Oct. 5, 2009
Join the Town of Hillsborough on Oct. 24 at Gold Park and other locations as part of NC Big Sweep, North Carolina's component of the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup. Through Big Sweep, all 100 counties in the state will work towards litter-free watersheds.
Last year, about 80 volunteers – along with Durham-based Mainline Contracting, which constructed Gold Park – picked up about 17,530 pounds of trash on 3 miles of roadways and land along the Eno River during the Big Sweep effort.
Check-in for this year’s event will take place at Gold Park, 415 Dimmocks Mill Road, just east of Nash Street. Volunteers will be assigned an area to clean from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Participants can sign up in advance or on the day of the event. Children must have a parental permission slip, and all must sign a waiver.
To sign up for Hillsborough’s NC Big Sweep and to receive supplies, call 919-245-2588 or e-mail: thackett@co.orange.nc.us.
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Sep. 29, 2009
A team of engineering students from North Carolina State University will receive a donated vehicle from General Motors on Friday afternoon at the N.C. Solar House at 1201 Gorman St.
Over the next two years, the students will transform the vehicle into the next generation “EcoCAR” as part of environmental-focused contest.
EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge asks 17 universities across the U.S. and Canada to redesign and reengineer a GM vehicle to further minimize fuel consumption and reduce emissions while retaining the vehicle’s performance and consumer appeal.
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Sep. 29, 2009
Ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held Thursday morning to celebrate the state’s first environmentally-friendly rest area.
The Northwest North Carolina Visitor Center/Rest Area is located in North Wilkesboro on U.S. Highway 421 Northbound, just after Exit 282.
The rest area offers many “green” features that increase energy efficiency, conserve water and reduce greenhouse gases.
Visitors can also enjoy a nature trail on the rest area grounds.
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Sep. 23, 2009
Starting Oct. 1, a state statute banning the disposal of plastic bottles, oil filters and wooden pallets in landfills will take effect in North Carolina.
According to the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, less than one out of every five plastic bottles generated in the state is recovered.
The full list of banned materials can be found in the North Carolina General Statutes at http://www.p2pays.org/ref/38/37984.pdf.
For more information on banned items, call or 800-763-0136 or visit www.p2pays.org.
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Sep. 22, 2009
More North Carolinians are parking their cars and opting for a train or bus.
New research puts the state second in the nation for increased transit use.
In 2008, ridership jumped 16 percent across the state. The Triangle saw a 20 percent increase.
Researchers say the increase in public transportation saved more than 20 million gallons of gasoline.
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