. And over the past few years, owners of these operations have started touting biogas as a way to make hog farms more sustainable. In this episode, Kemp Burdette, the Cape Fear Riverkeeper, explains why biogas isn't the sustainable solution that it's being made out to be. 

Low-income communities of color are disproportionately impacted by environmental issues in NC, and face higher rates of disease because of it. When COVID-19 hit, Sherri White-Williamson, the Environmental Justice Policy Director at NC Conservation Network, says it became clear that these were the communities that were going to be unduly vulnerable to the virus. In this episode, White-Williamson discusses why environmental justice communities are so at-risk and what policymakers should do about it. 

Christian Legner is the Public Informations Officer of Duck, NC. She speaks about what her town prioritizes when hurricane season is in full effect, and how this changes with COVID-19. Hurricane Isaias hit Coastal Carolina a few days ago. Christian speaks about how her town dealt with the damages and evacuations. 

NC is predicted to have a high-intensity hurricane season this year. The state is launching a new tool – outlined zones – to help coastal residents understand which areas will be most vulnerable to impacts and organizes evacuations by predicted zone impact. In this episode, Katie Webster, Assistant Director of Planning for NC Emergency Management, talks about the state's new "Know Your Zone" program that hopes to streamline these evacuation orders amidst COVID-19. 

To find out your zone go to: knowyourzone.nc.gov

Produced by Kayla Guilliams. Music by Meydän. 

Broadcast from the Working Narratives studio, this series examines environmental news in the coastal Carolina region. 

North Carolina's low-income communities of color already face higher rates of chronic diseases like heart disease. And with the threat of increasing temperatures due to climate change, these disparities will only worsen. In this episode, Marian Johnson-Thompson, a virologist and environmental justice advocate, talks about how climate change will worsen health disparities, and why these disparities exist in the first place. 

Produced by Kayla Guilliams. Music by Meydän. 

Broadcast from the Working Narratives studio, this series examines environmental news in the coastal Carolina region. 

From hog lagoons to sewage sludge to wood pellet plants, low-income communities of color in Eastern North Carolina experience a wide array of environmental injustices. Naeema Muhammad, an organizer and activist with the North Carolina Environmental Justice Network, has been fighting against these injustices for over 20 years and has experienced the emotional toll that comes with such activism. In this episode, Muhammad describes the current battle she's fighting - advocating for communities living near hog lagoons whose lives and health are put at risk on a daily basis. 

Produced by Kayla Guilliams. Music by Meydän. 

Broadcast from the Working Narratives studio, this series examines environmental news in the coastal Carolina region.