Lloyd Clayton, a champion of southern forests, has died
Lloyd Clayton, environmental activist, champion of southern forests, and hero to many working in the environmental movement, has died. In 1996, forest protection activists gathered in Bankhead National Forest in Alabama to discuss the destruction of southern forests. At that time, chip mills were appearing across the south and consuming forests at an alarming rate. Activists knew something had to be done—and quickly. It was at that meeting that Lloyd Clayton pledged to fund a new organization to fight forest destruction across the south. With Clayton’s support, co-directors were hired at the newly formed Dogwood Alliance, a non-profit organization that protects southern forests across 14 states. Friends say that Clayton’s memory will serve as a beacon of hope and a reminder to keep fighting the good fight.
Asheville, NC has earned the moniker Climate City
Asheville, NC has become an important center for climate expertise, earning it the moniker Climate City. The city of 90,000 is home to the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), the world’s largest repository of climatological data. NCEI employs more than 300 climate and data scientists, including a handful of Nobel Prize winners. The U.S. Air Force’s 14th Weather Squadron, which provides climate services to the defense and intelligence communities, is also located in Asheville. The University of North Carolina Asheville’s National Environmental Modeling and Analysis Center (NEMAC) worked with NOAA to build the U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit for the Obama administration, and the city is also home to non-profit The Collider, the first entrepreneurship, and innovation center in the country built to support startups that use data to help the world become more resilient to climate change. Together, Beer City and Climate City have a nice ring.
Rally to support the “Green New Deal” happening in Richmond, VA today
Virginia activists and community leaders will rally at the Capitol Square Bell Tower in Richmond, VA today in support of a “Green New Deal” for the state. Support of a “Green New Deal,” a proposed economic stimulus program that aims to address economic inequality and climate change, has reached fever pitch across the nation. Building on that momentum, Delegate Sam Rasoul (D-11) recently introduced a resolution for a “Green New Deal Virginia,” which promotes a “just transition” to a 100 percent clean energy economy with large-scale investments in efficiency and jobs. Policy themes of the Virginia Green New Deal also include clean water and air, and investment in local-scale agriculture in communities across Virginia. The rally begins at 2 p.
