Seventeen years ago, Melissa Gladden started cleaning houses in Asheville. She was good at her job and cared about the environment. Instead of using carcinogenic cleaners, she made her own environmentally-friendly ones. Her clients were impressed with her attention to detail and the care she put into her work.

My name is Andrew Polich and I’m pursuing a Master of Science in Sustainability Studies at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Asheville. For my capstone project, I decided to collaborate with The Blue Horizons Project and focus on communicating local success stories in greener buildings. My goal is to help Blue Horizons Project in its mission to help promote energy efficiency and renewable energy throughout the region by using what I’ve learned in my studies.

Nonprofit and charitable organizations are dedicated to furthering particular social causes or raising money for those in need. They institutionalize what an individual or group can accomplish. They help provide jobs for fellow do-gooders and can bring legitimacy to the work. For example, these organizations have reporting structures--often boards--that help keep the organization on mission and maximize impact. Below are some examples of charitable organizations from the LLS Foundation.

In July 2019, I presented energy resilience insights at the Appalachian State University Energy Conference. My presentation, "A Tale of Two Storms," discussed the huge difference between recovery in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria versus recovery in Cuba after Hurricane Irma.

Maybe you travel for the beaches and the views. Maybe it’s for the food. But did you know that with a little planning and local assistance, you could use your travels to teach your friends about clean energy? Perhaps your travels could inspire them to live differently and even influence energy policy.

Renewable power for cargo ships may soon receive a fresh look. One of the world’s dirtiest global emissions sources emanates from seaborne trade: The world merchant fleet of cargo ships, estimated to carry approximately 90 percent of world trade in goods, relies heavily upon bunker oil, a form of petroleum diesel fuel which contains a very high sulfur content.

It’s been five months since Hurricane Maria devastated the Caribbean. The rest of the world may have moved on to other news, but Puerto Ricans are still battling mudslides and eroded trees, garbage in the sewers, contaminated water, and limited electricity.

The event, “Unlocking the Human Brain for 21st Century Cures: New Partnership Models to Tackle Brain Disorders, from PTSD to Opioid Addiction,” featured a panel discussion between Congressman Upton and experts on brain disease related to sports, military, and drug addiction. Topics included the urgent, unmet need for new treatments to improve the lives of individuals suffering from brain disorders, and the economic toll of these disorders. I helped organize the event and drafted this press release.

Caribbean island nations are uniquely positioned to become leaders in renewable energy development. How can clean energy in the Caribbean increase energy reliability, lead to job growth, and help the environment? Today’s guests, Andrew Polich and Chad Johnson from Vittoria Energy Expedition, help us explore the issue.