About the Alliance and the 2019 Summer Internship Project on Climate Action Planning The Alliance for Sustainable Communities–Lehigh Valley is a nonprofit organization that focuses on a wide variety of environmental and social justice issues that contribute to more-sustainable communities. Based in Bethlehem, PA, the Alliance has been active since 2003 and offers summer, … [Read more...] about Climate Action Planning –Acknowledgments
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Climate Action Planning for the Lehigh Valley
→ Executive Summary Introduction Across the nation, cities are responding to climate change by implementing local policies and initiatives. In particular, municipalities have created climate action plans as a way to assess and plan for the issues that they face, and will face. These plans contain mitigation strategies to lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and … [Read more...] about Climate Action Planning for the Lehigh Valley
Climate Action Planning
[See link at bottom to download the full report] Executive Summary Developing a climate action plan is an important step that municipalities can take toward climate change mitigation and adaptation. Climate change is a daunting issue. Humanity’s actions have caused the Earth’s climate to dramatically shift with temperatures and greenhouse gas emissions rapidly … [Read more...] about Climate Action Planning
Resources (Sustainability Impact Assessment)
[In development – if you have questions now, send an email to Peter Crownfield, coordinator for the sustainability impact assessment project.] This list is provided as a starting point for others doing a sustainability impact assessment for a proposed, planned, or existing project. It will cover climate, community, health, environmental, & local economic impacts, … [Read more...] about Resources (Sustainability Impact Assessment)
Table of Contents (Sustainability Impact Assessment)
Table of Contents Executive Summary Introduction Why a Sustainability Impact Assessment?What does Sustainability Mean?Types of Impacts ConsideredThe Easton – Phillipsburg Area Impacts Building Design & SystemsTransportationFoodEducational Programming & OperationsConstruction Recommendations & Opportunities Building … [Read more...] about Table of Contents (Sustainability Impact Assessment)
Impacts (Sustainability Impacts Assessment)
This project examines the inter-related facets of climate, community, health, environment, and local economy. While the project focused on the proposed Da Vinci Science City project in Easton, the descriptions below provide an introduction to the various types of impacts to be potentially considered for any new development project. Climate Climate change effects … [Read more...] about Impacts (Sustainability Impacts Assessment)
Sustainability Impact Assessment
In 2018, a team of Alliance interns completed a preliminary sustainability impact assessment on a proposal to construct Da Vinci Science City (DVSC) in Easton. (See link at bottom of page for a PDF of the full report.) Prepared by: Olivia Barz (Lehigh ’19), Ryan Dougherty (Lafayette ’19), Harris Eisenhardt (SUNY–ESF ’19), Ashley Kushner (Lafayette ’19), and … [Read more...] about Sustainability Impact Assessment
Empowerment and Engagement for Sustainability and Climate Action
by Joyce Marin We are hearing a choir of voices around the world rising in urgency regarding Climate Action. Many people, especially young people, are gaining the courage to look at, inform themselves about, discuss and ask for Climate Action. Why? “Because there is no Planet B,” a young friend of mine says. In my role as executive director of RenewLV, the regional … [Read more...] about Empowerment and Engagement for Sustainability and Climate Action
Peter Crownfield: ‘Synthetic Turf Q & A’
A number of questions arise when people are considering synthetic turf or synthetic playground surfaces or running tracks. Some of the most common concern health & safety claims, other health concerns, cost, and feasibility for high-use fields. (For additional information, please go to the Synthetic Turf section of this website.) Claims that synthetic turf has been proven … [Read more...] about Peter Crownfield: ‘Synthetic Turf Q & A’
Synthetic Turf Update – More reasons for concern!
Since we first raised concerns last winter, new reports have confirmed the presence of multiple carcinogens in crumb rubber infill — and that annual costs for artificial turf are much higher than for natural turf. Carcinogens — A June 2015 Yale analysis of crumb rubber infill & playground mulch shows dozens of carcinogens. Costs — Grass not cheaper on the artificial … [Read more...] about Synthetic Turf Update – More reasons for concern!