Max Fern From water quality to climate change, how we treat our farmland affects so much of the environment around us. Agricultural chemicals run off into waterways, creating dead zones that strip marine ecosystems of life and poison the water that we drink – these same chemicals also destroy beneficial insect communities and weaken the food chains of the pollinators … [Read more...] about We Need to Switch to Regenerative Organic Agriculture Now
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.
Food
Go to our main page on Sustainable Food Systems to find resources for impacts on soil, the environment, and health, campus food, and more.
Also see: Healthy Food for Healthy Communities
Soil Carbon Sequestration
Rodale Institute has done amazing work with development of organic growing not only for health but as a solution to the climate emergency. Regenerative Organic Agriculture and the Soil Carbon Solution [PDF, 21 pages] Regenerative Organic Agriculture and the Soil CarbonSolution Fact Sheet [PDF, 2 pages] … [Read more...] about Soil Carbon Sequestration
20/20 Vision: Eyes On Hunger
To make the slides larger, try having your browser zoom in (Ctrl+ on Windows, ⌘+ on a Mac). Alternatively, download the PDF version of Sustainable Lehigh Valley so you can view with complete control. A collaboration of Easton Hunger Coalition, Nurture Nature Center, and nine high-school artists. … [Read more...] about 20/20 Vision: Eyes On Hunger
Education for Sustainability
Kermit O A question I’ve always disliked when meeting people in professional or even casual spaces is: “What do you do?” Because where should I start? Like all of us, I wear many hats: I’m a graduate student, an orchard intern, an aspiring community educator, a writer, a life partner, a brother, son, and uncle, among other things. But the subtext of that question, of course, … [Read more...] about Education for Sustainability
Regenerative Agriculture Is a Win-Win-Win Climate Solution
An excerpt from the Executive Summary: The way we manage agricultural land matters. It matters to people, it matters to our society, and it matters to the climate.… This paper is not merely a revisiting of the problem or yet another dire report on the state of our planetary health. It is not another “wake up call” asking the reader to pay attention to the science or the … [Read more...] about Regenerative Agriculture Is a Win-Win-Win Climate Solution
Food for Thought
by Hannah Provost & Jessica Levy Many people and organizations in the Lehigh Valley are chipping away at the unsustainable industrialized food system that undermines our health, the climate, and a sustainable future. Their efforts are improving food education, expanding access, supporting local farmers, and more. Fresh, sustainably-grown local food means food … [Read more...] about Food for Thought
Food Waste in Bethlehem
by Elijah Zemsky Food waste in our country has devastating and lasting effects on the environment and our communities. The food supply chain pumps unneeded food into homes and businesses, then completely mismanages the waste. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 40 million tons of food are produced in America every year, and 40% of that — 16 million … [Read more...] about Food Waste in Bethlehem
Increasing Community Access to Fresh, Local Foods
Jessica Levy When I first moved to Bethlehem, I was disappointed at how far away my favorite restaurants were from where I was living. Coming from a town with more fast food chains than local restaurants, I was accustomed to picking up Chipotle on my way home from school or stopping at Panera before heading to a friend’s house. Living on Lehigh University’s campus as a first … [Read more...] about Increasing Community Access to Fresh, Local Foods
Food Waste in Bethlehem
by Eli Zemsky Food waste in our country has devastating lasting effects on the environment and on American communities. Our food supply chain pumps an extreme amount of unneeded food into homes and businesses, then completely mismanages the waste. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that up to 40% of the 40 million tons of food produced in America each year … [Read more...] about Food Waste in Bethlehem
Martin William Boksenbaum
1939–2019 We bid fond farewell to Martin Boksenbaum, co-founder of the Alliance who was deeply involved in preparing each of the previous 16 issues of this Sustainable Lehigh Valley booklet. It’s hard to think of the Alliance—and especially this publication—without Martin. He was integral to nearly every aspect of it from its inception. Martin died last summer, but we’re … [Read more...] about Martin William Boksenbaum