Campaign 2007 - We're On Our Way
ESNC's 2007 campaign season is up and running. Our goal for 2007: to increase pledges to the environment by 13% over 2006 levels!

ESNC organizations are attending campaign kickoff events across the state for local, state, and federal government employee campaigns. Be sure to come by and say hello. Also remember to look for ESNC in your pledge brochure:

State Employees Combined Campaign: #1100
Combined Federal Campaign: #15322

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ESNC - Coming to a Workplace Near You
ESNC is proud to announce our newest campaign partner: United Airlines. The airline is based in Illinois, has a location at the Piedmont Triad International Airport, and is now part of a larger movement supporting the environment through employee workplace giving donations. To find out how to add Earth Share of North Carolina to your workplace campaign, contact Heather Beard, 919-687-4840 or 800-200-6311.

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In the News
Disappearing Common Birds Send Environmental Wake-Up Call

Population declines for some of the most recognized and beloved birds in North Carolina echo the disturbing findings of a new analysis by the National Audubon Society, which reveals how local and national threats are combining to take a toll on birds, habitat and the environment across the country.

The national study found that populations of some common birds have decreased dramatically over the past forty years. In North Carolina, Northern Bobwhite, Loggerhead Shrike, and Eastern Meadowlark topped the list, with declines of between 96% and 79%. The Colonial Waterbird Monitoring Program has revealed a 79% decline in the numbers of nesting Common Terns along the North Carolina coast from 1977 to 2006. These dramatic declines are attributed to the loss of grasslands, healthy forests and wetlands, and other critical habitats. The culprit: multiple environmental threats such as sprawl, energy development, and the spread of industrialized agriculture.

The study notes that these threats are now compounded by new and broader problems including the escalating effects of global warming and demand for corn-based ethanol. With North Carolina’s population expected to grow by more than 50% in the next two decades, these birds and their habitats are going to be under increased pressure for suitable habitats.

More information about Audubon’s Common Birds in Decline analysis is available at www.audubon.org, with information on NC birds at www.ncaudubon.org. Both sites identify important ways that concerned individuals can help ensure that these common birds remain common. You can also contact Karen Fernandez with Audubon North Carolina at (919) 929-3899 for more information.

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Sustainability Corner
PVC… The Poison Plastic

Why are Microsoft, Johnson and Johnson, Wal-Mart, and Crabtree & Evelyn phasing out their use of PVC in packaging? PVC is dangerous to human health and the environment throughout its entire life cycle, at the factory, in our homes, and in the trash. When produced or burned, PVC plastic releases dioxins, a group of the most potent synthetic chemicals ever tested, which can cause cancer and harm the immune and reproductive systems. You can tell if PVC is used if the number “3” is inside or the letter is “V” underneath the universal recycling symbol.

One way to learn more about this pertinent issue that affects us all is to watch the online video put out by the Center for Health, Environment and Justice (CHEJ) at www.pvcfree.org. The PVC Consumer Campaign is coordinated by the BE SAFE Initiative of the Center for Health, Environment and Justice. The campaign is made up of and led by grassroots community, regional, statewide, and national environmental health and justice organizations from around the United States. Since the campaign was founded, they have worked with and convinced the companies mentioned above to phase out their use of PVC in packaging. They are leveraging these victories to build momentum for further commitments to safe products. For more information, visit www.besafenet.com and learn how you can avoid this toxic plastic.

Triangle Land Conservancy (TLC) played a key role in the state’s acquisition of an 82-acre tract in Chatham County as an addition to the lower Haw River State Natural Area. As a result, the parcel protects about 2,000 feet of frontage on the Haw and another 3,400 feet of buffer on both sides of two small tributaries. With Pittsboro’s drinking water intake directly across the river, these buffers will help protect the community’s drinking water supply. For more information, please visit www.tlc-nc.org.

NC Rail Trails (NCRT) and North Carolina’s Sampson County Parks and Recreation are partnering to assess the trail potential of the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad corridor. This corridor running through Stedman, Autryville, Roseboro, Garland, and Ivanhoe will provide additional recreational opportunities in an area currently devoid of rail-trails. For more information, please call 919-542-0022.

The Western North Carolina Alliance (WNCA) was recently awarded a grant from the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina to educate, organize and mobilize citizens to take an active role in shaping land use policy in Macon and Jackson counties. WNCA will carry out a comprehensive campaign that will incorporate civic participation, media outreach and marketing, volunteerism, education and diverse partnerships. Land use policies to be addressed include measures to reduce stormwater runoff, moderate unsafe construction on steep slopes, protect ridge tops, small farms and viewsheds, and focus new growth in appropriate corridors. For more information, please contact Jody Flemming at 828-258-8737 or visit www.wnca.org.

The Eno River Association (ERA) is happy to announce that twelve acres of rare plant habitat near Penny’s Bend Nature Preserve in Durham were acquired through the ERA’s Diabase Project Partnership with the NC Plant Conservation Program (PCP) and NC Botanical Garden. The landowner has been very enthusiastic about the Project, allowing PCP access to manage the property even before the sale was complete. Over the last 18 months, PCP has used prescribed burning and thinning to open the overstory and bring much needed sunlight to the forest floor, where the plants are beginning to thrive. For more information, please visit www.enoriver.org.

The Piedmont Land Conservancy (PLC) completed five more projects that protect the outstanding water quality of Surry County’s Mitchell River. Totaling 172 acres and protecting nearly five miles of stream frontage, these projects were completed in conjunction with The Mitchell River Coalition, North Carolina’s Clean Water Management Trust Fund (CWMTF), Ecosystem Enhancement Program (EEP) and landowner contributions. For more information, please visit www.piedmontland.org.

The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) is fighting to protect the Cumberland Plateau in the westernmost extension of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. This land boasts some of the earth’s richest biodiversity and harbors the highest concentration of endangered species in North America. SELC is striving to protect the 50,000-acres from the most destructive forms of resource extraction, including mountaintop removal mining. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) owns a large amount of land and underlying coal reserves on the Plateau. Recently, TVA adopted a policy halting sales and leases of its lands for residential and some commercial uses. Although SELC actively supported the policy, they highlighted that it did not address TVA’s extensive mineral rights. TVA called for a review of the issue, and SELC will press for well-defined management policies that safeguard sensitive lands. For more information, visit www.southernenvironment.org.

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