The following pages invite a radical type of societal and self reflection prompted by the connections drawn between climate change and other systemic issues. They are all related symptoms of a defunct system based on overconsumption and resource inequality. We invite you to imagine a world that’s more equitable for everyone — not just a select few with extreme wealth or luck. … [Read more...] about Welcome to our 20th issue!
community engagement
Climate Change Education
Editor’s Note: This report was prepared before the IPCC released part 1 of the Sixth Assessment Report on August 9. That report confirms the urgency of the interns’ recommendations! This is one of three reports prepared by the team and is complemented by 'Implementing Bethlehem's CAP' and ‘Build Sustainably — for Business Success and a Livable Future‘. All 3 reports are also … [Read more...] about Climate Change Education
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
Early Childhood Development
We can look at a broad range of factors that prevent us from building sustainability in todays' modern culture. We can spend a great deal of time discussing and implementing policies that might mitigate those factors to bring us closer to the goal. And this is as it should be. But not everyone is on board and not everyone sees a … [Read more...] about Early Childhood Development
Cultural Sustainability
by Jenna Ashton Winton "What’s that?” is the most common question I’m asked when I tell people I work in cultural sustainability. My go-to explanation is “It’s supporting communities in maintaining their collective cultural identity during times of crisis or great change.” Cultural sustainability practices retain the social resources of a community’s unique local knowledge … [Read more...] about Cultural Sustainability
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
Public Participation in Climate Action Planning
Public Participation in Municipal Climate Action Planning: Exploring Deliberative Methods by Lauren Fosbenner Download as PDF Local Climate Planning Local climate planning refers to efforts at the city or municipality, county, or regional level to identify methods of climate mitigation — reducing the severity of future climate change through reducing … [Read more...] about Public Participation in Climate Action Planning
Festival UnBound
by Bill George Bethlehem was born from a utopian, communal Moravian experiment in 1740 that dissolved in the face of the philosophy of progress, the industrial revolution and the domination of Bethlehem Steel. Then, in 1998, after an almost 150-year history building our nation, Bethlehem Steel shut down. To help our community work through that trauma, Touchstone Theatre … [Read more...] about Festival UnBound
School District Climate & Sustainability Commitment
Climate and Sustainability Commitment(As adopted by the Bethlehem Area School District, 28 April 2014) “Changes to Pennsylvania’s climate are happening now. While there is uncertainty as to the extent and timing of these impacts, it is undeniable that action must be taken to minimize risks to the public.”—PA Climate Adaptation Planning Report: Risks & Practical … [Read more...] about School District Climate & Sustainability Commitment