Henderson County to Build CNG Station

Thanks to a stimulus grant, Henderson County has broken ground on its own CNG station.  CNG (compressed natural gas) is a cleaner alternative to propane, gas or diesel and can save the county around $1.50 per gallon once the CNG conversion is completed.  Another positive reason to use CNG is that it decreases our nation’s dependence on foreign oil, the base for our petroleum use.  Construction of the CNG filling station is expected to be completed by this October.

While Henderson County vehicles will be converted to CNG (two CNG-run buses have already been purchased for the Apple Transit System), the goal of the new filling station is also to get Henderson County residents to consider using CNG in their personal vehicles instead of other, harsher fossil-based fuels, such as petroleum-based gasoline or diesel.  There are already CNG fueling stations in Arden and Asheville.  They are going to make the new CNG filling station a public fueling station instead of just for private County use.

If you’re interested in converting your own vehicle into a cleaner CNG-run vehicle, there are several things to consider first, such as the cost of conversion, seeing if your car can handle the weight of the canisters that hold the CNG, EPA standards, availability of refueling stations and more.  To find out more about how to convert your vehicle to natural gas, click here.

With Henderson County building a CNG station, it’s nice to know that they take the environment seriously as well as using our tax dollars wisely.

Full Moon Follies Fundraiser in Hendersonville

Most people are today understand that we need to help out the burden placed on our planet by “going green”.  This means reducing your carbon footprint wherever possible by reducing the amount of waste you create, reducing the amount of energy you consume and reusing and recycling items whenever possible.  ECO’s Marvelous Malarkey group has put together a fun Full Moon Follies fundraiser in downtown Hendersonville on Saturday, June 26, 2010.

ECO has kept the idea of “thinking locally” firmly in mind when developing this event.  Local businesses and restaurants have donated food and beverages.  Local printer Hendersonville Printing Co. was hired by ECO to create the invitations.  And local talent will be performing, including Hendersonville’s very own all female a cappella group The Atomic Sisterhood.  In addition to The Atomic Sisterhood, singer/guitarist Tania Battista, rocking duo Carol Deurmit & Steve Whiteside, singers Pam and Don McMahon and storyteller Chuck Breckheimer will be performing.

There will be a raffle for great, fun prizes, including a garden scarecrow, local Christmas tree, custom hula hoops, a clothesline that will be installed for free and even a truckload of goat manure from the Carl Sandburg house as well as tons of other great prizes.

ECO plans on making this a low waste event, just like last year’s Marvelous Malarkey.  At that event, the leftover food and other waste only generated a total of two bags of trash for all 110 attendees, thanks to the use of vegetable-based plastic cups, paper napkins and paper cups.  The plates were provided by Camp Glen Arden and were washed and returned afterwards.

Tickets are $50 each or $90 per couple.  All proceeds help fund ECO’s ongoing efforts to promote recycling, renewable energy and clean water as well as keep local people working.  All attendees must make reservations in advance of the event.  If you’re interested, please call 692-0385 or visit Eco-WNC.org.  Let’s help keep Hendersonville on the “green” path.  Think locally and help globally.

Rich Cooke, your Hendersonville real estate specialist