A recent op-ed in the Morning Call, 'Bike Lane on Broad street in Bethlehem: Why it's dangerous', dismisses all bike lanes as inherently dangerous. The worst thing about this op-ed is that it brings out many legitimate dangers created by poorly-designed bike lanes — but it’s like a propaganda piece, because it doesn’t explore alternatives. For example, it doesn’t even … [Read more...] about Bike Lanes for Broad Street?
GHG reduction
Bethlehem’s Climate Action Plan – a call to Action!
During the summer, several students worked on a climate action project that’s especially relevant in light of the latest ‘Red Alert’ from the U.N. and the IPCC [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change]. While the students' work this summer centered on implementing Bethlehem’s Climate Action Plan, most of the information and ideas apply everywhere. This is … [Read more...] about Bethlehem’s Climate Action Plan – a call to Action!
Implementing Bethlehem’s Climate Action Plan
Editor's Note: All three reports were prepared before the IPCC's August 9 release of part 1 of the Sixth Assessment Report, which only confirms the urgency of the interns' recommendations! Editor's Note: This is the primary report from the Climate Action Project (summer 2021) ; it is complemented by reports that focus on development ('Build Sustainably — for Business … [Read more...] about Implementing Bethlehem’s Climate Action Plan
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
More deadly than COVID
Recent studies confirm what scientists have long suspected: that air pollution kills about 250,000 people in the United States—every year! And that's in addition to the hundreds of thousands with strokes, respiratory infections, and other diseases caused by air pollution. The cost in life and in dollars is enormous, but we don't see our so-called leaders doing anything to save … [Read more...] about More deadly than COVID
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
Let’s Talk Solar
by Emely Rodriguez Becoming a more sustainable community starts with small changes that can help to create a cleaner, brighter future. We can expand on what has already been done by installing solar panels on public buildings, such as municipal buildings, post offices, libraries, and public schools. Solar power would provide a cleaner, renewable source of energy that … [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 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
Sustainability Practices for Cafés & Restaurants
→ Executive Summary Introduction We live in a world filled with concerns about climate change, food and health, pollution and degradation of the environment, and other aspects of sustainability. Unfortunately, the problems are growing at exponential rates. When we look at the causes, it becomes clear that many of our current practices cause or contribute to the problems. … [Read more...] about Sustainability Practices for Cafés & Restaurants