Green Opportunities: Latest News

Kelvin of Green Opportunities talks to the Conservation Fund

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 08:57:00 -0400

Asheville GO Youth Training graduate Kelvin Bonilla is interviewed by the Conservation Fund and...

Help Support Grass to Greens!

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 13:53:00 -0400

This Saturday, August 21st, the Grass to Greens fundraiser is happening! Proceeds for this event will go to helping Hillcrest Apartments create their own community garden and to supporting the wonderful Grass to Greens organization! There will be local food and brews, as well as a music performance, silent auction and guest speakers. The fun begins at 5pm and a suggested donation of $5 to $15 is asked. It will be held at 64 Virginia Avenue is eclectic West Asheville.
Join us in supporting Grass to Greens and community gardens!

Are You Computer Savvy?

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 12:44:00 -0400

If so, then come volunteer with Green Opportunities!
We are looking for a computer-savvy person, someone who is an expert at Microsoft Office to teach some of our members some basic computer skills. Think you got what it takes to teach some of our members for free? Then, please call 828-398-4158 for more information or stop by our offices for a chat!

Co-Founder DeWayne Barton Featured in Local Paper

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 11:41:00 -0400

Our very own co-founder DeWayne Barton was featured in the Asheville Citizen Times "Living"...

Join Us at the SEE Expo!

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 09:53:00 -0400

We will be attending, presenting and teaching classes at this year's Southern Energy & Environment Expo! This three-day expo will be held August 20-22 at the Western NC Agricultural Center. Join us there and view the latest and greatest creations, ideas and organizations in the area.

Home Energy Audit & Weatherization Workshop on August 11

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 08:29:00 -0400

We will be partnering with the City of Asheville's Office of Sustainability and the WNC Green...

Asheville's Got Talent is Counting Down!

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 08:38:00 -0400

If you haven't heard of of Asheville's Got Talent yet, then you've been missing out on some of Asheville's most talented singers, musicians and performers. This series of talent shows is being held in all of Asheville's projects, such as Pisgah View Apartments and Erskine Apartments. The winner will be performing at....Goombay! Goombay is a yearly festival held in downtown Asheville that celebrates the "cultural expression of a people." This year it will be held from August 27-29.
Interested in performing or attending any of the remaining talent shows? Here's a schedule of the upcoming shows: -August 6th: Pisgah View Apartments -August 13th: Burton Street Community Center -August 20th: Semi-Finals at the YMI Cultural Center -August 27: Goombay performance by talent show winner

Apprentice Brandon Meyer Featured in Mountain Xpress

amber@greenopportunities.org — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 10:38:00 -0400

Apprentice Brandon Meyer was featured in Asheville's local arts and entertainment paper, the...

Asheville GO Party - A Benefit for Green Opportunities

Sat, 22 May 2010 18:00:00 -0400

Please join us for our annual fundraising party on May 22 at the Seven Star Factory in the River Arts District. Proceeds support GO�s efforts to build a just and inclusive Green Economy in Western North Carolina. The $30 VIP Pass includes and Dinner and Drinks, with mealtime entertainment by the Youth Gospel Choir, plus admission to the after party where Laura Reed, the songstress who fronted Laura Reed and Deep Pocket, and DJs Brett Rock, VIET and TerryCloth Tube Top will perform until 1:30 a.m. Or, just join us for the Warehouse Dance Party with a $10 After Party Pass.

Reed, who has been on musical hiatus to have a baby, is known for invigorating the Asheville music scene with a unique blend of funky soul, and being involved in various outreach and environmental projects. www.laurareed.com or myspace.com/laurareedmusic.

When: Saturday, May 22 from 6:00 p.m. � 1:30 a.m.

Where: Seven Star Factory, 191 Lyman Street, Asheville (Riverview Station in the River Arts District)

What: Dinner by ROOTS, Beer by Pisgah Organic, Live music

Cost: $30 VIP Pass / $10 After Party Pass

RSVP: RSVP via paypal (link below) or contact 828-398-4158 or email goparty@greenopportunities.org

Evening Events:

6:00 pm Cocktail Hour by Pisgah Organic

7:00 pm Dinner by ROOTS, with entertainment by Youth Gospel Choir

8:30 p.m. Presentation by Asheville GO Members

WAREHOUSE DANCE PARTY: 3 Sets to Get Your Groove On

9:00 p.m. - 1:30 a.m

9:00-10:00 p.m. - Laura Reed Acoustic, from Laura Reed and Deep Pocket

10:30-11:45 p.m. - DJ BrettRock

11:45 p.m. -1:30 a.m. - DJ TerryCloth Tubetop and DJ VIET

$30 VIP Pass (limited number so RSVP today)

Includes: Cocktail Hour, Dinner, Live Bands and DJ

$10 After Party Pass 8:30 p.m. - 1:30 a.m.

Includes: Live Bands and DJ

$3 for Pisgah Organic beer

Bar None: Community meeting spotlights justice system problems

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:05:00 -0500

"When Stuart was sentenced to 44 months, there was quite a community reaction. I think a lot of...

Small business profile: Asheville's Green Brothers installs solar hot water tubes

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:42:00 -0500

Business: Green Brothers Solar Who: Accem Scott opened Green Brothers last year as the first...

The Green Scene: West Asheville Laundromat in Hot Water

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:58:00 -0500

The solar fixtures crowning a West Asheville laundromat are not the flat-panel type that's become...

WNCW, Our Southern Community with Ned Ryan Doyle

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:00:00 -0500

Part One. Originally aired 1-24-2010. Part Two. Originally aired 1-24-2010.

Asheville City Council Explores Energy Efficiency

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:49:00 -0500

On Jan. 12, City Council voted to explore the Asheville Energy Independence Initiative, a pilot...

Americorps Recovery Project Energize weatherization project looks for more participants

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 12:40:00 -0500

Weatherization doesn't just save energy � sometimes it saves lives. Gene Senyak credits a carbon...

Dr. Bullard Speaks at UNCA

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 07:00:00 -0500

UNC Asheville MLK Jr. Celebration Distinguished Speaker Series
Dr. Robert Bullard
Wed. January 20 7pm
Lipinsky Auditorium(Book Signing to follow) "One of the environmental leaders of the century." - Newsweek Celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. with "the father of environmental justice." Dr. Robert Bullard challenges government and industry policies that place people of color and poor people at risk. Dr. Bullard is the Director of the Environmental Justice Resource Center at Clark Atlanta University, and the author of over 15 books that address issues of sustainable development, environmental racism, smart urban growth, community reinvestment, and housing and transportation equity. (For a list of books by Dr. Bullard, click here.) TICKETS REQUIRED
*Free for UNC Asheville students, faculty, staff, alumni, NCCCR. Limit one per OneCard. Limited Seating. Please get your ticket in person, in advance at the Highsmith Union Box Office beginning January 11, 2010 with your UNC Asheville OneCard. * $5 GENERAL PUBLIC. Tickets available in person at the door ONLY, beginning 6pm day of event.
Presented in partnership with the following UNC Asheville departments and many area community groups: The Intercultural Center/Multicultural Student Programs, Student Environmental Center, Africana Studies, The Center for Diversity Education, Asheville Green Opportunities, UNC Asheville Cultural Events & Special Academic Programs

GO Comes to Asheville Green Drinks

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 11:48:00 -0500

In their own words: Asheville Green Drinks is a networking party that is part of the self-organizing global grassroots movement to connect communities with environmental ideas, media and action. People who are interested in environmental issues and topics meet up for a drink. It's a great way of catching up with people you know and also for making new contacts. Everyone invites someone else along, so there's always a different crowd making Green Drinks an organic, self-organizing network. These events are very simple and sometimes unstructured, but many people have found employment, made friends, developed new ideas, done deals and had moments of serendipity. Every Friday night at BoBo Gallery: 6:00 pm socializing starts 6:30 pm speaker 7:15 pm socializing again!

Support Green Jobs at City Council Meeting

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 06:15:00 -0500

The City Council will be considering an exciting new project at the City Council meeting on Tuesday. It's called the Asheville Energy Independence Initiative and it has the potential to substantially increase the city's investment in renewable energy, create hundreds of new, green collar jobs, and lower Asheville's overall carbon footprint. Using an innovative financing model, the initiative provides loans to homeowners and businesses for retrofits (efficiency measures and small renewable energy systems), making large-scale progress towards greater energy efficiency possible. Here are some potential benefits for our city:

Savings over time for homeowners and businesses
More local green jobs
Cleaner air due to reduced emissions from power plants
Community investment in renewable, clean energy
Less reliance on fossil fuels

We all know this initiative reflects widely held community values, but in order for it to move forward, we need to show broad community support! According to Vice Mayor Brownie Newman, only a handful of cities -- none of them in the Southeast -- have created such an initiative to date. Here's how you can help make Asheville a national leader in clean, renewable energy: Join Green Opportunities at the next City Council meeting to voice your support for the measure. Please wear green (or your GO t-shirt) so your support is visible. Details are below; please share the word with your friends and neighbors! When: Tuesday, January 12 at 5:00pm (This agenda item isn't expected to come up until 6:15 or 6:30)
Location: 2nd Floor of the City Hall Building, 70 Court Plaza, Downtown Asheville For more information about the financing program that would used for the initiative, you can visit www.pacenow.org.

Support Green Collar Jobs on January 12

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 10:37:00 -0500

Savings over time for homeowners and businesses
More local green jobs
Cleaner air due to reduced emissions from power plants
Community investment in renewable, clean energy
Less reliance on fossil fuels

Gov. Perdue Visits Asheville

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 13:04:00 -0500

Gov. Perdue participates in a weatherization project in West Asheville with the GO Energy Team.

AVL GrOw

ashiyr@yahoo.com — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 17:25:00 -0500

The strength of its roots is more than the rings in the trunks center. As the branches spread they offer many their shelter, From the rains of recession, the pains of oppression. I carved my name in its bark and climbed up to see How I could help restore the concrete jungle around me, How to grow truth through layers of concrete. Now we're all chilling in the leaves like caterpillars, waiting to be fly So we can show others the freedom of a natural high.

GO Needs Your Support

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:24:00 -0500

Dear Friends, It has been a remarkable year for Asheville GO. One year later, Green Opportunities �the organization we�ve built around Asheville GO�is on solid ground and well on its way toward its goal of providing pathways out of poverty into promising green careers. Here are a few of our accomplishments: � Five of the six members graduating from the pilot class are now employed full-time.
� Our new class of 12 Asheville GO members has completed 15 service-learning projects addressing important community issues like water and air pollution, invasive species, climate change, and food security. Twelve more members will begin their service-based training in March of 2010.
� Our newly-formed GO Energy Team has provided ten disadvantaged young people with marketable job skills in building science and weatherization, and has weatherized 16 homes and performed energy audits on 18 others�plus two commercial audits including one for the Asheville Chapter of the Red Cross.
� Thanks to dozens of newspaper articles, TV and radio pieces, community events and public appearances, Green Opportunities and Asheville GO are becoming household names in the region. More importantly, however, businesses, community organizations and underserved and unemployed youth are seeking us out. Even more impressive are the stories behind the accomplishments and the lives affected by them.
     �D� is a 20-year old Pisgah View Apartments resident who joined Asheville GO just over a year ago. At the time, he was facing criminal charges, he hadn�t worked in months, and he was struggling with alcohol abuse. Early last month, D was hired full-time with FLS Energy as a solar installer. His record is now clean, he quit drinking, and he is enrolled in a GED program. Five days a week D walks to work from his nearby apartment and, according to his supervisor, is often the first to arrive.
For struggling young people like D, Asheville GO represents a tangible opportunity to turn one�s life around, providing a sense of purpose, dignity and self-sufficiency.     On cold days, Vietnam Veteran �Tony� used to wear his coat inside his home in the Burton Street neighborhood. Although his veteran�s benefits put him just over the income requirement to receive free weatherization services, renovating his home to be more energy efficient was beyond his budget. On October 24, in conjunction with an international day of action to confront climate change, GO members and community volunteers weather-stripped Tony�s attic hatch, wrapped his hot water heater, sealed leaks around his chimney, installed CFL�s, and more�all free of charge. Concerned about indoor air quality in the house, our staff connected Tony with a reputable HVAC contractor replaced his furnace at a price he could afford. As a result, Tony�s house is now healthier for him, uses less energy, and pumps less CO2 into the environment.
Service-based training opportunities like this one allow our members to gain valuable technical skills, life skills and work experience while improving the health of the planet and transforming their community. Despite all our accomplishments, our work has only just begun. In addition to strengthening Asheville GO and the GO Energy Team, we have plans to:
� Connect to youth and their families through neighborhood-based afterschool programs
� Create other green microenterprises to employ and train GO members and other disadvantaged community members with barriers to employment
� Work with community partners to prevent violence, reduce recidivism and bridge the gap between low-wealth, high crime neighborhoods and the rest of our community.
In order to support our efforts, our staff has tripled and our budget has quadrupled in the last year. While much of this growth is supported by grants, we are still $20,000 short of the revenues needed for our 2009-2010 budget. That�s why we are asking supporters like you to help us continue this important work by making a financial contribution today.
HOW YOU CAN HELP Green Opportunities is awaiting official nonprofit designation from the IRS. In the meantime, tax-deductible contributions can be made through our fiscal sponsor, the Western North Carolina Green Building Council, an Asheville-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting environmentally sustainable and health conscious building practices through community education.
To learn more about the WNC Green Building Council, or to donate online via PayPal, please visit http://www.wncgbc.org/. Be sure to write �GO� in the comments box.
You may also mail your contribution to:
Green Opportunities
C/O WNC GBC
378 Haywood Road
Asheville, NC 28806
Make your check payable to WNCGBC and write �GO� in the Memo.
Many thanks for your support.
Sincerely,
Dan Leroy and DeWayne Barton
Green Opportunities Co-Founders

GO Seeking New Asheville Home

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:24:00 -0500

Click here to download this flier.

Community Forum for Stuart: Let Your Voice Be Heard

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 03:00:00 -0500

Friday, December 11 from 3-5 pm in the Community Room at the YWCA on South French Broad.

Community Forum for Stuart: Let Your Voice Be Heard

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 11:50:00 -0500

Our partners at the Buncombe County Gang Violence Prevention Project/ "Changing Together" are hosting a "facilitated conversation" about the difficult issues facing our court-involved community members. The forum will take place this Friday, December 11, from 3-5 in the Community Room at the YWCA on South French Broad. Buncombe County court officials will be present to discuss the sentencing and answer questions. Representatives from the Police Department and the Mayor's office have been invited as well.
In addition, we are inviting people to offer their support to Stuart and his family during this holiday season. Ideas for what to bring could include:
- Letters, books or articles for Stuart
- Diapers and/or children's toys (for kids ages 3 months to 2 years)
- Financial contributions. We are creating a fund specifically to help Stuart's family during this difficult transition. Donations can be made c/o Green Opportunities, Inc.
We look forward to seeing many of you there.
Thanks for your support,
Dan For more information about Stuart's case, please read this Mountain Xpress article, which examines the fairness of the court's decision juxtaposed by the other, high profile decision, made by the same judge on the same day to give the Asheville firefighter who shot the bicyclist in the head 120 days.

The Social Impact of the New Green Economy

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 06:00:00 -0500

Come and learn about the exciting work of Asheville Green Opportunities (GO) and how your green-oriented business can be involved in this unique program. Click here to view the flyer for this event sponsored by the Green Business Alliance.

From the Ground to the Plate

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 01:00:00 -0500

Justice undone?

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Harsh sentence for anti-gang educator raises fairness concerns. On May 8, Stuart Peterson and...

Workforce training and development takes center stage as the Nauhaus Institute welcomes Asheville GO

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:03:00 -0500

�I presented to the Asheville Go team a couple of weeks ago and was really impressed with the level of interest. It�s great to get the group out on site to be involved in our prototype project. We hope Asheville Go will benefit from our collective of knowledge and I am confident we will benefit from their willingness to learn and their muscle as we work to finish the prototype project,� said Clarke Snell Managing Director of the Nauhaus Institute

The Asheville Green Opportunities Training Team (Asheville GO) launched last fall to prepare disconnected young adults for living-wage, green collar jobs. The program�s core is service-based job training. Instead of charging participants tuition, the program pays its members to complete service projects that improve community and environmental health while providing technical job skills and work experience.

For the first Carbon Neutral Urban Homestead of its kind in the US, the Nauhaus Institute (NHI) has designed the Nauhaus Prototype (NHP) as a community centered development. One of the project focuses is to begin to cultivate highly skilled local craftsmen so that the ambitious prototype can move into the mainstream. The NHP is on track to achieve both LEED Platinum certification and be one of the first 10 buildings in the US to meet the Passive House certification standard, one of the most rigorous performance standards in the world . The building combines high performance strategies such as super insulation, hyper airtight construction, energy recovery ventilation, and on-site energy production with low-tech strategies such as passive solar design, site-made and locally sourced materials, and on-site food production.

�We are all about creating opportunities for these great kids. When we empower and train today's youth, we benefit as a community because those individuals will be our future workforce. We are looking forward to the tour and the chance for our crew to experience building with clay and natural building materials,� said Dan Leroy, Go Co-Director.

The PERMIBUS Arrives in Asheville!

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:42:00 -0500

~Asheville Green Opportunities Presents a Family-Friendly Event~

Wednesday, November 18 from 3-5pm

Come one, come all!

@ Burton St Community Center 134 Burton St, West AVL

FREE (donations accepted)

~ ~ ~
-biofuel powered bus with solar and greywater systems~
3pm puppet show for kids of all ages; bus tour
4pm chicken informational; seed ball making

See sustainability on wheels!

More info at www.permibus.org

Presented by Asheville Green Opportunities
with 21st Century Community Learning Centers and Burton Street Community Center

The PERMIBUS Arrives in Asheville!

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:33:00 -0500

~Asheville Green Opportunities Presents a Family-Friendly Event~

Wednesday, November 18 from 3-5pm

Come one, come all!

@ Burton St Community Center 134 Burton St, West AVL

FREE (donations accepted)
~ ~ ~
-biofuel powered bus with solar and greywater systems~
3pm puppet show for kids of all ages; bus tour
4pm chicken informational; seed ball making

See sustainability on wheels!

More info at www.permibus.org

Presented by Asheville Green Opportunities
with 21st Century Community Learning Centers and Burton Street Community Center

Red Cross Energy Audit

ashiyr@yahoo.com — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:09:00 -0500

One of the first things we learned about was how to assess the building envelope. The building envelope is the protective shell of a building that keeps conditioned air inside and everything else out. With the help of an infrared camera, blower doors, smoke pencils, and other auditing tools, we were able to locate compromises in the building envelope and find ways to raise the facilities r-value (resistance to heat flow). I knew that the Red Cross building was old, but I was still surprised by how many air leakages their were. We found openings around the whole attic where air was entering and exiting the building. Dollar bills were literally flying right out of that place! Another thing we assessed was how much energy was being used to operate appliances. The Red Cross workers were pretty good about shuttting everything off when they left work, but some appliances still suck up energy even when theyre turned off. Take TVs for example,when you turn the average television set off, its still burning 50% of the electricity it would require while on. We learned that the best solution for that is to use surge protectors so you can completely power everything down with a simple flick of the switch. Later, we flicked a light switch on in the attic so we could check out the building's elaborate network of HVAC systems. If the Red Cross building was the set for a vampire movie, those HVAC ducts would be perfect for them to be crawling around in as they search for the blood banks. I was dissapointed when Walt, the HVAC guy with the awesome infrared cameras, told me that in reality, a HVAC duct couldn't really hold that much weight. Not only did the air vents hold too little weight to film a good movie, they held too little airflow to operate at maximum efficiency. Many of the duct joints had not been sealed together, causing conditioned air to leak out into the attic instead of making its way down into the common rooms. Other ducts had been haphazardly sealed together using duct tape, which despite it's name, is not a good duct sealant. We learned that all of these problems could be fixed pretty easily, and would greatly boost the buildings energy efficiency. We weren't there to see the changes made after the audit. But, after assessing all of the inneficiencies in the building, the audit team planned to formulate the cheapest, most efficiency boosting plan possible. After that, it was only a matter of time before The Red Cross was out of the electric bill red zone and into a world of greener opportunities.

Scraper Bikes: �Bike 4 Life Ride�

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:42:00 -0500

Born in the streets of Oakland, scraper bikes first gained attention as a trend in bicycle...

Weatherization Report: Chance of Aid for Middle-Class Homeowners

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:37:00 -0500

Builders are always happy to construct million-dollar "green" mansions for the wealthy, and the...

Green Job Trainees Helping Red Cross

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:32:00 -0500

The 10 young men in training with Asheville Green Opportunities were doing more than just looking...

Volunteers Spring to Action in Asheville

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:28:00 -0500

Seven-year-old Nori Grant's face lit up Saturday when he saw his kindergarten teacher walking...

A Typical Friday...

ashiyr@yahoo.com — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:17:00 -0500

Displayed in the parking lot was a solar water heating unit, one of many that Accem is planning to sell in Asheville and beyond. The heating unit uses glass and copper vacuum tubes to collect solar heat, which is then transferred to the water tank. Green Brothers and Asheville GO are hoping to work closely together in the future, by giving Go Team members the valuable opportunity to train with Mr. Scott and learn more about the installation and maintenance of solar technology. On Fridays we usually go on a learning expidition, and then have guest speakers come to the Burton Center and share their work with us, to inspire within us the same passion for green living that they have, and that we all need to have if we want this planet to survive. On this Friday we were an audience to the Beehive Collective. But only after woofing down some fine vegetarian cuisine(big shout out to the AVL GO Chef, Ayanfe!). The multipurpose room had been transformed into an art exhibit. A few members from the Beehive Collective were there and they spoke to us about their work and the overall mission behind it: to educate and empower people through visual art. It was a good experience, and to make it even better they gave me a free poster, Plan Colombia. Plan Colombia illustrates colonialism, capitalism, and the effects they have had on the Colombian society and ecosystem. Even though it covers such a heavy issue, the artwork is fun to look at. To learn more, visit their website at www.beehivecollective.org. Thanks for reading. Check back with our blog in the future to stay posted. Just like the Plan Colombia poster posted on my wall. Peace, Miguel Newson, Asheville GO team member

350: International Day of Action

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:49:00 -0400

Why 350?
Because scientists are telling us that 350 parts per million (ppm) is the maximum amount of atmospheric CO2 that would enable Earth to be a safe home for humans, not to mention all our non-human cohabitants. Right now we're at 387 ppm. Where's the Action?
All over the globe, individuals and organizations are taking part in this October 24 day of service in an effort to reduce CO2 emissions. Some people are working to change legislation, some are developing public awareness, and others are volunteering at myriad service projects in their communities.
How is GO taking part?
The Green Opportunities Energy Team is joining together with Americorps and over 70 volunteers to weatherize 5 homes in the Burton St. Weed-n-Seed community in West Asheville. Click here to download the flyer. What can I do?
Visit www.asheville350.org to see what's happening in Asheville. Join local environmental activists at Asheville City Hall from 2-4 pm for a Climate Action Rally. Not in Asheville? Visit www.350.org to see what's happening in your area. Remember, 350 is not just a day. The day of service is a symbol of the ongoing effort needed to ensure a healthy future for us all.

Green Opportunities on ABC News

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:50:00 -0400

A local company is using stimulus money to get people employed and help the environment. Green...

Press Release: Green Opportunities and Conservation Pros Team Up for the American Red Cross

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 18:38:00 -0400

Wilderness Retreat

dan@greenopportunities.org — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:55:00 -0400

The fall cycle of the 2009-2010 Asheville GO program began on September 1st with a 4 day wilderness/orientation retreat. The goals of the retreat included helping members feel more comfortable and familiar with our local ecosystems, establishing clear program expectations and norms, and sowing seeds that will be important themes throughout the program. The trip began with a day and a night at the 4-H camp in Swannanoa, where members were able to get acquainted with each other on the football field and basketball court. Local youth advocate, natural health practitioner and Green Brothers founder Accem Scott spoke to the group about the importance of goals and a mission. Then the new members worked together with staff to develop policies for the program governing attire, attendance, and professional behavior. That evening, the members were joined by GO staff and board members for a barbecue and campfire. The next morning wilderness instructors Greg Gillette and Beth Hockman from Asheville TAASC arrived to lead the team in a full morning of team-building initiatives before heading to the Pisgah National Forest near Brevard where the team embarked in a three-day excursion. The trail took them through rhododendron groves, past beaver dams, and over Cedar Rock. They were joined by local ecologist Josh Kelly who showed the members how to identify (and cook) wild mushrooms, how to start a fire without a match or a lighter, and a lot more. All ten of the members who began the trip completed it, and on the way out, the team created a "charter" that defines how they plan to function as a group for the year. Click here for a slideshow with photos from the trip.

Energy Team Weatherizes First Home of the Season

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 11:57:00 -0400

Weatherization services typically include the following:

sealing major air leaks
installing insulation in attics, walls and floors
sealing ducts
carbon monoxide testing of combustion appliances
installing jackets on water heaters
weatherstripping
caulking
installing low flow shower heads and faucet aerators
replacing existing lighting with CFLs

This free weatherization service is available to those who have an annual household income below twice the Federal Poverty scale (download chart). Please contact the GO Energy Team at (828) 398-4168 for more information.

WPVM's Wally Bowen Interviews GO

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:21:00 -0400

This radio interview gives a great introduction to who we are and what we do here at GO. Cofounders...

Van Jones Asks Supporters to Promote Green Jobs

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:04:00 -0400

The following message was sent on Tuesday by Van Jones to his supporters and friends. For those of you who are unfamiliar with his work, Jones is a leading figure in the green movement and in the fight for environmental justice. He is the founder of Green for All -an organization that continually inspires all of us at GO- which defines itself as "a national organization working to build an inclusive green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty." He also co-founded Color of Change, an organization committed to bringing about racial justice in America. Jones recently resigned from his post as special advisor to the White House Council on Environmental Quality due to an aggressive attack spearheaded by Fox newscaster Glenn Beck. Here is his message: Dear Friends: My family and I want to thank everyone for the outpouring of love and support that we have received over the past week or so. I resigned from the White House on Sept. 6, and I have remained silent since then�in keeping with my promise not to be a distraction during a key moment in the Obama Presidency. Over the past several days, however, many people have been asking how they can help and what they can do. The main thing is this: please do everything you can to support both President Obama and the green jobs movement. Winning real change is ultimately the best response to these kinds of smear campaigns. I ask everyone to: 1. Support President Obama�s efforts to fix our nation�s health care, energy and education systems. His victory last fall did not represent the �finish line� in the fight to renew America; his election was just the �starting line.� This autumn, it is time to make history again�with victories on health care and clean energy. 2. Sign up to support groups that are working for green jobs. As others seek to vilify or marginalize the movement for a clean energy economy, the leading groups deserve increased support. This is the year to ensure that the clean energy transformation creates good job opportunities for everyone in America. 3. Spread the green jobs gospel. The ideas and ideals of the green jobs movement are grounded in fundamental American values�innovation, entrepreneurship, and equal opportunity. My true thoughts can be found in my book: The Green Collar Economy. Check it out from the library�or order a copy and share it with a friend. See for yourself why clean energy and green jobs are good for our country. 4. Stay connected and speak up for me via your favorite blogs (e.g., Huffington Post, Grist, Jack & Jill, etc.), on message boards and all of your favorite social networking platforms (Twitter, Facebook, etc.). Supporters have set up a couple of them, to help you stay engaged, including: I Stand With Van Jones and I Love Van Jones. In due course, I will be offering my perspective on what has happened�including correcting the record about false charges. In the meantime, I must get my family affairs in order and sort through numerous offers and options. I want to be clear that I have nothing but love and admiration for President Obama and the entire administration. White House staffers are there to serve and support the President, not the other way around. At this critical moment in history, I could not in good conscience ask my colleagues to expend precious time and energy defending or explaining my past. The White House needs all its hands on deck, fighting for the future. Of course, some supporters actually think I will be more effective on the �outside.� Maybe so. But those ideas always remind me of that old canard about Winston Churchill. After he lost a hard-fought election, a friend told him: �Winston, this really is just a blessing in disguise.� Churchill quipped: �Damned good disguise.� I can certainly relate to that sentiment right now. :) Nonetheless, we must keep moving forward. Let�s continue our work to make an America as good as its promise. These are historic times. And we have a lot more history to make. Sincerely, Van Jones

NYTimes Reports on Toxic Water in West Virginia

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:36:00 -0400

Jennifer Hall-Massey knows not to drink the tap water in her home near Charleston, W.Va. In...

We Are Appalachia: Take a Stand Against Mountaintop Removal

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 11:02:00 -0400

All next week artists, activists, and educators will come together to expose the truth about mountaintop removal. Come learn about the atrocity that is destroying our biodiverse landscape for the sake of coal. According to collaborative artists The Beehive Collective, "Every day, mountaintop removal mines use more explosive power than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Mining companies are clear-cutting thousands of acres of some of the world's most biologically diverse forests. They're burying biologically crucial headwaters streams with blasting debris, releasing toxic levels of heavy metals into the remaining streams and groundwater and poisoning essential drinking water." Please take this opportunity to educate yourself and take direct action against mountaintop removal coal mining. September 14 � Writemind Institute 7PM:
Photo exhibit by human rights photographer
Paul Corbit Brown and NY Times photojournalist
Antrim Caskey. Life long activist and author Mike Roselle, co-founder of the Rainforest Action Network and Earth First! will be discussing his new book, Tree Spiker.
September 16 � Mo Daddy�s 8PM:
Old time mountain and bluegrass music.
Special guest The LoneTones, Andrew McKnight and more. It�s gonna get rowdy y�all. Bring it if you play it. September 17 � Asheville Brewing Co. 9:30PM: The Asheville premier of �Coal Country�, a dramatic look at modern coal mining. Hear from working miners along with activists who are battling coal companies in Appalachia. This is the film the coal company doesn�t want you to see.
September 18 � Carolina Cinema 7:30PM:
The North Carolina Premier of the award winning
film �One Water� presented by international water
journalist and editor of 1h20.org Joseph Treaster. Followed by a panel discussion with coalfield residents and activists. Cocktail reception in the upstairs mezzanine immediately following with Poet Laura Hope-Gill All events are $10 at the door.
100% of the proceeds go to the campaign to end mountaintop removal. www.climategroundzero.org
Also, check out this footage of a June protest against mountaintop mining in the coalfields of Virginia. The activists succeeded in shutting down the mine, but Massy Energy is demanding $300,000 in damages. Follow the link to watch the video and see how you can help. Hope to see you all next week.

Green the Block

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 20:49:00 -0400

President Obama has called upon all Americans to participate in our nation's recovery and...

Press Release, Twestival Local Asheville 2009

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:49:00 -0400

In February, people from all over the world joined together for Twestival and community by community raised over $250,000 for 55 different clean drinking water projects. All of this was organized using Twitter, the social networking tool where �micro-bloggers� post �tweets� in 140 characters or less. Twestival Asheville raised three times the international average. This weekend, cities all over the world are participating in Twestival Local and the international event promises to be even better, with the hopes of raising one million dollars in one month. Asheville, North Carolina, known for it�s staggering natural beauty and vibrant arts community is also home to a an active Twitter community that will be out in full force for Twestival Local. On Sunday, September 13th at Asheville Pizza & Brewing at 77 Coxe Avenue from 2PM-8PM, Twestival Local Asheville will be raising money for the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP), a non-profit that promotes environmentally sound, economically viable, and healthy local farming. Asheville�s Twestival Local will include farm fresh produce, a photo booth, a pizza pie creation contest, Corn Hole contest + some incredible raffle items. In addition to a live musical cakewalk, Asheville�s own Now You See Them will be headlining the musical entertainment. This is an event not to be missed in Western North Carolina! It will be a great place to hear some Asheville bands and network with internet savvy, influential people in the community while raising money for a good cause. So while we support buying and eating local, let�s take a day to celebrate that at a local gathering! Purchase tickets here: http://asheville.twestival.com/
Asheville Pizza & Brewing: http://www.ashevillepizza.com/ To find out how you can help, email Twestival Asheville at
avltwestival@gmail.com & follow them on Twitter http://twitter.com/avltwestival. Find them on Facebook at Twestival Local Asheville. This press release was donated to Twestival by Leaflet PR. Leafletpr.com.

You're Invited to the "Clean Water for NC" Anniversary Party

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:42:00 -0400

Here's their invitation: Clean Water for North Carolina, founded in 1984 (as Clean Water Fund of NC) to work with communities for clean water, air and environmental justice, is celebrating our 25th Birthday and we want YOU to join us for an afternoon of fun, food, music, inspiration and thanks for new and old members, staff, and supporters!

CWFNC 25th Anniversary Celebration
Saturday, September 19th 1:30 to 5:00 PM
Burton St. Recreation Center
134 Burton St. Asheville

The fabulous Fruit of Labor Singing Ensemble of Black Workers for Justice and local/regional musicians and poets will invoke the spirit of struggles and victories past and future in working for environmental, social and workplace justice.

Share memories and accomplishments; learn about critical current issues in environmental justice, as well as safe and affordable water and energy.

Enjoy a healthy light meal, birthday cake, games and fellowship together.

This event is free for all current CWFNC members and supporters, but space is limited! To reserve your place by September 9, please contact Hope at hope@cwfnc.org or 919-401-9600 or Gracia at 800-929-4480, and we�ll confirm your reservation.

To join or renew your membership, use the coupon in our latest �Clean Currents� or visit www.cwfnc.org and click on the �donate� button.

Thanks, and we hope to see you there!

Save the Date for the West Asheville Garden Stroll

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:46:00 -0400

Get yourself to the West Asheville Library at 10:30 on September 12 and parade through the west side of town for a tour of your neighbors' bountiful gardens. Follow the link to read the flyer.