Community Rising

Community Rising examines environmental news in the coastal Carolina region. We focus on the environment, development, climate change, pollution, and public health.

Hosted ByAkshay Gokul

All Episodes

Duck, NC’s Hurricane Preparations

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...

New Zones Show Who is Most At Risk This Hurricane Season

North Carolina 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...

Increasing Temperatures Worsen Health Disparities in NC

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...

Environmental issues disproportionately impact ENC’s low-income communities of color

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...

After Flooding, a Biologist’s Story

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...

PSA: Chemours Toxic PFA Spill into Cape Fear River

On July 22nd, the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority was notified by the facility Chemours in Fayetteville, North Carolina of a potentially toxic sediment spill into the Cape Fear...

Hurricanes Affect River Systems and Water Quality in Coastal NC

Larry Baldwin is the Crystal Coast Waterkeeper and the Advocacy Director of the White Oak New River Keeper Alliance. He’s an advocate for improving the health and quality of...

Climate Change is Threatening NC’s Largest Estuary

North Carolina’s Albemarle-Pamlico Estuary is the second-largest estuary in the United States and serves as a vital resource for several industries and communities. Bill Crowell, Director of the Albemarle-Pamlico...

Student Housing During Hurricanes and COVID-19

Peter Groenendyk is the Director of Housing at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW) and has experienced countless hurricanes. Groenendyk discusses the process of evacuating students during...