Air
Air is one of the essentials for life, but pollution turns it into a threat to health and life. Air pollution is implicated in causing and exacerbating a variety of health problems, as well as affecting social problems.
The Alliance, the Bethlehem Partnership for a Healthy Community, Clean Water Action, and St. Luke’s Community Health Department, are working together to increase awareness of asthma and reduce Diesel pollution and ground-level ozone. More info… →
Social Research | Social Justice Conference
A unique and excellent addition to the Lehigh Valley’s offerings, the Social Research Social Justice Conference began in 2003 as a collaboration between faculty and students in the Department of Media and Communication at Muhlenberg College, with the goal to … more
Commit to Leadership in Sustainability
The benefits of making a clear commitment can be dramatic, especially over the long term. When students, faculty, staff, and alumni know that the college or university is making a broad and comprehensive commitment to sustainability, they are more likely … more
Endowment Investments with High Return & Ultra-Low Risk
This is another no-brainer. Recently, colleges and universities have been earning an average 6–8% return on their endowment funds. Most facilities projects to reduce energy & greenhouse gas emissions [GHG] have a 5–7 year payback — a 14%–20% return—which means … more
Farmworker Health & Safety
By Sapna E. Thottathil* [This article was originally published in Greenhealth Magazine.] As the health care sector steps forward in support of healthy and sustainable food systems, two critical considerations are the health and safety of the workers producing our foods. … more
‘Progress’, a poem by Lisa J. Parker
…on the human effects of coal mining and other resource extraction industries: Progress In a ton of black gold boring through the fatness of the Blue Ridge on the Clinchfield freight lines, three generations are trapped. The first generation talks … more
Environmental Advisory Statement on DTE Incinerator
Allentown Environmental Advisory Council May 13, 2012 On March 29, 2012 Allentown signed a 35-year contract with a private NJ company, Delta Thermo Energy (DTE), to build an incinerator on Kline’s Island in Allentown for disposal of the city’s trash … more
Allentown incinerator plan – Documents
Waste Incinerator in Allentown – Documents Documents related to the waste incinerator to be built in downtown Allentown: Documents from the Sierra Club and other experts: Al Wurth – March 6 message to Allentown City Council Sierra Club letter to … more
Waste Incineration
Note: Much of this material was originally posted as a call to action regarding the City of Allentown’s proposal to contract with Delta Thermo Energy to build a ‘Waste to energy’ plant in downtown Allentown. That proposal was approved and … more
Sustainability Is Good Business
Forward thinking companies realize value in providing sustainable, renewable, organic, cruelty-free, vegan-friendly, sweatshop free, biodegradable, and locally-produced products and services. In the long run, our steadfast demand for such ethical products will yield greater profits to ethical suppliers. I believe … more
Protecting the Interests of the People
When the residents of Lynn Township, Lehigh County discovered E.coli in their water wells, they approached their township supervisors, asking them to tell a local farmer to stop using fertilizer made from treated sewage sludge that goes by the green- … more