Eco-Friendly Holiday Gift Guide

Did you know that 60 percent of the world’s Christmas decorations are made in a single Chinese village? According to Inhabitat, most are produced inside the Chinese village of Yiwu, where 600 factories produce 60 percent of all of the world’s festive decorations. The factory workers in Yiwu put in long hours in less-than-ethical working conditions, often dealing with toxic chemicals that have the potential to cause lasting damage to their health.

So think twice before you overload on holiday knickknacks. Why not buy green gifts this year instead? Ones that use fewer resources and produce less waste than ordinary, mass-produced items. There are so many types of eco-friendly gifts you can give.

Ready for some green ideas? Let’s dive in!

NC GreenPower Solar Schools Hold Ribbon Cuttings

Originally published by Advanced Energy.

NC GreenPower Solar Schools was launched on April 1, 2015. This pilot program uses a portion of NC GreenPower’s donations to provide matching grants for the installation of small solar photovoltaic (PV) systems (3-5 kilowatts, or kW) at North Carolina schools, providing clean, green, renewable energy. The Solar Schools pilot funds any eligible North Carolina K-12 school and gives teachers valuable tools to educate students about renewable energy.

Top 5 North Carolina Parks to Explore this Summer

Living in North Carolina has so many perks like our amazing state parks! Get active and explore these Top 5 North Carolina Parks this summer. North Carolina State Parks challenges you to hike, walk, bike, run, swim, paddle or roll 100 miles on our state's trails and waterways before the end of 2017. Sign up today for the NC 100 Miles Challenge if you need an extra incentive to visit all these amazing parks.

1. William B. Umstead State Park - Raleigh

Divided into two sections, Crabtree Creek and Reedy Creek, this 5,579-acre park is easily accessible from Interstate 40 and US 70 with. 5,000 acres of gorgeous scenery waiting to be explored. There are more than 32 miles of hiking, biking and horseback riding trails, camp sites and plenty for nature lovers between the expanding cities of Raleigh, Cary, and Durham. Experience trails, lakes, canoeing, and scenic overlooks.

Image Courtesy of TakeAHike.info

2. Eno River State Park – Durham 

The Eno River flows near urban areas of Durham and Orange counties with five scattered public access areas. This park offers 24 miles of hiking trails, mature forests, historic structures, canoe launches and picnic areas. 

Festival for the Eno

The Eno River Association was established in 1966 and played an important role in creating the park. As a part of its conservation role the group presents the annual Festival for the Eno to draw thousands of folks to the shaded banks on the Eno River to sing dance and make merry with great food and crafts all while learning about natural resource conservation and raising funds for land protection in the Eno River basin. 

Image Courtesy of

LearnNC.com

3. Hanging Rock State Park

With five waterfalls, a mountain, a lake, and rock outcroppings at 2,580 ft., Hanging Rock State Park is a must see. Go swimming in the cool mountain lake nestled in the hills, rent a canoe and hike the more than 20 miles of hiking trails that climb onto spectacular views and weave alongside clear streams and waterfalls. Picnic areas and campgrounds lend themselves to time spent with family and friends in this 8,000 acre park in Stokes County.

Image Courtesy of Trover.com

4. Fort Macon State Park 

Located on Bogue Banks near Atlantic Beach, the park opened in 1936. Fort Macon State Park is the second most visited state park in North Carolina, with an annual visitation of 1.3 million, despite being one of the smallest state parks in North Carolina with only 423 acres. The Battle of Fort Macon was fought there during March and April 1862.

In addition to the perfectly restored Civil War-era fort, the park offers visitors a museum-quality coastal education center, nature trails and an unspoiled shoreline for swimming, surf fishing and beachcombing. 

Image Courtesy of VisitNC.com

5. Jordan Lake State Park 

This 14,000 acre reservoir outside of Raleigh is a great getaway. More than 1,000 campsites among five of the access areas offer a range of outdoor experiences. There are seven swim beaches in the recreation area and a number of boating ramps. Nearly 14 miles of hiking trails wind across the hilly lakeshore, with most of them offering easy, brief hikes. The park is also home to bald eagles. Find out more in this Park Fact Sheet from NC State Parks.

Image Courtesy of JordanLakeWaterSports.com

Pollinators – What the buzz is all about

Did you know? Every third week of June is Pollinator Week! National Pollinator Week is a time to celebrate pollinators and spread the word about what you can do to protect them.

Throughout this week, and other holidays such as World Honeybee Day, there are events all across the country to educate and raise awareness for our pollinators.

But why are pollinators so important?

Earth Month 2017 – Educating, Learning and Volunteering with NC GreenPower

This year’s official national Earth Month campaign was all about environmental & climate literacy.

The first Earth Day on April 22, 1970 helped jumpstart the modern environmental movement, inspiring people worldwide to demonstrate their commitment to a healthy and sustainable world. Earth Day is just one day, but there are opportunities to get involved all month long.

Sustainable Fashion: Part 2 – Upcycle your clothes

After we introduced you to sustainable fashion last week and told you all about its benefits, we will give you some ideas on how you can make a difference in today’s blog post.

What can you do?

So knowing the negative impact of fast fashion this, how can you make an impact? This is where sustainable fashion comes into play.

Sustainable Fashion: Part 1 - Why fashion needs to be sustainable

Sustainable fashion, once frowned upon by many consumers, is a growing trend taking the fashion industry by storm. It proves that “sustainable” and “fashionable” don't have to be mutually exclusive.