I don’t think anybody in Orange County is happy that we are planning to send our trash over the horizon to a giant landfill in some poor God-forsaken community.
I don’t think our county leadership is happy about becoming beholden to a giant waste corporation that will have us by the short hairs when they want to raise the hauling rates somewhere down the road. And you don’t have to be psychic to know that fuel costs are only going to rise.
The current plans for a transfer station harness us to an unethical and increasingly expensive boondoggle. Our best bet is to avoid getting hooked into this unpredictable system by siting our own landfill in Orange County.
First, we have to adjust our perspective and realize that solid waste represents an economic opportunity. The waste stream provides many materials that have a useful purpose. Plus we’ll save money over the long run by avoiding the inevitable price hikes from waste businesses and fuel cost escalation.
Carrboro Candidates Forum: Wednesday, September 2, 7 to 9pm. Town of
Carrboro candidates for Mayor and Board of Aldermen will answer
questions posed by the Orange-Chatham Group of Sierra Club on
environmental topics of interest to the community. The public is
invited and questions will be taken from the audience. The forum will
be broadcast live on local cable channel 18. Town Hall, 301 West Main
Street, Carrboro. Call 942-6114 for info.
Sustain Foundation has published the first comprehensive mapping
of the natural surface trails in Chapel Hill and Carrboro. These important
natural resources are unknown to the community at large.In response, members of the organization used
GPS/GIS to walk to trails, researched and designed 12 trifold brochures about
the 12 main trails in the area and linked them all on general map of Chapel
Hill/Carrboro. There are over 25,000 brochures in print and they are currently
for sale at several businesses and at UNC Student Stores. However, Sustain Foundation
needs help in accomplishing our mission of providing these trail guides to the
community so that people are introduced to these beautiful trails and begin
utilizing them.
Position: Sustain Foundation is
looking for volunteers who genuinely appreciate running in nature or being
active in the environment more generally to promote the Community Trail Guide.
We are building a Task Force of volunteers to attend events and lead creative
efforts in which awareness and sales of the Trail Guide are increased. In
addition, Sustain Foundation hopes to have a weekly guided hike and/or run of
each of the 12 trails over a 12 week period to students or community members.
This volunteer opportunity would be a great way to serve the community by
making information about the vast, beautiful natural areas and trail network
known to all who seek to trail run, hike or connect with nature. Also,
volunteers would be able to network with businesses, non-profits and
students/community members with similiar interests in active living and
promoting natural spaces. Positions could vary from a structured weekly
engagement with the community such as leading a walk/run on a trail to
consideration leadership and creativity in event planning or fundraising for
the Sustain Foundation and for the team through selling
the guides on commission and splitting the revenues. Semester commitment of 3
hours per week. Visit our website: sustainfoundation.org to learn more and contact sustainfoundation@gmail.com
if interested.
I am sure most, if not all, Orange County residents are unaware that a Special Use Permit (SUP) to cram a large dog boarding and training facility on a portion of an occupied residential lot bordering New Hope Creek in the Rural Buffer of Orange County has been granted by our Board of Adjustment (BOA). I am nonplussed how this came to pass.
Orange County’s 1981 Comprehensive Plan describes our Rural Buffer as “a low-density area consisting of single-family homes situated on large lots…a minimum size of two (2) acres…rural in character and which will remain rural, contain low-density residential uses.” New Hope Creek is a primary tributary of Jordan Lake. Several communities draw drinking water from Jordan and thus have a direct interest in protecting its watershed. It is one of the most important wildlife habitats in the Triangle.
Looking to get more involved in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro community? Interested in environmental awareness, healthy lifestyles, educational access, and international partnerships?
Sustain Foundation is a growing, grassroots, community service organization seeing passionate and committed individuals to serve on the board in an advisory role. The requirements of the position include a regular monthly meeting lasting no longer than 90 minutes and critically reading comprehensive ‘update’ documents every other week. Board terms last one year, and additional information is included below. Send an email to Sustain Foundation at sustainfoundation@gmail.com to inquire more information about Sustain Foundation and this opportunity to substantially contribute to the development of a local non-profit.
More information: The mission of Sustain Foundation, a 501c3 based in Carrboro, is to create and implement sustainable solutions to health, environmental and education challenges in the local and global community. The organization focuses on promoting partnership of mutual support in order to match the strengths and needs of different communities. Within the local community the organization has focused on Latina women's health through a walking program as well as environmental awareness through the publishment of the Community Trail Guide, which mapped natural surface trails in the area. Sustain Foundation is also active in promoting well-being through a local women's running group. In Sakina, Tanzania, Sustain Foundation is implementing community-based educational and health programs.
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