Stories
In his book A Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold shared a pivotal moment in his life as he recounted the story of leaning over that old she-wolf he had shot, watching her life ebb away. He was disturbed by the intensity he saw in her eyes, what he called the green fire. In that moment as he watched the green fire die, he understood that life is community. It is not individual. We
are all part of the land. We are in this together.
The green fire Leopold saw was a reflection of the web of life. A reminder that what happens to one part of the web eventually happens to all of it.
How do we keep the green fire from dying? Leopold used his moment of clarity and deep regret to fashion a life dedicated to conservation and forming a land ethic that has inspired generations of conservationists to keep the green fire alive.
As farmers, we see the negative effects of pollution and development on the land in ways that those who live in town may not. Because we have both a front-row seat to this decline, and a mission to bring good and healthy food to our family and our customers, we are compelled to act against the harms we see.
Donating to the NC League of Conservation Voters is one powerful way we work to meet our obligation to the land and the land ethic that Leopold laid plain for us.
At Five Waters Farm, we stand up for the land we stand on. Thankfully all the hard working folks at the NCLCV have our backs. Their work supports the land, and we support them. We invite you to join us in protecting the land, in keeping the green fire burning. We invite you to support the NCLCV.
Five Waters Farm
Elizabeth Redenbaugh had a compelling reason to serve on NCLCV’s Board. Years ago, her husband was diagnosed with Wilms Tumor – a rare form of cancer that never strikes adults – until it did.
The oncologists were puzzled. Elizabeth says, “We were terrified. It took a full month for pathologists from around the country to identify his cancer. My dear husband had to have an 11-pound tumor removed. A rib had to be broken to remove it due to its size. He endured 18 weeks of chemotherapy and years of pain and uncertainty.”
Duke specialists searched for the reason this rare type of tumor afflicted Mr. Redenbaugh’s body. And they may have found it. Like millions of North Carolinians, the Redenbaughs’ water source is the Cape Fear River. For decades, it has been polluted with GenX – a toxic “forever chemical” manufactured near Fayetteville that is found in tons of everyday products. Detected in almost everyone’s bloodstream at some level, such chemicals’ unregulated prevalence and impact on our health is an all-too-common case of profit over people. GenX and its cousin chemicals are known to cause rare cancers and birth defects, but so much is yet unknown about their full
impact on our lives.
Elizabeth says, “The legislature is still working on policies to protect the people of North Carolina from dangerous pollutants, and I wanted to help. So, I joined NCLCV’s Board. Together, we can hold industry responsible through legislation, or better yet, prohibit them from dumping toxins into our communities in the first place. But we must work together, and I want to be part of that.”
“So I give monthly, and I watch the website for ways to take action. Long after I am off the board, North Carolina will need all of us to support NCLCV’s efforts to protect our land, water, and families.”
Elizabeth Redenbaugh
“A healthy and thriving environment is critical to building a healthy and thriving community. We cannot separate the land from who we are, and in order to guarantee our future, we need to invest in sustainable practices that protect our environment. Protecting the environment means protecting people.”
Representative Kandie D. Smith
“At Replacements, Ltd., we care about the environment and have taken action to preserve it, like covering our campus’ rooftops with a solar panel system, minimizing waste when possible by using recyclable and biodegradable packing materials, and providing EV charging stations in our parking lot. But we know that what we can do alone is not enough – meaningful conservation requires both individual and statewide efforts. That’s why we are proud to support the North Carolina League of Conservation Voters. NCLCV has been a key leader in the advancement of policies that protect our state’s land, air, and water and improve the quality of life for all North Carolinians.”
Replacements, LTD.
