FROM THE EDITOR 



Resolutions for the New Year 



the holiday season upon us, it soon will be time to make New 

 Year's Resolutions. 



As you list your own resolutions, you may want to consider the 

 following environmentally conscious actions identified by the N.C. Coastal 

 Federation in its 2004 State of the Coast report. 



Reduce, reuse, recycle: Buy products that feature reusable, recyclable 

 or reduced packaging to save tlie energy required to make new containers. 

 Also, by recycling all of your home 's waste newsprint, cardboard, glass and 

 metal, you can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 850 pounds annually. 



Consider a fuel-smart car: When buying a car, purcliase a fiiel- 

 efficient vehicle - one that gets more miles to the gallon than your current 

 vehicle. 



Give your car a day off: Consider transportation alternatives such 

 as mass transit, carpooling, bicycling and telecommuting. By leaving your 

 car at home two days a week, you can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 

 1,590 pounds a year. When you do drive, keep your car tuned up and its tires 

 properly inflated to save on fuel costs. 



Tune up your home to save dollars: Your house is responsible for more 

 air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions than the average car. Insulate 

 your home and caulk windows and doors. Potential savings in carbon- 

 dioxide emissions: 2,480 pounds a year. Buy energy-efficient appliances. 

 A high-efficiency refrigerator, for instance, will reduce carbon dioxide 

 emissions by 220 pounds a year. A washing machine that uses water and 

 energy efficiently will reduce emissions by 440 pounds a year. 



Go solar: Install a solar thertnal system in your home to help provide 

 your Iwt water and reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by about 720 

 pounds annually. Encourage your utility to do its pari. Many local utility 

 companies offer energy from clean sources ( landfill gas recovery, high- 

 efficiency natural gas-fired power plants, or renewable s such as solar and 

 wind). 



IN THIS ISSUE 



Contributing Writers: 

 Kathleen Angione □ Ann Green □ Lilly Loughner 

 Katie Mosher □ Pam Smith 



Contributing Photographers: 

 Ken Blevins ° Michael Halminski ° Stratford Kay □ Doug Kesling 

 James Morris □ TimRunyan a JeffScovil a Pam Smith □ Scott Taylor 



North Carolina 's diverse coast offers countless interesting subjects. 

 The large dots on the locator map indicate story settings in this issue — 

 including Ocracoke, Elizabeth City and the Cape Fear Coast. 



Buy green power: Green power is electricity that is generated from 

 renewable sources such as solar, wind, geothermal or biomass. Although the 

 cost may be slightly higher, you '11 know that you 're buying power from an 

 environmentally friendly energy source. 



Get involved at work: Your company can save money by joining EPA 

 programs such as Energy Star Buildings and Waste Wi$e recycling programs, 

 and by buying office equipment with the Energy Star label. 



Plant trees: Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air. Join family 

 members, neighbors, environmental groups or community service groups in 

 planting trees in your yard, along roadways, at schools, and in parks. 



Educate yourself: There are many good books and Web sites that will 

 help you learn about global warming. (Go to www.nccoast.org for sample 

 sites.) 



Educate others: Encourage others to take these practical, energy- 

 saving steps that save money while protecting the environment. 

 Taking any of these actions can make a difference. 



n closing, I note the passing of Llewellyn Salter Lewis of Davis, who 

 died in October at age 93. 



I met "Miss Lue" more than a dozen years ago, when I interviewed her 

 and coworkers in the picking room at Luther Lewis and Son. She took on the 

 task of teaching me the fine art of picking crab. I am not known for fine motor 

 skills — and thus my pace was "hours per pound" rather than pounds per hour. 



Several years before I joined Sea Grant, Coastwatch published my 

 account of Miss Lue's picking lessons. I easily recall her smile and Down 

 East brogue as she explained just how to keep lump meat in one piece. 



But she also taught me much more. She shared stories of family, 

 community and the value of honest work along the North Carolina coast 

 — lessons that I use to this day. 



Katie Mosher, Managing Editor 



