On Christmas Day, a natural gas processing plant in southwest PA caught fire, and several sources said that anyone calling the DEP emergency line to report the incident got only a voicemail. DEP denied these claims. DEP critics said the agency is ineffective in dealing with industry and communicating with the public. “They could have provided a much more detailed and … [Read more...] about Will Democrats shape real climate action?
GHG reduction
Obscene treaty symbolizes what’s wrong
The Energy Charter Treaty referred to in the story is obscene — putting corporate profits over the lives of future generations and punishing governments that try to protect their people. (Although most governments today also seem to put corporate profits ahead of people.) Whether it's coal, oil, or natural gas, we need to keep it in the ground! No elaborate — and often bogus … [Read more...] about Obscene treaty symbolizes what’s wrong
Electric buses far superior to propane or natural gas
Did you see the pathetic column on LehighValleyLive / Express Times the other day? ['A different approach to cleaner school buses could save Bethlehem Area tax dollars'] It is full of distortions and outright lies, but this is not too surprising coming from a propane-industry trade group. Electric buses are far superior to propane (and natural gas) both from a … [Read more...] about Electric buses far superior to propane or natural gas
‘I don’t have a future!’
The latest action by JustStopOil. It's hard to watch, but watch it anyway! … [Read more...] about ‘I don’t have a future!’
GHG Emissions continue to increase — immediate action is essential!
The Emissions Gap Report 2022 was issued last week, and the situation continues to follow the most serious trajectory envisioned in the IPCC reports. I says that countries are not on track to reduce emissions, and will set a record high this year. (The 'emissions gap' is the amount by which emissions exceed the level needed for a stable climate.) UN Secretary General … [Read more...] about GHG Emissions continue to increase — immediate action is essential!
Take action to phase out all fossil fuels
The President of the Pacific island nation Vanuatu, Nikenike Vurobaravu, stood up in the UN General Assembly and called for governments to negotiate a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty to stop all new development of oil and gas, phase out existing fossil fuel production, and ensure workers are transitioned to a green economy in a fair way. This is a critical moment. For … [Read more...] about Take action to phase out all fossil fuels
Beyond Plastics / Back-to-school Guide
BeyondPlastics provides a Plastic-Free Back To School Guide and a variety of other resources, including guides for eliminating single-use plastics in cafés and restaurants and by dry cleaners. For more information, see the BeyondPlastics site — and our own resources on Climate Action Planning and Implementing Bethlehem’s Climate Action Plan, both of which include information … [Read more...] about Beyond Plastics / Back-to-school Guide
Healthcare and Sustainability
Margaux Petruska We are facing a climate emer-gency, and the United States is one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), so it’s essential for all industries to do their part in stopping the damage. Recently, two important members of the health care community, The New England Journal of Medicine and the National Academy of Medicine, called to the … [Read more...] about Healthcare and Sustainability
Labor Unions Rally Behind California’s Zero-Emissions Climate Plan
C.J. Polychroniou: Since the idea of a Green New Deal entered into public consciousness, the debate about climate emergency is becoming increasingly polarized between those advocating “green growth” and those arguing in support of “degrowth.” What exactly does “degrowth” mean, and is this at the end of the day an economic or an ideological debate? Robert Pollin: Let me … [Read more...] about Labor Unions Rally Behind California’s Zero-Emissions Climate Plan
Notes from the Editor
Global capitalism’s race to the bottom (and for the bottom line) is not only generating runaway economic inequalities, social unrest, and political dysfunctionality, but also a race off the ecological cliff in the near future. A study that looked at average temperature and precipitation changes only, excluding the most extreme impacts, found that At least 85% of the world’s … [Read more...] about Notes from the Editor