by Maison Allen On July 18, in the small town of Palmerton, Pennsylvania, a non-violent protest in support of Black Lives Matter turned aggressive and dangerous as protesters were confronted by armed and hostile counter-protesters. My good friend, Sierra Hahn and I, both Palmerton natives, organized the original protest to raise awareness and help people understand racism … [Read more...] about A Reflection on Recent Events in Palmerton
social justice
Please, I Can’t Breathe
by Johnny Wilk Originally from Palmerton, Johnny has been a Lehigh Valley resident for most of his life. … [Read more...] about Please, I Can’t Breathe
Food Waste in Bethlehem
by Elijah Zemsky Food waste in our country has devastating and lasting effects on the environment and our communities. The food supply chain pumps unneeded food into homes and businesses, then completely mismanages the waste. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 40 million tons of food are produced in America every year, and 40% of that — 16 million … [Read more...] about Food Waste in Bethlehem
Climate Justice
by Audrey Dai Climate justice. These two simple words are probably not as familiar as the now politically infused “climate change”. Instead, these words emphasize how environmental changes are an issue of civil rights, and how these changes will disproportionately affect each of us living on this planet, just some more than others. And this is regardless of your political … [Read more...] about Climate Justice
US exceptionalism?
The U.S. really is #1 — In coronavirus deaths, anyway. Out of about 228,000 deaths worldwide, the US — with less than 5% of world population — has about 27% of the deaths.* * It's amazing how often those percentages seem to be repeated — (GHG emissions, energy use, and resource consumption, for example). That puts the US at … [Read more...] about US exceptionalism?
The Environment, the Beauty Industry, and the Responsibility of Women
by Sakura Shinjo We generally understand today that we need to cut our consumption of fossil fuels: we must end the use of plastics in our foods; we should try to make more responsible decisions in transportation; however, some of these issues are more easily tackled than others. Millions live in food deserts where the question of healthy foods cannot yet be asked. And … [Read more...] about The Environment, the Beauty Industry, and the Responsibility of Women
Regenerative Community Justice
by Nandini Sikand The quality and concept of “regenerativity” is relevant to current debates in the fields of environmental studies and criminal justice,1 and central to understanding the concept of “sustainability” in both. The difference between “sustainability” and “regenerativity” is that sustainability focuses on the maintenance of an existing … [Read more...] about Regenerative Community Justice
Climate Action Planning 2.0
[See link at bottom to download the full report] Executive Summary Developing a comprehensive climate action plan helps municipalities to mitigate climate change and adapt to the coming changes in ways that address people's needs. Climate change is a daunting issue: humanity’s actions have caused the Earth’s greenhouse gases to reach levels not seen for over 120,000 … [Read more...] about Climate Action Planning 2.0
Closing the Justice Gap with Incubators: An Interview with Fred Rooney
Interviewed by RJ Vogt On any given day, you might find Fred Rooney in the Dominican Republic, Pakistan or his hometown of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Just last week, the 66-year-old called the “father of legal incubators” by the American Bar Association hopped aboard a flight to Bulgaria. The man’s wild travel schedule reflects the national and international … [Read more...] about Closing the Justice Gap with Incubators: An Interview with Fred Rooney
Peter’s blog: ‘Facts & Fiction’
I saw my copy of A People’s History of the United States the other day, and it reminded me that many of the ‘facts’ we learn in school or read in the media turn out to be false—news & ‘history’ often either lack context or are simply repetitions of propaganda from the government or major corporations. Sometimes it’s easier to find the truth in a work of good fiction — a … [Read more...] about Peter’s blog: ‘Facts & Fiction’