This page is adapted from a poster created by intern Julia Ward. Save Money, Your Health, & the Environment — Be Idle Free! If you’re going to be stopped for more than 60 seconds, turn your engine off (except in traffic). Use alternate means to get around: walk, bike, or carpool instead. Drive the vehicle to warm up the car instead of idling it. Spread the word to … [Read more...] about Idling Gets You Nowhere!
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.
Transportation
Diesel Pollution in the Lehigh Valley
Many believe that school buses are the safest method of transportation for children to get to school, but is it the healthiest? Diesel pollution is becoming a more significant problem across the United States today and specifically, the Lehigh Valley is experiencing more and more Diesel pollution as time progresses. This ongoing issue is partly due to school buses in the area … [Read more...] about Diesel Pollution in the Lehigh Valley
Health Costs of Traffic Congestion
Harvard Center for Risk Analysis examines the public health costs of congestion A Health Risk Assessment conducted by the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis challenges the tendency for analysts and policymakers to focus only on excess fuel consumption and wasted time when evaluating the costs of traffic congestion by providing evidence that public health costs should be … [Read more...] about Health Costs of Traffic Congestion
Sustainability & Public Health
Let's look at sustainability in terms of how our practices affect human health, both immediately and over the long term. Whether we call them health problems or environmental problems, though, the prescription for corrective actions is almost identical. The health lens is particularly appropriate because it states the impacts in terms of human health, rather than more … [Read more...] about Sustainability & Public Health
Transportation
Transportation is a major source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and a contributor to many health problems—both because of the pollution caused by motor vehicles and because people get less exercise. To learn how you can reduce your dependence on the automobile andimprove your health and the health of the community, visit CAT — the Coalition for Appropriate … [Read more...] about Transportation
Time to rally behind light rail service
Express-Times Sunday, April 30, 2006 Time to rally behind light rail service By Pratima Agrawal Like most citizens of the Lehigh Valley, I have at one time or another been victim to Route 22's menacing traffic jams. I think most people are aware of the Valley's rapidly growing population and feel something must be done about decreasing congestion on our major avenue of travel. … [Read more...] about Time to rally behind light rail service
Light Rail and the Lehigh Valley
The April 1981 edition of the New Valley Press featured an article on light rail transit written by State Representative Bob Freeman. You will notice a few places where it refers to the then-pending I-78 project — but most of the points are still appropriate today! Light Rail and the Lehigh Valley By Bob Freeman At the turn of the century, one of the most widely used forms of … [Read more...] about Light Rail and the Lehigh Valley
Transportation Plans for the Lehigh Valley
The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission's 2007-2010 Transportation Improvement Program and Surface Transportation Plan 2010-2030) again favor expanded highway transportation at the expense of improved mass transit, light rail, and bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly planning. The plans are available on the LVPC website. It is important to speak out, even though the Planning … [Read more...] about Transportation Plans for the Lehigh Valley
September Community Dialogue – Transportation
Martin's Report about Sun 9/26/2004's Good Ways to Get There: Transportation for the Lehigh Valley: (There was also a follow-up discussion on what can be done about transportation issues.) It was a beautiful day. Maybe that's why not all the people who were interested in Good Ways to Get There: Transportation for the Lehigh Valley, the Alliance September Community Dialogue, … [Read more...] about September Community Dialogue – Transportation
Campus Sustainability Initiative
The campus sustainability initiative grew out of a project with Lehigh University student Victorija Danta, who was working to support climate protection efforts here in Bethlehem. As part of her internship, we created a Climate Protection Agreement for schools (which was adopted by the Bethlehem Area School District in December 2006). As we started looking at what higher … [Read more...] about Campus Sustainability Initiative