Once the Pennsylvania legislature finally adjourned, PennFuture’s staff (most of them, anyway),

armed with video cameras and simple instructions (“use the tripod”), recorded a message of

thanks to you, our supporters.

Some joined with others to send their thanks; some expressed their gratitude individually; some

talked about the work we do; some talked about their New Year’s resolutions; and some simply

said “thank you.” (And some were too fast for our videographers, and managed to avoid our

cameras!)

What we lack in video skills, we more than make up in our commitment and dedication – and the

firm knowledge that you make all our work possible.

Thank you so much for your support in 2011.

PennFuture President and CEO Jan Jarrett with a thank you message for your help on Marcellus Shale drilling legislation – and the road forward.

What a year this has been -- and what a challenge we have in 2011.

In this podcast, PennFuture's President and CEO Jan Jarrett explains some of our great victories, and what our hopes are for 2011, protecting and promoting Pennsylvania's environment and economy.

But we need your help to continue these victories. Your membership in PennFuture could make the difference. Please join today.

There is so much to do. First and foremost, we must protect our beautiful state from damage from drilling in the Marcellus Shale – we simply must succeed. We must move the state even faster into the great green economy, and create the jobs we so desperately need. And we must protect our air, our water, our land, and our fellow creatures as we do so. Because we know that a great economy and a clean environment go hand in hand.
Some of the environment’s strongest champions are now gone from public office. And with organizations that oppose environmental protection spending record amounts of money in campaign financing and lobbying this year – a total of $4 Billion nationwide – we know we will be facing attempts to weaken laws and regulations that protect our natural resources, communities and health.

Building Pennsylvania’s economy and protecting our environment are bipartisan issues. And we have worked for years across party lines, and will continue to do so. 

We’ve already begun reaching out to the new administration and the new leaders in the General Assembly to demonstrate to them why protecting Pennsylvania’s environment is essential for economic recovery and job creation. So while we are patiently laying the groundwork for the next two years, we will also be looking for opportunities to move some great policies forward.

Please take a minute – now – and join PennFuture. Please go to our secure website and make a tax-deductible donation of $30 - $50 - $120 – or whatever you can spare. You can make a single donation, or spread your gift out quarterly or monthly.

Happy holidays!

Jonkanoo is a masquerade festival/parade from Jamaica, believed to be of West African origin. It is traditionally performed through the streets during the Christmas period.

In December, Pittsburgh’s 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. PennFuture’s western Pennsylvania outreach coordinator, Joylette Portlock, brings us the voices and enthusiasm of those leaders in this week’s podcast.

You’ll hear from Namosha Smith, the passionate organizer of the day-long event, which was subtitled “The Art of Red, Black and Greening.” You’ll 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.

This week, leaders of the environmental and conservation communities came together with leaders in the faith and women's communities to defend the honor of two outstanding public servants.

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 allegations– without attribution– 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 Pennsylvania’s 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.

Yellowstone National Park is a national and international treasure. Though it is a park, it's had some major "greening" up to do. Thanks in large part to Jim Evanoff, Yellowstone's Environmental Manager, this national park is leading the way on major green initiatives, and setting the bar higher and higher for innovative approaches to sustainability.

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.

In this podcast, Sustainable Pittsburgh's executive director, Court Gould, gives a presentation entitled "Business of Sustainability," demonstrating that every environmental victory grows the economy. Gould details how sustainable business practices and corporate social responsibility are becoming the norm among leading U.S. and international corporations.

"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.