How healthy is the Asheville area ? (Black Mountain, Canton: attorney, mobile home, heat pump)

[queenofbavaria]

Hi there !

one of our main reasons moving from delaware is the pollution, dirty water and the high cancer rate here.
we have nuclear plants (and other interesting stuff ) close by and I just want to raise my children in a healthier area.

I am very interested in your opinion !

[Cofga]

Water quality depends on whether you are on a water system or your own well. The water systems generally are surface water from watersheds that the various communities bought early in the last century. They have large reservoirs high up in the mountains and access is limited in those watersheds so it is pretty clean stuff. Groundwater can be hit or miss depending on how deep the well and the history of contamination in the area you buy in. For example down on Mills Gap road there is an old industrial site that contaminated the groundwater there. a number of wells in the area have already been shut down and more are being tested by the EPA. Recently homeowners asked the city of Asheville to annex them just so they could get city water. Issues with groundwater are one reason that access to municipal water and sewer were high on my search list but once you get up in the mountains and away from towns that is less of an issue.

Air quality varies again depending on where you are. You would think that the high ridge tops would be best but that isn't always so. There is the pollution over in Canton from the pulp mill that drifts east over the mountain ridges. Also, ozone levels are greater up on the ridges than down in the valleys. Most air pollution drifts over the mountains from the west out of TVA coal fired power plants. However, TVA lost a lawsuit last year brought by the state of NC and has begun cleanup efforts so that source of pollution should decrease. The attorney general has said that air quality has already begun to improve as a result and this year there was additional improvement due to the large amount of rain--washed out the pollution. I'm sure that the economic situation also helped due to the reduced industrial output and demand for power. There is a power plant down in Arden but from what I have read it is fairly clean and the new Cliffside plant is south and east of Asheville.

The only other widespread issue is radon gas--a carcinogen. It is produced by the radioactive decay of radium. It is naturally occurring in many rocks and the Asheville area is a hot spot for it. Radon tests are now done as a routine part of purchasing a house and it is relatively inexpensive to mitigate if levels are above the MCL. Our house came in with a reading of about 1 pico-Curie/L which is well below the 4 pC/L MCL. Values in some areas exceed 30-50 pC/L. I seem to remember our inspector saying that the Black Mountain area can be a hot spot. While it is easy to mitigate in a house, groundwater is a different issue since it will be in the water that you drink and more importantly when you take a shower--imagine breathing in all that radon while you take a long hot shower! Most people don't bother with a water quality analysis when they buy a house assuming it is safe.

I think about this a lot because it's what I do for a living as a research scientist with a major US govt water quality program. I wouldn't be moving to Asheville if I didn't think it was safe and a higher quality of living than I have outside Wash DC. Good luck with your search

[Dreamy46]

Originally Posted by queenofbavaria

Hi there !

one of our main reasons moving from delaware is the pollution, dirty water and the high cancer rate here.
we have nuclear plants (and other interesting stuff ) close by and I just want to raise my children in a healthier area.

I am very interested in your opinion !

I respectfully suggest that you have this backwards. All the pollution you're complaining of is from the massive amount of cars, industry, and coal fired power plants. The nuke plant is doing nothing to you as far as air quality. It only hurts the water if it's operating improperly.

I urge you to watch this video about the coal plants:

Coal Ash: 130M Tons of Waste - 60 Minutes - CBS News

I've also been looking at the Asheville area for a move, but to me the biggest drawback is this TVA plant to the west and the even closer plant in Arden.

We had a lot of discussions about this here:

Environmental and Other Concerns Questions

The Chamber of Commerce types like to pump that this area is the land of clean living. Careful research by you will show the Emperor has no clothes...

[NC_Paddler]

Originally Posted by Dreamy46

I urge you to watch this video about the coal plants:

Coal Ash: 130M Tons of Waste - 60 Minutes - CBS News

I've also been looking at the Asheville area for a move, but to me the biggest drawback is this TVA plant to the west and the even closer plant in Arden.

Unfortunately, the coal lobby is a very powerful, wealthy, and influential one, and coal isn't going anywhere.

What kills me is that the supposed "green-friendly" president that all of the "environmentalists" voted for is no enemy to the coal industry. "Clean coal" . . . gimme a break.

[queenofbavaria]

Originally Posted by Dreamy46

I respectfully suggest that you have this backwards. All the pollution you're complaining of is from the massive amount of cars, industry, and coal fired power plants. The nuke plant is doing nothing to you as far as air quality. It only hurts the water if it's operating improperly.

well, let me express it this way: Delaware is not a healthy state at all and waking up in the morning, first thing I see, when I look out of my window is a nuclear plant, since we live in the 10 miles radius.
and having a plant like this so close by doesn't help me to feel safer, healthier and more enviromental friendly.


with a german background we see a lot of things different. we grew up to recycle EVERYTHING (actually the overdue it a little ) and that's what we do here (almost nobody else ).
we put solar panels on our roof (even our deed restrictions did not allow that), safe energy whenever we can, walk to shopping and schools - and still .... I don't know, if especially people around here a more narrow-minded ... but we know only 3 more families who think and live the same way

when we moved here 7 years ago, I was asked what I don't like about living here.
besides a lot of things, we really like and enjoy, I said, well, the trash issue is bothering us .... answer: what issue? don't they pick up the trash twice a week at your house, too ? what's the problem then ??
(in germany we have a weight limit for trash - if you have over 80 pounds a week, you have to buy extra (very expensive) bags - annoying, I know, but that's what teaches you a lot )

funny, when I look for properties around asheville, I sometimes find 'green' or 'eco' houses - and what makes it a green house is .... a rain barrel.
catching rain in a barrel is common sense to me, but no 'green feature' worth mentioning.

[queenofbavaria]

thanks so far for your input, especially Cofga for your very helpful post !

[NC_Paddler]

Originally Posted by queenofbavaria

well, let me express it this way: Delaware is not a healthy state at all and waking up in the morning, first thing I see, when I look out of my window is a nuclear plant, since we live in the 10 miles radius.
and having a plant like this so close by doesn't help me to feel safer, healthier and more enviromental friendly.


with a german background we see a lot of things differnt. we grew up to recycle EVERYTHING (actually the overdue it a little ) and that's what we do here (almost nobody else ).
we put solar panels on our roof (even our deed restrictions did not allow that), safe energy where ever we can, walk to shopping and schools - and still .... I don't know, if especially people around here a more narrow-minded ... but we know only 3 more families who live the same way

when we moved here 7 years ago, I was asked what I don't like about living here.
I said, well, the trash issue .... answer: what issue? don't they pick up the trash twice a week at your house, too ? what's the problem then ??
(in germany we have a weight limit for trash - if you have over 80 pounds a week, you have to buy extra (very expensive) bags - annoying, I know, but that teaches you a lot )

funny, when I look for properties around asheville, I sometimes find 'green' or 'eco' houses - and what makes it a green house is .... a rain barrel.
catching rain in a barrel is common sense for me, but no 'green feature' worth mentioning.

Asheville is definitely more progressive/conscientious when it comes to environmental issues, but it's all relative (and the Europeans tend to be way ahead of us in that regard). But in the US, it doesn't get much more progressive than here, and Asheville is becoming somewhat of a hub for "green" development. But no doubt there is some "greenwashing" going on too, but being a discerning consumer, you shouldn't have a problem in finding what you're looking for.

It could be worse . . . you could move to Atlanta.

p.s. I believe the closest nuke plant is the TVA:

List of nuclear power plants in America

[Dreamy46]

Originally Posted by NC_Paddler

Unfortunately, the coal lobby is a very powerful, wealthy, and influential one, and coal isn't going anywhere.

What kills me is that the supposed "green-friendly" president that all of the "environmentalists" voted for is no enemy to the coal industry. "Clean coal" . . . gimme a break.

I share your sentiments. If they ever shut the coal mess down and replace it with natural gas or truly clean energy such as sun or wind, then the Asheville area truly will be the paradise that people imagine.

[Cofga]

Where I live now outside Wash DC we have been recycling glass, cans, and paper for years and doing a lot of other things for the environment (I don't use any pesticides and rarely fertilize what passes for grass). So I have to agree with paddler on the green culture in Asheville--I have been very impressed so far with what they are trying to do. Very good curbside recycling in most towns and much of the county as well as other efforts. For example to get rid of old mobile homes Buncombe County will pay for their removal. The dump takes electronic items free (3 per trip) although other trash (including dead farm animals) are charged. Paper, plastic, and other recycled items are free as is pesticide disposal. For more on county efforts see the quarterly newsletter http://www.buncombecounty.org/common..._2009_Fall.pdf .

There was an article in the ACT yesterday about an experimental program building 2 homes made from hemp! The city is full of folks trying to do all kinds of innovative things to live green, and much more than a rain barrel. Next spring I plan to upgrade my old heat pump with either a high efficiency one or a high efficiency gas furnace and lay in another 6" of insulation in the attic. A progressive community attitude is another reason we are anxious to move to Asheville. I am a research ecologist and want to live what I preach in my publications--Larry

[NC_Paddler]

Originally Posted by Dreamy46

I share your sentiments. If they ever shut the coal mess down and replace it with natural gas or truly clean energy such as sun or wind, then the Asheville area truly will be the paradise that people imagine.

That won't happen until people and politicians stop putting the narrow financial interests of a few ahead of the overall health interests of the many . . . and until well-intentioned, but misguided and uninformed, voters actually vote for candidates that actually do things to promote human and environmental health.