by Christine Knapp, Director of Outreach

We arrived in Hamburg, our third and last destination on Thursday. Hamburg is the second largest city in Germany with 1.8 million people and 4.5 million in the region. Hamburg is unique in that it is a city and one of the 16 German states. This allows the city to assume a larger role in state issues like policing and schools. Hamburg is a shockingly big city, especially in comparison to quaint Leipzig, and for the first time in our trip, we used public transportation to go everywhere.

After having lunch with local experts who gave us a general overview of the city, we traveled to visit the Plus Energie Haus- a winner in the Solar Decathlon competition. The model home is open to the public and features passive design features such as high insulation, solar gains, and intelligent sun protection as well as active features like energy efficient appliances, solar thermal collectors and photovoltaic arrays. With an estimated cost of 1.5 million euros, the house is not cheap, but for a long-term owner the energy savings as well as the ability to sell electricity to the grid would make it more attractive.

The delegation next visited the Hamburg Stadtmodell (a building housing a full city model) and learned that Hamburg has been named the European Green Capital of 2011 by the European Union. The aim of the award is to recognize city with high environmental standards, encourage other cities to adopt ambitious goals and to highlight best practices. (On a side note, Pittsburgh has been named the latest North American Green Capital).

Cities are rated using many indicator areas, including transportation, ambient air, waste water, land use, noise pollution and open areas. Hamburg rated well in all areas, and out of 35 cities that applied, they were included in the top eight and ultimately won the 2011 title.

But, Hamburg is not an eco-topia. They still struggle with several major challenges. As their need for residential and industrial space increases, land is becoming scarce. To address this, Hamburg is finding innovative ways to reuse industrial areas, such as the HafenCity development (which we will tour on Friday).

Hamburg is also a major port city, which can lead to many air pollution and other environmental problems. They are addressing this by increasing use of container taxis (one taxi replaces 66 trucks) and creating a land electricity supply for ships.

Another challenge is increasing traffic, so Hamburg officials are building new train lines to the airport, to the new HafenCity development, as well as doubling their network of bicycle paths and creating low emission zones.

And lastly, Hamburg recognizes its vulnerability to climate change, especially the risk of rising sea levels as Hamburg is intersected by waterways. To address this problem, they have created a comprehensive climate policy.

The Hamburg Climate Action Strategy was presented to us by Peter Lindlahr, from the Coordination Center for Climate Issues. This ambitious plan includes 350 projects and initiatives to reorganize the energy supply in a sustainable way, to provide economic stimulus and to be proactive in climate protection.

Peter shared with us 5 "Drivers of Changeâ within the Action plan:

1) Retrofitting public buildings, exemplified by installing photovoltaic arrays on a cultural center and working with fire and police stations to be more energy efficient.

2) Public Transport projects, such as pursuing a fuel cell hydrogen powered bus (to be toured on Friday), providing automatic driving recommendations for energy efficient train operation, returning of braking energy into electricity network and building new train lines.

3) Information and Communication Technology (ICT) including innovation through smart grid, smart homes and smart meters

4) Potential energy savings for historic buildings is being studied in a report, and thermopictures of buildings are demonstrating the leakage of old buildings

5) Combined Heat and Power (CHP) in which Hamburg is pursuing the implementation of up to 100 gas-driven power generation units with CHP technology

With just two days left, the delegation is starting to compile our takeaway ideas and thinking about how to apply what we have learned back in our home cities. And of course we're all eager to shop for souvenirs and to sample the local beer and chocolates!

by Christine Knapp, Director of Outreach

Today, our delegation traveled by train to the city of Leipzig, about an hour from Berlin. Transportation enthusiasts would be delighted to see the grandiose train stations of both cities, and train systems that run very much on time through clean stations bustling with commerce.

After arrival and check-in, our group was treated to a lunch meeting with Gisela Kallenbach, a former member of the European Parliament representing the Green Party.

Gisela gave us a brief introduction to the city of Leipzig and the region. Leipzig has a long and storied history, serving as the home to such cultural luminaries as Bach and Goethe among others. But like many former manufacturing cities in the US, Leipzig suffered from a period of decline while shielded behind the Iron Curtain, and even after the wall was torn down.

Gisela herself became involved in political action during the months leading up to November of 1989. She organized peace prayers at local churches that helped motivate those who were previously too fearful to publicly demonstrate. And once the wall came down, Gisela was called to run for local office to help her city and her people recover and develop a strategy of revitalization. She ran with the emerging Green Party because of her own suffering due to environmental degradation. But she also explained that the Green Party represents more than environmental equality- human rights and the ideals of sustainability, economic, social and environmental balance.

After Gisela's inspiring presentation, we traveled about 90 minutes to the industrial town of Jena, to the headquarters of Schott, a leader in solar technology for 51 years. We were guided in a tour by Grit Petholdt-Guhne, the Head of Human Resources. Our focus here was learning about  building a workforce for twenty-first century jobs, such as is done by Schott and its sister corporations.

Schott employs 700 people in their solar division, the largest percentage in their 1200 total employee workforce. They produce concentrated solar, crystalline photovoltaic and thin film photovoltaic. In the US, you can see their work at their location in Albuquerque, New Mexico and at their largest PV installation at Stillwell Station in New York.

After the fall of the wall, companies like Schott in East Germany had a hard time attracting a skilled work force due to lower wages and other factors. In order to combat this, Schott engaged in a marketing campaign in which they provided additional health benefits, work from home flexibility and child care for families, gym and museum memberships as well and other opportunities to attract workers.

But most impressively, Schott worked with the state government to create a robust worker training program on site. Here, students as young as 16 are hired into a dual apprenticeship where they spend 30 percent of their time in theoretical education at school and 70 percent of their time in practical education programs at the business itself. The state government provides funding for the training, and the company pays 100 percent of the monthly salary (600-800 euros).

Lastly, we had dinner at Auerbachs Keller, an elaborate restaurant made famous by Goethe, who frequented the wine bar. We were able to view the cellar in which, according to legend, Faust rode a wine barrel with the help of the devil himself. Of course we got to taste a bit of the local rose wine, which was dry but delicious!

Keeping all of our staff and offices up and running takes help from our supporters. If you aren't already a PennFuture member, there's no time like the present to donate. Together, we're changing Pennsylvania for the better!

This podcast features some of the speakers from a public meeting held on April 21, 2009 by the Philadelphia City Planning Commission to consider accepting the Civic Vision for the Central Delaware as the framework for future planning. Adopting the Civic Vision will open portions of the river to residents for the first time in a lifetime, while improving the economic vitality of the area and the entire city as a result of increased neighborhood and riverfront attractiveness.

PennFutureâs Rachel Vassar first interviews Steven Weixler, chair of the Central Delaware Advocacy Group (CDAG), who discusses CDAGâs involvement the Civic Vision, and what the Civic Vision is. Next, Patrick Starr, senior vice president the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, discusses greenways, and the importance of the East Coast Greenway. Finally, Harris Steinberg, executive director of PennPraxis, the clinical arm of PennDesign, the School of Design for the University of Pennsylvania, talks about the importance of the Action Plan in moving the Vision forward. He urges listeners to get involved by attending public meetings at the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation, advocating building Pier 11 as a recreational pier, and participating in the Master Planning.

You can be part of this civic vision, and other projects to help make Philadelphia the Next Great City. Visit the NGC website to learn how, or sign up for the e-newsletter.

This podcast features the state elected officials and leaders of the campaign, detailing their plans to guarantee that Pennsylvania Works! for all.

In December, Pittsburghâs Legacy Arts Project held Junkanew, a play on words to emphasis the need to conserve our planet. This celebration of music, dance, food, revolving around the environment, also featured leaders of the environmental justice movement nationally and locally. PennFutureâs western Pennsylvania outreach coordinator, Joylette Portlock, brings us the voices and enthusiasm of those leaders in this weekâs podcast.

Youâll hear from Namosha Smith, the passionate organizer of the day-long event, which was subtitled âThe Art of Red, Black and Greening.â Youâll also hear from the amazing Tanya Fields from Sustainable South Bronx, Andrew Butcher from Pittsburgh-based GTECH, and Lindsay Baxter, Sustainability Coordinator for the City of Pittsburgh.

You can find ways to make your Junk a new and work for environmental justice by visiting PennFuture's website. While there, you can Take Action and become a member.

On November 20, 2008 the Forumâs topic was âWaste Not, Want Not:  The Economic Argument for Recycling,â featuring PennFutureâs director of outreach Christine Knapp; Neil Seldman, president of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance; and Robert Anderson, director of business development and marketing for Blue Mountain Recycling.

Tune in to this podcast to hear interviews of Seldman and Anderson, conducted by Knapp.

Resources, comments and other stuff from the panelists ...

• It seems so simple -- if you can't show that it's safe, then you can't sell it.
• We need a globalized approach to food safety.
• SKIN DEEP cosmetic safety database
• American families eat six times as many fats and sweets as is recommended.
• Buying organic is the most efficient way to buy safe food because "organic" has a legal definition. Natural, cage-free and free-range don't have legal definitions and regulations.
• Organic food can become more affordable if foods that are less safe and nutritious aren't priced so much more cheaply.

Resources and other stuff ...

• Superfund sites in Pennsylvania
• TILT
• A clean environment should be an unalienable right.
• Women for a Healthy Environment

Santa knows that governing is hard work. And coming to an agreement can be contentious. But Pennsylvaniaâs families are suffering real pain now without a modern energy policy. Having to spend $50 to fill up your minivan makes having a happy holiday harder. And skyrocketing energy bills will only get worse by waiting.

Thatâs why Santa really hopes the nice boys and girls in the legislature can put aside their differences and get to an agreement soon.

And even though we are not near final passage of the Energy Independence Strategy, there has been real progress.

The House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee overwhelmingly passed Special Session HB 1, the funding bill that would provide $850 million for renewable electricity projects and for energy conservation. The nice boys and girls who voted for it include: Camille âBudâ? George (D-Clearfield), Chair of the Committee; H. Scott Conklin (D-Centre); Michael Gerber (D-Montgomery); James Wansacz (D-Lackawanna, Luzerne, Susquehanna, Wyoming); John T. Yudichak (D-Luzerne); Lisa Bennington (D-Allegheny); Mike Carroll (D-Luzerne, Monroe); Eugene DePasquale (D-York); Robert Freeman (D-Northampton); John Hornaman (D- Erie);  David K. Levdansky (D-Allegheny, Washington); Jennifer Mann (D-Lehigh); Michael P. McGeehan (D-Philadelphia); Tim Seip (D-Berks, Schuylkill); Greg Vitali (D-Delaware); Kate Harper (R-Montgomery); Jay R. Moyer (R-Montgomery); Chris Ross (R-Chester); and Carole A. Rubley (R- Chester, Montgomery).

The Senate is close to passing Special Session SB 1, which would provide $650 million for mostly good energy projects, though $25 million would go to owners of highly profitable coal burning plants. But there is a groundswell to improve that bill to add more money for renewable energy and research and development of new clean technologies.

The House is moving the smart meter bill (Special Session HB 38) toward passage, and it may be voted on tomorrow in the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. But there is little movement on the critical energy conservation bill, Special Session HB 31, sponsored by Reps. Chris Ross and Robert Freeman. 

These bills will give Pennsylvaniaâs families and businesses the tools they need to use energy smarter, and to cut their electricity bills. And the conservation bill will save Pennsylvanians between $9 and $12 billion in avoided costs for building more power plants, big transmission lines and other costs that we would have to incur just to keep up with growing demand.

Santa is still very hopeful that the Energy Independence Strategy will be passed, but it doesnât look like it will happen this year. But if Pennsylvanians are to have relief from high heating bills next season, the legislators will need to work on this as soon as they come back in the New Year. Santa thinks the new energy policy should be passed no later than February.

Say, that would make a very nice Valentineâs gift to the voters of Pennsylvania. Santa is going to contact his compatriot in the League of Fictional Nice Characters (LFNC), Cupid, and get him on the case. Look out for those arrows!

Love, Santa (R&D-North Pole)

Santa is truly perplexed when boys and girls are deliberately naughty. Donât they know I see them when theyâre sleeping; I know when theyâre awake; I know if theyâve been bad or good? So they should be good for goodnessâ sake, shouldnât they?

But the naughty boys and girls at the Electric Power Generation Association seem bound and determined to have a permanent place on Santaâs naughty list. Itâs bad enough that they unsuccessfully fought against cutting toxic mercury from power plant pollution, so that every baby would get a great start. But now they are fighting against the Energy Independence Strategy, trying to stop Pennsylvanians from having the tools needed to use electricity smarter and cleaner.

Among the worst at EPGA are the very naughty Doug Biden and Terry Fitzpatrick .  Even though rate caps on Pennsylvaniansâ electricity bills have ended in four electric utility service territories and will terminate everywhere within the next three years, resulting in higher â and for some, much higher â electricity bills, Biden and Fitzpatrick are dead set against requiring statewide energy efficiency programs. Pennsylvania is the only state in the Northeast that doesnât have a comprehensive set of energy efficiency programs. If Pennsylvania created energy efficiency programs including incentives for high efficiency appliances, lighting, motors, and new homes that waste less energy, electric customers in the state could pay between $9 and $12 billion less for electric service over the next decade. That would mean more money in every familyâs pocket, and a better business climate for all Pennsylvaniaâs businesses.

But Biden and Fitzpatrick claim that Pennsylvaniaâs electricity companies shouldnât be compelled to give customers smart meters and other tools to manage and reduce their electricity use. They argue that the electricity companies should be able to raise their rates as much as necessary, and customers will have a ânatural incentiveâ? to use less. They also argue against increasing requirements for clean, renewable energy, instead sticking with our old and outdated âdirty dinosaurâ? power plants. They should realize that is certainly not being nice, and Santa is watching these very naughty children.

Santa is very happy that there has been progress on the Energy Independence Strategy. On the nice list, Governor Ed Rendell (have you ever wondered how great he would fill a Santa suit?) met with the House Democratic Caucus this week. He told them how important it was and that he really wanted them to lead the fight and pass it. I hope all the boys and girls listening decide to be nice, not naughty.

I know some are already being very nice. A little elf whispered in my ear that Camille (Bud) George (D â Clearfield), Chair of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee), is planning to move a big part of the EIS through his committee in the near future. That makes Santa really, really happy.

If you think you should be on the nice list, send Santa an email â Santa@PennFuture.org.  

Love, Santa  (R&D-North Pole)

P.S.  About those cookies and milk. After 1700 years, itâs getting old. How about a Philadelphia cheese steak and a glass of St. Nikolaus Bock from Penn Brewery in Pittsburgh? That will really hit The Spot!

The two agreed on major transportation issues: that Oakland and Downtown should be better linked by mass transit; that the subway extension to the North Side is a waste of money; and that the northerly portion of the Mon-Fayette Expressway is dead. Mr. Ravenstahl said the expressway wasn't even in the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission's most recent request for federal funding.

Boy, are we glad to hear it!  Now let's hope the candidates can agree that finding workable alternatives for Pittsburgh and the Mon Valley should be among the priorities for our region's transportation planners.

We're working on helping communities in the proposed dead road's path connect with opportunities to attract new transportation investment that supports smart growth.  We can't do it without your help!  Take a moment to contribute, and click on "comments" below to let us know what you think our region's transportation priorities should be.

In this podcast, PennFuture's Andrea Boykowycz speaks with Braddock Mayor John Fetterman and Michael Parker of Group Against Smog and Pollution. They elaborate on just how the Mon-Fayette would affect our health, and the health of our regionâs economy-- and the outlook is bad on both counts.

Braddock is squarely in the path of the proposed Pittsburgh leg of the Mon-Fayette Toll Road. As Braddock Mayor John Fetterman testified last month before the State Transportation Commission, the proposed toll road is a menace to his community in more ways than one. The threat that the Turnpike would acquire right-of-way for this road has been an obstacle to economic and community re-development in Braddock for decades -- and the traffic that the road would deliver (if it's ever built) would blanket it in diesel fumes. Braddock already has some of the highest asthma rates of any municipality in our region. Plowing a highway right through the middle of town will only make Braddock's residents sicker.

It's not just Braddock's lungs that would suffer, either. Because Allegheny County is a non-attainment area for PM 2.5 pollution (meaning, the EPA has determined our air doesn't meet federal standards for soot pollution), any new fine particulate pollution source -- such as a new four-lane highway -- would make it that much harder for new businesses to locate here, or for existing businesses to expand. This is because we're prohibited by federal law from adding to our pollution problem; any new emissions sources would need to pay to mitigate the effects they'd have on our region's air quality.

Far from delivering economic opportunity to the Mon Valley, the Mon-Fayette would only create an additional obstacle to development.  Building it would cost $3.6 billion -- but it would also cost us our health and a sizable chunk of our economic future.

We shouldn't have to shoulder any of those costs. Communities in the Mon Valley deserve much better.

For more information about the Mon-Fayette and what we can do to help Mon Valley communities move forward with achievable alternatives, visit PennFuture's Mon-Fayette campaign page. While you're there, you can make a tax-deductible contribution to our work. As always, we welcome your comments. Just email us at podcast (at) pennfuture (dot) org, or click on "Comments" below.

Will Pennsylvania win energy independence or surrender? The stakes are that big.

Politics as usual will lose the battle for energy independence by doing nothing, or passing small items that make no real difference to how much energy is consumed or how energy is made. Winning energy independence means boosting energy conservation and curtailing the addiction to oil and coal.

To be specific, winning this vital battle means Pennsylvania must require:

• that energy efficiency be increased enough to stop the annual 1.5 percent increase in demand that is now taking place like clockwork;
• an $850 million fund to finance solar, wind, energy conservation and clean energy projects;
• smart meter installation in all homes and businesses over a reasonable period to cut peak demand - demand that is driving up electricity prices and the need for more power lines and power plants; and,
• increasing production of biodiesel and cellulosic ethanol.

Bipartisan Support Grows for HSCA Funding
Representatives Rick Taylor (D-Montgomery) and Mike Vereb (R-Montgomery) this week introduced House Bill 1810, which taps $30 million of surplus budget revenues to make sure the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Account (HSCA) is fully funded for the remainder of the 2007-2008 fiscal year. There are 79 co-sponsors of this bill and counting.

Senator Charles McIlhinney (R-Bucks) plans to introduce companion legislation, Senate Bill 1059, in the very near future.

Haul Your Ash Out of Here
A report by the Clean Air Task Force and Earthjustice examines the practice of allowing power plant fly ash to be dumped into abandoned coal mines. Records from 10 of 15 mines in Pennsylvania examined show unsafe levels of arsenic, lead, cadmium, chromium and other pollutants in nearby streams and ground water.

Don't have time for the exhaustive report? Watch the video.

Vance Proposes Shift in Truck Idling Practices
Diesel soot pollution from trucks is a burgeoning public health problem for Pennsylvania. And it is not just an urban problem. Interstate 81 and numerous truck warehouses help make Cumberland County one of the 25 worst places for this fine particle pollution in the nation according to the American Lung Association.

This week Senator Pat Vance (R-Cumberland and York) introduced legislation to significantly restrict the idling of commercial diesel vehicles. Senate Bill 1095 prohibits these trucks from idling more than five minutes, with certain exceptions, if the outside temperature is between 40 and 80 degrees.

On May 16, the Environmental Quality Board voted to accept DEP's recommendation that the agency develop statewide anti-idling regulations. The move was in a response to a petition submitted by the Clean Air Board of Central Pennsylvania.

Not Another Lawyer Joke
Know a sharp legal eagle interested in working to protect Pennsylvania's environment and economy? Please send her or him our way. PennFuture has an opening for an attorney to work in our Pittsburgh office.

Improving accessibility in the Mon Valley doesnât have to cost billions. Some projects that operate on a much smaller scale have the potential to boost economic and transportation investment in the region, without damaging the environment. In this podcast, PennFuture's Western Pennsylvania Outreach Coordinator Andrea Boykowycz tours the future riverfront trail connection between McKeesport and Pittsburgh with Steel Valley Trail Council President Hannah Hardy, and talks about future Pittsburgh Mon Valley trail connections with Friends of the Riverfront Executive Director Tom Baxter. You can follow along with Andrea and Hannah on the SVTCâs trail map. 

For more information about the Mon-Fayette and what we can do to help Mon Valley communities move forward with achievable alternatives, visit PennFutureâs Mon-Fayette campaign page.  While you're there, you can make a tax-deductible contribution to support our work. As always, we welcome your comments.  Just email us at podcast (at) pennfuture (dot) org, or click on "Comments" below. 

PennFuture Reflections by Sarah Goetz

For a college student, activism is not hard to find. A walk through the quad can mean wading through protests, petitions, flyers, and other campaigns for worthy causes. Campus is the perfect canvas for activism:  the combination of carefree youth, idealism, and energy empowers students and their diverse passions. Masterfully wielding the charisma and informed optimism that seem to come naturally at this stage of life, student activists fight for what they believe in. Sometimes the mere fight for the sake of counterculture is enough to call a student rally successful. 

But college campuses are a far cry from the real world. And the onset of reality and the working world forces many to abandon their idealism and former causes. So, as I exited the gates of my campus this May for a brief respite from college life, I braced myself for a change of pace. Expecting the monotony that is standard in an office setting, the vitality within the walls of PennFutureâs Harrisburg office building continuously surprised me from the first time I was buzzed through the door.

The staff members at PennFuture are the people who, even after youth has worn off and reality set it, still fight for the causes that engage them. Less idealistic and more grounded, they rely on experience and expertise to deliver their messages and to conduct environmental business with some serious clout. And the result of their work is not measured by the mere satisfaction of the fight, but by the tangible victories that are won in the courtroom, through the legislature, and with citizen support.

It is vital that these staff members still possess the will to fight, because environmental advocacy is often an uphill battle against many and diverse opponents.

I walked into PennFuture just as the battle for Governor Rendellâs Energy Independence Strategy became red hot in the state legislature. In the past, my only involvement in legislation was reading about the finished product in the newspaper. Here, I was privy to the gritty and complex process of a billâs voyage through the state legislature.

PennFutureâs staff hatched ideas and strategies in the conference room and promptly spread them to the state capitol building and to media outlets. They had to equip politicians and the public with the knowledge and precision to ward off the persuasive opposition â which arose from every angle â in order to enact environmental policy. An incessant flow of information and personal contacts passed between PennFutureâs office and the Capitol building.

Perhaps the most unexpected aspect of the process was PennFutureâs constant vigilance over the bills as they passed through the hands of legislators. Battles on the Hill seem to be unpredictable; a steady climb in the support for a bill could overnight slink in the opposite direction. And then it might be back to the conference room for more strategizing.

As a result of my internship at PennFuture, I have gained some skills and garnered just a glimpse of that ever-elusive âreal worldâ? experience. The most valuable part of my learning experience here has been the opportunity to observe the skills displayed each day by the staff of PennFuture. Their ability to reach and accommodate diverse audiences contributes to PennFutureâs growing citizen support and validates its authority as an organization. 

I will carry all I have learned long after I leave the office. My experiences in this real world setting should be of great use as I reenter the gates of my college campus this fall.

We hope other interns, past, present and future, will join in this discussion.  Let us know how we're doing as mentors and whether your internship made a difference in your life's plan.

And PennFuture is always looking for interns. If you have an interest in volunteering or interning at PennFuture, we welcome your support. Contact our Director of Outreach Heather Sage at: sage (at) pennfuture (dot) org, or visit our website to locate a staff person focused on your specific area of interest. You can also take a look at our Jobs Board, where we post opportunities for employment at PennFuture and elsewhere. We welcome your support as a new member of PennFuture! And remember, citizen action really does work, so check out our Action Center and brand new "Legislation to Watch" section of our site to find out more about how you can affect Pennsylvania policies.          

Have you ever stopped to consider how your morning shower or that water bottle you carry may be negatively affecting your health? Daily exposures to toxins and chemicals in the most unexpected of places can be adding to your risk of disease or illness. The number of chemicals we encounter during daily routines, from the plastics to cosmetics to diesel exhaust to air fresheners to cleaning products (to name only a few), form the toxic and chemical soup humans we expose ourselves and our children to each day.

In this podcast, PennFuture's Christine Knapp attends the Urban Sustainability Forum on health: Human Ecology and the Urban Environment. Christine talks with both of the forum's presenters, each playing important roles in raising awareness about linkages between environment and health, and in pursuing ways to curb exposures to risks from such substances. Dr. Julie Becker is the founder of the Women's Health and Environmental Network and Dr. Howard Frumkin, MD, MPH, DrPH, is the director of the National Center for Environmental Health. Both discuss how we can live healthier, through simple (but important) choices, in urban environments. But their advice holds true for any environment.

You can learn more about the connections between our health and the environment in which we live by visiting the Collaborative on Health and the Environment site. There you will find a host of resources from partners around the country. There is even a Pennsylvania working group (CHE-Penn) that you can join to get more involved on a local level. PennFuture has been a proud working partner of CHE-Penn since its inception.

To learn more about our initiatives to protect our health and our environment, visit our Web site. We welcome your involvement in PennFuture as a member! To support our work, click here.

And who better to help us work toward a just future where nature, our environment, and the economy thrive than future leaders? Summer brings many fresh new faces to the offices of PennFuture, as young people looking to gain real-world experiences working in the environmental field volunteer their time, skills, energy, and creativity in our four locations around the state.

In this podcast, current PennFuture interns interview one another and a couple veterans to get some insights about why they became interested in the organization and our work, and what they did and learned while they were here. It's a fascinating journey into the world of twenty-somethings, and we hope quite a plug for how rewarding it is to contribute to the mission at PennFuture.

We were a little geographically biased in this podcast, talking only to interns who are working or have worked in our Pittsburgh office. But kudos to each and every one of the many student volunteers and interns we are working with now and have worked with in the past. Drop us a line if we haven't heard from you in awhile!

If you have an interest in volunteering or interning at PennFuture, we welcome your support. Contact our Director of Outreach Heather Sage at: sage (at) pennfuture (dot) org, or visit our Web site to locate a staff person focused on your specific area of interest. You can also take a look at our Jobs Board, where we post opportunities for employment at PennFuture and elsewhere. We welcome your support as a new member of PennFuture! And remember, citizen action really does work, so check out our Action Center and brand new "Legislation to Watch" section of our site to find out more about how you can affect Pennsylvania policies.

Pitt's Free the Planet chapter has mounted a wide variety of environmental campaigns, ranging from the very local (Swapapalooza, a used clothing swap on campus) to the global (fair trade and global warming). This student group also works collaboratively with other student groups on campus, the administration, local non-profits, and other chapters nationally.

Listen in for inspiring stories from young people who are dedicating themselves toward educating and motivating their peers to take action.

To learn more about ways you can get involved in PennFuture as an intern, volunteer, or member, visit our Web site, or contact us at podcast (at) pennfuture (dot) org. We welcome your comments and support!

In this podcast, PennFuture's Christine Knapp talks with Secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Michael DiBerardinis, and a number of the nominees and winners of this year's awards. Secretary DiBerardinis was rooting for his home team, the Philadelphia Eagles, for their Go Green program.

Christine also spoke with folks from RecycleBank, Philly Car Share, Judy Wicks from White Dog Cafe, Re:Vision Architecture, all award winners that evening, as well as Whole Foods Market, another nominee.

To learn more about the work PennFuture is doing in Philadelphia and across the Commonwealth to ensure that every environmental victory grows the economy, visit our Web site. As always, we welcome your support and your feedback. Comment below or e-mail us at podcast (at) pennfuture (dot) org.

On April 14 this year, Americans in all 50 states came together to call on leaders to take immediate action to stop global warming in a day of events called Step It Up. It was the largest day of citizen action focused on global warming in U.S. history, and was a "viral," grassroots movement, organized online, through e-mail activity, and by simple word-of-mouth. Over 1200 events and actions were organized on April 14, by people from all walks of life, focused on one message: asking Congress to cut carbon emissions by 80% by 2050.

There were a number of events held throughout Pennsylvania. PennFuture was fortunate enough to be the recipient organization of a portion of the proceeds generated at one of those events held in King of Prussia, PA at Kildare's. PennFuture's Brian Glass and Joy Bergey were among the many participants, and they made the rounds in between speeches, entertainment, and fun to talk with a number of folks there to call in unison for our elected officials to step up action on global warming.

Brian speaks first with two of the three Kildare's event organizers, Chris Duvall and Keith Parsons, who describe how they together arrived at the idea for their own awareness event on global warming, teamed up with David McGrogan of Kildare's who had previously held a fundraiser for victims of Hurricane Katrina at his restaurant, and then folded their idea into the Step It Up model. PennFuture members Tom and Dolly Wallis share their personal story about changes they've made at home, including buying renewable energy and using a geothermal heat pump for their heating and cooling needs, motivated to do so as grandparents who want to leave things better for their grandchildren. Brian then talks with Mark Highland, president of Organic Mechanics, a new sustainable, peat-free potting soil company based in the Philadelphia area. Most potting soil has over 90 percent peat content, and since peat is a natural carbon sink, harvesting it for use in potting soils means that carbon is being released into the atmosphere as a source instead.

Joy talks with Albert Yee from Philly Car Share about how this flexible auto-sharing program is enabling people in and around Philadelphia to go car-free and cut their carbon footprint in the process. PennFuture is a member of both Philly Car Share and Flexcar, another similar program that is now in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. She also speaks with Sarah Hetznecker and Gary Sheehan from Mesa Energy LLC, recently acquired by Sun Technics in Germany, a solar PV design and solar thermal installation company. Mesa is aiming to be a full-service renewable energy project design and installation company in the next couple of years.

This Step It Up event also featured area elected officials who have taken leadership roles on state action to cut our contributions to global warming. Since Pennsylvania is third worst in the U.S. for emissions of heat-trapping gases that cause global warming, emitting one percent of the world's total (more than 105 nations combined!), we are a huge part of the problem. Brian talks with Rep. Greg Vitali (D-166) and Sen. John Rafferty (R-44), who are both sponsors of global warming legislation (HB 110 and SB 266).

We end the podcast with words from legendary Philadelphia D.J. Pierre Robert, of rock radio station WMMR 93.3. He is famous for addressing listeners as "citizens," and has quite a bit to say about what he's learned about global warming, and how he has made personal changes to reduce his own environmental impacts. It's a must-listen!

PennFuture would like to thank all the organizers and participants of the King of Prussia Step It Up event. To learn more about how you can get involved in our Cool Pennsylvania campaign to stop global warming here at home, visit our Web site. There you can take action on this issue, join our weekly global warming e-mail list to stay informed, and make a donation to help us continue our important work on this and other issues. As always, we welcome your comments and feedback. Simply e-mail us at podcast (at) pennfuture (dot) org, or click on "Comments" below.

Our keynote speaker at the conference was U.S. Senator Bob Casey, Jr., newly elected Senator from Pennsylvania, who campaigned on a strong environmental platform, including support for immediate federal action on global warming. Senator Casey, while previously serving as Pennsylvania State Treasurer, introduced some groundbreaking initiatives to help the Commonwealth cut our contributions to the heat-trapping gases causing global warming, by incentivizing energy efficiency and investment in renewable energy. In this video podcast from the conference, Senator Casey is introduced by PennFuture's President and CEO John Hanger.

The podcast covers most of Senator Casey's keynote speech at the conference. Special thanks to conference attendee and blogger Agent Ska who was on hand to video the speech! We commandeered her home video so that you could have a taste of what you missed at the conference.

Other presenters at the conference included Sr. M. Christopher Moore, Provincial Minister at the Felician Sisters of Pennsylvania, who shared the green renovation and sustainable ministry at the order's Provincial House and school in Coraopolis, PA.; Alan Traugott, Board Director for the Green Building Alliance, who shared an update on state legislative initiatives for green building and on Pittsburgh's Green Government Task Force, that is developing strategies to cut Pittsburgh's contributions to global warming; Dr. Brenda Ekwurzel, Climate Scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists, who provided an update on the latest in global warming science and impacts specific to Pennsylvania; and Rep. Jake Wheatley, Jr. (19) who addressed the need for state policy on global warming and the disparate impacts of climate change on urban, minority, and poor populations.

To learn more about PennFuture's Cool Pennsylvania Campaign to stop global warming here at home, visit our site. You can also take action by urging your elected officials to pass global warming legislation, signing a petition to the Governor, and joining our weekly global warming e-mail list where you will receive the latest news in a handy digest format. As always, your contribution to PennFuture will ensure that every environmental victory helps grow Pennsylvania's economy, and that together we can create a just future where nature, communities, and the economy thrive. For more information, e-mail us at podcast (at) pennfuture (dot) org. We welcome your comments! Just click on "Comments" below.

NOTE: This video podcast takes a couple minutes to load, so be patient!

Governor Rendell's cabinet officers needed to be confirmed by the Senate on or before April 25. But in a classic political late hit, a Harrisburg tale of "Gotcha!" unfolded. Governor Rendell agreed to withdraw and immediately resubmit his environmental secretaries' nominations, giving more time for their approval to be granted. 

What went down? Information was spoon fed to an opinion columnist who published allegationsâ without attributionâ the weekend before the scheduled confirmation votes. The Pennsylvania Environmental Council provided that columnist all of the relevant exculpatory information regarding Secretary McGinty, but those facts were excluded from the column. What senator would want to be treated in this manner?

The easily refuted and disproved allegations against Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Kathleen McGinty and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Michael DiBerardinis were never aired during their respective confirmation hearings before the Senate. The secretaries were never provided a proper public forum to defend themselves against the innuendo.

Someone interested in the real facts of this matter would have a hard time finding them in the media coverage to date. They can be found here, here and here.

Who should be flagged for the late hit? As the facts are now catching up to the smear, Harrisburg insiders are trying to finger the identity of its mastermind. Was it a political enemy of Secretary McGinty? Was it a polluter or other sore loser in the political Rolodex unhappy about the strong state mercury rule that protects Pennsylvaniaâs babies, or the Clean Vehicles Program that protects our health while saving us fuel and money?

Listen in to the April 26 press conference we held in the Capitol Rotunda. It includes representatives from PennFuture, Pennsylvania Environmental Council, Sierra Club's Pennsylvania Chapter, the Pennsylvania Interfaith Climate Change Campaign, Clean Air Council, and the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association. Later in the afternoon, additional organizations added their voices to the call for an end to this inexcusable smear campaign, including the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, Clean Water Action, Pennsylvania Council of Churches, and Pennsylvania NOW.

Organizations large and small across the state, together with citizens in every corner of the Commonwealth, are calling on the Senate to confirm these impressive environmental cabinet officers as soon as possible, and put an end to this shameful smear. You can do your part by taking action here.

In this podcast, PennFuture's Joy Bergey speaks with Professor Robert McKinstry, Maurice K. Goddard Chair in Forestry and Environmental Resources Conservation at Penn State University about his involvement in the historic case, and the implications of the decision. McKinstry represented climate scientists in the case, writing an amicus brief in favor of the petitioners.

McKinstry believes that the decision indicates a clear need for the U.S. to regulate greenhouse gases, and that this should take the form of federal legislation and policy. Swift action is required, and considerations must be made on how federal policy and mandates will work with existing state regulations and policies, as well as within the international community. But he feels that the United States should once again take a leadership role on environmental issues in the international sphere, something we have not been doing in the recent past.

McKinstry recounts some of the history of U.S. policy on heat-trapping gases, and how our policy (or lack thereof) shifted dramatically within the first year of the current Bush administration. Prior to 2001, and even within the first Bush administration, there was recognition within EPA that authority existed under the Clean Air Act to treat carbon dioxide, for example, as pollution, but that the resistance to doing so came primarily from Congress.

McKinstry explains in this podcast the grounds upon which the EPA asserted in this case that they did not have the authority to regulate greenhouse gases from tailpipes. He then describes the court's decision, implications, and next steps, including information about pending state lawsuits related to this case.

In terms of the "debate" on global warming, McKinstry asserts that we should not be asking how certain we are that "bad things" will happen, but how certain we are that they will not. In other words, we cannot afford to do nothing.

To learn more about PennFuture's Cool Pennsylvania Campaign to stop global warming here at home, visit our campaign pages. Nearly 200 diverse businesses, groups, and organizations across the Commonwealth have signed on in support of the effort to date. You can receive our weekly global warming news digest and let Governor Rendell and state legislators know that you support strong state action on global warming. Support our work with a tax-deductible donation. We welcome your comments or questions; just click on "Comments" below, or e-mail us at podcast (at) pennfuture (dot) org.

You know how a light bulb shows up above the cartoon character's head whenever s/he has a good idea? Well, compact fluorescent light bulbs themselves are a bright idea for anyone concerned with saving money, using less energy, and cutting the amount of heat-trapping gases that are contributing to global warming. Believe it or not, changing light bulbs can make an enormous difference in all of that.

Many solutions to environmental and economic problems feel a bit daunting. In this podcast, PennFuture's D.J. Trischler speaks with Jeff Deyette from the Union of Concerned Scientists about the pros (and cons) of compact florescent lamps, or CFLs. While the bulbs today do cost slightly more to purchase, they actually save you money (up to $30 dollars over the life of the bulb) and they're helping us slow down global warming. That's quite a bargain!

Jeff shares other important tips on how to save energy, how to dispose of CFLs, and how to do your part to become part of the solution. For more information on CFLs, click here.

To learn how you can become part of PennFuture's Cool Pennsylvania Campaign to stop global warming here at home, visit our site. We'd love your feedback; just click on "Comments" below, or e-mail us at podcast (at) pennfuture (dot) org.

The world's population has just reached the point where 50 percent is urbanized and the other half is not. As a result, development pressure is increasing at an ever-faster rate, and open space is disappearing. But there are ways to discourage sprawl and to redirect development. In this podcast, Sustainable Pittsburgh's Court Gould, recently featured at the event "Pittsburgh: A Humane Metropolis," shares concrete examples from Pittsburgh, describing ways that the region that is our metropolis can and is being developed in a humane way.

The Humane Metropolis is defined as a city that develops through an understanding that space is a finite commodity. Building green, environmentally-friendly buildings and neighborhoods, utilizing previously-developed space through rehabilitation, creative urban planning, and maintaining a clear focus on the arts and cultural development are all hallmarks of a Humane Metropolis.

Pittsburgh ranks at the top of U.S. cities when measured in those fields. Whether it's greening our hospitals, enacting permanent zoning protections for our hillsides, bringing car-sharing to the city through a new endeavor with Flexcar (PennFuture is a charter member!), or providing education to residents about energy efficiency, these and hosts of other reasons make Pittsburgh a leader nationwide. Listen as Court describes how Pittsburgh is well on the path to becoming a truly Humane Metropolis.

To learn more about the many organizations and initiatives mentioned in the podcast, peruse the following list. We welcome your comments below; simply click on "Comments." For more information about the work PennFuture is doing to support Pittsburgh's environment, communities, and economy, visit our Web site or e-mail us at podcast (at) pennfuture (dot) org.

Sites to visit for more information:

Green Chemistry at Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh Cultural Trust

Friends of the Riverfront

Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy

Venture Outdoors

Slow Food Pittsburgh

Rachel Carson Homestead

Hosanna Industries

East Liberty Development Incorporated

Flexcar

Conservation Consultants Inc.

PA Cleanways

University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Pittsburgh's Hillsides Committee

PennFuture's Jan Jarrett recently attended the Governor's Outdoor Conference, "Preserving Past Traditions, Creating New Connections," where she connected with the Secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Michael DiBerardinis, and discussed the focus of the conference this year.

There is a need and an effort afoot, beginning in part at this conference, for Pennsylvanians to re-engage in outdoor recreational activities. Studies show, for example, that the average child in the United States today spends an average of six hours per day watching television or playing video games, or sitting at a computer. That is twice the amount of time children spend in school in a given year! At the same time, studies have found that the vast majority of children (60-80 percent, depending upon age) have no opportunities for outdoor play in their normal routine. Adults are staying indoors, too. In recent years, Pennsylvania has had up to a 20 percent decline in visitation to our 117 state parks, and purchases of hunting and fishing licenses have also been dropping.

Listen in to the conversation as Jan and Secretary DiBerardinis discuss strategies toward the effort to get people off the couch and into the outdoors.

For more information about PennFuture, or to contribute to our work, visit our Web site. We welcome your comments; just click on "Comments" below, or e-mail us at podcast (at) pennfuture (dot) org.

PennFuture's D.J. Trischler was fortunate to travel to Niger in Africa early this year as part of a trip with La Roche College. D.J. spent a great deal of time on the journey visiting with the Touareg (or Tuareg) people in Niger, a pastoralist group of Northwest African peoples who have lived in the Sahara region for centuries.

In this video podcast, D.J. shares some of his wonderful footage from the trip, and introduces us to a Touareg leader Issouf Ag Maha. Ag Maha speaks to the group (seated together around the fire in the evening) about the serious impacts of global warming on the Touareg people. He describes how desertification is increasing, that the traditional means for survival of their people are disappearing as rainfall decreases and agricultural production becomes less and less possible. As many people are recognizing, the impacts of global warming are affecting those people least equipped to deal with it, and the consequences are in fact life-threatening.

To learn more about how you can get involved in stopping global warming, visit our Cool Pennsylvania pages. There are two organizations based in the United States who are working for change on behalf of the Touareg and other tribal peoples: the Nomad Foundation and Rain for the Sahel and Sahara. For more information, e-mail as at podcast (at) pennfuture (dot) org. We welcome your comments on this and any other podcast; just click on "Comments" below to leave your thoughts or questions.

Learn more about the various individuals, businesses, and organizations Joy meets in this podcast. Many are endorsers of PennFuture's Cool Pennsylvania campaign, aimed at stopping global warming right here at home:

Elizabeth Killough: Untours Foundation (formerly Idyll Foundation)
Hal Taussig, Brian Lux-Taussig, and Kim Paschen: Untours, Ltd.
Ira Jospehs: Selene Whole Foods Co-Op
Drew Arata: Earth and State Gallery
Tom Hibberd: Rotary Club of Media
Rena Shaffer: Ten Thousand Villages

Fine particle pollution, including diesel, can cause lung cancer, stroke, heart attack, infant death, and triggers asthma attacks. It can even cause people's allergies to get worse.

The Clean Air Task Force just released a new report documenting that diesel exhaust levels are four to eight times worse inside commuter cars, buses, and trains as compared to the outside air. This is due to long-haul trucks with diesel engines on the road in front of you, or the diesel engine in the bus or train you ride.

The report has a major up side, however. For diesel engines where a simple filter was installed, or other modern pollution controls were applied, pollution levels for commuters were next to nothing.

These simple, effective controls are available, but we need increased funding and other incentives and requirements to make retrofitting existing diesel vehicles with pollution controls a high priority.

There are already major efforts underway across the country, but we need your help to get it done. PennFuture is one of the many organizations participating in the State Diesel Initiative. The Group Against Smog and Pollution and Clean Water Action have led the way in southwestern Pennsylvania to curb diesel idling and to make diesel retrofitting in school buses and other vehicles possible. The Clean Air Board of Central Pennsylvania has been on the front lines of cleaning the air not only in their part of the state, but in petitioning the Environmental Quality Board in Pennsylvania to enact a statewide anti-idling rule for large diesel vehicles. In the Philadelphia area, PennFuture is coordinating the Next Great City initiative, where one of the 10 recommended actions is reducing asthma caused by soot from city vehicles-- by installing diesel particulate filters. The initiative is backed by more than 70 organizations. This is just a sampling of some of the work going on. 

PennFuture firmly supports sustainable funding for and the expansion and use of all forms of public transportation. The benefits of transit are enormous, in terms of improved overall air quality and otherwise. But we are also working to ensure that diesel engines get cleaned up so that commuting is healthier and safer for everyone on or living near the road, track, or port.

You can begin by taking action on diesel here. Then sign up to receive more information on this and other important initiatives so you won't miss an opportunity to make a difference.

PennFuture has been leading the collaborative called Next Great City (NGC), and if you haven't checked it out yet, take a few minutes to get familiar.

Then sit back with some popcorn and take a look at this video of the Philadelphia mayoral candidates' forum. It was the first time (and only, so far!) that all of the candidates have come together on one stage to debate and answer questions.

PennFuture's Christine Knapp provides an introduction to the forum, explaining the NGC process, highlighting the many varied endorsing organizations, and reviewing the 10 actions that comprise the NGC initiative.

Our Earth is dramatically changing due to the scientifically proven effects of global warming. People from all walks of life are recognizing the need to act as a pressing issue. The solutions are varied, but well within our reach, as long as we work together to solve the problem.

In the wake of the overwhelming global response to the Paramount Pictures documentary on Al Gore and his efforts to combat global warming, An Inconvenient Truth, Gore formed The Climate Project. The effort begins to form a coalition of global citizens, all being trained in giving the same presentation Gore gives all over the world and in the movie. The mission of the Climate Project is to educate and challenge citizens and governments into action against the growing crisis of global warming. Gore has been revising and giving his presentation for the past 15 years, and decided that the best way to get the word out as far and wide as is needed is to train "foot soldiers" to give it too, and as frequently as possible. Each Climate Project trainee pledged to give the presentation at least 10 times in the next year.

One of PennFuture's global warming outreach coordinators, Sharon Pillar, was among the first 800 from around the country (and beyond!) accepted to be trained by The Climate Project in Nashville, Tennessee. Participants came from all walks of life: NASA scientists, religious leaders, environmental educators, science teachers, artists, and university professors, just to name a few. During the breaks, Sharon was able to interview some of her peers about what brought them to the training, and about some of the things they are doing to fight global warming.

The speakers we hear in this podcast make it clear: at every scale, from the most local to the global, we can all contribute to the end of global warming. What is important is that we try.

For more information on PennFuture's campaign to fight global warming in Pennsylvania, visit our Cool Pennsylvania pages online. To learn more about the Climate Project, and to find out about presentations near you, visit their site. We also invite you to attend our conference Global Warming 2007: It's Time for Action in Pittsburgh on March 31, 2007, where we will be featuring global warming experts and where the keynote speaker will be U.S. Senator Bob Casey, Jr. Register online to attend.

This week, a study has been released showing that air quality in the park is markedly improved. Guess those initiatives are working!

Recently Evanoff visited Pittsburgh to give a presentation on the history of the park and the many environmental projects they've undertaken, thanks to sponsorship by southwestern Pennsylvania-based Concurrent Technologies and Steel City Biofuels, together with support from PennFuture and other area organizations and businesses including REI and the East End Brewing Company. PennFuture's Heather Sage was there to capture the presentation.

Evanoff described the endless ways that Yellowstone is minimizing its impacts within its own boundaries, and going beyond its vast expanse to develop partnerships throughout the region and the country to improve the environment. They have created a major commitment to using alternative, renewable fuels in nearly all of their transportation operations; they are diverting more than 65 percent of their solid waste into recycling and reuse operations (and are striving to get to 95 percent); and they have completely overhauled their custodial services so that fewer than a dozen cleaning products are now in use, and all are non-toxic and environmentally-friendly. Yellowstone was among the first in the nation to build a LEED-certified building. They initiated the reintroduction of the federally endangered gray wolf. They've even turned a contentious problem with polluting snowmobiles into an opportunity for colleges, universities, and manufacturers to compete to develop "green" snowmobiles-- and the competition has been fierce.

While a trip to Yellowstone is surely something we all hope to experience, a small sampling of the best the park has to offer, from a sustainability point of view, can be heard in this podcast.

For more information on innovations on environmental issues in Pennsylvania, visit our Web site. We welcome your comments, questions, and suggestions on our podcasts. Leave a comment below, or e-mail us at podcast (at) pennfuture (dot) org.

Local Pittsburgh artist, Connie Merriman, students and teachers at Winchester Thurston School in Pittsburgh, and the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania collaborated on a fascinating project called "If Animals and Children Could Speak." The endeavor was part of a broader conservation effort, Connie and Tom Merriman's Community Forest: Hays Woods Project. The collaboration asked fourth and sixth grade students at the school to think creatively about wildlife in Pittsburgh's urban neighborhoods, and got them thinking about conservation from a new point of view.

PennFuture has been working together with the Merrimans, both artists and fellows with the Carnegie Mellon STUDIO for Creative Inquiry, in an effort to conserve a 635-acre forest in Pittsburgh called Hays Woods. Along with citizens living near the site and organizations including the Allegheny Group of the Sierra Club and the Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP), we've worked to prevent deforestation, strip mining, and elimination of the important headwater streams on the site, and continue to do so. Hays Woods served as a backdrop for the project with the students, as they learned about the sorts of animals that can and do live in urban green spaces there and elsewhere in Pittsburgh.

Listen in on the conversations students imagined they'd have with animals like fox, bears, and birds. Imagine the habitats and habits of our wild neighbors, like the Eastern Screech Owl that attended the exhibit with Audubon's Gabi Hughes. See through children's eyes how they discover the importance of being good neighbors to all creatures. And consider how expanding partnerships to include artists, children, and diverse interests can promote more sustainable communities.

To learn more about how you can get involved in saving Hays Woods, or any of PennFuture's projects, visit our Web site or e-mail us at podcast (at) pennfuture (dot) org.

"Doing well by doing right" is a credo that many businesses are adopting, especially in light of the impacts of global warming. Notable companies that are taking steps to cut their contributions to global warming, while increasing their efficiency and profitability at the same time include: Wal-Mart and La-Z-Boy, both installing numerous solar energy projects at new stores; General Electric that unveiled its Ecomagination campaign in 2006 to cut greenhouse gas emissions; and John Deere that is now investing in wind energy development.

PennFuture recognizes businesses, leaders, and organizations who recognize that clean, renewable energy is a critical piece of sustainable development each year at our Green Power Awards. To learn more about our Cool Pennsylvania Campaign to stop Pennsylvania's contributions to global warming, visit our campaign online. For more information or to get more involved, please e-mail us at podcast (at) pennfuture (dot) org.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and backers of the Mon-Fayette toll road have for decades been pushing for a Turnpike expansion that would extend from Pittsburgh to Morgantown, West Virginia. To date, they've spent over $1.1 billion on the project, but are nowhere close to completion.

The latest move is that backers of the Turnpike expansion want to buy thousands of homes and businesses in the right of way for a 24-mile section of the toll road (PA 51 to I-376) and demolish them-- but they have NO money to actually build even an inch of road. And no plan for generating the measly $2.7 billion (and growing!) estimated to construct the project.

The result: indefinite uncertainty about land use and community revitalization plans, loss of tax revenues for already-strapped school districts and municipalities, and creation of blight.

But the Turnpike Commission could simply wait: they don't have to move ahead with buying and razing communities. Tune in to learn more about the situation, and to learn about the growing list of elected officials and organizations supporting the moratorium.

Get more information on our Web site, in PennFuture Facts, and on the Hands Off Web site. Take action to let your elected officials, Governor Rendell, and the Turnpike Commission know that you support the moratorium. To join our Mon-Fayette Toll Road e-mail list to stay up to sate on this issue, e-mail us at podcast (at) pennfuture (dot) org.

We hear first from George Jugovic, Senior Attorney at PennFuture who worked collaboratively with stakeholders under the leadership of Governor Rendell's office to develop the Model Ordinance for Wind Energy Facilities in Pennsylvania. The model ordinance is a tool for local township and municipal officials to use as they begin to examine their local zoning and planning needs in areas where wind energy development is possible. George describes the sorts of local issues that the model ordinance covers, and explains that the ordinance was not intended to examine environmental issues relating to wind development.

However the Commonwealth does have an extensive process underway to do just that, and it is led by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' John Quigley, who speaks with Jan Jarrett. DCNR has brought together a wide array of stakeholders in a Wind and Wildlife Collaborative, representing a variety of perspectives and expertise to create a process whereby Pennsylvania can consider objective, scientific criteria for determining where wind development is most appropriate and where it is not. The group is also examining the possibility of siting wind energy developments on certain public lands, for example abandoned mine land areas or others. They hope to have recommendations on the possibility of wind energy on public lands by 2007.

Jan lastly speaks with PPM Atlantic Renewable's Sam Enfield, who describes how his company and others within the wind industry extensively consider proper siting of wind farms. Chief among their concerns are potential impacts to wildlife and surrounding communities. Sam also describes what the wind industry has learned about wildlife impacts.

To learn how you can make the switch to clean, renewable, local energy, visit Clean Your Air. For more information on this and other renewable energy issues, visit our Web site or e-mail us at podcast (at) pennfuture (dot) org.

Christine interviews Scott Pendergrast, Manager of Real Estate at the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA). Atlanta's population continues to grow, and Pendergrast highlights what MARTA is doing to alleviate roadway congestion. He also shares ideas that Pennsylvania cities can implement to expand their transit systems.

Christine next speaks with Dick Voith, one of Governor Ed Rendell's appointees to the Transportation Funding and Reform Commission, and a board director of the organization PenTrans. Voith shares details of the commission's recent report to the Governor, providing recommendations on generating long-term funding for both highways and transit. Voith also provides suggestions on increasing ridership by targeting developments around areas near train stations and bus stops (transit-oriented development).

Christine ends by speaking with Sam Schwartz of Sam Schwartz PLLC, a multidisciplinary transportation engineering and planning firm based in New York City. Schwartz describes his experience in the field of transit development, and expresses optimism about the future expansion of Philadelphia's transit system. 

Visit the Next Great City site to learn more about the initiative to improve the quality of life, neighborhoods, and the environment in Philadelphia. For more information on PennFuture's work, visit our Web site or e-mail us at podcast (at) pennfuture (dot) org. 

At the forum, Robinson spoke about energy policies needed to ensure a sustainable future in the face of "peak oil" and global warming. Robinson explains that peak oil, which she believes we have reached, refers to the situation where humans have extracted and used half the earth's oil supply, and as such, the second half becomes much more difficult and much more expensive to extract. Robinson also shares in the podcast what she believes to be the most important policy change that must occur as soon as possible.

Joy next speaks to Nadia Adawi, Director of the Energy Cooperative of Pennsylvania. This organization is a 27-year old member-owned cooperative with more than 6500 members in southeastern Pennsylvania. The Energy Co-Op includes businesses, residences, municipalities, and organizations in its membership. Adawi's group works to bring more renewable energy into the market. Their products include 100% renewables, biodiesel for area fleets, and bioheating oil for use in home furnaces. They are also embarking on a new venture, the Philadelphia Fryer Diesel project, where they will be collecting waste restaurant grease and producing biodiesel for members' transportation needs.

To learn more about how you can buy clean, renewable energy, visit Clean Your Air. For more information about PennFuture's work on energy policy and global warming, contact us at podcast (at) pennfuture (dot) org, or visit our Web site.

This afternoon in Harrisburg, Mother Nature seemed to be smiling in recognition of the momentous decision. Not one, but two rainbows, seen in the picture accompanying this post, stretched across the sky, ending at the Capitol Building. Hey folks, we couldn't make this stuff up if we tried!

âWe are pleased and gratified that the IRRC stood tall against the special interests and with the 80 percent of Pennsylvanians who support tough Pennsylvania specific regulations against toxic mercury pollution,â? said John Hanger, president and CEO of PennFuture. âThis issue is crucial to Pennsylvania families since our stateâs power plants are the second biggest emitters of toxic mercury pollution in the country. Our congratulations and gratitude go to both DEP Secretary Kathleen McGinty and Governor Edward Rendell for their vision and courage on this issue. â?

âWe urge the Pennsylvania legislature to keep faith with their constituents and let this regulation become law,â? continued Hanger. âThis rule has been thoroughly discussed in stakeholder groups, public hearings, and a period of public comment during the past two years. At every juncture, the rule was met with overwhelming support, including an unprecedented outpouring of formal public comments â nearly 11,000 filed, with only 37 in opposition.

âSome in the legislature want to nullify the regulatory process and overturn the clear wishes of their constituents,â? continued Hanger. âThat would be arrogance of the nth degree, and is exactly what the voters rebelled against at the polls earlier this month. We must not let the polluters succeed.â?

âWe urge the legislature to abide by the IRRC decision and let the mercury regulations become law,â? concluded Hanger. âSurely protecting babies from brain and neurological damage from toxic mercury is a cause worth fighting for.â?

The genesis of the Pennsylvania rule was in August 2004, when PennFuture formally filed a petition with the Pennsylvania Environmental Quality Board (EQB) on behalf of 10 public health, sporting, women's rights and environmental and conservation organizations, asking the EQB to enact a regulation requiring coal-fired power plants to reduce their mercury emissions by 90 percent. Today nearly 70 organizations, including the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs, the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association, the Pennsylvania Parent Teachers Association, the Learning Disabilities Association and the Pennsylvania Council of Churches, have joined in this vital effort.

Toxic mercury pollution from power plants threatens the health of women and their babies. More than 600,000 women of childbearing age nationwide have amounts of mercury in their blood over the level set as safe by the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Academy of Sciences. Unsafe levels of mercury in mothers' blood and breast milk can interfere with the proper development of babies' brains and neurological systems and can lead to learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, problems with coordination, lowered IQs and even mental retardation.

To do your part to ensure the rule becomes the law of the land, and that the legislature does nothing to scuttle the process at the last minute in the lame duck session, take action on our site.

In this podcast, PennFuture's Joy Bergey speaks first with National Council of the Churches of Christ (NCC) General Secretary Rev. Dr. Robert Edgar, who was appearing at a recent conference called "Sacred Seasons, Sacred Earth." Edgar explains why he and the NCC have placed a high priority on environmental protection and specifically on global warming work. The NCC reshaped their mission and priorities when Edgar took a leadership role there in 2000, and the NCC is the leading organization in the country in the movement for Christian unity.

Joy then speaks with Rev. Jim Wallis, President and Executive Director of Sojourners/Call to Renewal and an internationally renowned author, commentator, preacher, and activist. Wallis recently served as the keynote speaker at PennFuture's annual global warming conference in southeastern Pennsylvania, and spoke to a packed house at the Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church. Wallis describes the growing awareness among young evangelical Christians for "creation care." He shares his belief that a sea change-- not a gradual shift toward action-- is required to appropriately respond to global warming. He speaks of the critical need for new policies, new practices, and new personal choices and cultures within families as soon as possible.

To learn more about PennFuture's work on stopping global warming here at home in Pennsylvania, visit our Cool Pennsylvania campaign center. For more information, or to get involved, please e-mail us at podcast (at) pennfuture (dot) org.

In this podcast, PennFuture's D.J. Trischler speaks with Wanjira Maathai, Wangara's daughter and the Executive Director of Green Belt Movement International, the organization her mother founded. Wanjira shares how each person must follow our hearts in order to enjoy whatever it is we do in life. She believes it would be impossible to follow in her mother's footsteps. So she is creating her own path, based on her own interests, and although her path was very different, she is now working alongside her mother.

Whether you are an environmental activist or not, the words of Wanjira Maathai are compelling. She speaks of how we might all conquer our fears, and accomplishing all that you wish to in your lifetime.

Leave us a comment about this podcast by clicking "comment" below. We'd love to hear about what inspires you. To learn more about PennFuture, visit our Web site, or e-mail us at podcast (at) pennfuture (dot) org.

In this podcast, PennFuture's Jan Jarrett speaks with PennFuture President and CEO John Hanger about this rare and glorious win for public health, national security, the economy and the environment. John outlines what happened, why this program is so critical for Pennsylvania, and what needs to occur over the next month to ensure that the Pennsylvania Clean Vehicles Program stays in place so that we can all breathe a lot easier. 

With the Clean Vehicles Program, Pennsylvanians will finally be able to purchase the most technologically advanced, fuel-efficient and cleanest cars, striking a blow against our addiction to foreign oil from Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. Saving the Clean Vehicles Program also saves Pennsylvania jobs and industry, since federal law requires that we cut air pollution, and the clean cars program cuts one-third of that pollution, avoiding stricter standards on many businesses.

Senate Bill 1025, which passed the Senate in February, was considered dead by most observers. The Clean Vehicles Program regulations requiring cars sold in the Commonwealth to meet more protective pollution standards beginning with the 2008 model year were passed by a 16-2 vote of the Environmental Quality Board on September 19, following public comments of nearly 5,000 citizens in favor of the new rule and an extensive public involvement process. However, SB 1025 was raced through the House Transportation Committee on October 17, after a full-page ad paid for by out-of-state special interests appeared in the Harrisburg Patriot-News, and less than 24 hours after the committee leadership suddenly announced the consideration of the bill. House leadership then put the bill on a fast track, to be considered on the last voting day of the House session before the election break.

The Clean Vehicles Program standards were developed by the state of California, and are the only option besides the weak standards of the federal government. Once the clean cars program is fully implemented, Pennsylvania will join Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont, Connecticut, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Oregon, Washington and California in opting for the clean cars program.

To stay informed, please visit PennFuture's Web site and click "Take Action," where you can sign up to receive up-to-the-minute action alerts on this and other critical environmental issues. To learn more, e-mail us at podcast (at) pennfuture (dot) org.

In Pennsylvania, we have significant wind energy development potential. Thanks to the Commonwealth's Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard (AEPS), ever-increasing percentages of renewable energy production must be part of Pennsylvania's electricity supply. As a result, we will grow economically as the industry expands, but at the same time, we will be curbing our state's contribution to global warming, as we decrease our dependence on fossil fuels.

In this podcast, PennFuture's Jan Jarrett speaks with two leaders in the field of wind energy about the development of commercial-scale wind farms in Pennsylvania. In less than a decade, our state has become a trail-blazer in the field of wind energy, and this will continue. Jan talks first with Sam Enfield from PPM Atlantic Renewable, a company that sites and builds large wind farms. He describes the complex challenges in getting projects off the ground. Jan then talks with Community Energy founder and Executive Vice President Brent Alderfer, a pioneer in wind and supplying green energy choices to Pennsylvania's electricity consumers.

Stay tuned to our podcasts for a subsequent piece by Jan that explores the challenges at hand for siting wind farm developments across the state, including local zoning, developing a process to avoid wildlife impacts, and examining the possibilities of developing renewable energy projects on public lands.

To learn how you can make the switch to clean, renewable, local energy, visit Clean Your Air. For more information on this and other renewable energy issues, visit our Web site or e-mail us at podcast (at) pennfuture (dot) org.

Increasingly, members of the medical community are taking the public health threats associated with global warming very seriously. In this podcast, PennFuture's Joy Bergey talks to Dr. Daniel Wolk, a geriatrician and family practitioner in the Philadelphia region. Dr. Wolk has observed how older people have suffered more so than other segments of the population from heat waves in the past decade. He has become increasingly alarmed by the effects global warming on human health, including the spread of malaria and West Nile virus through mosquitoes. And in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Dr. Wolk reflects on how the medical community has been woefully unprepared for the devastating public health impacts that such a disaster causes.

Joy talks to Dr. Wolk to learn more about his deep passion for the issue and for his activism. Dr. Wolk has become an advocate and educator within the medical community to engage doctors, nurses, and health practitioners to join in the critical work of action now to raise awareness and preparedness, before it is too late to react.

To learn more about PennFuture's Cool Pennsylvania campaign to stop global warming here at home, visit our Web site. You can also e-mail us at info (at) pennfuture (dot) org for more information, and to join our weekly e-mail list of global warming information and to learn more about how you can help.