Pennsylvania has an opportunity to make sure that medicines keep working for us, by passing new legislation aimed at banning the use of antibiotics in healthy animals to promote growth and prevent disease. This overuse and unnecessary use of important antibiotics that are also used to treat dangerous bacterial  infections in humans is helping to contribute to a widespread public health crisis as bacteria are becoming resistant to the very medicines we need to use to fight them.

In this podcast, PennFuture's Jan Jarrett speaks to environmental health expert Dr. Ellen Silbergeld, professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Dr. Silbergeld came to Pennsylvania earlier this summer to support the introduction of the Safe Food and Safe Families Act, House Bill 2195 (HB 2195), sponsored by Rep. Daylin Leach (D-149).

Dr. Silbergeld has been researching the area of the health and  environmental impacts of industrial food production for over nine years.  She describes how bacteria (pathogens) become resistant to antibiotics, and the linkages between many current livestock practices and this major public health threat. Many "conventional" livestock operations routinely administer antibiotics in animal feed, not to treat or prevent disease in the animals, but out of a belief (that Dr. Silbergeld's research has proven is incorrect) that these antibiotics promote growth in the animals and reduce costs to the farmers.

Humans can become exposed to antibiotics-resistant bacteria through the food supply, one reason why safe food-handling procedures is so important. But in places like southeastern and central Pennsylvania, where there are enormous numbers of concentrated animal feedlot operations, or factory farms, farmers and farm laborers as well as nearby community members are also at risk from these pathogens, since air-borne contamination and animal waste disposal problems occur.

What's worse is that we are now beginning to see problems in produce as well as in livestock. Dr. Silbergeld describes how application of contaminated livestock waste to farm fields ran off into irrigation water and subsequently contaminated lettuce, spinach, and green onions, for example.

New research from a number of countries is revealing that the very dangerous MRSA bacterium (commonly thought of as the hospital bug), that is responsible for very difficult-to-treat infections in humans, is being found in non-hospital settings, namely hog and dairy farms. People working at these contaminated facilities not only are at risk themselves, but can serve as human carriers of MRSA into their communities.

The bottom line is that it is becoming increasingly important to eliminate as many of the pathways as possible that exist toward creating antibiotic-resistant bacteria. That's why the Safe Food, Safe Families campaign is so important in Pennsylvania. Learn more on our campaign page, where you can also sign up to support the effort and receive updates and alerts about the campaign. You can also make a tax-deductible contribution to PennFuture to help us continue our successful work in promoting Responsible Farming.

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On July 10, 2008 the world learned that Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Kathleen McGinty would be leaving her position. Just before she was due to attend her agency's farewell party for her, McGinty agreed to sit down for an "exit interview."

In this podcast, hear PennFuture's Jan Jarrett's discussion with McGinty, in which she reflected on her nearly six year tenure heading up DEP.  McGinty talks about her environmental philosophy -- that a good environment is vital to a good economy; what she considers her greatest achievements while in office; her bruising confirmation process, in which her public service in the White House was considered a detriment by some; her advice to those who come after; and her need for a vacation!

PennFuture has worked with McGinty on a number of issues from creating and nurturing the green energy market to giving Pennsylvanians access to the cleanest cars available to protecting babies from mercury pollution from outdated power plants to biofuels, environmental law enforcement and much more.  She also made it possible for Al Gore to appear at PennFuture's 10th Anniversary Gala (where she joined in the dancing with her daughters -- see photo above).

In our press release, John Hanger, president and CEO of PennFuture praised McGinty.

“The saying goes, ‘The cock crows, but the hen delivers. And as the first woman ever appointed secretary of environmental protection, McGinty delivered – big time. Thanks to her insistence that environmental laws must be obeyed by enforcing those laws, and to her vision of bringing Pennsylvania into the dynamic green economy, Pennsylvania is a cleaner and brighter place to live, work and play. She has our undying thanks for her amazing public service, and we hope she will return to public service in the not too distant future.”

In early June 2008, PennFuture together with PennEnvironment, Clean Air Council, and many Pennsylvania renewable energy and energy conservation businesses that endorsed the Campaign for Great Green Jobs gathered in Harrisburg to meet directly with legislators about the need for swift passage of critical energy legislation. In all, about 100 people participated in this lobby day for the environment. Midday, a press event featuring representatives from many participating organizations and legislators from both sides of the political aisle, together with Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Katie McGinty, drew television coverage and drove home the need for action in the Pennsylvania Senate.

In this podcast, PennFuture's Jan Jarrett talks with a few of the PennFuture members who took the day to travel to the Capitol to educate their elected officials. We hear from Stephanie (Wyoming, PA); Ricke (Thornhurst, PA); Sr. Constance (Dallas, PA); and Bev and Wally (Bear Creek, PA) about why each of them felt it was so important to make the trip. Each had a different perspective, but all agreed that it is essential for citizens to be informed and involved in the political process to help shape positive outcomes for the future. And the consensus was overwhelming: it was worth the trip and the time, and they'd do it again! Like we always say, citizen action really does work.

In the final days of the legislative session before the summer recess, you too can play a role in shaping the way we make and use energy in Pennsylvania. Take a few minutes to get up to speed on what's at stake and what's at play on our Campaign for Great Green Jobs page, and then don't delay-- take action using our action center.

We welcome your comments. Simply send us an e-mail, or click on "Comments" below.

In May 2008, PennFuture hosted our first conference on global warming to be held in northeastern Pennsylvania at the University of Scranton. U.S. Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. opened the conference as the keynote speaker.

In this podcast, PennFuture's president and CEO John Hanger introduces Senator Casey at the event. Senator Casey talks about his work and the current state of affairs in Washington on global warming. This is particularly timely since the Senate began the week of June 2 to debate the Climate Security Act (S. 3036, formerly S. 2191), sponsored by Senators Lieberman and Warner. Senator Casey is a co-sponsor. This marks the first time that the U.S. Congress has seriously begun to consider federal legislation on climate change.

In his address, Senator Casey said that we simply must enact legislation to slow, stop, and reduce the effects of greenhouse gas emissions. He became particularly concerned about the rising occurrence of drought through the world, noting that drought leads to death and darkness in many corners of the globe, and that if you know nothing else about climate change, that should be enough to convince you to take action. You can learn more about the Pennsylvania- and northeast U.S.-specific impacts of climate change from a recent report by Union of Concerned Scientists.

Senator Casey mentions his concerns for workers in manufacturing states like Pennsylvania, and has worked with Senator Barbara Boxer (chair of the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee) to ensure that this legislation if passed will takes care of workers. Senator Casey's amendment would create a fund for workers that would cover any needed wage replacement, health care coverage, and job training for the thousands of new, green family-sustaining jobs that will emerge from enacting climate change legislation.

Senator Casey expressed how difficult it is to adequately summarize the widespread, devastating impacts of global warming in the U.S. and throughout the world. But he says it is obvious that we must reduce emissions of heat-trapping gases that are causing global warming, but at the same time, we need to embrace the good-paying jobs of the future that will come from those reductions, and commit to helping other nations do the same. As he said, this is a very simple question: "What did you do when you had the power?" Senator Casey feels a responsibility to act now on climate change, and to mobilize, because the future won't wait.

Please get involved: urge the federal government to pass this or stronger legislation as soon as possible. There are also many opportunities at the state level, including passing landmark legislation to change how Pennsylvania makes and uses energy, significantly cutting our contributions to global warming.

As always, we welcome your comments. Simply e-mail us, or click on "Comments" below.

PennFuture held our annual energy conference on May 28 and 29 in Camp Hill. This year's conference was entitled "Pennsylvania's Clean Energy Boom in 2008 and Beyond," and focused on jobs, investment, and environmental protection. Emphasized throughout the conference was the need for swift passage of pending energy legislation in the Pennsylvania Senate: the Energy Savings Bill (HB 2200) and the Clean Energy Funding Bill (SHB 1).

In this podcast, we hear a presentation from Phil Harris, PennFuture's senior fellow in our Center for Energy, Enterprise, and the Environment. Harris is introduced by PennFuture's president and CEO John Hanger. Harris is a 30-year veteran of the electric industry, and was most recently the president and CEO of PJM Interconnection, our regional electric transmission organization, for 15 years. Under his leadership, PJM became the world's largest electric grid operator and wholesale power market, serving over 51 million people in 13 states and the District of Columbia. At the conference, Harris talked about the "smart grid"-- specifically about the many challenges we face in order to make the grid truly smart and efficient.

Harris details how reliability in the grid can only be achieved through a balance of supply and demand, but how the industry and most of our policies have for the past century focused almost entirely on the supply side of the equation, namely electricity transmission and distribution. But more than half of the industry is involved with electricity demand and very little has been accomplished there.

Harris speaks repeatedly of the need to enact legislation like HB 2200 so that we can make much-needed strides in creating a healthy, robust energy industry. Problems including a rapidly aging workforce and serious shortages in the numbers of skilled professionals or technical training and education programs point to the need for green job creation and related programs that will emerge from HB 2200 and SHB 1. Energy use continues to rise, and the costs are mounting. The gains to be had from focusing on making the grid truly a smart grid are huge, and lie on the demand side.

To learn more about how you can support the Campaign for Great Green Jobs, visit our web site. There you can take action, find upcoming events, or sign up to receive more information. As always, we welcome your comments. Simply click on "Comments" below or send us an e-mail.

Philadelphia's Urban Sustainability Forum recently played host to an impressive, interfaith collaboration of individuals, as members from Muslim, Jewish, and Christian congregations gathered to share their stories about being good stewards of the environment.

PennFuture's Joy Bergey played the role of moderator at the event, while Christine Knapp captured interviews. We hear first from Shaheen Kanchwala, a Master's student at the University of Pennsylvania who helped research and plan the event. Ms. Kanchwala got involved in part to see faith in action, and she was not disappointed at this event.

Christine then talks with Rabbi Lawrence Troster, Director of the Fellowship Program and Rabbinic Scholar-in-Residence at GreenFaith, an interfaith environmental coalition in New Jersey. Rabbi Troster has a wealth of experience in the interfaces between faith and environment, serving also as the Rabbinic Fellow of the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL), the Jewish Chaplain of Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson and an Associate of Bard's Institute of Advanced Theology. Rabbi Troster also co-chairs the Interfaith Partnership for the Environment of the United Nations Environment Program (UPEN).

Finally, we hear from Aleciah Anthony, field director at the Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition. She has worked with the NWBCCC for eight years, starting as a neighborhood organizer apprentice in the Training Institute for Careers in Organizing, a program that she currently directs. Ms. Anthony has also worked with a team of grassroots community leaders in the Bronx to create the Community Leadership Academy, a training center at NWBCCC that offers a full range of training in the art and science of community organizing.

Discover more about the faith-based organizations involved in the May forum here. To learn more about PennFuture's work in Philadelphia, the Next Great City, visit our site. There you get more involved. As always, we welcome your comments. Simply click "comments" below, or e-mail us at podcast (at) pennfuture (dot) org.

Transportation continues to be a prime source of heat trapping gases, soot, smog and serious health problems across the globe. Convenient and cleaner public transit offers one key ingredient for a sustainable city.

On April 17, Sustainable Philadelphia held a Green Transportation Fair and a Forum on Sustainable Transportation to show Philadelphians the latest technology and to learn what other cities are doing to improve their transportation options.

In this podcast, PennFuture's Christine Knapp interviews two of the experts presenting at the forum. Walter Hook, executive director of the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy discusses the creative solutions being used globally to create public transportation, and to encourage the use of bikes. And Steve Weber, assistant commissioner for strategic planning for New York City's Department of Transportation, talks about the advances made in the past year since Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced the city's sustainability plan.

The forum was part of the work of the Next Great City coalition, dedicated to creating a positive future for Philadelphia by advocating for common sense, cost effective policies that enhance environmental quality, strengthen neighborhoods and increase our economic competitiveness.  

To learn more about PennFuture's work with the Next Great City project, visit our website. There you can also sign up to receive more information, or make a tax-deductible contribution to support our work. As always, we welcome your comments. Simply click on "Comments" below.

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Pennsylvania ranks third worst in the nation for our production of heat-trapping gases causing global warming, and Pennsylvania cities continue to rank among the least safe in the country thanks to dangerous air pollution. But we have the tools, technologies, know-how, and work force to reverse these trends-- we simply need to change policies around how we make and use energy. Investing today in clean, renewable energy development like solar and wind, and ensuring that we conserve electricity through an array of demand-reduction strategies and efficiency upgrades, will continue to reward Pennsylvanians with lower electric bills, new family-sustaining jobs, and healthier communities.

In this video podcast, PennFuture tours the commonwealth to meet a few of our clean energy and new energy economy leaders. With critical legislation like the energy savings bill (HB 2200) and the clean energy funding bill (SHB 1) pending in the state senate, it is important to understand the vast array of opportunities that passing this legislation will bring to Pennsylvanians.

You will meet Philadelphia Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown, stressing the importance of green building and energy investments that are resulting in creation of many new great green jobs for Philadelphians. Near Philadelphia, companies like Alan Rushforth's Rushforth Solar, that installs efficient and cost-effective solar thermal heating systems for hot water in large buildings, are demonstrating how small companies support scores of jobs. You will get a peek into how Westmoreland County's Solar Power Industries will be employing 400 people in the near future, and learn how the U.S. needs to catch up to its international competitors to increase our share of the exploding solar energy market, as we talk with company vice president Dick Rosey. We will see wind energy working statewide and hear from Iberdrola Renewables' Paul Copleman who describes how existing policies like the Advanced Energy Portfolio Standard (passed in 2004) have been key to attracting major new private investment and jobs from the wind industry-- but how we could be losing out to neighboring states if we don't do more now.

Focusing on how we use energy is as important as shifting patterns in how we make energy. Pittsburgh is home to the Green Building Alliance, where executive director Rebecca Flora explains that the built environment has major strides to make in improving energy efficiency. Doing so makes real sense, however, as the cost savings add up. And the demand for products and materials in the green building arena is rising quickly-- Pennsylvania is already a major supplier, but the opportunities to do more are enormous. Practical Energy Solutions' founder Paul Spiegel knows firsthand how understanding where improvement and upgrades in building systems, insulation and lighting, for example, can result in major economic savings. His company is helping commercial entities, schools, and municipalities to stop wasting energy and start reinvesting the significant money saved back into their core missions. And forward-thinking companies like Dan Orzech's Earth Rising Homes are helping to set the bar higher for everyone in the new construction business, as he brings homes to the market that have zero energy costs for the new homeowners.

These leaders and the many, many more who are part of the Campaign for Great Green Jobs know that Pennsylvania has all the right stuff when it comes to the new, clean energy economy. We simply need to act now to put the pieces together into a comprehensive, strategic set of policies. Visit our Web site to learn how you can support this critical effort today.

PennFuture, LaRoche College, and the Pennsylvania Interfaith Climate Change Campaign recently co-sponsored a conference in southwestern Pennsylvania called Cool Pennsylvania: Solutions for a Warming Planet. The event brought together citizens, organizations, businesses, and elected officials, all exploring the latest facts about global warming and its impacts, and the variety of solutions that we can and must employ.

Enacting critical legislation at the state level that will help Pennsylvania significantly change the way we make and use energy is one part of the strategy. A state policy panel moderated by PennFuture's CEO and president John Hanger included Allen Kukovich (director of Office of Governor Ed Rendell for the southwest region), Rep. Lisa Bennington (D-21), and Brian Hill (president and CEO of Pennsylvania Environmental Council).

In this podcast, listen in to another panel discussion from the conference. PennFuture's Jan Jarrett moderates the state solutions panel, including representatives from a variety of Pennsylvania organizations and businesses all working to reduce our significant contributions to global warming. You'll hear from Dick Rosey of Solar Power Industries; Tim Vought from Gamesa Energy USA; Eamon Geary from the Green Building Alliance; Brian Snyder from the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture; and Nathaniel Doyno from Steel City Biofuels. The panel discussion lasted approximately one hour, and included a range of excellent questions from the audience.

You can become part of the solution in Pennsylvania. To learn more, visit our Web site to join the Cool Pennsylvania campaign. You can also sign up to attend an upcoming global warming conference to be held in Scranton featuring U.S. Senator Bob Casey, Jr. and many other national, state, and local experts.

The green industry sector in Pennsylvania is gaining momentum right now as you read this post. We have leaders in our state who are working very hard to produce clean energy, green jobs, and working to solve the problem of climate change through business initiatives that focus specifically on the sustainable future of Pennsylvania. The benefits are vast, as public interest, economic growth, and environmentally-conscious practices work in concert.

This week, PennFuture’s Christine Knapp and Tom Tuffey share inspiration from the monthly Urban Sustainability Forum in Philadelphia. The March forum took an in-depth look into the business of supplying clean energy and energy efficiency services. Hear from Sally Silver with the Chester County Economic Development Council, coordinating the Smart Energy Initiative for Southeastern Pennsylvania, a public/private  partnership actively involved in both the supply side and the demand side of the clean energy/energy efficiency market; Sarah Hetznecker, northeast regional business manager of SunTechnics Energy Systems, a leading supplier of solar energy systems, helping to promote state and federal policies to make solar power systems more accessible to the public; Audrey Zibelman, executive vice president and chief operating officer of PJM Interconnection, which operates the world's largest competitive wholesale electricity market and ensures the reliability of the largest centrally dispatched grid in the world; and Brent Alderfer, executive vice president, Iberdrola Renewable Energies USA, a global leader in wind energy, already bringing thousands of new jobs to Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania is well positioned in the clean energy sector, and our potential to grow Great Green Jobs for the people of the Commonwealth is overwhelming. Support PennFuture’s initiatives to bring thousands of new jobs home, cut electric bills, and help stop our contributions to global warming by joining our campaign, and by becoming a PennFuture member today.

Policy changes will help make or break the new, clean energy economy of the future. Get involved in passing two critical pieces of legislation, SHB1 and HB2200, both pending in the Pennsylvania Senate. Contact your Senator today, and tell them the importance of a timely "yes" vote on these two bills.