You’ve heard of paper shredder, but now meet the machine that shreds Styrofoam and turns it into usable plastic. Meet Audrey, the machine behind the business ‘Feed Me Foam.’Paul Allen, the creator of Feed Me Foam, noted how much space Styrofoam has been taking up landfills and decided to do something about it. His goal […]
WheeLife Episode 7: Environmental edition
May 9, 2025 by
Hear about different environmental stories from around Western North Carolina. We got a behind the scenes of a day-in-the-life of a N.C. Forest Service Ranger based out of Macon County. Greening up the Mountain Festival was at the end of April and the artists from the Green Energy Park showcased some of their art at […]
Microplastics in watershed in Haywood County
May 7, 2025 by
Research at Richland Creek watershed, a head water way that flows through Waynesville, has been found of nine micro plastic particles per liter, which for a perspective is about 20 particles in a 2-liter bottle. Microplastics are classified as a “contaminant of emerging concern,” meaning that being exposed to low levels over long periods of time […]
WCU students explore hurricane-related impacts on local waterways
April 24, 2025 by
A group of passionate undergraduate students found a way to put a positive spin on Hurricane Helene while researching its impact on local waterways. Through their research, the six students – Dulaney Boonsue, Mei Cornell, Hunter Gibbs, Agnes Koury, Lucus Solomon and Austin Hutchinson – discovered that significantly low groundwater prior to the storm helped […]
BearWise keeps bears wild in Waynesville
March 22, 2024 by
Kim Parker was spending a normal weekend afternoon with family in the living room when she spied something out the window that left her speechless. “I looked out and at first I couldn’t get the words out. I’m just pointing at the yard. The bear just came down from my neighbor’s yard, and then just […]
Landing the big one: rise in trout fishing supports outdoor economy
February 28, 2024 by
Haywood County ranks in the top five most popular counties for trout fishing in North Carolina, which contributes $1.38 billion annually to the state’s economy, according to a comprehensive study that analyzed the economic impact of trout fishing. The newly-released study was developed by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. It dives deep and analyzes […]
