The Good Neighbor Initiative, in its 17th year of educating students on what it means to be a good neighbor, has adapted to the times. Focusing on student residents in Chapel Hill’s historically Black neighborhoods of Northside and Pine Knolls and other areas near campus, the initiative promotes being a good neighbor not just in the usual ways, but through behavior related to keeping everyone healthy during the pandemic.
An environmental scientist and noted researcher, Mike Piehler is Carolina’s chief sustainability officer. Piehler oversees the University’s sustainability enterprise, which is distributed throughout operations and academic units, and brings them together to provide maximum value to the University in this space.
Business owners, community leaders and University partners are all pitching in to keep struggling shops and restaurants afloat. Some owners have found innovative ways to get their products to customers. Others are diversifying inventories to supply high-demand products in a safe manner. On May 29, the Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership launched a bold new campaign, Experience Downtown Chapel Hill (XDCH), to encourage a return to downtown and responsible physical distancing.
