Community Rising examines environmental news in the coastal Carolina region. We focus on the environment, development, climate change, pollution, and public health.
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…
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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,…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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.
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NC is predicted to have an above average hurricane season this year, meaning an increase of evacuation orders is on the horizon. 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. To find out your…
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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…
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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, has been fighting against these injustices for over 20 years and has experienced the emotional toll that comes with such activism. In this episode,…
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Ana Zimmerman is a biology professor at the College of Charleston. She’s also a flood survivor. Over the course of a few years, her home was repeatedly flooded after major storms. The effect of repeated floods caused major damage to her home, and left her with struggles that weigh on her both personally and professionally…
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