by Eli Zemsky Food waste in our country has devastating lasting effects on the environment and on American communities. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that up to 40% of the 40 million tons of food produced in America each year will be dumped into landfills. In a dump, food doesn’t have access to oxygen, so it undergoes a different chemical reaction when … [Read more...] about Food Waste
Focus on Pages
The "Focus On" section provides in-depth information and opinion on many facets of sustainability. (Although these topics may appear quite distinct and separate, it’s important to remember that they are interconnected and interdependent in multiple ways — in general, the 4 basic principles of ecology apply to all complex systems.)
When you select a Focus On… topic, the system will select all the articles and posts in that category with the most recent pages at the top, just under a brief introduction to the topic. (Many articles appear in multiple categories.)
Background & detail information is organized into the main categories listed in the left sidebar.
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
Let’s Talk Solar
by Emely Rodriguez * The Lehigh Valley has already made changes to create a cleaner, more sustainable future for our community. For example, Allentown installed solar panels on their courthouses in 2010, public transportation buses became hybrid electric buses in 2014, yet there is so much more our community can do. Becoming a more sustainable community starts with … [Read more...] about Let’s Talk Solar
Addressing Climate Change
by Matt Subjin Climate change is one of the biggest issues of our lifetime and there is more we can do as a community and as a city to both reduce its impact, and lower our carbon footprint. Liberals are one of the biggest groups that will support my call to action because they want more action to be taken as a community and government to help stop climate change. … [Read more...] about Addressing Climate Change
Climate Justice
by Audrey Dai Climate justice. These two simple words are probably not as familiar as the now politically infused “climate change”. Instead, these words emphasize how environmental changes are an issue of civil rights, and how these changes will disproportionately affect each of us living on this planet, just some more than others. And this is regardless of your political … [Read more...] about Climate Justice
Sustainable Food for Thought
by Eirlys Chui As times are changing, so are the trends we see in today’s food system. People are growing interested in natural, organic, locally sourced, and sustainable food. They are exploring dietary selections such as vegetarian and vegan options that benefit personal health and that of the environment. Yet there are also arising obstacles—environmental degradation, … [Read more...] about Sustainable Food for Thought
Energy Efficiency: Solution to Climate Change
by Bruce Wilson Climate Change can lead to a feeling of helplessness, but we have all the tools we need to make a difference; we just need to use them! Last year four environmental leaders, Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), Bill Mckibben of 350.org, Steve Nadal of the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE), and Paul Hawken, editor of … [Read more...] about Energy Efficiency: Solution to Climate Change
Solutions—Not More Problems
by Stephen Hoog Many years ago, I began studying the Macrobiotic way of living and eating which was embedded in a comprehensive world view. Fundamental to the philosophy was the idea of life force or chi energy. Every food we ate had not only a nutritional effect but an energetic effect as well. Each type of cooking or preparation had a different effect and each type of fuel … [Read more...] about Solutions—Not More Problems
Climate Action Planning 2.0
[See link at bottom to download the full report] Executive Summary Developing a comprehensive climate action plan helps municipalities to mitigate climate change and adapt to the coming changes in ways that address people's needs. Climate change is a daunting issue: humanity’s actions have caused the Earth’s greenhouse gases to reach levels not seen for over 120,000 … [Read more...] about Climate Action Planning 2.0
Climate Action Planning for the Lehigh Valley 2.0
→ Executive Summary Introduction Across the nation, cities are responding to climate change by developing and implementing local policies and initiatives. In particular, municipalities have created climate action plans to demonstrate their commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and protect their communities from the results of climate change. These plans … [Read more...] about Climate Action Planning for the Lehigh Valley 2.0
Climate Emergency Declarations
As displayed in the body of this report, the impacts of global warming and climate change are occurring at an alarming rate around the world, as well as right here in the Lehigh Valley. The science is conclusive: we are experiencing a climate emergency. The slow and sometimes subtle impacts of a changing climate do not neatly fit into the common notion of an emergency as an … [Read more...] about Climate Emergency Declarations