sustainability
-
Environment
Laid with Love: Hippie Hens Homestead Works Toward Ethical Sustainability
As more people look for ways to live sustainably, small farms like Hippie Hens Homestead are leading by example. Raising chickens for fresh eggs not only cuts down on waste costs but also promotes self-reliance and ethical animal care. For Lacy Martin, sustainability goes far beyond efficiency. It’s about respect…
-
Environment
Keeping Guitars in Play: Sustainability at Classic City Vintage Guitars
In the heart of Athens, Classic City Vintage Guitars is giving new life to instruments that might otherwise be forgotten. Owner and luthier Dylan Keel believes in repairing guitars rather than discarding them, allowing them to live on for generations. “I think it’s worth preserving, because each one of these…
-
Athens-Clarke County
Sourcing Food Locally: How Local Restaurants Get From Farm to Table
Peter Dale, owner of Five & Ten and Maepole in Athens, has built his menus around one idea: sourcing food close to home. Sustainable sourcing is a manner of obtaining ingredients in ways that support the environment and local communities. According to an article from the Global Seed Initiative, this…
-
In-Depth
How Autumn Olive is Being Removed from Heritage Park to Help Native Species
At Heritage Park in Oconee County, an invasive plant species called the “autumn olive” is continuing to grow and cause harm to native plants found in the park. Cindy Pritchard, executive director of the Keep Oconee County Beautiful Commission, is holding bi-monthly removal days, through February 2026, to help keep…
-
Athens-Clarke County
Groundwork: Stories of Sustainability in Northeast Georgia
A team of 20 student journalists created a news special responding to the needs of Northeast Georgia counties. Reporters traveled to five counties, spoke with residents, uncovered environmental gaps, and highlighted the solutions communities are building. Watch to see what they discovered and the solutions taking root. This is Groundwork:…
-
Athens-Clarke County
Northeast Georgia Food Bank Competes to Give Back
In Northeast Georgia, friendly competition is fueling a big impact. Food insecurity remains a pressing issue not only in Athens but across Northeast Georgia. Thousands of residents are impacted everyday and face challenges of getting food on the table. Every October, the Northeast Georgia Food Bank hosts their annual Hunger…
-
Education
Going Green: Impact of Being Sustainable in College
While some practice sustainability subconsciously as part of daily life, others directly devote their time to getting involved. This is particularly common among college-age students, and at the University of Georgia, the campus and surrounding community offer a multitude of ways to get involved with the cause. College campuses that…
-
Athens-Clarke County
Wings of Change: Oconee River Land Trust Supports Biodiversity on Middle Oconee River
At first glance, the Middle Oconee River winding through Athens might be dismissed as just a murky stretch of water. However, it is a habitat that supports a critical ecosystem, one containing opportunities for discovery and study. The Oconee River Land Trust (ORLT), a nonprofit organization aiming to conserve land…
-
Athens-Clarke County
Art and Sustainability: How One Local Artist Repurposes Materials to Master Her Craft
As climate change reshapes daily life in Athens, local artist Chloe Yune is pushing back against environmental degradation through creative sustainability. At just 23, the Indiana native and UGA graduate is making waves with her eco-conscious approach to art. Using discarded clay scraps and repurposed household “junk,” Yune crafts intricate…
-
Athens-Clarke County
How One Man’s Hobby is Helping Reduce Waste in Athens
It was the combination of frequent trips to resale shops mixed with his tennis burnout that led Athens resident David Ragsdale to his new hobby: cast iron restoration — the process of searching for, stripping down and seasoning decades-old cookware to give it a new life. “My lady likes Pyrex,…