Have you ever watched a big bird passing overhead or perched on a post and wondered what kind of bird is that? We have, too. This guide will help you identify six different types of popular big birds. Next time you’re outdoors, you’ll be able to identify them with confidence.
Black vultures are abundant in the Southern states from South Carolina to Texas. In recent decades they’ve expanded their range northward along the East Coast to South America.
Turkey vultures are one of the most widespread vultures in the country. They’re year-round residents in the US South.
Turkeys are an iconic bird species from the United States. Their appearance will depend on whether they’re male or female, but there are still some common characteristics. Although turkeys will roost at night, you won’t generally see them in flight.
The wild turkey can be found all year around in the Eastern states, including the Southern states. They live in forests that have oak or beech trees.
Almost everyone probably recognizes these birds easily because they’ve been a national emblem of the United States since 1782.
Bald eagles can be found in 49 states. In the US South you can find them all year-round, especially near bodies of water like wetlands or seacoasts. North Carolina has the rails-to-trails Eagle Spur trail, very popular place to spot bald eagles during the summer.
During specific times of the year, ospreys can be found all over the United States. However, you can find them year-round in the South. They’re always near bodies of water like rivers or ponds.
The red tailed hawk can be found in almost every state in the United States all year around. They inhabit many different environments, but they prefer to nest along the edges of woodlands.
We can do our part to help preserve these amazing big birds. First, help to preserve their habitats. Don’t throw food or trash on the ground or out of your car window. If you happen to find an injured big bird or a baby raptor bird, please call a wildlife rehabilitation center before doing anything. In North Carolina you can contact Wildlife Welfare, or if you’re in Georgia contact someone on this list.
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¿Alguna vez has visto un pájaro grande pasar por encima de tu cabeza o parado en un poste y te preguntaste qué tipo de pájaro es ese? Nosotros también. Entonces, decidimos preparar esta guía que te ayudará a identificar seis tipos diferentes de aves grandes populares. Asi la próxima vez que estés al aire libre podrás identificarlos con confianza.
Los buitres negros abundan en los estados del sur, desde Carolina del Sur hasta Texas. En las últimas décadas han expandido su área de distribución hacia el norte a lo largo de la costa este hasta Sudamérica.
Los gallinazos de cabeza roja son uno de los buitres más extendidos en el país. Residen durante todo el año en el sur de los Estados Unidos.
Los pavos son una especie de ave icónica de los Estados Unidos. Su apariencia dependerá de si son hembras o machos, pero tienen algunas características en común. Aunque los pavos se posan en los árboles por la noche, generalmente no los verás en vuelo.
El pavo salvaje se puede encontrar durante todo el año en los estados del este, incluidos los del sur. Viven en bosques que tienen robles o árboles de haya.
Estas aves probablemente puedan ser reconocidas fácilmente por casi todos, ya que han sido un emblema nacional de los Estados Unidos desde 1782.
El águila calva se puede encontrar en 49 estados. En el sur de los Estados Unidos puedes encontrarlos durante todo el año, especialmente cerca de cuerpos de agua como humedales o costas marinas. Carolina del Norte tiene el sendero Eagle Spur, un esfuerzo de rail-to-trail muy popular para observar águilas calvas durante el verano.
El águila pescadora se puede encontrar en todo Estados Unidos, durante épocas específicas del año; sin embargo, puedes encontrarlos durante todo el año en el sur. Siempre están cerca de cuerpos de agua como ríos o estanques.
El gavilán de cola roja se puede encontrar en casi todos los estados de los Estados Unidos durante todo el año. Habitan en muchos entornos distintos, pero prefieren anidar a lo largo de los bordes de los bosques.
Podemos hacer nuestra parte para ayudar a preservar estos asombrosos pájaros grandes. Primero, ayude a preservar sus hábitats. No arrojes comida ni basura cuando estés al aire libre o por la ventanilla de tu carro. Si encuentras un ave rapaz herida o una cría, llama a un centro de rehabilitación de vida silvestre antes de hacer algo. En Carolina del Norte, puedes comunicarte con Wildlife Welfare, o si estás en Georgia, comunícate con alguien de esta lista.
Guest Post by Amal Dadi
Did you know that North Carolina is one of the most ecologically unique states in the country? Discover the forests right here in your backyard!
From mountains to sea, North Carolina contains at least eight defined climate zones. This diversity of habitats means that natural spaces in North Carolina are full of surprises. Did you know that most of the land in North Carolina used to be forested?
So what does it mean to be a forest anyways?
Forests are complex, land-based ecosystems that trees dominate. We can find woods in upland areas (which are hilly) or at higher elevations. Or we can find forests in wetland areas, which are low-lying and water soaks through the soil. This can sometimes permanently flood the area.
Most forests have several layers. These include the:
Forests also exist below the ground with extensive tree root systems that go deep into the soil. Roots filter pollutants, reduce erosion, and feed the tree.
Forests benefit life on Earth in many ways. Whether above or below ground, each section of a forest is home to different kinds of plant and animal life. This makes forests exceptional habitats for promoting biodiversity.
Like all plants, trees make their own food using photosynthesis. Water from the soil, energy from the sun, and carbon dioxide from the air are transformed into oxygen and sugars, which feed the plant and help it grow. This process means that trees are carbon sinks: they take in more carbon from the atmosphere than they release.
The North Carolina Forest Service is responsible for protecting, managing, and promoting forest resources across the state. Part of their job is producing an annual report that lays out the status of forests in the state. It’s important to remember that “forest lands” include natural forests, heavily managed (logged) forests, and plantations that often only grow rows upon rows of one type of tree.
In 2021, the NC Forest Service found that forests cover an estimated 18.7 million acres in North Carolina found that forest lands in North Carolina have many different owners, including:
Forests on public land are special because they’re collectively owned by US citizens. This means that everyone can enjoy the recreational, tourism, health, and other benefits of public forests.
Governments manage public forests at the local, state, or federal levels. United States Forest Service federally manages some of the largest forests in North Carolina. These National Forests include:
There are also plenty of state and local forests to explore!
Though all forests share similar characteristics, not all forests are the same. So exactly how many different types of forests are found in North Carolina? Let’s examine a few.
The pine tree has been the official state tree of North Carolina since 1963, and for good reason. Eight different species of pine are native to habitats within the state’s borders:
Of these, longleaf pines are some of the most abundant. In fact, longleaf pine forests were once the most common ecosystem in Eastern North America.
Like other forests with conifers, longleaf pine stands are fire-dependent. Because these habitats often burn by wildfire, the plants and animals within them have special adaptations to help them withstand the heat. Fire benefits longleaf pine forests by:
Before European colonization, longleaf pine forests covered over 90 million acres in the South. That’s an area over twice the size of the state of Georgia!
Now only 3% of that ecosystem remains. Many factors destroyed much of the state’s pine forests, including:
The 116-acre Nichols Longleaf Pine Preserve. It contains the largest remaining stand of old-growth longleaf pine in central North Carolina. Located north of Troy, NC, both the North Carolina Zoo and the Three Rivers Land Trust manage this property. It’s home to some trees that are over 200 years old!
Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve showcases a small, unique inland region in North Carolina: the sandhills. This area is characterized by rolling hills capped with sandy soil. Hardy pine trees tend to thrive here, making Weymouth Woods another fantastic place to see longleaf pine forests.
Did you know that the mountaintops of Western North Carolina are carpeted in temperate rainforests? Towering spruce-fir forests at high elevations receive over 60 inches of rainfall each year. That’s enough precipitation that these regions are actually considered rainforests!
But unlike rainforests in the tropics, Appalachian rainforest temperatures remain cool and mild year-round.
North Carolina rainforests are relics of the last Ice Age. Back then, only parts of the mountains remained uncovered by ice or snow. These oases became critical habitat for animals seeking refuge from colder areas.
Even today, Appalachian rainforests remain a hub of biodiversity. They provide a home for over 10,000 native plant and animal species.
Spruce-fir rainforests thrive at high elevations. We can find them at or near the summits of some of the tallest peaks in North Carolina.
Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests are nestled in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Both contain many examples of temperate rainforest habitat.
Since mountain rainforest habitats are so remote and fragmented, sometimes these microhabitats are home to unique animals. Many species of animal can only be found on a single mountaintop or in a special grove of Appalachian rainforest. For example, the endangered Weller’s salamander is typically only found on Grandfather Mountain near Pisgah National Forest.
A swamp is any wetland that trees and other woody plants dominate. Since wetlands are saturated with water, wetland plants thrive in damp or flooded environments. These plant communities help clean water by filtering out pollutants and other contaminants.
Several different types of wetland forests exist in North Carolina. Bottomland swamps are found along freshwater rivers. They contain hardwood tree species like cedars, oaks, ashes, birches, and the American beech. Wetland forests can also occur near freshwater lakes or in saltwater habitats by the coast.
Alligator River Wildlife Refuge in Eastern North Carolina. It sprawls across 154,000 acres of coastal wetlands, including swamps and forests.
Croatan National Forest also has 160,000 acres of coastal and wetland forest. It is one of the best places to see native species of carnivorous plants like sundews, pitcher plants, or Venus flytraps.
Some of the oldest bald cypress trees in the world can be found along the waters of the Black River Preserve in Southeastern North Carolina. The oldest known bald cypress is an individual that is confirmed to be over 2,600 years old. That’s hundreds of years older than the Roman Colosseum!
Maritime forests line many of the barrier islands, where sandy Carolina beaches meet the Atlantic Ocean. Shrubs and stunted trees characterize these coastal forests. Only the hardiest plants can withstand the salty spray and strong winds along the shore.
Wax myrtle, red cedar, and stunted live oaks are common in areas that are directly exposed to the elements. These trees shield plants and animals that are more sensitive to the high winds and salty air.
In the undergrowth, you may find American holly trees, loblolly pines, red maples, or larger live oaks. Maritime forests protect coastal regions from storm surges by trapping and slowing excess water, purifying the groundwater, and preventing nearby habitats from flooding.
The North Carolina Coastal Reserve and National Estuarine Research Reserve system protects land that includes three large maritime forests:
Though best known for its massive sand dunes, Jockey’s Ridge State Park also contains extensive maritime shrub and evergreen forests.
These are only a few of the different types of forests found in North Carolina. Though Southern forests are astonishingly diverse, they all share one key trait: forests are extremely vulnerable to industrial exploitation.
Appalachian rainforests are disappearing with climate change. Along the coast, so-called ghost forests are becoming more common: stands of dead trees that haunt the shore killed by rising sea levels. Old growth and hardwood forests are prime targets for industrial loggers. The woody biomass industry cuts down any kind of trees to burn for fuel.
When forests are destroyed, often monocultures replace them. Monocultures: rows and rows of the same type of tree, usually loblolly or slash pine. These artificial forests are not part of a balanced ecosystem.
Pine plantations do not preserve soil integrity or provide the same habitat for native species. There is even evidence that pine plantations may worsen air pollution and climate change.
Natural forests are an important resource. They provide critical habitat for native species and serve as buffers against pollution, disease, and climate change.
Dogwood Alliance believes that forests are worth protecting. Tell President Biden to enact forest protections today!
We’re so pleased to be launching Season 3 of Woods & Wilds: The Podcast. In this episode with are joined by youth organizer Demon Thomas.
Demon Thomas is the former president of UNC Asheville’s Student Government Association and the student representative on the Board of Trustees. He was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, and received his degree in mass communication, sociology, and Africana studies. Demon is a fashion model and plans to further his education to become a film producer. Demon strives to become a TV entertainer who uses his platform to promote social justice. As a public figure, he aims to be a voice for the unheard and to ignite black pride amongst the youth. In addition to having served as class president at West Charlotte High, he also founded the organization UNCA Umoja (brother of unity), which is a club for men of color. He currently volunteers at Youth Transformed for Life (YTL). And he interned with the S.T.E.M. Fun-Packs initiative during the summer of 2021. To create tool kits for Black and Brown children in Asheville.
Join Dogwood Alliance and SlayTheMic as we bring you tales of connection to nature and music.
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Read the full transcript of our interview with Demon Thomas!
Elizabeth: Hello everyone. It is me, Elizabeth Lashay with Slay the Mic. And I’m so excited to be joined by my amazing co-host.
Kimala: I’m Kimala Luna from Dogwood Alliance. And we are here today with Demon Thomas. Demon Thomas is the former president of UNC Asheville’s student government association and the student representative on the board of trustees. He was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, and he receives his degree in mass communication, sociology, and Africana studies. Demon is a fashion model and plans to further his education to become a film producer. Demon strives to become a TV entertainer who uses his platform to promote social justice. As a public figure, he aims to be a voice for the unheard and to ignite Black pride amongst the youth. In addition to having served as class president at West Charlotte High, he also founded the organization UNCA Umoja, Brother of Unity, which is a club for men of color. He currently volunteers at Youth Transformed for Life, YTL. And he interned with the stem fund packs initiative during the summer of 2021 to create toolkits for black and brown children in Asheville. Welcome, Demon.
Demon: Hello.
Kimala: Hi. So let’s just launch right in. Demon, when did you first notice a relationship with nature?
Demon: It would have to be; I would say, in maybe kindergarten, just wanting to go outside on the playground and interested in rocks and sticks and dirt and wood chips. I think that’s when my relationship with nature happened.
Elizabeth: I love that. And I think going off of that question of when you found your love for nature when did you feel this empowerment in the world of activism?
Demon: To answer the question, I believe it was in middle school. I come from a predominantly Black community. We had teachers that taught for Teach for America. One of my teachers wasn’t a Teach for America teacher, but she was just involved. I had the opportunity to go to a student city hall council meeting to advocate for education and teacher pay. And I was like, what, sixth grade trying to advocate for teacher’s salary. So I think that’s when my advocacy started.
Kimala: That’s amazing. And your bio is incredible. I love the initiative and leadership you’re taking on Black pride and Black joy. Do you think that originated from your community or your family? Or where does that drive come from?
Demon: It’s all in one. It grows as I get older. So it comes from my mom and my siblings telling me to keep reading, and keep drawing. It comes from my community teaching me about Black leaders and just showing their letters. So what I mean by letters is that many of my teachers were in the Divine Nine, a Black Greek life. And just them empowering me with education and seeing how well and involved they’re in the community. It enhanced my ability to uplift Black pride. And then, just being in college, taking African courses, and experiencing a culture shock. It just, my mind grows. My advocacy just grows. And then, just working with Black students at the YTL. It just, I don’t know, every experience I have; it just keeps growing my mind.
Elizabeth: I think that’s really powerful and also shows who you are. And as an advocate, I know that environmental justice and climate change is rooted in our society, but we tend to not pay as much attention to them. So when I say climate justice and environmental awareness, how have you kind of intertwined that into how you show up in the world?
Demon: Great question. So, for example, me working with DeWayne Barton from the Peace Gardens, learning about redlining, urban renewal, just seeing how gentrification is taking over, knowing that it’s hard to access resources, and putting things on a spectrum. I just like the idea of working, for example, working with DeWayne, whether that’s trying to organize an art show, whether that’s trying to get my hands dirty in the garden, whether that’s trying to come with other Black leaders on how can we, the policy work they’re trying to bring the highways in. Organizing, plays a huge role. I think that just knowing there are discriminations when it comes to the Black community with health and environment, it’s like how can I just save the world?
Kimala: You founded UNCA Umoja, Brothers for Unity. What was the inspiration for that? What’s the role that you hoped it would fill? What was your original vision, and how has it manifested?
Demon: So it started when I got to campus. I had fun branching out, and meeting new friends. But then, I realized, I was like, “Where are my brothers? How can I walk past these men on campus? How can we walk past each other and we not speak? Or why haven’t anyone before me thought about creating a group where we, as men of color, can just relate?” Because we have a corporate campus called Legacy, which is like a Legacy is similar to Umoja, sisters of unity. And it’s like, “Why there isn’t one for men. We need to be talking about our feelings.” And as a black man, toxic masculinity is real, and we need a place where we can be vulnerable. So that idea just came from me seeing that we didn’t have that. And knowing that the school said that you just need six people to do something gave me the courage.
Demon: And now, what I love about Umoja is that the new president, Kameron Henson, he has revised the constitution. He made it to where the constitution includes trans men, so men who identify. So it’s like that, I don’t know, it’s just expanding. So it went from men of color to trans men, and that’s going to give a different perspective on how we can all unite. So I don’t know. And then, they’re trying to do things with DeWayne Barton now, and they’re trying to be more involved. They want to, like t-shirts. Umoja has went from two people coming to meetings to like 10 people thinking of events and stuff. So my mind and my heart is happy.
Elizabeth: That makes me so happy. And I think, oh my goodness, one, I just admire you and how involved you’ve been, just at such a young age, even you saying being in kindergarten and going outside and playing and then seeing how this has evolved. You took something that was a seed, something that you felt like you needed in your campus, and created something that is a movement, something that is much larger than yourself. And my question to you is, what is a movement that you have seen, just in society, kind of branch out into something bigger that you want to be a part of or have been a part of or really excites you?
Demon: I think the movement that I am currently trying to push or that I see that other people are doing, it goes back to education when it came to teacher’s pay. And now, it’s trying to revise the curriculum and adding, let’s say Afrocentric views. I think that I want to add to education because if we can get the youth, like at the young age, if the American system education, we can try to bring some representation involved within a curriculum that everyone feels represented. I think that education should reflect the population, and students are not learning about themselves. And I don’t know, I know that every school system is different, but I just know that movement with teacher’s pay like a lot, for example, a lot of teachers are getting, adding money, out of their own pockets to invest in school supplies. And I feel like that’s a movement, educating students. I feel like that’s a movement. Educating the youth is a movement that we often push under the rug. And I feel like that needs to be put at the forefront because when you’re educating students, you can talk about nature. You can talk about issues. You can educate them on how to grow plants or actually educate them on sex education. I feel like our education, that’s a movement that a lot of people don’t really realize.
Kimala: Yeah. So just meeting you, you seem to have an innate understanding of liberation justice and are already doing that deep work. What is something that you feel you automatically understand about movement work that you wish more people understood?
Demon: I wish people understood the people that are working for free that are not doing it for the money. They are doing it because they actually care. I feel like a lot of people don’t realize that a lot of people are affected by, let’s say, gentrification or police brutality. A lot of people need to realize that if you are not in that situation, that means you are privileged. And it’s okay because we all have privileges. Like, as a black man, as an educated black man, it’s a privilege that I have my degree. But it’s all about how do you use that privilege to help others? A lot of people are not realizing that the purpose of living and the purpose of life is to help others.
Elizabeth: If you think back to the younger Demon, pick an age, pick any age that feels glorious to you. But what were some things that you received from your family or community that really nurtured your growth into the person you are today?
Demon: I think that I would try, the age I would try to aim, I would always go back to middle school. And I say middle school because I actually enjoyed middle school. A lot of people didn’t enjoy middle school, but I feel like being an avid and that’s when college was put into my mind and that’s when you’re trying to set on what high school you go to. And I feel like, at that age, even when trauma starts, or a lot of things happened in middle school that made me realize that I am a leader. For example, it’s this thing called class president. So like Mr. President, it was this 10 year old boy, and he would make videos. And everyone’s like, “Oh, that’s you. That’s you.” Ever since I was young, people seen me as a leader. And I feel like, even now, in 2024 middle school, I think we need to have a graduation, something for class of 2024. Because I feel like, because them saying that, “Oh, I am a leader.” Or they see me on TV, or I don’t know. They boosted my self esteem, I just felt like. And it made me like, “Okay, maybe I need the student government. Okay, maybe the entertainment is what makes me, me.” I like making people laugh, and people will say that I’m funny, or I’m dramatic, or I don’t know. That really, I feel like those words really built me.
Kimala: What is something you’re most proud of accomplishing so far? What’s one of your biggest accomplishments?
Demon: Actually, being SGA president at UNC Asheville. For me to come to, knowing my background, to conquer there and then conquer here and to rebuild black UNCA. Because I was told that since the [inaudible 00:13:10], the nineties, or since the nineties happened, there hasn’t been a huge black presence. And for me, to be little me and just me just always giving my opinions on things, and people actually coming to things that I put on and having professors actually email me and say they support me. And I don’t know, just having the support and just seeing, to build something, to plan something and see it come to life. That really, I don’t know. It gave me hope in myself because it’s like if I can invest in the school for all my peers, imagine I to do that in myself. So I would say being SGA president is a big accomplishment because not only was it a fight to be the fifth black president for the five… Wait. Five what? For five years, we had black president. So for me to be making history and then be part of history, I don’t know. That’s an accomplishment for me.
Elizabeth: When you see yourself, and in your bio, I heard you were talking about entertainment and communication and modeling. The role of an influencer can be one that is you’re on all the time, and you don’t really always get to have that downtime. What do you do for self-care? What replenishes you?
Demon: My family. Like going back home, even though I am in Asheville, every chance I get to go back home to Charlotte to be with family, it reminds me, it keeps me whole. Also, I have a journal of things I want to do. So I don’t know, I have to do things, such as even getting a haircut. The smallest things keeps me grounded. And I feel like when I go home and talk to family and see my nieces and nephews, that keeps me focused. When, I don’t know, have a haircut, I’m like, “Okay.” I’m feeling myself. That builds my confidence. And I feel like when I write, it’s just me and what I write. No one knows what I’m writing in my journal. No one knows what I plan to do in the future. So I just think that even with [inaudible 00:15:14] too, I just feel like there are certain things that I have to write down, so I’ll know and be reminded that I am me, and I am focused. And I am one with, I guess, me or community. I don’t know.
Kimala: Well, if I could ask, what is some of your vision for yourself for the future? What are some of those things that you write down in your journal? Where do you see yourself going?
Demon: I see myself really, really like critics and like the film industry not liking me. And I say that because what I’m trying to do is I’m trying to revise Black content, which means changing stereotypes, going against what white critics think about me, just centering it around Afrocentric people. So I just really have this mindset and this goal to really be, what’s the word, a mogul, so someone who is in my generation that are making change in representation. And by me being, doing that, that’s through film. So that looks like me talking about the Blasian community or me going to Honduras, talking about the Garifuna people, just really bringing different type of Black representation, because I feel like people, when they think of Black people, they only think of Black Americans, Africans, Haitians, Jamaicans. They don’t really think about Afro Latinx or Blasian communities. So I just think that a lot of people are not well versed, when it comes to Black people, and they think it’s just one. But really there’s so… I even miss some names when I think the Black communities. So it’s, so Black is just everywhere.
Demon: And I feel like me even talking about representation, giving more darker-skinned women more roles, I just want to make a way where the youth can see themselves. And they can picture and like, “Okay, I like this movie because it’s funny.” Not because it like, for example, the Boondocks is violent, or Penny Proud is like one thing. I want a lot of Black youth to know they have options with the film. They have, they can see themselves everywhere. They can choose and be like, “Okay, I relate to this cartoon character.” And also, yes, I want them to know that they’re Black but also beyond them just being Black. I want them to show their talents. I want them to look at me and say, “Oh, if Demon can be this person, and if he can do this, and he don’t care what nobody thinks, I’m just like him.” So I just really want people to see themselves in me.
Elizabeth: I love that. And you’ve, throughout this interview, you have had this conversation centered around youth. And so, I think what happens, when there is this advocacy, the adults tend to make decisions without looking at who’s in the room. So whose narrative is running and making decisions? What do you think is missing when we’re talking about what impacts youth? As the adults, and you are a young adult, but you’re closer than I am, so what is missing? What can we do?
Demon: I think that we’re not asking, I want to say, kids because, like you said, close in age. I guess, we’re not asking the students like, “Who are you? What do you like?” Or we’re not bringing out their talents, so to say. I feel like we are missing that they are knowledgeable. They know more things, at their age, than I did. So I feel like, as their mentors, we aren’t really, I don’t know. I guess, we’re putting them at their age range, but mentally, we’re not really investing in them because they know a lot from technology, from social media. They are too well advanced for their own good, which is a blessing and a curse. But if we can try to add more valuable things to their mindset and say, “Okay, you like, let’s say, Lil Baby. Okay. What do you like about Lil Baby?” For example, I had, I made worksheets for the students at YTL, and I asked them, “Give me 20 songs and tell me your favorite artist and why you want to interview them.” Because we have to do things that they like, and we have to mold them into the things that we want them to be but include them and their interests.
Kimala: So that segues really nicely into my next question. What music mostly impacts you? What’s your favorite music right now?
Demon: So I have a favorite artist. I think Liz already know this, so I am a Nicki stan. A lot of people, they say crazy things, but I really like Nicki and her songs. If you guys really listen to her, it’s actually motivating. For you to make a way in an industry that was like you know, and for you to be from Trinidad and New York, and I don’t know. I just feel like there’s certain things that Nicki holds, especially and a Sagittarius, I understand. Sorry to throw in zodiacs. But with me, I just understand the drive that she has and that empowers me to make my own way in the film industry. If she can do that in the music industry, I can do it in the film industry. So she really, really empowers me to keep going. I like how she throws a little shade, but she also speaks positivity. And that’s kind of like me. So I just really, I don’t know, she really empowers me. I don’t know if that’s rap, pop, whatever, but whatever she does, she does no wrong in my eyes.
Elizabeth: So as we intertwine everything that we were talking about today, like who you are, your identity, where you see yourself as an advocate, what you have learned from all of the courses at UNCA, and then moving forward into the next chapter of your life, what is some advice that you would want to give? Because I know you said you’re younger self, but let’s look at your future self.
Demon: I think advice I want to give my future self, I think I would tell Demon have faith in yourself. I feel like, right now, just being young with social media, you get insecure. And you’re like, “Oh, how I’m looking, do people actually support me? Or do I need to help them out with this? Because if I don’t help them out, am I going to look like a bad person?” So I really need to have faith in myself. I need to stop worrying about… Well, I need to tell future Demon to don’t worry about who’s not supporting you. Don’t worry about… Don’t focus too much on negatives because there’s too many good things in your life, right now, that is positive. So don’t focus on the negative. And I feel like, currently, I always focus on the negative because I don’t know. It’s like you guys, I know you guys feel me when it like, even though there’s good things going on, but when something bad happens, or someone says this, it just replays in your head. And I don’t know if I should like say something or keep it to myself, but it hinders me because there’s many great things around me. And I think that I want to tell my future self to take a breath, look around, and take a, just really take in every good thing.
Kimala: Do you ever find solace in nature in those moments? And if so, what does it look like?
Demon: It looks like rain. So it looks like being outside on the porch. It looks like rain, the smell of rain. And it looks like less people. When it rains, it’s more, it’s like everybody’s in the house. So it’s just me, me outside taking in, I want to say, about myself, what I feel about myself. And it [inaudible 00:23:11] peaceful. Like, just right now, hearing the birds and seeing green trees and grass, it’s like, “Wow, we are moving too fast.” I need to just take a breath, smell the trees, listen to the rain. That looks like peace to me.
Elizabeth: I can’t even think of another question after that. That was such a beautiful answer. I do, I know that we want to follow your journey, in terms of what you have going on next and find where we can support all the things that your identity kind of creates and morphs into as you gain more connections and experiences through your life. Where can we, if you have social media and you want individuals or listeners to follow you, where can we find you?
Demon: You can find me on Instagram at _c.demon, which is correctly spelled Demon, D E M O N, underscore. And also, just to add to nature. Also, if you want to find me and my tribe, UNC Asheville, we’re doing a lot of great things, when it comes to environmental justice. We have a lot of events and programs around environmental and sustainability. So if you want to, I guess, follow me and see what it’s like. Take a trip to UNCA because a lot of people at UNC Asheville, who live in… Well, who go, live in Asheville, don’t really know about UNC Asheville. And it’s a public campus and very environmental friendly. We big on recycling. If you know someone who’s interested in trying to, I don’t know, talk about medicine or even vaccines, come to UNC Asheville and try to connect with us. Because even though we’re a small school, we’re big on community. We’re big on projects. And I always kind of shout out UNC Asheville because that’s my future soon to be alum, I guess, that’s how you say it.
Kimala: Awesome. And so, it sounds like we’re winding down, but I would like to know if the world can manifest best for you, your community, your family, what would that world look like?
Demon: That will look like changing the education system, actually investing in the education system when it comes to teachers and Black students. I’ll say, it looks like community. It looks like people who are at the top, now, in this current world, if you are sharing your resources, you can end world hunger. We can build more trees. There’s so many things in this utopia world that I’m thinking of that can be realistic. And I’m thinking even sharing, like just sharing resources. I think I said it already. What would that world look like? I would say opportunity for all, for everyone. The marginalized groups not being marginalized.
Elizabeth: As we continue to speak to individuals and create this season three episodes, we’ve really taken a focus on wanting to tap into speaking to younger individuals because we realize that it does take us all. And those, who are seasoned, I like to say I’m marinating, and then those who are younger, we all need to be able to come together and just create the world that we really want to see and be in.
Kimala: Absolutely. Thank you so much, Demon, for sitting with us today. All your answers were so beautiful. Just appreciate you. I’m excited to follow you on your journey.
Demon: Thank you guys for having me, truly.
The construction industry is one of the biggest polluters. They’re one of the largest producers of solid waste in the world. They contribute between 33% and 39% of all global greenhouse emissions. New materials and sustainable technologies are in high demand. One new possibility is mass timber or “cross-laminated timber” (CLT). But how much do we really know about CLT? Keep reading to find out a more about it and its possible impacts.
Cross-laminated timber, or CLT, is a special type of manufactured lumber, also known as mass timber. It consists of layered lumber boards that are stacked, glued, and pressed into place. This manufactured wood product forms large wood panels that are used in floors, roofs, and walls. Manufacturers claim that this building material will help developers create wood construction multi-floor buildings.
Promotors push cross-laminated timber as a green alternative to concrete. After water, concrete is the most widely used substance on Earth. The concrete industry is one of the biggest producers of solid waste. For example in Brazil, construction and demolition waste represent between 50% and 70% of the total solid waste produced. Just take a look at Brasilia, Brazil’s capital, which is sometimes referred to as the concrete city.
Cross-laminated timber is starting to gain popularity in the United States. Its promoters say that CLT panels are a sustainable material and generate fewer carbon dioxide emissions. They say that CLT could replace concrete or other building materials. They also say that it requires less fossil fuel consumption during manufacturing, transport, and construction.
This would be true if the wood used to fabricate the CLT came from sustainably managed forests. Unfortunately, most of the wood used for CLT is harvested from forests that are not managed sustainably. For example, CLT may incentivize logging more frequently and create even larger clearcuts.
Boards that make CLT are glued together. The glue used in the production process gives off massive quantities of formaldehyde and other VOCs. These two substances are very dangerous pollutants. They’re linked to cancer and other illnesses. For now, states don’t have strong guidelines to ensure that chemical adhesives from CLT production will not endanger the health of people living close to those facilities.
CLT promoters claim that this material consumes less energy and its emissions are lower. One effective way to measure the energy consumption and emissions of a process is through a life cycle assessment (LCA). Currently, the data is still unknown as to how much CO2 would be emitted in the logging, manufacture, and transport of the wood products used in the CLT production.
Also, emissions from the glue used in the CLT production haven’t been accounted for the LCA yet. More detailed information needs to be collected to run a complete LCA. A complete life cycle assessment needs to happen before wood manufacturers can claim that CLT is good for the environment.
CLT is only beneficial to the environment if the wood used to produce it is logged sustainably. Forests in the US are not always managed sustainably, and certification schemes are little more than greenwashing. A complete life cycle assessment would also be critical to determine the real values of CO2 emissions. In this case, having the full data would be decisive.
It certainly does. There are two important risk concerns: fire risks and safety risks.
A fire resistance test on CLT was conducted, and the results showed that it would take around two hours before the fire reached the inner layers and destroyed the complete panel. Yet, many firefighters agreed that more fire testing is necessary to really determine how CLT would perform in the real world. For example, it’s unknown how CLT would perform with a building full of synthetic materials like carpets, blinds, or particle board furniture.
In 2018 part of a CLT floor under construction collapsed after it “unglued”. This incident raised concerns about the security of CLT. It’s unknown to what extent the glue that binds CLT together is susceptible to water damage. Also, stress due to heavy weights can cause a CLT panel to crack.
The pressure causes inner layers in the panels to break down and separate, similar to what happened in the Florida condo complex that collapsed in June 2021 where engineers warned about cracked columns.
Below you can find some actions you can start doing right away.
To fully determine the benefits and impacts of CLT in the environment, more studies and analyses must be conducted. That is the only way to define if this new material is sustainable and a possible solution to climate change. Otherwise, we’ll be cutting down entire forests for nothing.
La industria de la construcción es una de las más contaminantes. Son una de las mayores productoras de residuos sólidos del mundo. Contribuyen entre el 33% y el 39% de todas las emisiones globales de gases de efecto invernadero. Hay una gran demanda de nuevos materiales y tecnologías sostenibles. Una nueva posibilidad es la madera en masa o “madera laminada cruzada” (CLT). Pero, ¿cuánto sabemos realmente sobre el CLT? Sigue leyendo para conocer un poco más sobre él y sus posibles impactos.
CLT es la abreviatura en inglés de madera laminada cruzada. Consiste en tablas de madera en capas (generalmente tres, cinco o siete) apiladas, pegadas y presionadas en su lugar. Este producto de madera manufacturado forma grandes paneles de madera que se utilizan en pisos, techos y paredes.
El CLT se está impulsando como una alternativa ecológica al concreto. Después del agua, el concreto es la sustancia más utilizada en la Tierra. La industria del concreto es una de las mayores productoras de residuos sólidos. Por ejemplo, en Brasil, los residuos derivados de la construcción y demolición representan entre el 50% y el 70% del total de residuos sólidos producidos. Basta con echar un vistazo a Brasilia, la capital de Brasil, a la que a veces se hace referencia como la ciudad de concreto.
Este nuevo material está empezando a ganar popularidad en Estados Unidos. Sus promotores dicen que es un material sostenible y que genera menos emisiones de dióxido de carbono. También afirman que requiere de menos consumo de combustibles fósiles durante su fabricación, transporte y construcción. Esto sería cierto si la madera utilizada para fabricar el CLT procediera de bosques sostenibles. Pero la mayor parte de la madera utilizada para el CLT se extrae de bosques que no se gestionan de forma sostenible. Por ejemplo, el CLT puede aumentar la frecuencia de la tala e incentivar la tala indiscriminada.
¿Y el pegamento? Los tableros que componen el CLT están pegados entre sí. El pegamento que se utiliza en el proceso de producción emite grandes cantidades de formaldehído y otros COV. Estas sustancias son contaminantes muy peligrosos. Están relacionados con el cáncer y otras enfermedades. Por ahora, los estados no tienen normas sólidas para garantizar que los adhesivos químicos de la producción de CLT no pongan en peligro la salud de las personas que viven cerca de esas instalaciones.
Los promotores de CLT afirman que este material consume menos energía y que sus emisiones son menores. Una forma efectiva de medir el consumo de energía y las emisiones de un proceso es mediante un análisis del ciclo de vida (LCA). Actualmente, se desconocen los valores sobre la cantidad de CO2 que se emitiría en la tala, fabricación y transporte de los productos de madera utilizados en la producción de CLT. Además, las emisiones producto del pegamento utilizado en la producción de CLT aún no se han contabilizado. Es necesario recopilar información más detallada para ejecutar un LCA completo. Y es necesario que se lleve a cabo un LCA antes de que los fabricantes de madera puedan afirmar que el CLT es bueno para el medio ambiente.
El CLT solo es beneficioso para el medio ambiente si la madera que se utiliza para producirlo se tala de forma sostenible y se certifica como tal. Un análisis del ciclo de vida completo también sería fundamental para determinar los valores reales de las emisiones de CO2. En este caso, tener los datos completos será decisivo.
De hecho si. Hay dos riesgos importantes: riesgos de incendio y riesgos de seguridad.
Se realizó una prueba de resistencia al fuego en el CLT y los resultados mostraron que tomaría alrededor de dos horas antes de que el fuego alcanzara las capas internas y destruyera el panel completo. Sin embargo, muchos bomberos estuvieron de acuerdo en que se necesitan más pruebas para poder determinar realmente cómo funciona el CLT en el mundo real. Por ejemplo, todavía se desconoce cómo el CLT funcionaría en un edificio lleno de materiales sintéticos como alfombras, persianas o muebles de fibra de madera.
En 2018, parte de un piso de CLT en construcción colapsó después de que este se “despegó”. Este incidente generó preocupaciones sobre la seguridad del CLT. Se desconoce hasta qué punto el pegamento que une al CLT es susceptible al daño por fugas de agua. Además, la presión debida a pesos pesados puede hacer que el CLT se agriete. La presión hace que las capas internas de los paneles se rompan y se separen, similar a lo que sucedió en el complejo de condominios en Florida que colapsó en junio de 2021, donde los ingenieros advirtieron sobre columnas agrietadas.
A continuación, encontrarás algunas acciones que puedes empezar a realizar de inmediato.
Para determinar completamente los beneficios e impactos de el CLT en el medio ambiente, se deben realizar más estudios y análisis. Esa es la única forma de definir si este nuevo material es sostenible y una posible solución al cambio climático. De lo contrario, estaríamos talando bosques enteros por nada.
Guest post by Michelle Thompson
There’s a common story that we can save the planet through small changes to our lifestyles. Headlines bombard us every day with all the things we can and should do for the planet. The media tells us that if we recycle, compost, and bring our reusable bags, we can reduce emissions. But these lifestyle changes require sacrifices that may be inaccessible or unsustainable. Thankfully, the best way to fight climate change isn’t as individuals.
Climate change is long-term changes in temperature and weather patterns. Since humans began burning fossil fuels, WE have been responsible for climate change. Our greenhouse gas emissions have been the main driver of climate change.
Greenhouse gases are gases that absorb radiation from the sun and prevent heat from escaping the earth’s atmosphere. Over time, this causes the atmosphere to heat up and alter global climate patterns. Long-term effects of climate change include:
Anyone who burns fossil fuels contributes to climate change. In fact, some people and companies contribute much more than others.
Corporations have pushed the idea that personal sacrifices are the way to reach our climate goals. The focus on small personal actions is an intentional deflection from large-scale polluters. If we’re focusing on individual choices, we aren’t looking at their extreme carbon emissions. As of 2017, just 100 companies account for 71% of all global emissions! And yet a tweet from Exxon Mobile asked the general public how they could reduce their personal carbon footprint. The audacity.
Corporations have used deflection campaigns since the beginning of the environmental movement.
Exxon Mobile scientist James F. Black warned the company about climate change-causing emissions in the 1970s. At this point, Exxon had already started its denial campaign. As science progressed and the evidence became harder to dismiss, they switched tactics. Instead of outright denying climate change, industries told the public that we were the problem. For example, the Keep America Beautiful campaign was created by beverage companies to tell consumers it was their responsibility to recycle bottles, not the companies’.
Focusing on personal action ignores systemic problems. So much of what we interact with daily is powered by fossil fuels and destructive practices. These include transportation, construction, energy production, and food production. Even if you ate vegan, drove an electric car, and lived plastic-free, you would still be participating in polluting systems. Your food would be grown with unsustainable farming practices. Your electricity would be generated by burning fossil fuels. It’s almost impossible to completely opt out of unsustainable systems. To come close, you’d have to disconnect from society. Most people are unable or unwilling to do this. As a result, they feel guilty for their environmental impact.
These campaigns have created and rely on environmental guilt. This is also known as eco-anxiety, green guilt, or eco-guilt. It describes a feeling that YOU should be doing more to help the environment. For example, feeling guilty after buying something with plastic packaging. Environmental guilt comes from a place of sincere concern. It can, though, be counter-productive to our goal of protecting the planet. Eco-anxiety can make people feel helpless and give up hope that we can stop climate change. Fortunately, there are more effective ways to meet our climate goals.
This is maybe best illustrated by the Keep America Beautiful campaign which started in the 1960s. Beverage companies introduced plastic bottles to reduce costs. Local governments started proposing laws to prohibit single-use packaging. After the first law passed in Vermont, these corporations started the Keep America Beautiful campaign. They used this public ad campaign to tell consumers that trash or litter was their fault. The campaign was widespread and after a while, the public didn’t think corporations were responsible for the trash. The ads told people to feel guilty about litter, so they did.
The average American contributes 16 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year. This is 3-4 times more than the global average of 4.8 tons of carbon dioxide per person. The average American only accounts for 0.0000000003% of all global greenhouse gas emissions. That’s about 1 in 3 billion. So why do individuals need to reduce carbon emissions? According to this data, individuals are barely contributing to climate change. Asking us to reduce personal carbon emissions only addresses a tiny amount of the total carbon emissions. We need to focus on larger emission sources, not individual carbon footprints.
There is a similar trend with recycling. Of all the plastic created:
This means that even if you recycled ALL of your plastic waste, you wouldn’t make a dent. The majority would still be discarded in landfills and contribute to climate change. The key takeaway is that individual changes don’t do much for climate solutions. While this may seem depressing, it’s a good thing for environmentalism. Through large-scale, systemic solutions, we can make far greater impacts. All this can be achieved even without asking people to change their lifestyles.
Regular people are also told to be more energy efficient. Headlines tell us to do things like keep lights off. Or, they tell us to buy expensive energy-efficient appliances. In 2013, residential energy consumption accounted for 37% of all energy use in America. Commercial energy use accounts for 35%. Industrial energy use accounts for 27%. While personal actions can decrease your residential footprint, they wouldn’t affect the other 62% of energy usage. Instead of stressing personal energy efficiency, we should work to increase renewable energy.
Embracing renewable energy at all levels of government is one way forward. Through de-subsidizing fossil fuels, we would reduce energy usage and help the environment.
Even though our individual habits don’t contribute much, there’s other steps to take. Many people still want to know how they can help tackle climate change. There are many ways to contribute to this fight. Take part in whatever ways you feel comfortable.
The first step is to understand the systemic problems. You should see the push for personal accountability for what it is – a marketing tactic. Instead of focusing on the ways we each contribute to global climate change, we need to look at the largest offenders. In other words, don’t shame yourself for eating meat. Get upset at the factory farm industry which insists on polluting to save money.
Even though the systemic reality of climate change is daunting, we can’t let fear paralyze us. Thinking that “it’s too late” or that “nothing I do matters” keeps us from acting. Powerful polluters use these ideas to weaken the environmental movement. They try to keep people from acting. Hopelessness and dread keep us from achieving positive change.
The revolutionary environmental movement recognizes the systemic nature of the problem. Climate activists like Greta Thunberg, Ineza Umuhoza Grace, Vanessa Nakte, and many others advocate for systemic solutions. Listen to activists, community leaders, and affected people about what they need and what systems are affecting them.
You can help Dogwood Alliance protect forests and communities while fighting climate change. Get involved. There are different campaigns you can help with including limiting the biomass industry, advocating for community justice, and more. So take action today!
Michelle ThompsonMichelle is Dogwood’s 2022 Forests & Climate Stanback Research Fellow. She has been interested in nature and conservation since growing up in upstate South Carolina. She is a masters student at Duke studying ecosystem science and conservation. Michelle is honored to continue her work in environmentalism at Dogwood over the summer and is excited by the opportunity to work with her community. In her free time, Michelle enjoys crafting, reading, and hanging out with her two cats.
Yesterday, a Supreme Court ruling restricted the EPA’s power to regulate dangerous carbon emissions from power plants. This disastrous ruling comes on the heels of unprecedented heat waves that swept across the planet before it was even officially summer.
With climate legislation mired in Congress, we know at the end of the day the power to fix this ecological crisis lies in the hands of the people. We are in the fight of our lifetime. It’s going to take every last person who cares about the most vulnerable, who cares about nature, and who cares about the life we leave to the children of today to stand up.
Dogwood Alliance has long held the belief that we need broad sweeping, transformative change to a society that puts the health and well-being of people and the planet ahead of corporate profits. That happens at the local level through creating on-the-ground solutions and through grassroots political power building to hold government and corporations accountable. The real solution for our climate, for environmental justice, and for nature and biodiversity is people power.
Communities matter. Science matters. Your voice and your actions matter. Yes, we are disappointed by the ruling from SCOTUS. But it only motivates us even more to work like hell for what we love. We won’t stop organizing. We won’t stop standing with communities on the front lines. We won’t stop holding the government and corporations accountable.
Now is not the time for fear or regret. Now is the time for action. And when you need a break – because we all do – try heading into the woods or sitting under a tree. Catch your breath. Listen to the birds and your heart. And then get back at it. Together we are building the most powerful grassroots movement the world has ever seen.
We’re sending Postcards from Polluted Places to North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper to urge him to oppose the wood pellet industry.
Reverend Richie Harding lives just a few miles from the Enviva wood pellet plant in Garysburg, NC. As a Black man, a father, and a youth football coach, Richie thinks a lot about the young people in his community. He wants to see them be successful and give back to the community that supported them. He also knows that his community is a hot spot for polluting industries. Companies like Enviva degrade the landscape and reduce the quality of life for local residents. This does not align with the vision that Richie has for his community.
Richie is a member of the Impacted Communities Against Wood Pellets Coalition. This Coalition is leading the movement to oppose this dirty industry in North Carolina. We’re united by a love for our communities, a deep connection to our surrounding environment, and the pursuit of justice for people and the planet.Last year, Richie came up with the idea of Postcards from Polluted Places. His goal is to educate his community and his elected officials about the impacts of the wood pellet industry. The Coalition has distributed postcards in the communities where Enviva operates and at events across North Carolina. We’ve sent thousands of postcards to NC Governor Cooper, calling on him to halt any expansion of the wood pellet industry in the state.
North Carolina exports more wood pellets than any other state in the nation. NC Governor Cooper claims to be a climate champion. He’s passed several executive orders on climate change and environmental justice. Yet his Administration keeps handing out funding and permits for the expansion of the wood pellet industry in North Carolina.
Dogwood Alliance is honored to be a member of this coalition. At the heart of the group are residents from the communities suffering the most direct effects of wood pellet production and logging. Those living near the production facilities have seen their lives completely altered. The dust from the facilities is so pervasive that it makes it impossible to enjoy outdoor activities like sitting on a porch or having a barbeque. The constant noise keeps people awake. One resident said she can’t sleep for more than three hour stretches at a time. The logging trucks stacked high with trees create dangerous traffic and tear up local roads. And for those living within the sourcing radius of the plants, the forests surrounding their homes can be turned into stumps in a matter of hours.
Many Coalition members have been organizing in their communities for years, even decades. Time and again, local and state elected and appointed officials ignore community concerns about pollution and their recommendations for stronger protections.Our Coalition is working together because we truly believe that change is possible. We’re teachers, organizers, activists, parents, and faith leaders. We know that one voice matters and that thousands can move mountains.
Trigger Warning: references of homophobia, transphobia, violence, and suicideSome history
June is nationally recognized LGBTQIA+ Pride Month. It commemorates the June 28, 1969 Stonewall Riots in Greenwich Village, New York City. The riots are widely viewed as the catalyst for much of the world’s movements toward LGBTQIA+ liberation. Organizers held our nation’s first gay pride parade on June 28, 1970 to commemorate Stonewall.
Marsha P. Johnson (a Black trans activist) and Sylvia Rivera (a Latine trans activist) were key figures in the riot, and later they both played critical roles in the movement. I cite these awe-inspiring women because it’s important for us to remember our own history. We must remember that we owe many of the liberties that we now cherish to Black and Brown trans people. Our movement, like many others, is suffused with the damaging effects of white dominant culture, but we cannot forget the contributions of the BIPOC and trans members of our community.
In her essay “Learning from the 60’s”, national treasure and Black feminist lesbian poet Audre Lorde wrote:
“There is no thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives.”
Why Pride?
The nation’s first pride parade’s official chant was: “Say it loud, gay is proud.” I can’t help but contrast this chant with the “Don’t say gay” legislation sweeping the nation. Our youth are considering and completing suicide at alarming rates. Our transgender kin, especially our Black trans sisters, are facing unprecedented levels of gender-based violence. Our sexuality, our gender expression, and even our existence are criminalized.
In his memoir Just Mercy, African American human rights attorney Bryan Stevenson said:
“Hopelessness is the enemy of justice.”
Pride Month is a time for us to be visible, to unite in solidarity, and to show our joy and our hope in the face of continued hardship. I say to anyone who would harm us: We exist. We are not alone. Though we might be afraid sometimes, we’ll never stop seeking equity and justice.
Guest Post By Carmella Wren-Causey
Across the world, countries are interested in the growing bioenergy industry’s claims about carbon neutrality. Woody biomass companies like Drax and Enviva claim that burning wood pellets instead of coal won’t contribute to climate change. This claim is not backed up by science, but the myth still persists.
Many European countries have already taken the biomass bait, but Japan is still exploring whether or not biomass is right for them. That’s why folks from Japan came to visit Gloster.
My name is Carmella Wren-Causey, and I live in Gloster, Mississippi. I live on land that’s been in my family for over a hundred years, with my puppy, horse, and newly added 3 kittens. Gloster is a small town in South Central Mississippi. We have about 1,000 citizens. We don’t even have a school in town. Our children have to be bussed more than a half hour just to attend school.
Image by The People’s Justice Council
This plant is open 24/7, produces over half a million tons of wood pellets every year, and ships the pellets around the world to Europe and Asia. Then those pellets are used for generating electricity. The companies tell us that it’s better than coal, but the truth is that these plants are dirty and pollute communities like mine.
Last month, I visited with a delegation from Japan that came to see the truth about biomass. Roger Smith, the Japan Campaign Director from the environmental NGO Mighty Earth, led the planning for the US biomass study tour. The group also included Sayoko Iinuma and Miyuki Tomari, two NGO leaders from the Global Environmental Forum working on biomass issues in Japan. Indy Juno from the National Wildlife Federation and Tokyo-based journalist Annelise Giseburt were also part of the group. These people were all here to see the impact biomass is having on the forests that surround us, my community, and myself. Here’s what they found.
The Japan delegation with Dogwood’s Erniko Brown and Carmella Wren-Causey
The Japanese delegation wanted to learn and to see firsthand the impact that biomass has on the sourcing communities. They wanted to see and hear the log trucks that drive to the mills. They wanted to see how these plants are placed in the backyard of some families’ homes: where our children play.
The group also wanted to see the impact on the members of the community. Six residents of Gloster came out to share the impact that biomass is having on their health. Folks told many stories about how they’ve developed breathing problems:
Many blame other problems on Drax as well. Complaints range from skin issues, like welts or fungal infections, to stomach issues.
Gloster neighborhood children play in front of Drax Amite biomass facility
You ask what bioenergy is? Bioenergy or biomass is energy generated or produced from living or once-living organisms. The energy from these organisms can be burned to create heat or converted into electricity. Some argue that because more biomass (aka trees) can be grown, this energy is “carbon neutral” and does not damage the environment. However, biomass at all stages (harvesting, processing, and final burning) creates lasting impacts on the natural world and human communities in and beyond those locations.
The biomass industry will tell you that wood pellets are usually made of compressed sawdust that is a waste product from other industries. While this was more true before biomass became popular, now more than 85% of the material used to produce wood pellets is from trees, not sawdust.
Wood pellets became popular because politicians declared it to be green and renewable – not because it actually is. But since other countries are rewarding green energy, biomass companies like Drax and Enviva receive government money (subsidies) to produce their polluting products.
A heartbreaking number of my neighbors have reported that they have skin, breathing, and sleep troubles now that Drax operates 24/7 in their backyard. The EJSCREEN tool from the EPA reveals that:
Drax has been in Gloster for eight years, and since then, it’s:
Gloster residents share their stories with Japan biomass delegation
Like it or not, Drax is in Gloster to stay. I hope that the folks who visited Gloster from Japan are starting to understand the impacts of their energy choices. Without foreign demand, wood pellet mills like Drax Amite would shut down. While that wouldn’t bring schools or jobs to our area, it would at least stop the onslaught of pollution.
If you’re ready to get involved, take your first step right now by telling President Biden to protect the forests and communities of the South.
Carmella Wren-Causey
Carmella Wren-Causey is a Storyteller in Environmental Justice Fellow with Dogwood Alliance. Carmella was born in Cleveland, Ohio, but has recently returned to her roots in Gloster, Mississippi. Admirer of the great outdoors, Carmella loves fishing, biking, and nature. She has a passion for flowers and gardening. Carmella came to Dogwood Alliance to tell her story about the Gloster community being impacted by biomass. She is a lifelong committed outreach servicer, now serving as chair of Economic Development and the Co-chair of Environmental Justice for the Amite County NAACP.
For this episode of Woods & Wilds: The Podcast Season 3, we interviewed youth organizer and activist Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas.
Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas is an Italian African American living in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains in Asheville, North Carolina. She is currently a senior at Asheville High School and plans on attending a four-year university to earn her bachelor’s degree in business and marketing. She’s passionate about being an advocate for others and bringing awareness to the importance of things. She’s a dreamer and puts in the work to see her ideas come to life.
Join Dogwood Alliance and SlayTheMic as we bring you tales of connection to nature and music.
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Read the full transcript of our interview with Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas!
Elizabeth: Hi everyone. I’m Elizabeth Lashay with Slay the Mic, and I am so excited to be back for season three of the Woods & Wilds Podcast brought to you by Dogwood Alliance. And I am joined by my amazing cohost, who’s going to take it away.
Kimala: I’m Kimala Luna from Dogwood Alliance. We’re so happy to be here with Slay the Mic and Elizabeth, and we have a really special guest today. We have Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas, who is an Italian African American living in the heart of Appalachian Mountains in Asheville, North Carolina. She is currently a senior at Asheville High School and plans on attending a four year university for her bachelor’s in business and marketing. She’s passionate about being an advocate for others and bringing awareness to the importance of things. She’s a dreamer and puts in the work to see her ideas come to life. Thank you so much, Trinity, for being here today. And I wanted to talk to you just right off the bat, jump right into it, about your very special business plan.
Elizabeth: Yes.
Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas: Yeah. Oh my gosh. Okay. So I came up with a business plan while in my business management class of last semester. And essentially we were told to look at an industry and see what it’s lacking and what we could provide for it. So I looked at the marketing agency industry and there were two key factors that I noticed. One being that it was not affordable. All of those big businesses were only catered towards very rich companies. And then secondly, what I noticed even just from experiencing this big wave of Black Lives Matter is that there’s a lot of Black owners of their businesses, of their own… Like for instance, Liz, people who are sole proprietors of their own businesses that don’t get enough attention, that get left behind. So Livello is what it’s called, which means level in Italian. And it’s a marketing agency that serves all, but it’s specifically designed to cater towards and help uplift the underrepresented Black and people of color community and those businesses within it to help them get the recognition they deserve and bring more traction to the business.
Elizabeth: And I’m so excited to be able to see this growth.
Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas: So nice too to have y’all’s support with everything as well. I think that’s another huge factor is like, I was like, “Oh, this is a cool idea.” And then Liz were like, “Get the domain.” And I was like, “Okay, we’re doing this.”
Kimala: Let’s back up a bit though. Let’s talk about… Because I know Liz introduced me to you, Trinity, but how did y’all meet?
Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas: We met through an organization through my high school called CAYLA it’s the City of Asheville Youth Leadership Academy.
Elizabeth: Academy.
Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas: Yes. So actually it’s this program through the school or you actually do have to apply to it and you have to get interviewed, just like any other job. And it’s pretty competitive. But it’s designed for us to become part of this little close-knit community of students where we do summer internships based on careers or hobbies that we’re interested in expanding on. So Miss Alex, who is the leader, the coordinator of CAYLA, we had talked about what I was interested in and I was like music and it was also business and entrepreneurship. And she was like, “Girl, I’m going to put you with Liz. Liz is everything you need.” And it kind of just started there. And then I worked with them for the summer and then we decided that I would to continue on working with them after the summer as an intern for them.
Elizabeth: Mm-hmm. And I’m just so excited because both Kimala and I have been able to just witness this amazing… You’re about to graduate. Do you have any excitement? What are your feelings before, as you’re getting closer to graduation?
Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas: I’m really just excited to go out on my own. I have always been independent growing up and I’ve always had the support of my family. But just the idea of like flying from the nest and getting to really develop who I am. Right after I leave is when it’s really going to start being, “All right, who do you want to be? What do you want your life to look like?” So I’m really excited to start sculpting that.
Kimala: That’s awesome. And for those that are tuning in, I just, for context, want to say that after the CAYLA internship, we had such a good experience working with Trinity and were so blown away by Trinity, your leadership skills and your organization and your commitment working with us that we kept Trinity on working on Slay the Mic multimedia. Which keep an eye out, there’s a lot of projects coming out for that soon. And for me, I can say I’ve been working with you for four or five, maybe six months at this point. And I am really, really impressed by your drive and your artistic passion. And I just want to know maybe a little bit about you grew up in Appalachia, what’s your relationship to nature to forests look like?
Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas: Well, first off I want to say thank you. So very sweet. So yes, well I would say originally my mom had a very much closer relationship with nature than I. But I grew up in my mom’s way of living and what was important to her was that we were always in the woods, either hiking or camping or just being in the nature. So a lot when I was younger we would go hiking. I learned how to backpack when I was younger as well. And I’ve always been raised to believe that the woods are not only just trees, they’re this living, breathing thing that senses you and it’s something I can connect deeply with. And I think when I was younger, I took that very literally. I would remember going on hikes with my mom and stuff and just thinking all the trees were my friends walking beside me. And I would imagine forest spirits and stuff. So I’ve always had this silly, goofy, fun relationship with being in the woods and everything.
Elizabeth: That is awesome. What a wonderful story and what a wonderful way to be introduced and to hone in on that imagination. As we’re discussing and looking at environmental justice, what are some things that you are noticing that you are appreciating that’s being done? And then that will lead me into my next follow up question.
Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas: Yes. I think one really big thing that relates a lot to my generation is there is that huge, giant worry of climate change and what our lives are going to look like 10 years from now or whatnot. And so I do know that in my generation there’s many small movements of us doing what we can to start pushing the older generation toward providing what they need to know so that we have a life to live some years down the road that’s healthy and clean. And I see young people younger than me all the time advocating. And I think… What was her name? Greta? Greta, I believe. She amazes me. And I just think seeing that inspires me to advocate myself. And again, going back to my mom and nature, it’s important to us so we do everything we can to provide for it as well. And that looks like just being environmentally friendly and making sure we recycle properly and replanting things and stuff like that. And giving back to the land.
Elizabeth: I think that actually answered my next question was what are some things that can be done or things that you’ve implemented into your lifestyle and practiced? And you just simply answered that. So thank you.
Kimala: Well, it sounds like it’s not dissimilar, right? Your passion for your business plan and your reverence in nature, how we’re pursuing racial justice, climate justice and spending time in nature all have these similar patterns. So where do you see those patterns happening in your business plan and like also how you treat nature?
Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas: Actually, that’s a really interesting question because the other day I met with Alex and I had an essay that I was going to have to write for a scholarship that was asking me, “As a business, how can you be environmentally and culturally aware and still maintain corporate responsibilities?” And I was like, “That’s a very loaded question. How will I do that?” But it is something that’s super important to me. I’ve always told my mom when I knew that I wanted to be an entrepreneur and start my own business that I want the things that I care about now and my morals to carry into the business and not shift or bend to capitalistic values or views and things like that. And I think as a business, for me, every way that I would operate would be environmentally conscious and friendly. And even in having an office building, when I eventually get one of those, I want to make sure that all the product that we’re producing is friendly. All of the product that we use is friendly. Everything in that space supports protecting our forest and our world. And while doing so, keeping my employees happy and feeling like they’re in a productive and healthy environment. And when my employees and I can feel that way, like we are supporting our environment and each other, we can then be our strongest selves to support this social justice movement that we would like to contribute to.
Elizabeth: Oh my goodness.
Kimala: That’s beautiful.
Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas: Thank you.
Elizabeth: That was beautiful. And I cannot wait. You don’t have to employ me, but I would love… No pressure, but years down the line. What I would love to know is when you think about the future, so let’s say five years, eight years away, how do you see individuals tackling climate crisis together? I think what you were saying is that your generation is bringing awareness and creating these movements. I wish that there was more awareness during the time that I was growing up. And then for those other generations, how can we build this gap to create the future?
Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas: Right. Well, I think it’s interesting because the older generation that is kind of in charge of what we do now does have a very different way of thinking, being that they came from a different way of life and that was capitalism and making the most of what you can and however much money you can out of these things. And now our generation is starting to see that these things that they believe in won’t provide for us at all by the time that we’re their age. And so I think in the next five years it’s going to make a huge difference because now those same people from older generations tend to kind of discredit are words and our ideas because we’re just thought to be kids, how do our opinions really hold impact? What do we say really matters? What do we know? Is kind of what is questioned.
Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas: But I think it’s going to be interesting in the next five years we have all these brilliant minds who have already been doing so much and will hit this age where going to power forward, you know? I think that’s at a point where we no longer can be silenced and that we have the ability to expand our ideas.
Kimala: Ooh, that sounds powerful. And a lot of really forward momentum. Really, every time I talk to you, I have like so much reverence and this deep desire to just really support those that are coming up, who’ve really come up in some of the wildest times we’ve ever seen in terms of the political environment, the climate environment. I just want to show up in the best way. What is one thing you wish, or one thing you could ask for from the older generation to support the youth right now?
Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas: I think I would ask them for more opportunity. As youth, we’re doing a lot to reach out to the older generation to try to bridge that gap. In turn, the older generation could bridge that gap with us as well. That will heighten our ability to communicate and open the floor more for that conversation. I really think that would do a lot for connecting generations.
Elizabeth: I knew that I really found the power of nature in a very low moment for myself. And then it’s just been this love ever since then. Whenever you are out in nature, what are some feelings that you get whenever you’re surrounded by just nature in general?
Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas: Oh my gosh, I love this one because it’s truly so amazing. Actually, at my old house, we were on a lot of land so there was a lot of space up the mountain. And we had a spring, an actual water spring that came down the mountain and all these big, giant mossy boulders. And I remember a lot of times when I felt a little bit lost or like I needed to just breathe, I would go up into the mountain and I would go sit on like the biggest boulder I could find that would look over all the springs. And it’s just such a relieving feeling. I would sit there and just close my eyes and just breathe and listen. And listening, it’s just amazing. You can hear so many different things. And it’s really remarkable what you realize by just sitting quietly. The creatures will start to move around you. And it’s really just this super relief that life does exist and it is here thriving beautifully.
Kimala: In the next couple of years, what do you hope to have accomplished?
Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas: By the time I graduate if there’s the opportunity for me to gain more experience in the field and what I’m interested in, and I really hope that I can have the foundation of a steady job to where that I can bring in enough money to where I can go out and explore. I think that’s something that’s really important to me. Building my career on something I’m interested in is really important to me, but also realizing that life can’t just be your career. It has to be so much more because there’s so much to experience. But while I do something that I enjoy, I want to be able to explore the world and travel, but still feel like I have a safety net at home. That’s the biggest thing to me. I love traveling. I love getting to experience other cultures. And it’s really eye opening. I think a lot of times, especially in our country, people get trapped in this bubble and we forget that there’s so many different cultures and so many different lives lived all over the world. And I think it’s super important to experience that and see how people live their lives and it makes your feel not so small.
Elizabeth: I absolutely love that. And I think it’s a wonderful reminder for me as well, who came from a mother who was like, “You need to work this job and you need to be able to be financially stable in this way.” And there was no room for that adventure and that travel. And so I’m having to unwind some patterns and thoughts of like if taking a break, feeling guilty. So I just want to say thank you for that wonderful reminder. And I admire you and your strength. With that being said, it might be something that’s uncomfortable for some, but what are you proud of of yourself? What are you proud of of Trinity?
Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas: I would say I am really proud of how I reach for my future. I think a lot of what I see around me sometimes is people feeling hopeless because they’re waiting for that to come to them. But since I was young, I’ve always done everything I can to achieve what I want to. I guess it couldn’t really see the crazy importance of it until this year, but as I’m getting into colleges and I’m getting scholarships, I’m just starting to see the whole weight of everything I’ve worked so hard to do come into one. I just think like I’ve worked so hard and diligently all my life that the next chapter of my life is going be an amazing one. So I’m proud of myself for that and for showing myself [inaudible 00:18:06] along the way.
Kimala: Absolutely. That’s wonderful. You are such an appreciator of art and music. What is music that you’ve been really loving recently?
Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas: I’ve been really, really, really into folk recently. I detached from that because that was my mom’s thing and moved towards like hip-hop, R&B was my thing for a really long time. But recently… I mean, folk is like the roots of the Appalachia. That’s always at the basis of where my taste can come from. And so I’ve been listening to a lot of also country, like Brandi Carlile. I am obsessed with her. I’m very obsessed. Same thing with these two ladies Lark [inaudible 00:18:55] is their name. Their music is so… It just hits right in your soul. It just vibrates in your soul. I really loved that. I think too though, I’ve been a little bit less into music, but I’ve been a lot more into poetry. Poetry has really been my thing recently. And writing.
Kimala: I love poetry. And you showed me this one poet, what was his name again? It was so beautiful.
Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas: Kwota B. Yes, Kwota. Oh my gosh. I love his book, When Doves Fly. I like read it like 50 times and analyzed everything. And really honestly, after reading his book, I actually started writing my own poetry. And then I started buying all kinds of poetry books. He really inspired me into this whole different mindset. Because I think I used to be really afraid of poetry just because I thought it’s so intense and complex and I’m like, “How do I dissect this?” But I realized too with reading Kwota’s work and then also listening to a lot of spoken word that it doesn’t have to be so complicated. It doesn’t have to have such a specific form. It’s just what you’re feeling. So that was a cool moment for me. And I started writing my own poetry with no rhyme or reason. It’s just kind of like a bunch of words.
Elizabeth: Well, I love how everything is really deeply intertwined. Your love for nature, your business model, your writing and your passions and your music. It all really seems to be centered from the soul that is able to be then generated from the core of the soul outward. So I really appreciate that. When you’re thinking about next steps for your business, what are things that you would like support on, if anything, to make your dreams turn into reality?
Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas: For one, I’ve kind of laid out the groundwork. And I think I was telling you this earlier in another meeting, Kimala, but I have this groundwork that I built in my business class, but there’s a lot of it that I want to go over and revise. And I think with that, I could use a lot of help. And I think another biggest thing for me is too, I know some experiences based on my family, but I really want to spend time going into the community and hearing everyone’s grievances and such towards what it’s like, or not even grievances, just like achievements as being a person of color and owning your own business. And I think hearing everyone’s experiences will help me develop my marketing plans and such to address specific things. I don’t want to be so vague. I want to really hone into what the community needs. So I think that would be really cool to get some support from.
Kimala: If you had a recommendation for your peers on how to get started, if they’re interested in being an entrepreneur, if they’re interested in getting more involved in the community, since these are things that you’re already doing, what would your advice be to them?
Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas: Take every opportunity you can. I was really unsure of CAYLA and I was just kind of like, “I don’t even know if I’ll get in. Or do I even really want to do this?” And it ended up being the most beneficial thing for me that I’ve experienced in a really long time. I met Liz and now I am on board with you guys learning so many new things. And I’m building Livello and having the support from you guys at building Livello. So I would just say to my peers, take every opportunity that you can take. Don’t spend the time to worry about the logistics of it or whether or not it’s right. Just jump right in and see what happens. And it might be something pretty amazing.
Elizabeth: I also know that every few years there’s always new trends and one that I keep hearing a lot lately, at least for the past four years, is self care. Self care this, self-care that, are people actually doing it. And so what is something that you do that’s self care?
Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas: I think the most important decision that I’ve made for myself is when I really started cherishing my hair. It’s really interesting. It took me a really long time. But I never liked my curls and I always threw it up in a bun. And I don’t know why I always threw it up in a bun because I always hated the way it looked. But I was just like, “Whatever’s easiest.” And I think this year and last year I started really looking into how to take care of my curls. I do hair care routines after my shower and actually I got a bonnet because I used to just sleep on my hair and just let it get all dry and brittle. But now I do my hair care and I wear my bonnet and then I take my hair down in the morning and then I wear it down or I style it differently. And I think as soon as I started doing that, there was a huge shift in a lot of different things. Like the way I carried myself and then also my style, the way that I presented myself. And then it also just felt so good for the soul. I felt like I unlocked a new Trinity by letting my curls be free and taking care of them. That is probably one of my biggest things that I’ve done recently.
Kimala: This is for my own curiosity, but I was wondering, what is it like coming up through high school and you’ve had a really unique high school experience, you’ve probably been remote for a lot of it, it’s been really activated for the other half, what’s that feeling like?
Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas: It was really strange. I think it contributed a lot to my interaction with people. Pre-COVID Trinity didn’t interact with anyone and just kept her head down and just walked where she needed to go. But then we went into COVID and I was thinking everyone’s complaining, but I was like, “I’ll be fine. I don’t interact with people anyways. So this is like my thing. I’ll just lay in bed all day.” But I actually think it worked the opposite. I started to be like, “Oh my gosh, I don’t want to be in here anymore. I’m so bored and I want to talk to someone.” And so as soon as we got out of COVID, I was like this social butterfly. And now I still am. I have so many friends now and so many acquaintances and I’m so interactive with people. I feel like it had like a reverse effect on me where I’m just like, “I need to talk to people now.” And there’s still those like little parts of me. I can be pretty introverted still where I sometimes I’m just like, “I just want to spend time by myself.” But I definitely think it benefited me in the way of I made a lot of important and close friends after that. So it was really hard though.
Elizabeth: So I’m just going to ask where we can find and keep going with Trinity’s journey. But…
Kimala: I mean, I know we can find Trinity monitoring the cafe project at her school, and I hope she talks about that. And before we wrap up, just definitely want to say that you are so special Trinity and you inspire us all the time in ways you are never going to be aware of. And we’re always blown away. So keep doing what you’re doing. You’re doing a good job.
Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas: Thank you so much. That makes me really happy. Thank you guys for even having me here as well and letting me talk for a while.
Elizabeth: Yeah, well I want to hear about this cafe project. So tell us about the cafe project.
Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas: Yeah, so it actually happened like this. So we have this Groundhog… It’s called Groundhogs and it’s a cafe within our school where we make breakfast, right now it’s every Thursday morning, for the teachers and staff. It’s not available to students right now. I just started doing the mornings there this semester. And there was a point where my teacher was like, “Okay, so we have this social media, but nothing has been done to it. Does anyone here know how to do marketing?” And I was looking around and then everyone simultaneously stared at me. And then that’s how it started. It was like I kind of got [inaudible 00:27:28]. So I did, I got put in charge of doing the social media management for Groundhogs. It’s been really great so far actually. It’s been a lot of fun. I’ve been taking pictures. Actually, I have an intern that I’m teaching a little bit about marketing. Although we’re kind of learning along the way to get there. So me and her, we take pictures during the days when we’re cooking and then delivering. And we’ve done some cool little teaser post because we are on the brink of something pretty cool. We’re in the development of something pretty cool. So we’ve been just doing the marketing for that and it’s been pretty responsive so far.
Elizabeth: That is awesome. So where can we find this? So on Instagram?
Kimala: What are the handles?
Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas: I got you. Okay. So it’s called groundhogs.cafe.ahs. Yeah, it was actually called Groundhogs because we have this family of groundhogs that lives on campus and they’ll literally like walk up to you. There was several points where I just like sat and just me and this groundhog just stared at each other for a while. They live there, they interact with the students. So that’s why it’s called Groundhogs.
Elizabeth: That’s amazing.
Kimala: That’s amazing.
Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas: Yeah, they’re so cute. They’re seriously super cute. There’s a really, really chunky one.
Kimala: Groundhogs, they know where to find the medicinal plants. If you follow a groundhog all around all day, they’re going to eat the most nutritionally dense medicinal plants in the area. They’re an Appalachia secret, yeah.
Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas: I didn’t even know that. That makes sense though. We have this big hill around Asheville High that’s just dense vegetation. So maybe that’s why, there’s some goodness in there somewhere.
Kimala: Yeah. For sure. Very cool.
Elizabeth: Oh my goodness. Well, we know that this is not the last that we’re going to hear from you. And actually we have some really cool possible opportunities that we would love to continue to collaborate on. But this is really going to start where we share the table. And actually not share the table, we wanted to take a step back as the generation, the millennials, to just say, “Hey we want to learn from you, the youth, on how we can create a better future.” So we’re so excited and grateful for what you’re doing, what you continuously do and how you show up for others. So I know that, again, just following what Kimala said that this has been inspirational and we are always grateful for you choosing to be part of our life and be our intern and teach us.
Kimala: Yes.
Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas: Equally, I’m so, so happy you guys chose me to continue working with you because it’s been one of the greatest experiences of my life so far. And I love working with you guys so much. And I’m happy that this is such a big family. Because I know that even when I leave Asheville, I’ll still be able to be a part of it.
Kimala: Definitely. Well, thank you so much, Trinity. And for those tuning in, keep an eye out on what we do this year. Trinity’s going to have a big part in that. And thank you, thank you all so much.
Trinity Giovanna Barnwell-Thomas: Thank you.
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April 5, 2026