Community Rising

The ocean is getting greener — and bluer. Scientists can see it from space. But what does it mean?

In this episode of Shoresides, host Nicolas Magrino speaks with Philip Bresnahan, associate professor at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, about what’s driving subtle but measurable changes in ocean color around the world. From warming waters to shifting nutrient flows, the hues of the sea are telling a complex story — one t...

Join us in this episode as we interview Wallayce Todd of Community CPR to explore the vital role of community connections in the rural areas of Columbus County after storms. Learn how her organizing, Community CPR, and neighborly bonds transform lives, foster resilience, and strengthen the social fabric of our region's rural communities.

Ten Things to Do to Prepare for a Storm and Flooding:

1. Create an Emergency Pla...

When it rains in coastal North Carolina stormwater pours off our plethora of parking lots into the neighborhoods, parks and eventually the Cape Fear River, and with the stream of water pollutants with it.  Our increasing number of surfaces don’t allow the water to soak into the ground. Local groups are advancing public education which acknowledge the big public policy issues at play, but also offer solutions we can all take.  

The e...

In this episode of Community Rising, we spotlight the vital work of Seeds of Healing, Inc. Join us as we speak with Bonetta Spratley, Christopher Marville, and Dr. LeShonda Wallace to learn how they are advancing HIV testing and awareness in coastal North Carolina. Discover the innovative approaches they use to combat stigma, provide support, and empower individuals living with HIV. Listen in to hear inspiring stories and learn how...

“We were just sitting on the porch like normal on a beautiful Saturday. And then we heard this tractor, and then all of a sudden this animal waste was coming everywhere and it was stinking like nothing we had ever experienced,” says Elsie Herring of Wallace, North Carolina.

Herring is one of many eastern North Carolinians who have had negative health impacts and financial burdens as a result of nearby concentrated animal feeding ope...

Coming soon on Community Rising. 

Climate change is reshaping coastal North Carolina in a myriad of ways, and one of the most striking is the emergence of ghost forests.

As our climate warms, sea levels rise, and saltwater intrusion advances inland, the delicate balance of coastal ecosystems is disrupted.

The result is the eerie transformation of lush, vibrant forests into skeletal remnants of their forme...

Honey bees not only produce one of the most popular sweeteners used within food and drink products - they also play a huge role in our agricultural system. Onslow County Master Beekeepers David and Lynn Sanbeg, along with Eric Talley of the Onslow County Beekeepers Association, have made it their goal to provide high-quality honey for their communities. These dedicated beekeepers encourage residents of Coastal North Carolina to lea...

Look to the coast of North Carolina and you may find something a bit unexpected - artificial reefs. These manmade reefs mimic the characteristics of real reefs in order to provide a home to ocean life. In this episode, Jordan Byrum, an artificial reef coordinator with the NC Division of Marine Fisheries, discusses the history, creation and importance of artificial reefs in North Carolina. 

Support Shoresides’ local storyte...

Hog farms have been polluting the environment of Eastern NC for decades. And over the past few years, owners of these operations have started touting biogas as a way to make hog farms more sustainable. In this episode, Kemp Burdette, the Cape Fear Riverkeeper, explains why biogas isn't the sustainable solution that it's being made out to be. 

Support Shoresides’ local storytelling. Your gift helps us amplify coastal voices...

Low-income communities of color are disproportionately impacted by environmental issues in NC, and face higher rates of disease because of it. When COVID-19 hit, Sherri White-Williamson, the Environmental Justice Policy Director at NC Conservation Network, says it became clear that these were the communities that were going to be unduly vulnerable to the virus. In this episode, White-Williamson discusses why environmental justice c...

Christian Legner is the Public Informations Officer of Duck, NC. She speaks about what her town prioritizes when hurricane season is in full effect, and how this changes with COVID-19. Hurricane Isaias hit Coastal Carolina a few days ago. Christian speaks about how her town dealt with the damages and evacuations. 

Support Shoresides’ local storytelling. Your gift helps us amplify coastal voices: https://givebutter.com/to7as6

NC is predicted to have a high-intensity hurricane season this year. The state is launching a new tool – outlined zones – to help coastal residents understand which areas will be most vulnerable to impacts and organizes evacuations by predicted zone impact. In this episode, Katie Webster, Assistant Director of Planning for NC Emergency Management, talks about the state's new "Know Your Zone" program that hopes to str...

North Carolina's low-income communities of color already face higher rates of chronic diseases like heart disease. And with the threat of increasing temperatures due to climate change, these disparities will only worsen. In this episode, Marian Johnson-Thompson, a virologist and environmental justice advocate, talks about how climate change will worsen health disparities, and why these disparities exist in the first place. 

From hog lagoons to sewage sludge to wood pellet plants, low-income communities of color in Eastern North Carolina experience a wide array of environmental injustices. Naeema Muhammad, an organizer and activist with the North Carolina Environmental Justice Network, has been fighting against these injustices for over 20 years and has experienced the emotional toll that comes with such activism. In this episode, Muhammad describes th...

Ana Zimmerman is a biology professor at the College of Charleston. She's also a flood survivor. Over the course of a few years, her home was repeatedly flooded after major storms. The effect of repeated floods caused major damage to her home, and left her with struggles that weigh on her both personally and professionally as a scientist. 

Produced by Ben Abrams. Music by Meydän. Photo by Wade Spees.

Broadcast...

On July 22nd, the Chemours facility in Fayetteville, North Carolina notified Cape Fear Public Utilities Authority that sediment highly contaminated with PFAS chemicals leaked into the Cape Fear River. In this episode, Emily Donovan, co-founder of Clean Cape Fear, tells us what Brunswick, New Hanover and Pender county residents that rely on the river for drinking water need to know. 

For more information, go to www.cleancap...

Larry Baldwin is the Crystal Coast Waterkeeper and the Advocacy Director of the White Oak New River Keeper Alliance. He's an advocate for improving the health and quality of water systems throughout coastal North Carolina. Baldwin has experienced a number of hurricane and says they can actually be a good thing for river systems. But they cause a number of other issues - they destroy communities' infrastructure and create ...

North Carolina's Albemarle-Pamlico Estuary is the second-largest estuary in the United States and serves as a vital resource for several industries and communities. Bill Crowell, Director of the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Partnership, says that as climate change continues to threaten this resource, taking steps to protect it is more important than ever. 

Produced by Kayla Guilliams. Music by Meydän.

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