Yesterday afternoon, the Governor of North Carolina Governor declared a state of emergency for today’s winter storm after forecasters increased the snowfall estimates from under 1 inch to possibly 3-5 inches in many parts of our state.

“Nearly all of North Carolina will be impacted by this winter storm, and we’re making sure North Carolina is ready,” Gov. Roy Cooper said in his statement. “I urge all of our residents to be prepared and to stay safe.”

“Unnecessary travel not only puts you at risk, but it can also put our first responders’ lives at risk if you end up needing help, and the more vehicles we have on the road, the tougher it is for our DOT crews to treat and clear those roads and get them open again.”

Governor Cooper also sent out a press release with the following emergency information:

North Carolina will activate the State Emergency Operations Center Wednesday morning to coordinate storm response throughout the impacted areas. Other storm preparations include:

• NCDOT crews have applied more than 1.7 million gallons of salt brine across roadways in 52 counties and have crews and equipment ready to clear ice and snow.
• State troopers will mark abandoned vehicles along the roadway and coordinate with local law enforcement to ensure no one is stranded.
• State troopers and transportation crews will work to clear disabled vehicles quickly so they don’t impede traffic.
• Adverse weather policy is in effect for state employees. State employees should coordinate with their supervisors.

Follow NC Emergency Management and NCDOT on Facebook and Twitter for the latest storm updates. Real-time weather and road conditions, as well as winter safety tips, can be found on the free ReadyNC mobile app or online at readync.org.

Travelers are urged to go to drivenc.gov for up-to-date roadway conditions. Motorists are reminded NOT to call 911 or the State Highway Patrol Communication Centers for roadway conditions.

North Carolina has a long history of “off the grid” communities – groups of people who leave the comforts of modern society to live completely off what nature provides.

Our state’s mountain regions, especially around Asheville and Boone, are some of the best places in the country for this type of living, with a moderate climate, plenty of fresh water, and a ton of edible plants.

NBC released a mini-documentary on one of these communities yesterday and it’s already been viewed over 9 million times;

 
If you want to see a more in depth view of what it’s like to live off the grid in the mountains of North Carolina, check out the History Channel’s show ‘Mountain Men’.

What do you think about living ‘off the grid’?

Have you ever considered doing it?

As North Carolina’s first climate services conference this spring draws near, the host community’s reputation as Beer City is facing a friendly threat from the researchers and entrepreneurs determined to remake Asheville as Climate City.

ClimateCon 2018 and its centerpiece event, The Business of Climate Forum, will give attendees from across the country and abroad the chance to explore the business challenges and opportunities posed by the world’s changing climate.

The agenda is filling rapidly. Topics range from “Climate Change’s Impact on Business Continuity” and “Business Case for Sustainability: Climate Take Back,” featuring nationally recognized executives Gregory Lowe, Aon’s global head of adaptation and resilience, and Erin Meezan, Interface’s chief sustainability officer, respectively, to panel discussions on “Market Solutions for Community Resilience: What Can Business Learn from Cities?” and “Climate Change and Business Opportunity.”

Beer aficionados needn’t worry, though. Asheville’s breweries have embraced the challenge with events and activities designed for both conference attendees and the general public. On tap, these include:

• Friday, March 16: Highland Brewing Company hosts a toast to Climate City, open to the public, with the release of a special small-batch beer specially created to commemorate ClimateCon.
• Monday, March 19: The Business of Climate Forum kicks off with an evening reception sponsored by Twin Leaf Brewery, featuring keynote speaker John Frey, information technology efficiency and sustainability at Hewlett Packard Enterprise.
• Tuesday, March 20: Highland Brewing is the location for The Climate Solutions Showcase, where entrepreneurs will demonstrate their climate products and services available for commercial application. The evening also features a presentation by Auden Schendler, vice president of sustainability at Aspen Skiing Company, speaking on “The Case for Meaningful Action on Climate Change.” Free to business forum attendees, the general public can also attend the event with paid admission.
• Wednesday, March 21: The Business of Climate Forum will end with “Cheers to ClimateCon: A Conference Finale,” featuring, of course, local craft beer.

A project of The Collider, a nonprofit innovation center in Asheville focused on catalyzing the development of climate solutions, ClimateCon 2018 also features a one-day summit for undergraduates and young professionals and a series of supplemental community-based events taking place throughout the 10-day period of March 16-25. The Climate City Experience includes, for example, climate-related art exhibits and lectures open to the public as well as conference attendees.

“We’ve been so pleased by the Asheville community’s willingness to share our enthusiasm for our growing climate services community,” said Megan Robinson, executive director of The Collider. “The city is known across the country for its innovative craft beer, but there’s no reason we can’t also be recognized for the same entrepreneurial approach to solving the world’s climate-related challenges.”

Downtown Asheville on Christmas Eve. ❤️ #asheville #828isgreat #avltoday

A post shared by Amanda Hughes Meranto (@ajmeranto) on Dec 26, 2017 at 7:31pm PST

Registration is now open with early bird rates through January 25, offering a significant discount. For more information, visit climatecon2018.com or contact The Collider at climatecon@thecollider.org.

The Collider encourages other Asheville businesses, restaurants, breweries, galleries, attractions, merchants, and others to participate in ClimateCon by hosting or developing a climate, sustainability, or other related product, activity or event and be included in The Climate City Experience. Contact info@thecollider.org or use this form to register.