Sustainability
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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…
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MOAS Addresses Pet Overpopulation Through Spay It Forward Program
Pet overpopulation is a growing issue in Northeast Georgia, straining local shelters and putting animals at risk. An increase of animals outside means increased fecal waste, polluted water runoff, and more fleas and ticks. The Madison Oglethorpe Animal Shelter is tackling the problem head on with their Spay It Forward…
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Oconee County Schools Promote Sustainability Through Classroom Recycling Initiatives
In Oconee County, students are learning lessons about recycling and the environment that they’ll carry forward into the future, on the way to a greener county. The Keep Oconee County Beautiful Commission is an initiative that works with school districts and other public works around the county to raise overall…