Health Professionals of NY and Physicians for Social Responsibility have released a newly-updated compendium of the medical and scientific evidence of the great harm done by fracking, a widely used and trusted resource. Compendium of Scientific, Medical, and Media Findings Demonstrating Risks and Harms of Fracking [PDF] From the introduction: Public health harms now … [Read more...] about Science on fracking harm
pollution
When the Water Is Low
by Tara Zrinski Tara Zrinski resides with her family in Hanover Township, Northampton County, and serves on the County Council. She has taught Philosophy at both Northampton and Lehigh-Carbon Community Colleges and is an energy consultant for Trinity Solar. She has been an advocate for clean … [Read more...] about When the Water Is Low
Land Conservation
by Maclaine Oskin Development and construction through the years has overtaken our land with asphalt and concrete, making commercial districts and office buildings abundant while the number of trees and open space dwindles. The Lehigh Valley, with an ever-growing population and robust mixed economy, continues to develop. As a result, it becomes even more critical to protect … [Read more...] about Land Conservation
Let’s talk about water
by Somak Roy The City of Bethlehem’s water comes entirely from surface sources, namely the Wild Creek Reservoir and the Penn Forest Reservoir in a watershed that covers 17 square miles. This primary water supply is located 22 miles north of the City. The Tunkhannock Creek and Monroe County provide a supplemental supply of water to the Penn Forest Reservoir. The … [Read more...] about Let’s talk about water
Connecting the Dots (1)
The shutdown of many businesses and activities during the coronavirus lockdown resulted in a significant reduction in fossil-fuel use, and the low oil prices make it cheaper to make plastic from fossil fuels instead of recycling plastic. And this leads to lower demand and lower prices for recyclables — in many cases, they now go straight from your recycling bin to the … [Read more...] about Connecting the Dots (1)
american soil
by Eden Bailie there were only elements and planetary breaths, water cooling magma, birth, creation-eating-creation, fungi feeding from a purer deathno cathedrals for praise, only treetops, trees for everyonewith swaying leaf steeples reaching up and out to touch a creator’s fingertipand early-age worshippers led home in quiet night forests by shaman oaks. then theft, … [Read more...] about american soil
Is your food contaminated with glyphosate?
Recent tests show that much of the food sold in stores, fast-food places, and high-end restaurants is contaminated with glyphosate, a toxic pesticide that is the principal ingredient in RoundUp. The best way to avoid it is to buy food that is raised organically. Glyphosate is known to be toxic, carcinogenic, and an endocrine disruptor. It has been classified as a toxic … [Read more...] about Is your food contaminated with glyphosate?
Protecting the Clean Water Rule
by Rachel Rosenfeld According to the Pennsylvania state constitution, Article I, Section 27, the Environmental Rights Amendment: "The people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment. Pennsylvania's public natural resources are the common property of all the people, including … [Read more...] about Protecting the Clean Water Rule
A Sustainability Narrative
by Brian Hillard When I had first planted my roots in Bethlehem thirteen-and-a-half years ago, it wasn't long before I had experienced my first taste of the community within. With a backyard full of yard debris and no truck to haul it to the compost center, my next-door neighbor offered to help me run it over with his truck then, unbeknownst to me, he took it over himself … [Read more...] about A Sustainability Narrative
FYI: Fracking chemicals still showing up in PA freshwater mussels
Environmental Health News, 10 September 2018—Chemicals from fracking wastewater dumped into Pennsylvania's Allegheny River before 2011 are still accumulating in the bodies of freshwater mussels downstream, according to a new study. The study, published Wednesday in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Science & Technology, is among the first to show bioaccumulation—the … [Read more...] about FYI: Fracking chemicals still showing up in PA freshwater mussels