During the summer, several students worked on a climate action project that’s especially relevant in light of the latest ‘Red Alert’ from the U.N. and the IPCC [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change]. While the students' work this summer centered on implementing Bethlehem’s Climate Action Plan, most of the information and ideas apply everywhere. This is … [Read more...] about Bethlehem’s Climate Action Plan – a call to Action!
Climate & Energy
The categories of Climate & Energy are linked because it’s almost impossible to consider energy issues without considering their impact on the Climate.
Also see: Environment & Ecosystems, Food, Transportation
More deadly than COVID
Recent studies confirm what scientists have long suspected: that air pollution kills about 250,000 people in the United States—every year! And that's in addition to the hundreds of thousands with strokes, respiratory infections, and other diseases caused by air pollution. The cost in life and in dollars is enormous, but we don't see our so-called leaders doing anything to save … [Read more...] about More deadly than COVID
Science on fracking harm
Health Professionals of NY and Physicians for Social Responsibility have released a newly-updated compendium of the medical and scientific evidence of the great harm done by fracking, a widely used and trusted resource. Compendium of Scientific, Medical, and Media Findings Demonstrating Risks and Harms of Fracking [PDF] From the introduction: Public health harms now … [Read more...] about Science on fracking harm
Clean energy, batteries, & mining
Clean, renewable energy is essential for sustainability. The main problems with getting to 100% renewable energy are that solar and wind energy spend on weather and time of day, and this makes some sort of storage important. Improved and less expensive batteries are often touted as the solution to the intermittency of truly renewable energy. Unfortunately, the demand for … [Read more...] about Clean energy, batteries, & mining
Connecting the Dots (1)
The shutdown of many businesses and activities during the coronavirus lockdown resulted in a significant reduction in fossil-fuel use, and the low oil prices make it cheaper to make plastic from fossil fuels instead of recycling plastic. And this leads to lower demand and lower prices for recyclables — in many cases, they now go straight from your recycling bin to the … [Read more...] about Connecting the Dots (1)
community solar
What will it take?
Excellent New Yorker article by Bill McKibben, titled 'What will it take to cool the planet'. Covers the Climate Interactive website that let's you see the effects of playing with different variables, a dive into the Gwich’in fight against plans for oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and the need for more descriptive visioning for the future. (All in all, a … [Read more...] about What will it take?
The slower crises continue
I hope you're doing well as we hunker down to weather the coronavirus pandemic. Unfortunately, the other, slower crises don't go dormant just because there's a pandemic raging. The climate emergency has slowed down a little while factories and shops are shuttered and people aren't driving nearly as much — but that respite will end when they 'reopen the economy'. Coronavirus … [Read more...] about The slower crises continue
Summer interns’ work!
I'm very pleased to be able to point to projects that students completed this summer — check out the impressive results! Emma Coppock [Lehigh '20], Marayna Dorsey [Shippensburg '20], and Joseph Yashur [Cedar Crest '20] completed a project on Sustainability for Cafés and Restaurants. In the process, they also helped a number of restaurants solve specific sustainability … [Read more...] about Summer interns’ work!
Individual Actions to Reduce Climate Impact
While we believe that the most important causes of global warming & the resulting climate change are systemic, it's also true that individual actions can have a significant impact. If you want to see ways you can reduce your own carbon footprint, see George Washington University's public health program which has created an online information center for 'Realistic Ways … [Read more...] about Individual Actions to Reduce Climate Impact