GRUNGE: The reason Dollywood doesn’t have recycling containers

Dollywood works with the Sevier Solid Waste Composting facility to compost most of the garbage generated by visitors to her Pigeon Forge amusement park.

All waste is subject to a three-day composting process that ultimately separates the inorganic waste, which is then sorted for traditional recycling. The remaining compost is then used by East Tennessee farmers and distributed to the public. 

Another reason to love the Smoky Mountain sweetheart.

Bloomberg: Most traditional fueling stations will adapt and survive as electricity replaces gasoline

Bloomberg Climate Newsletter has an interesting take on what may become of traditional gas stations — and their associated retail services and employees — as fuel sources transition from gasoline to electricity.

There’s already a case in point: Norway, where gasoline use has peaked and the transportation economy is moving away from traditional fossil-fuel filling stations.

In short, there will still be demand and purpose for convenience stores in some areas, theyÆll just be selling a different type of fuel.

NYT: Fossil-fuel defenders falsely blame renewable energy sources for crippling Texas electric grid collapse

Politicians and media personalities spread lies that cited frozen wind turbines as the reason millions lost power across the oil-rich state during an unprecedented intrusion of cold air in mid-February.

In reality, it was a failure of the natural gas supply chain caused by unusually low temperatures and rare snow and ice accumulations. Some turbines did fail because of ice accretion, but wind power provides only a small fraction of Texas electricity, which is distributed by a deregulated network independent from the rest of the national power grid.

Fossil-fuel allies also cited the unprecedented deep freeze and accompanying winter storms across much of the nation as evidence global warming doesn’t exist.

In fact, climate change fueled largely by carbon emissions means more devastating climate-linked weather anomalies can be expected, both in winter and summer. In this particular event, Arctic disruptions in the jet stream allowed frigid polar air to descend much farther south than it typically does.

KNOX NEWS: As city swells, huge demand for houses in Knoxville area may cue more urban sprawl

Demand is far outstripping supply in suburban areas of Knoxville such as Farragut, where bidding is fierce and apartment complexes are sprouting to meet housing needs.

According to the article: “While normally there would be 12,000–14,000 houses for sale in Knoxville, right now there’s only about 1,900. The demand is even higher in Farragut.”

Don’t expect the proliferation of far-flung apartment buildings and subdivisions — and their accompanying public infrastructure needs — to subside anytime soon, at least based on this article.

The Daily Times: Three little bears rescued from Sevier County crawlspace

Tennessee Wildlife Resource officers responded and chased the adult bear off with an air horn. Three cubs were soon discovered under the house.