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On tap: Learn how the local Sierra Club is fighting climate change
Harvey Broome hiding in a buckeye tree on the way to Hughes Ridge, July 25, 1931. Albert “Dutch” Roth
KNOXVILLE — The latest round of Conversation on Tap features members of the local Harvey Broome group of the Sierra Club discussing its efforts to address climate change.
It’s set for 7 p.m. Dec. 13 at Albright Brewing Company, 2924 Sutherland Ave. Proceeds from the event will benefit Discover Life in America, a crucial science partner with Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Join Harvey Broome group vice-chairman Jerry Thornton and others to learn more about the local chapter of the Sierra Club and its efforts to address climate change.
Named after a Smokies advocate and Wilderness Society founder, the Harvey Broome chapter of the Sierra Club has been fighting to preserve wild places; create clean, safe communities; and encourage recycling and clean energy since 1972.
Photograph from the Albert “Dutch” Ross Photograph Collection at the University of Tennessee Libraries
Albert Gordon "Dutch" Roth, born September 20, 1890 in Knoxville, Tennessee, is recognized as one of the most prolific early photographers of the Great Smoky Mountains' Greenbrier and Mount Le Conte sections. An early member of the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club, his photographs document club hikes and activities, including the construction of the clubhouse at Greenbrier.
What began in 1913 as a diversion soon developed into a serious avocation as Roth perfected his penchant for photography while avidly hiking the unexplored regions near his home. He worked primarily with a Kodak Autographic 122 camera, and, often carrying a heavy tripod, would climb twenty to thirty feet up a tree or venture hundreds of yards off the trail to capture the landscape images for which he was later noted.
Greener solution powers new method for lithium-ion battery recycling
ORNL researchers Lu Yu and Yaocai Bai examine vials that contain a chemical solution that causes the cobalt and lithium to separate from a spent battery, followed by a second stage when cobalt precipitates in the bottom. Carlos Jones/ORNL/DOE
OAK RIDGE — Used lithium-ion batteries from cell phones, laptops and a growing number of electric vehicles are piling up, but options for recycling them remain limited mostly to burning or chemically dissolving shredded batteries. The current state-of-the-art methods can pose environmental challenges and be difficult to make economical at the industrial scale.
The conventional process recovers few of the battery materials and relies on caustic, inorganic acids and hazardous chemicals that may introduce impurities. It also requires complicated separation and precipitation to recover the critical metals. However, recovering metals such as cobalt and lithium could reduce both pollution and reliance on foreign sources and choked supply chains.
This research is funded as a project of the Advanced Battery Recycling Consortium, or ReCell, a program of the Vehicle Technologies Office within DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Lu Yu and Yaocai Bai and researchers Rachid Essehli and Anuj Bisht contributed to the study, which utilized the DOE’s Center for Nanophase Materials Science at ORNL.
— Oak Ridge National Laboratory
ORNL separates rare earth from the chaff
Membrane solvent extraction schematic. ORNL
OAK RIDGE — Caldera Holding, the owner and developer of Missouri’s Pea Ridge iron mine, has entered a nonexclusive research and development licensing agreement with Oak Ridge National Laboratory to apply a membrane solvent extraction technique, or MSX, developed by ORNL researchers to process mined ores. MSX provides a scalable, efficient way to separate rare earth elements, or REEs, from mixed mineral ores.
The MSX technology was pioneered at ORNL by researchers in the Department of Energy’s Critical Materials Innovation Hub, or CMI, led by Ames National Laboratory. The inventors, Ramesh Bhave and Syed Islam of ORNL’s Chemical Sciences Division are named in 26 inventions and five active licenses related to the recovery of REEs.
Cades Cove Loop Lope raises more than $110,000 to support the GSMNP
Written by Friends of the Smokies
Debi Nixon of Belton, Missouri crosses the finish line at the Cades Cove Loop Lope.
750 people from 27 states participated in the 7th Annual Cades Cove Loop Lope
On Sunday morning, Nov. 12, Friends of the Smokies hosted approximately 700 runners and walkers for the 7th Annual Cades Cove Loop Lope to support Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Through registration and sponsorships, the experience generated more than $110,000 to support a wide range of park programs including historic preservation, wildlife protection, search and rescue efforts, and Parks as Classrooms education programs.
“Experiencing Cades Cove on foot is an incredible opportunity to unplug and enjoy the splendor of the mountains, while also raising critically needed funds to support their care,” said Friends of the Smokies President Dana Soehn.
Southeast highlighted in latest national climate assessment
Written by Southern Environmental Law Center
The Tennessee Valley states (TN, AL, MS) are among the most irresponsible in their languid pondering about climate change mitigation. Illustration from the 5th National Climate Assessment
Urgent investments in local solutions are needed now more than ever as climate impacts grow across the South
The 5th National Climate Assessment, released this week by the U.S. Government, reports on the current climate trends, impacts and solutions across the country. It underscores the urgency and opportunities for meaningful climate action.
This year, it includes a chapter highlighting how climate is impacting our Southeastern landscape and communities, plus what trends we can expect in the years ahead.
The report substantiates what we’ve been witnessing on the ground: Extreme heatwaves are already more common, sea level rise is encroaching into coastal communities and throughout the region, we’re seeing more flooding from increasingly unpredictable, volatile storms. According to the report, the country now sees a billion-dollar weather disaster every three weeks on average. In the 1980s, that average was every four months.
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Construction continues on Lakeview Drive in GSMNP
Road will reopen with single-lane closures on Nov. 16 at 12 p.m.
GATLINBURG— Great Smoky Mountains National Park continues to rehabilitate Lakeview Drive in North Carolina through Great American Outdoor Act funding. The NPS will open Lakeview Drive to vehicles on Nov. 16 at 12 p.m., but visitors shouldplan for temporary single-lane closures andperiodic closures of some parking areas as construction is completed.
Construction crews will continue to rehabilitate parking areas, guardrails, headwalls and more over the next few weeks. Crews will complete the road rehabilitation in the spring when they place the final layer of asphalt that will provide for a smoother ride.
Hikers and visitors will be able to access the Noland Creek Trail, Lakeshore Trail, Goldmine Loop Trail, Benton MacKaye Trail, or Lakeview Drive Tunnel from the road, but may not be able to park at the closest parking lot to the trailhead. Visitors should expect to see machinery and equipment in the area until the project is complete.
AMERICA RECYCLES DAY November 15
America Recycles Day® (ARD), a Keep America Beautiful national initiative, is the only nationally-recognized day dedicated to promoting and celebrating recycling in the United States.
When: Wed. Nov. 15, 2023 / 3 – 6 pm
Where: UT Surplus/Warehousing
2111 Stephenson Dr, Knoxville, TN
ONE DAY to educate.
ONE DAY to motivate.
ONE DAY to make recycling bigger & better.
America Recycles Day by the numbers
In the past year, our hard-working volunteers and affiliates have recycled:
2,335,135+ pounds of mixed paper
1,492,898+ pounds of electronics
535,918+ pounds of beverage containers
157,958+ pounds of clothing/textiles
1,899,869+ pounds of single-stream recycling
6,056,816+ pounds of other recycled materials
And more.
In total, we’ve recycled over 16.5 million pounds of recyclables and counting.
Find out more about sponsoring an event or finding one in your area by visiting https://kab.org/our-signature-programs/america-recycles-day/ard-faq/
What to expect at Great Smoky Mountains National Park this Veterans Day weekend
GATLINBURG — In commemoration of Veterans Day, visitors to Great Smoky Mountains National Park will not be required to purchase or display a parking tag on Saturday, Nov. 11. This will be the last fee-free day of the year at the Smokies and across the National Park Service.
Visitors who wish to buy a weekly or annual tag on Saturday may continue to do so online, in the park or at various locations in park communities. Park rangers will continue their parking enforcement efforts on fee-free days, such as issuing warnings and citations for vehicles parked in marked no-parking areas. The Smokies participated in three other fee-free days this year: National Park Week in April, the anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act in August, and National Public Lands Day in September.
On Sunday, Nov. 12, Cades Cove Loop Road will open at 11 a.m. Friends of the Smokies, the park’s philanthropic partner, is hosting the annual Cades Cove Loop Lope, a foot race that gives registered runners a chance to run a 3.1- or 10-mile loop course in Cades Cove.
The Cades Cove Loop Lope is the only organized footrace held inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park, to benefit Friends of the Smokies. All funds raised benefit park projects and programs such as historic preservation, wildlife conservation, native plant and grassland restoration, and much more.
Residential glass collection program to launch in November, as Knoxville startups tackle sustainability
Written by MaryBeth Mahne
KnoxFill founder Dr. Michaela Barnett was recently featured on WUOT to address trash and sustainability. KnoxFill
This article was originally published on WUOT in a collaboration with students from the University of Tennessee's Department of Journalism and Media
Two Knoxville-based startups are tackling the challenges of waste and sustainability, one household at a time
KnoxFill, founded by Dr. Michaela Barnett, is the city’s only refillery, and provides household and food products, ranging from shampoo and laundry detergent to coffee and tea.
Vitriform3D, a 3D printer technology focused on using glass waste and converting it into architectural building products, was founded by Alex Stiles, PhD and Dustin Gilmer, PhD.
Both businesses are filling a void left by a lack of state and local policies to address sustainability issues, and by the logistics challenges of recycling. “We know from the science that recycling can be part of a sustainable waste management program, but it really comes after trying to reduce source waste,” Barnett said. “Recycling really should be a last resort.”
Vitriform3D offers consumers the chance to recycle, and know that their recyclables are also being re-used. Knoxville has long lacked easy glass recycling capabilities; currently, residents have to transport their own glass to one of five repositories around the city. “We’re launching a service we call Fourth & Glass, Stiles said. “That is Knoxville’s first dedicated glass only recycling program. We do have the equipment to handle glass and turn it into new products.”
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Great Smoky Mountains National Park implements backcountry fire restrictions
GATLINBURG — Due to dry conditions and the increased risk for wildfires, the National Park Service (NPS) is temporarily banning backcountry campfires in Great Smoky Mountains National Park effective immediately. The fire restriction will be in effect until further notice.
“We are experiencing dry conditions throughout the park, in both North Carolina and Tennessee,” said Deputy Superintendent Alan Sumeriski. “With dry conditions persisting over the next week, it is imperative that we reduce the risk of human-caused wildfires.”
The fire restriction only applies to campers using the park’s 100 backcountry sites and shelters. It does not affect campers at the park’s front country (developed) campgrounds or picnickers using fire grills at picnic areas. Fires in developed areas must always be confined to designated fire rings and grills. The NPS asks front country campers to reduce the risk of wildfires by extinguishing fires completely until ashes are cool to the touch. Backpackers may use stoves with compressed gas canisters.
The NPS is working with multiple area agencies in response to current and predicted weather and fuel conditions. Visitors should use extra caution recreating on public lands including national parks and national forests in North Carolina and Tennessee when fire danger is increased.
Tennessee Tree Day
It’s that time of year again — time to reserve your trees for Tennessee Tree Day 2024. Reserve yours now and plan on picking them up on March 15th or 16th and planting them that weekend. Here are some special things to know about this year’s statewide native-tree-planting extravaganza:
- This is the 10th Annual Tennessee Tree Day
- You have more than 12 native species to choose from
- Plant at home, on the farm, or anywhere you have permission to plant
- You have more than 150 pick-up sites to choose from
- We anticipate planting our one millionth tree in 2024 — we want you to be part of this historic milestone. (We founded the Tree Program in 2007 with a goal of planting one million trees. You can help us cross the finish line!)
Arbor Day Bonus: $4.3 mil in FED grants means more Knoxville trees
Please join Mayor Kincannon, City Council members, Trees Knoxville and University of Tennessee leaders, and others at the City Tree Board’s Arbor Day tree-planting at 2 p.m. Monday, Nov. 6, at Harriet Tubman Park, 300 Harriet Tubman St.
Thanks to two federal grants totaling $4.3 million, tree lovers hoping to expand Knoxville’s canopy — especially in neighborhoods needing it the most — are especially joyful this Arbor Day.
The federal government has awarded $1.7 million to Trees Knoxville, a City nonprofit partner, to plant and maintain 7,500 trees along streets, in parks, at schools, in public housing communities, in historic African-American cemeteries and elsewhere.
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, was awarded another $2.6 million to increase tree canopy coverage, reduce stormwater runoff, mitigate extreme heat and bring ecosystem services to underserved communities in East Knoxville.
Both tree grants were funded through the federal Inflation Reduction Act, touted as the biggest climate investment in U.S. history.
“The investments made possible by these federal grants will be transformative,” Mayor Indya Kincannon said. “We’re going to reverse the slow decline of tree canopy, and in fact prioritizing the greening up of areas that we know are the most in need of additional plantings.”
Celebrate the history of the Smokies at Daisy Town Day on Nov. 4
Elkmont company town circa 1912. National Park Service
GATLINBURG — Great Smoky Mountains National Park rangers and volunteers invite the public to Daisy Town Day in the Elkmont Historic District on Saturday, Nov. 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Daisy Town Day is a celebration honoring those who lived, worked and played in the area before the creation of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
As part of the celebration, volunteers in historical clothing will share stories and photos of the Daisy Town area in its heyday. At the Appalachian Clubhouse, visitors can watch a 1928 home movie showing the Daisy Town area, listen to music by local band Wild Blue Yonder, and explore exhibits spotlighting daily Daisy Town life. All cabins will be open to the public.
For almost 150 years, the Elkmont area was home to Little River Lumber Company, one of the largest logging companies that operated in the pre-park years. But by the early 1900s, the area became a popular vacation destination for members of Knoxville’s Appalachian Club. Beginning in 1910, the Appalachian Club leased land from the lumber company to create a hunting and fishing camp and build vacation homes. At one time there were over 80 structures in the area, including Daisy Town and nearby Society Hill and Millionaire’s Row. Today 18 restored buildings tell the story of the history of tourism in the Smokies. Friends of the Smokies, the park’s philanthropic partner, has helped fund restoration of many of the Daisy Town buildings.
Daisy Town is near Elkmont Campground, which is approximately 6 miles west of Sugarlands Visitor Center near Gatlinburg, Tennessee. For more information call the visitor center at 865-436-1291.
Annual Fontana lakeshore trash cleanup Nov. 3 - 5
Written by Hellbender Press
Volunteers needed
Lake Fontana needs help cleaning up the shoreline trash. Led by Brandon Jones, Harbor Master at the Fontana Village Marina, this event is one of the most extensive cleanups on national park lands.
Jones won the 2023 Governor’s Conservation Achievement Award as the Public Lands Conservationist of the Year for his efforts. He has launched successful cleanup efforts for Lake Fontana in western North Carolina, where volunteers, park rangers and community members have come together for the last five years to remove more than 200,000 pounds of garbage from the lake and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park shoreline.
Through partnerships with organizations like the North Carolina Wildlife Federation and Mainspring Conservation Trust, the initiative has made a significant impact and inspired others to take ownership of the cleanup, making it the most extensive cleanup on national park lands.
Friends of the Smokies recognizes national, regional and student artists with ‘Plein Air Smokies’ awards
Written by Lauren Gass
Fulton High School students with finished paintings at Plein Air Smokies event. Lauren Gass, Friends of the Smokies
More than 60 artists created one-of-a-kind paintings generating more than $319,000 to support Great Smoky Mountains National Park
MARYVILLE — Friends of the Smokies recently welcomed 80 artists to Great Smoky Mountains National Park for the 2nd Annual ‘Plein Air Smokies,’ an event that not only raises critical funds for the park, but also allows visitors to experience the on-site creation of park-inspired art. The event raised $319,000 in total revenue, including more than $167,000 in artwork sales.
“We are so grateful for this generation of talented artists who captured unique Smokies scenes that tell the story of the park today in much the same way as those early painters and photographers whose images inspired the creation of the park,” said Friends President Dana Soehn.
Twenty nationally acclaimed artists were selected from a juried pool of 100 artists. They spent the week creating 158 one-of-a-kind paintings in places like Cades Cove, Clingmans Dome, Newfound Gap Road and Elkmont. Artwork was judged by renowned Plein Air artist, Mark Hanson, who awarded the following six artists with special recognition: Best of Show, Charles Newman; Artists’ Choice/Body of Work, Kathie Odom; Best Use of Light, Marc Anderson; Best Water, Christine Lashley; Best Structure, Lindsay Richard Sneary; and Best Landscape, Richie Vios.
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Join a community of Tennesseans carving out gardens to attract, feed and nurture pollinating wildlife
These signs will show your friends and neighbors that your wildflower garden supports pollinators and hopefully get them excited about starting a pollinator garden too! Our original signs are made from embossed, recycled aluminum and measure 8 x 12 inches. They are available for a donation of $25 each and can be shipped directly to you. Tennessee Environmental Council
Through Generate Some Buzz, the Tennessee Environmental Council aims to engage hundreds of Tennesseans in establishing new pollinator habitats statewide. All gardens, both big and small are welcome and by participating in this program, you are joining a vibrant community of Tennesseans committed to protecting our pollinators, one plot at a time.
Populations of many pollinator species like bees, butterflies, moths, beetles and hummingbirds have been negatively impacted by agricultural practices such as using synthetic pesticides, disease and habitat loss. These creatures are experiencing a drastically different world compared to just a few decades ago.
Native pollinators depend on native plants to provide habitat and food, and plants need pollinators to help them reproduce. In fact, pollinators assist in the reproduction of 75 percent of flowering plants worldwide. Turning manicured lawns that provide little to nothing for pollinators into havens full of native flowers and wild grasses, we will effectively "Generate Some Buzz" and bring back these essential workers full force.
Solar for All: An opportunity to expand alternative-energy access
Written by Southern Environmental Law Center
The historic federal climate legislation known as the Inflation Reduction Act passed last summer. The $7 billion program will help fund rooftop solar projects benefiting communities with lower incomes and provide workforce development enabling millions of households’ access to affordable, resilient, and clean solar energy. Southern Environmental Law Center
A competitive grant program to bring solar power to people with limited incomes has found huge demand in the South
CHARLOTTESVILLE — Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, as well as other tribal governments, municipalities and nonprofits submitted applications for Solar for All, a new program designed to expand solar access.
Part of the historic federal climate legislation, the Inflation Reduction Act passed last summer, the $7 billion program will fund rooftop solar projects benefiting communities with lower incomes and provide workforce development enabling millions of households’ access to affordable, resilient and clean solar energy and related jobs. These funds have the potential to double the number of rooftop solar customers with 100 percent of cost saving solar, benefiting customers that would not otherwise be able to access solar.
“This is a generational opportunity to enable low-income households in the South to access affordable, resilient, and clean solar energy,” Thompson said.
Anderson County nuclear site gains $13.5 million from state, feds for cleanup
Written by Anila Yoganathan
The remains of American Nuclear Corporation in Anderson County, Tenn. The company closed in 1972. Photo courtesy of Tennessee Lookout
American Nuclear Corporation leaked radioactive chemicals for years before it closed in 1972
This article was originally published by Tennessee Lookout.
CLAXTON — An East Tennessee site that has been contaminated for about 50 years with radioactive waste is set to be cleaned up with about $13.5 million in funding from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation told Anderson County on October 9.
The American Nuclear Corporation site, located in Claxton, Tennessee, has been a source of concern for Anderson County Government for years. Local officials have reached out at various points since at least 2008 to the state, the EPA and their district’s congressmen for help on cleaning up the site, according to a compilation of county records distributed last year by then County Commissioner Catherine Denenberg to the county’s intergovernmental committee.
“I don’t know if we’re on camera, but in case we are, I am not going to dance but I am so darn excited about this!” County Mayor Terry Frank said after the announcement at the county’s intergovernmental meeting. “This is huge for Anderson County.”
In the 1960s, the American Nuclear Corporation “manufactured radiological sources for medical institutions,” a 2010 county application for the EPA’s National Brownfield Program grant said. The company had obtained source materials for their products from the Department of Energy. Isotopes that were handled included Cobalt-60 and Cesium-137, the application said.
“Poor housekeeping was a problem during the entire period that the plant was in operation, and is extensively documented in compliance letters by the Tennessee Department of Public Health — Division of Occupational and Radiological Health. ANC was repeatedly cited for violations involving radioactive material,” the application said.
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National Park Service seeks more public comment on proposed Foothills Parkway extension in Smokies
Written by Hellbender Press
A portion of the existing Foothills Parkway along the current Blount/Sevier/Cocke counties stretch. National Park Service
GATLINBURG — The National Park Service is accepting comments through Nov. 18 for the proposed construction of Foothills Parkway Section 8D in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The park is preparing an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed project that would extend the parkway within the existing NPS-managed corridor approximately nine miles from Wears Valley to the Spur near Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.
“The completed sections of the Foothills Parkway provide opportunities for scenic views and outdoor recreation and connect visitors and neighbors to the park, as well as the regional transportation network,” said Deputy Superintendent Alan Sumeriski.
“We’re looking forward to taking this next step in the planning process for Section 8D and welcome comments and ideas from the public.”