Sustainability
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Where Did the Electric Go? UGA Transportation Includes More Diesel Buses in Fleet
The University of Georgia received a $10 million grant in spring 2019 to purchase 20 Proterra Catalyst E2 electric buses and began using them in the fall semester. As part of their sustainability plan, this grant allowed the university to step forward in reducing carbon emissions and provide alternative transportation…
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Northeast Georgia Food Bank Lends Neighbors A Hand to A Healthier Plate
Many Athens residents live in food deserts. And according to Feeding America, almost 20% of residents in Clarke County were living in food insecurity as of 2023. But the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia is leading the charge to not only feed every mouth, but to do so sustainably. Athens-Clarke…
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Federal Funding Cuts Affect National Parks, but also Local Businesses and the Environment
The total federal funding for the National Park Service (NPS) in 2025 was $3.337 billion. That’s seven percent less than the Biden administration’s request of $3.576 billion. The Trump administration has proposed a cut of more than $1 billion across the operation of NPS, including its historic preservation fund, construction…
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Sustainable Merch Finds a Home in Athens’ Music Scene
In Athens, a town known for its DIY approach to music, local bands and students are rethinking a critical part of the music industry: merch. Right now, streaming accounts for 84% of recorded music revenues in the United States. The thing is, musicians aren’t earning the majority of their revenue through collecting…
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How UGA Community Garden is Adapting to Climate Change
On an early fall evening in Athens, rows of fig trees and native crops bask in the sun at UGArden, the University of Georgia’s student-run community garden. But beneath this calm green canopy, there’s a growing unease among local gardeners. “It’s not normal anymore,” says UGArden executive board member, Owen…
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Push for Change: Northeast Georgia Organizations Pursue Environmental Justice
Hurricane season is here, and Athens received its share of downpours over the past month. The heavy rain has left low-income communities vulnerable to flooding throughout Northeast Georgia, and this is not the only problem. “There’s also a very big issue with regards to flooding as well. So flooding and…
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Fresh Food, Fresh Start: How Athens FARMRx Connects Health, Local Produce
With a bag of leafy greens in one hand and fresh tomatoes in the other, Maya Alandete sees more than produce changing hands. She sees confidence, connection and a chance at better health. That’s the mission behind FARMRx, a food-as-medicine program helping bridge the gap between healthcare and healthy eating…
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Priceless Connections: Inside Athens’ Really Really Free Market
No admission fees, no vendors shouting deals and no checkout lines on the second Saturday of every month at Reese Pope Park, just a few blocks from downtown Athens. Instead, a colorful sprawl of items cover the benches under the pavilion and hang from the fence — everything from books,…
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From Farm to Food Bank: Watkinsville Couple Brings Fresh Produce to Those in Need
When Dennis Mason and Eleanor Walker, a couple living in Watkinsville, heard there was a need for food at the local food bank, they knew they wanted to do something, even if only on a small scale. It began as a small garden that Mason would tend to in his…
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Athens Farmers Market Brings Fresh Food, Community to Creature Comforts
Every Wednesday evening, Creature Comforts transforms into a vibrant hub of local food, community connection and healthy living. The Athens Farmers Market isn’t just about produce, but about people too. Iwalani Falfour, owner and manager at Farm Cart, shares insights on sourcing local ingredients and building relationships with customers and…