PERC- the Pennsylvania Environmental Resource Consortium PERC News

EJ in PA Award Recipients Announced!

Thu, 01 May 2025 14:46:34 GMT

PERC is incredibly excited and honored to announce the three recipients of the 2025 Environmental Justice in Pennsylvania Award!

These organizations have demonstrated an unwavering dedication to environmental stewardship, community engagement, and justice, which has fostered salient change both at the community-wide and the individual level.

Each organization will be receiving a financial award that is set to support blossoming as well as steadfast programming that will impact communities across PA in the way they need it most. PERC is excited to share that this year's recipients include:

✴️412 Justice

✴️ Center for Coalfield Justice

✴️ Urban Erie Community Development Corporation

Under Increasing Uncertainty Webinar Series Schedule!

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 15:37:17 GMT

Join PERC for a series of webinars investigate key topics in the higher education sustainability field under the increasing uncertainty of the current political, social, and economic climate American institutions currently face. To register for an event and get the Zoom link, check the events page for the session you'd like to attend! Webinars are not recorded.

Call for 2025 Campus Sustainability Champion Nominees

Tue, 11 Feb 2025 18:46:50 GMT

The Pennsylvania Environmental Resource Consortium (PERC) is excited to announce its call for the 2025 Pennsylvania Environmental Resource Consortium Campus Sustainability Champions!

The PERC Sustainability Champions program recognizes students, faculty, administrators, and staff (as well as student and non-student organizations) of Pennsylvania colleges and universities who have made meaningful contributions toward environmental sustainability on their campus, in their community, or in society at large.

For student nominations, each institution may nominate up to three (3) individual students, or one student group (no limit on group members). For non-student nominations, each institution may nominate one (1) individual person.

Nominations must be made by Tuesday, March 18, at 5 pm, and must be submitted by the school's PERC representative. Nominations must be submitted via the Nomination Form shared with member schools' representatives. Please refer to the Meet Your Rep page or contact the PERC Associate Director.

Those selected as Champions will be invited to participate in the 2025 Campus Sustainability Champion Celebration/Virtual Happy Hour, to be held on Thursday, April 24th, from 7:00 to 8:30 pm.

If you have any questions, please contact the PERC Associate Director, Olivia DiPrinzio, at [email protected]">[email protected].

Solve Climate by 2030

Britani Peterson — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 20:06:00 GMT

Pennsylvanians are invited to #MakeClimateAClass for Earth Month

Statewide Solve Climate by 2030 webinar will explore ways students and faculty can lead on climate action in Pennsylvania

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- On Wednesday, April 7, at 7 p.m., students, teachers and community groups from across Pennsylvania will bring climate change into their classrooms and learn how they can make a difference this year and over the next decade as part of the national Solve Climate by 2030 movement. Registration for the free event is available here.

Penn State’s Sustainability Institute -- in collaboration with the Bard Center for Environmental Policy and webinars hosted by more than 100 universities in 45 countries around the world and almost all 50 US states -- will be hosting an interactive Solve Climate by 2030 webinar with top experts on climate solutions and climate justice in Pennsylvania. The target audience is teachers and students who want to #MakeClimateAClass, ensuring that climate change isn’t just relegated to environmental science classes but becomes part of the curriculum in every discipline: psychology, political science, engineering, literature, natural science, art, communication, music, economics, philosophy and more.

“It has been a long year – with COVID sickening over a million Pennsylvanians, putting millions out of work and forcing students to take many classes remotely not to mention climate change continuing to accelerate its impacts on Pennsylvania – yet there is cause for optimism,” said Peter Buck, academic programs manager at SI, who will emcee the event. “While vaccinations offer hope for an end to the pandemic, we’re also seeing Pennsylvanians starting to take on climate change with a can-do attitude. From solar power adoption, to soil-smart agriculture and to electric vehicle adoptions, we are seeing concrete action at all levels of the state.”

Nationwide, the webinar discussions will focus on the big and the small, exploring both collective and personal things we can do in our communities and our universities over the next year to help solve climate change. The Pennsylvania edition will focus especially on how community relationships can make a difference. Speakers include:

Christine Knapp, chief sustainability officer for the City of Philadelphia
Tykee James, government affairs coordinator for the National Audubon Society and co-organizer of the first #BlackBirdersWeek
Pam Adams, sustainability planner for the Centre Region Planning Agency
Brandi Robinson, chair of the Centre Region Climate Action and Adaptation Planning Technical Advisory Group

Teachers can use the webinar to #MakeClimateAClass by assigning it as homework. There are one-page Teachers Guidesavailable to lead a one-class period discussion about climate change from the perspective of your subject area. The guides, for over two dozen different disciplines, have been developed by the global climate education project based at Bard College in New York. They are available in English, French and Spanish.

“The world’s top climate scientists have told us we have ten years to act to hold global warming to the low end.” said Dr. David Blockstein, co-director of Solve Climate by 2030. “This April, students deserve a class period to talk about climate solutions and climate justice—from many different disciplinary perspectives. Join one or more webinars in early April and ask every teacher you know to #MakeClimateAClass.”

Solve Climate by 2030 is free and open to all, but pre-registration for Pennsylvania’s event is required. For more information about the national movement visit www.solveclimateby2030.org. For questions or further information about the Pennsylvania event, contact Peter Buck at [email protected]">[email protected].

Campus Sustainability Champions

Britani Peterson — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 19:47:53 GMT

Pennsylvania Environmental Resource Consortium

Inspiring higher education throughout PA to lead transformational sustainability efforts through example, expertise, and collaboration.

2021 Campus Sustainability Champions

Call for Nominees

Deadline: Wednesday April 21, 2021 by 5:00 PM

Who are Campus Sustainability Champions?

PERC Member Schools are invited to nominate people from their campuses as Pennsylvania Environmental Resource Consortium Campus Sustainability Champions (CSC). The Campus Sustainability Champion title is awarded to students, faculty, administrators, and staff of Pennsylvania colleges and universities who have made meaningful contributions benefiting social, economic and/or environmental sustainability on their campus, in their community, or in society at large. Contributions can be in areas of teaching, research, co-curricular programs, campus culture, community service, and campus operations, including food recovery.

What are the nomination categories?

Each PERC Member School may make up to four total nominations, two in each of the following categories:

(i) Student

(ii) Non-student

Nominations in either category can be for an individual or for a group. Nomination of a group that includes students and non-students should be made in the non-student category, unless the group is led predominantly by students.

Schools with multiple campuses may submit additional nominations - please contact the PERC associate director for further details at [email protected]">[email protected].

Who submits the nominations?

Nominations are submitted by your school’s PERC representative. To find out who is your school’s representative, visit pagreencolleges.org/reps.

How are nominations submitted?

PERC representatives may submit nominations by completing the Student Nomination Form and/or the Faculty, Staff or Administrator Nomination Form.

What information is needed for the nomination?

Specific information requested includes:

Name of the individual or group nominated
Email address and phone of the nominee(s)
A 250-word description of the individual or group, explaining why the nominee is deserving of recognition as a PERC Campus Sustainability Champion.
A link to a website that provides additional information may be included.
The nominating paragraphs will be posted on the PERC website, so please write in a style and with language suitable for a general audience.

You may look at PERC’s website to see the list of prior Campus Sustainability Champions.

Who makes the selections?

The PERC Executive Committee will select CSCs from among the nominees submitted by the school’s PERC Representative.

How are awardees recognized?

Awardees are normally invited to the annual PERC conference, however due to Covid safety measures, there is no conference this year. Instead, we will be hosting a virtual award ceremony as part of an evening PERC event on May 4. Awardees will receive a certificate, and their accomplishments will be celebrated on our website.

When are nominations due?

Nominations must be received by Monday, April 19, 2021 5:00 PM. Champion Awardees will be notified a week in advance of the award ceremony and asked to provide a PPT slide with photo(s), their names, and short description or title of the project which can be used at the awards ceremony in announcing the winners.

EJ in PA

Britani Peterson — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 15:07:41 GMT

Environmental Justice in Pennsylvania
EJ in PA

Building an Active Environmental Justice (EJ) Network in Pennsylvania through Education, Participation and Action.

The Pennsylvania Environmental Resource Consortium (PERC), City of Harrisburg Environmental Advisory Committee, and Harrisburg University of Science and Technology are hosting an EJ in PA (Environmental Justice in Pennsylvania) event on April 6, 2021.

This Summit is a virtual, one-day event that will bring the audience of community members to activate local Environmental Justice hubs around Pennsylvania. The event will build on existing Environmental Justice work and events, with the focus of supporting ongoing activity through the EJ community following the event.

Click HERE to read more about the event.

Partners by Nature #6

Britani Peterson — Mon, 15 Feb 2021 23:50:58 GMT

Join us tomorrow, Tuesday, February 16, at noon (EST) for the sixth webinar in PERC's Public Health and Sustainability: Partners by Nature lunchtime colloquium, "Agricultural Mental and Family Health." We will be joined by Tara Haskins of the AgriSafe Network and Ginger Fenton and Cynthia Pollich from Penn State Extension.

You can join us for the event at this Zoom link: https://psu.zoom.us/j/95325851927. Please feel free to share this link with any colleagues you think would be interested in the event.

We look forward to having you join us for this important conversation!

Peter Boger and Peter Buck, Penn State University's Sustainability Institute
Lisa Davis, Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health
Rebecca Kishbaugh, Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Cancer Prevention and Control
Ruth McDermott-Levy, Villanova University, Fitzpatrick College of Nursing
Britani Peterson, Pennsylvania Environmental Resource Consortium (PERC)

15th Annual River Symposium - Recordings Now Available

Britani Peterson — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 18:34:43 GMT

Susquehanna River Symposium
A VIRTUAL SYMPOSIUM
Bucknell Center for Sustainability & the Environment
Hosted November 6th-7th, 2020

"Since 2006, the annual Susquehanna River Symposium has connected students, scientists and engineers from throughout the Susquehanna River region. Participants share ideas about issues within the watershed and increase awareness of river health, environmental policy and sustainability issues facing the mid-Atlantic. In addition to scientific panels and keynote speakers, the event also features a student research poster competition, open to college and university students from throughout the region. The keynote speaker for this year's Symposium was DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn."

The session recordings, oral presentations, and poster presentations are all available online here: http://riversymposium.scholar.bucknell.edu/

The State of Environmental Justice in PA

Britani Peterson — Mon, 21 Sep 2020 13:38:10 GMT

Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues Presents: The state of environmental justice in pennsylvania

Wednesday, October 14, 2020
Virtual program on YouTube live, 7 p.m.
http://clarke.dickinson.edu/environmental-justice-in-pa/

Environmental justice aspires for all people- regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, or socioeconomic background – to have equal access to a healthy environment, including avenues to participate meaningfully in decisions regarding their environment. Environmental injustice examines which communities and places are disproportionately exposed to environmental health risks from industrial, municipal, commercial operations, or government policies. Research in the field of environmental justice has shown that people living in poverty, as well as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and their communities, are disproportionately impacted by environmental degradation and pollution. This panel will focus on environmental justice work occurring in Pennsylvania, bringing together community representatives and members of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Environmental Justice Advisory Board to discuss progress and challenges to achieve environmental justice in the Keystone state. Panelists will reflect on the diversity of activism and legal actions taken to achieve environmental justice. Presenters will highlight contemporary and future efforts to ensure that all Pennsylvanians enjoy a healthy and safe environment.

This program is sponsored by the Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues.

Panelists:

Saleem Chapman, City of Philadelphia
Veronica Coptis, Center for Coalfield Justice
Adam Cutler, Fox Rothschild, LLP
Horace Strand, Chester Environmental Partnership
Heather Bedi (moderator), Dickinson College

#3 of Partners by Nature: Public Health and Sustainability

Britani Peterson — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 00:29:11 GMT

Climate Change and Public Health Infrastructure:
Issues of Emergency Preparedness

Join us on Tuesday, July 28 at noon for our third installment of Partners by Nature: Public Health and Sustainability. Our topic is "Climate Change and Public Health Infrastructure: Issues of Emergency Preparedness." Building on our discussion of how climate change has and will continue to impact Pennsylvanians--particularly the most vulnerable among us--three speakers will address the impacts on emergency services and infrastructure across the Commonwealth.

LINK FOR REGISTRATION: https://forms.gle/DCWPnPVoBZnzHAft8

Our panelists include:

- Scott Buchle, Life Lion EMS, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

- Heidi Kunka, PA Department of Environmental Protection

- Christian Martin-Gill, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

UN Sustainable Development Goals Impacted:
GOAL 3: Good Health & Well-Being
GOAL 13: Climate Action

Gratitude
This event is made possible by dues from PERC Member Institutions and by the support of PERC's sponsors, including Sodexo, NextEra and our newest sponsor, Terrasol Energies. Thank you.

New Student Leadership at WCU

Britani Peterson — Wed, 15 Jul 2020 18:19:02 GMT

Congratulations to the New Leadership of Students for Sustainable Action at West chester university

Students for Sustainable Action (SSA), a campus environmental advocacy group, has new leadership for the 2020-21 academic year. Congratulations to Nicole Caruso, Jennifer Gaffney, Kelly Johnson, and Ashlyn Hickey!

Check out the SSA on RamConnect for more info and to join: https://ramconnect.wcupa.edu/student_community?club_id=22300.

Special thanks to Harrisburg University

Fri, 05 Jun 2020 19:47:00 GMT

Our thanks go out to PERC Member Institution Harrisburg University for being the first to pay their 2020-2021 dues. We know that the pandemic has brought financial uncertainty to many higher education institutions and we appreciate HU’s prioritizing the sustainability work that PERC and its member institutions achieve together. Thank you—and thanks to all our member institutions.

2020 sustainability champions announced

(Past member) — Thu, 30 Apr 2020 14:50:39 GMT

hh The Campus Sustainability Champion title is awarded to students, faculty, administrators, and staff of Pennsylvania colleges and universities who have made meaningful contributions benefiting social, economic, and/or environmental sustainability on their campus, in their community, or in society at large. Contributions can be in areas of teaching, research, co-curricular programs, campus culture, community service, and campus operations, including food recovery.

2020 CSC Honorees will be posted daily! Keep your eyed peeled on social media and our home pages to learn more about our winners!

https://pagreencolleges.org/2020_CSCs

First College in Pennsylvania to go Carbon Neutral

(Past member) — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 13:59:01 GMT

Allegheny College recently became the first college or university in Pennsylvania — and the eighth in the United States — to achieve carbon neutrality.

In 2010, Allegheny set a goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2020 as part of their climate action plan.

What does it mean to be a carbon-neutral institution?

First it reduces its operational carbon footprint and then balances remaining emissions by investing in projects that will remove an equal amount of carbon from the atmosphere.

How did they accomplish this?

• Reducing emissions through efficiency retrofits, system and behavior changes, and sustainable construction and renovation. The college has increased its energy efficiency by 19.2 percent during the last decade, even as the square footage of campus buildings expanded. Reducing energy consumption has led to significant cost savings for Allegheny.

• Decarbonizing energy sources by shifting from fossil fuel to alternative energy sources. Allegheny has installed geothermal heating and cooling systems in four buildings. In addition, photovoltaic arrays on campus generate 8,500 kilowatt-hours annually, and all electricity purchased by the college comes from wind-generated sources.

• Offsetting remaining emissions by investing in projects that prevent or remove an equivalent amount of carbon from the atmosphere. Through increased efficiency, the college not only has realized budget savings each year but also has been able to purchase offsets from its existing energy budget without allocating additional funds.

Carbon neutrality efforts demonstrate urgent climate action to reduce the concentration of climate-changing gases in the atmosphere dramatically, said Allegheny Director of Sustainability Kelly Boulton.

“Achieving carbon neutrality reflects more than a decade of effort to enhance efficiency in our operations, engage students in our research and action, and build collaborations with partners,” she said. “Carbon neutrality is not the end goal but rather another moment of progress in our continued efforts to be a sustainable and resilient campus and community member.”

https://sites.allegheny.edu/news/2020/04/14/allegheny-college-becomes-first-college-in-pennsylvania-eighth-in-nation-to-achieve-carbon-neutrality

West Chester's Earth Live

(Past member) — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 21:02:13 GMT

Like universities and colleges around the world, WCU has had to revise our plans for Earth Day 2020. We’ll miss celebrating in person with friends, classmates, and co-workers, but we’re carrying on with the message and mission of Earth Day this year, the 50^th anniversary of the first Earth Day protests and demonstrations in 1970. Here are some ways we can all participate in the theme of Earth Day this year – climate action – with events planned here on campus and by partner organizations:

From April 22 to 24, people across the world will come together for a three-day online event focused on climate action called Earth Day Live. Click here to find out more.

Earth Day Live will be a 3-day live stream and online mobilization to engage people across the world as we demand action on from our leaders on climate change, jobs, and justice. On all three days, we are centering the stories and voices of leaders from communities of color, frontline communities, indigenous communities, workers, and more.

The live stream will include training sessions, performances, and appearances to keep people engaged, informed, and inspired, with speakers including celebrities, politicians, scientists, and youth activists.

Here's an overview of what's happening each day:

April 22 — STRIKE: On the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, we will demonstrate our collective power and unity through community building and storytelling. This first day will focus on amplifying the voice of Indigenous leaders and youth climate activists who are leading the movement to halt the climate crisis.
April 23 — DIVEST: The world’s largest banks have pumped $1.9 trillion into fossil fuels since the 2015 Paris Agreement. We can’t let fossil fuel companies use the pandemic to loot trillions more when people need relief so desperately. Led by the Stop the Money Pipeline Coalition, April 23rd focuses on the role of money in driving the climate crisis.
April 24 — VOTE: We need leaders who will address the existential threat of climate change, and for this to happen, we need people to show up at the polls. Led by the US Youth Strike Coalition, April 24th will focus on the urgency of political change through a nationwide youth voter registration day.

Click here to RSVP to Earth Day Live and take part in one of the biggest days of digital action the climate movement has ever seen.

The 50th anniversary of Earth Day is a day to demonstrate our collective power and unity through community building and storytelling. Just because we can't be together in person, doesn't mean that we can't stand together in spirit.

Dickinson Goes Carbon Neutral

(Past member) — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 14:37:36 GMT

Dickinson College has reached it's 2020 carbon neutral goal and is one of the first in the U.S to produce zero net emissions of greenhouse gases.

“My impression of Dickinson’s sustainability is [it’s] so impressive, so heartfelt, so encouraging,” says actor and environmental activist Pierce Brosnan, who delivered the college's 2019 Commencement address and accepted the Sam Rose ’58 and Julie Walters Prize at Dickinson College for Global Environmental Activism on behalf of the NRDC. “I’m absolutely blown away by the commitment of the students [and] the faculty, to educate, to enlighten to enhance a better world for us all.”

Check out their Youtube Video here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRSDqSTSWww&feature=youtu.be

Fore more information on the carbon neutrality push click here https://www.dickinson.edu/news/article/4171/dickinson_s_reaches_its_2020_carbon_neutrality_goal

Spring Sustainability Showcases

(Past member) — Sat, 11 Apr 2020 17:16:23 GMT

The Council of Sustainable Leaders at Penn State have been hosting a variety of showcases this spring offering connections between faculty research and personal and professional interest for the United Nation's SDG's. The speakers have been invited to give a thirty-minute talk and answer any questions attendees may have.

The events were originally held in person but have been moved onto the zoom platform.

The Events are Friday's at 12 p.m.- 1:30 p.m

To gain access to the zoom link, and take a look at the up coming speakers, visit their website here! https://www.pennstatecsl.com/showcases-spring-2020.html

More on the Pandemic

(Past member) — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 17:38:34 GMT

"I have been thinking that the current situation provides some interesting insights regarding behavior change in the midst of a crisis. COVID-19 is a crisis now, with dire implications and it is still challenging to get people to change behaviors. Climate change is an emergency with a different timeline, but still with dire implications so maybe we can draw conclusions from the way people are responding to different behavior change messages"

Ken Shultes, Associate VP for Sustainability & Facilities Planning

A Pandemic Perspective

(Past member) — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 18:59:42 GMT

“Sustainability is…the foremost challenge of the CoVid public health emergency we are currently facing,” says Paul Shrivastava, Chief Sustainability Officer and Director of Penn State’s Sustainability Institute. In a recent communication with PERC, he continued, “CoVid and other viruses originate from unsustainable human food systems and land use practices. Viral vectors are accentuated by climate change. So CoVid is very much a sustainability issue. In the current hot phase of the Covid crisis the focus is on health and wellbeing (SDG Goal #3), also close behind is financial sustainability (SDG Goals # 8, 9, 10). After this hot phase we will continue to address CoVid effects on reducing inequalities (SDG Goal #10) creating livable Cities (SDG Goal # 11), sustainable production and consumption (SDG Goal #12).”

An insight we thought worth sharing. We welcome your thoughts and comments and hope you all are staying well and safe in these challenging times.

West Chester’s Sustainability Seminars moved online

(Past member) — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 16:54:32 GMT

West Chester University had been hosting Sustainability Research and Practice Seminars every Wednesday for students, faculty, and members of the community. However, as we all adapt to life with COVID-19, they decided to move the seminar to a webinar!

The presentations will still take place every Wednesday at noon through April 22, 2020. HERE: https://wcupa.zoom.us/j/3438061125

On March 18, Professor Kathleen Riley of WCU’s Literacy Department and Professor Elizabeth Soslau, University of Delaware, kicked off the new format with Preparing Youth for (Climate) Action: Philadelphia Teachers Facilitating Student-Led Social Change in Elementary and Middle School Classrooms (a recording of their fascinating talk will soon be available, as are previous presentations from this semester, on the Office of Sustainability’s Digital Commons Sustainability Research and Creative Activities site).

Check our Twitter at pagreencolleges for updates

Here is the link again: Zoom link (https://wcupa.zoom.us/j/3438061125).

Penn State’s Sustainability Institute presents the Solve Climate By 2030 Webinar

(Past member) — Thu, 26 Mar 2020 16:57:27 GMT

On April 7, 2020, colleges in every state in the US will engage in a new set of power dialogs. Solve Climate by 2030, organized through the Bard Center for Environmental Policy, will host a nationally coordinated on-line event with hundreds of participating schools in every state. College and University partners across the US are coordinating this convening of hundreds of conversations focused on the potential to solve the energy side of climate change by 2030.

The event features 52 simultaneous, University hosted webinars, one in every state, and in DC and Puerto Rico. That evening, we will find out what are three, ambitious but feasible actions that need doing in Texas and Idaho, Missouri and New Jersey, Florida and Minnesota, if we really aim to solve climate change by 2030. Start times vary in the evening by state. The two-hour event begins with the university-hosted, one-hour state-level webinars in each state, followed by 45 minutes of community dialogs.

The Pennsylvania event will be hosted through PERC Member school Penn State. The Pennsylania webinar will focus on strategies that Pennsylvania can adopt to address climate change in the next ten years. Panelists include:

Some of the speakers at the event will be

Jacqui Bonomo, the Executive Director, PennFuture

Joylette Portlock, Executive Director, Sustainable Pittsburgh

Hannah Smith-Brubaker, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture

Grant Ervin, Chief Resiliency Officer, City of Pittsburgh

Click here to read more

https://www.bard.edu/cep/solardominance/speakersnetwork/

The timing and scheduling of this event is up to each individual campus and community, based on their needs and whether they want to coordinate with the national Solve Climate event.. If you would like to stay informed about the event register with the link here!

http://www.solveclimateby2030.org

On April 7th, you can view the webinar HERE:

Link to Join: https://psu.zoom.us/j/550953597

Sustainability and Public Health: Partners By Nature RECAP

(Past member) — Thu, 26 Mar 2020 16:47:22 GMT

The Sustainable Development Goals are about more than just climate change. In the Public Health and Sustainability Webinar members from Penn State’s Sustainability Institute and public health officials from all across the state of Pennsylvania came together to discuss the synergy between the goals and public health.

The SDG’s are a group of attainable goals, set by nations all around the world, to achieve by the year 2030. The idea is to advance global progress and fix climate change. There are 17 goals that address global issues surrounding clean water and sanitation for all, the ending of extreme poverty, the education of women, and things like clean energy, good health, peace and justice.

Goal 17 for the SDG’s is Partnership for the Goals, which is exactly why this collaboration is crucial to creating change. The need for a dialogue has never been more urgent. Pennsylvania is ranked 30th out of all 50 states in the U.S for achieving the goals.

This webinar provided an excellent overview of the relationship between human activity and the natural world, specifically honing in on the public health aspect. When comparing the social and economic factors of society with the earth’s system trends there are direct correlations between what people are doing and the impacts on the earth. As this trend line continues to go up, we see failures within the public health sector for humanity. Public health is all about the education and empowerment of communities to cure and prevent disease.

The interconnected web in the public health sector ranges from biologists, to elected officials, and lab testing centers, mental health facilities, hospitals, schools, etc… the goal is to have healthy people. But as we see things like increased warm climates, with less winter seasons, we also see things like lyme disease increasing. Without a winter, tick populations can survive longer and grow and infect more people. When talking about ground level ozones and allergens, people that are dealing with building community parks can work to fight climate change, and promote cleaner air for people to breathe without even realizing it. Planting trees and building those parks can mitigate the urban heat island effect up to 9 degrees which is a significant impact for communities. The intersection between public health and the sustainable development goals addresses the increased possibility of infectious diseases, but enables programs like some in Philadelphia that look at the correlation between the health of the environment and maternal mortality rates.

The goal is to attain healthy and thriving human life and eliminate the disparity between certain groups of people. The goal is to promote social, physical, and economic environments that get communities to reach their full potential and well-being. Pennsylvania is a diverse place and coming together for this webinar is the start in creating a healthier state to be.

If you would like to view a recording of the webinar view this link here

https://psu.zoom.us/rec/share/78JycZ3etUBOep312mTxRLYkII74eaa81iZI-_EPzBo3TJovOdkaM1iTYBG28D92

A very big thank you to all of our speakers!!!

Josh Hooper Director of PERC

Peter Boger Assistant Director for Community Engagement, Penn State Sustainability Institute

Peter Buck President-elect of PERC and academic programs manager, Penn State Sustainability Institute

Lisa Davis Director of the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health

Rebecca Kishbaugh Director of Division Cancer Prevention and Control for the Pennsylvania Department of Health

Ruth McDermott-Levy Director for Center for Global and Public Health at Villanova University

Penn State Berks Sustainability Team Presents a Film and Panel Discussion

(Past member) — Tue, 03 Mar 2020 17:18:53 GMT

Monday, March 16 @ 5 p.m.

Perkins Center, Multi Purpose Room

For an inside look into the rise of the Global Youth Climate Movement. Youth Unstoppable follows the evolution of a diverse network of youth rising up to share the world they live in. It captures the vibrant untold story of the Global Youth Climate Movement and how decisions made today will shape the world that they live in.

This Event features Shana Rose who is Reading for 100’s Berks County Outreach Coordinator and will share her experience as a delegate at the two recent United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) or COP23 & COP25 in Bonn, Germany and Madrid, Spain.

They ask that attendees bring their own cup for refreshments to cut down on waste!

For more information contact Masha Kazempour at 610-296-6312

Email [email protected]

Webinar on Food Recovery Techniques

Wed, 18 Dec 2019 12:14:54 GMT

Is your school part of PERC’s PA Higher Ed Food Recovery Challenge (PHE-FRC)? Are you interested in learning more about food recovery techniques? Check out next Thursday’s EPA webinar on Methods for Measuring Excess Food. The PHE-FRC is a partnership between Sodexo, PERC and the U.S. EPA.

PERC Event!

Marcus Thompson — Tue, 10 Dec 2019 17:43:59 GMT

Making it Work

Ten years ago, a group of Shippensburg Area Middle School students were looking for a project to better their community. In cooperation with Shippensburg University art professor Ben Culbertson and a host of others from the town and the university, they created and deployed 300 ceramic storm drain markers with the idea of educating the public about where storm water goes. Read more about this fascinating project here.

This is just one of the projects we will examine up close as part of PERC's Making it Work-A Workshop on Partnerships for Sustainability, on January 10th at Bucknell University. The agenda for the event can be found here.

Click here to register! For a step by step walkthrough on how to register click here!

Upcoming Event at Swarthmore

Marcus Thompson — Thu, 05 Dec 2019 19:30:20 GMT

How to Change the World

The Office of Sustainability, the Lang Center for Civic and Social Responsibility, and the Environmental Studies Program at Swarthmore College will be hosting a public lecture by Paul Hawken, founder of Project Drawdown “the most comprehensive plan ever proposed to reverse global warming”, on December 6th! Not only will Hawken be in attendance but three other sustainability leaders from Hawai`i:

Kamuela Enos, Director of Social Innovation at MA'O Organic Farms

Matt Lynch, Director of Sustainability Initiatives at the University of Hawaii

Lala Nuss, Climate and Equity Manager at the City and County of Honolulu's Office of Climate Change, Sustainability, and Resiliency

Paul Hawken and Kamuela Enos Public Lecture will be from 4:30 - 6:00 pm at the Science Center, room 101. This discussion will consist of solutions to climate crisis, indigenous practices, and centering marginalized communities in climate conversations.

Sustainability News

Marcus Thompson — Wed, 04 Dec 2019 16:09:31 GMT

Congratulations to Franklin and Marshall on winning the 2019 October College Month challenge held by Commuter Services. The goal of Commuter Services is to reduce the amount of solo car rides that PA commuters are taking by walking, biking, telecommuting, carpooling, vanpooling, riding the bus, or taking a train. Franklin and Marshall were able to record 538 “green” commuting trips during October securing their first-place finish. Anyone can join the Commuter Service challenge by joining on their website. Start going on more“green” commuting trips and enter them into Commuter Service to earn rewards!

Sustainability News

Marcus Thompson — Mon, 02 Dec 2019 16:17:03 GMT

Dickinson College Free xChange

Dickinson College is the home of the Free xChange. The Free xChange is open everyday and offers free clothing to any student, faculty and staff of Dickinson. Anyone with card access to Allison can also donate clothes they no longer need. This is a system of freely trading clothes within this institution which reduces waste, decreases ordering new “things” and increases clothing reuse on campus.

Sustainability News

Marcus Thompson — Fri, 22 Nov 2019 23:52:09 GMT

Penn State Berks Sustainability Fest

On November 11th Penn State Berks Sustainability Team hosted the ‘Sustainability Fest: We R! The 6R’s!’. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss waste overconsumption and actions to tackle these issues. There were learning stations lead by students, faculty, staff and community organizations. These organizations include Invisible Berks, Reading 100, and Reading Public Works. The benefit of higher education institutions having open events such as these, which include local organizations, is that it creates a space for a community to discuss sustainable ideas. This communication leads to a community practicing sustainable action at a higher rate. Penn State Berks is a fantastic example of a university putting sustainability at the forefront!

Sustainability News

Marcus Thompson — Mon, 11 Nov 2019 16:15:15 GMT

PSU Solar Project

State College has installed a 2-megawatt, advanced utility-scale photovoltaic system next to Mount Nittany Medical Center earlier last month. While it will only provide University Park with 1% of its electricity needs, it will serve as a living lab for students. Actions such as these are the necessary building blocks for a more sustainable future. During the ribbon cutting ceremony Rob Cooper stated, “This project will continue Penn State’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gases, lowering our dependence on fossil fuel based electric generation, while supporting research and grant development by creating this microgrid.”

PERC Event!

Marcus Thompson — Mon, 28 Oct 2019 23:49:41 GMT

Climate Choice Deliberation

PERC’s seminar is an extremely useful event that should not be missed! This event is on November 9th at Penn State University, University Park, PA. The deliberation will have a morning section and an afternoon section with lunch in between.

MORNING-Making the Choices

Segment 1: To begin the day, we will establish a common frame of understanding grounded in the current science.

Segment 2: From there, we deliberate in small groups of 8 to 12 people for about 2 hours on three options, each for about 30 minutes.

Option A: More mitigation investments like renewable energy, green buildings, carbon sequestration, and so on.

Option B: Rapid investment in adaptation measures to sea level rise, increased precipitation, higher heat stresses, and others.

Option C: Amp up research and development to discover options that we might not yet know about and that could create a breakthrough.

While these may not seem mutually exclusive, by deliberating on the options distinctly from one another, it offers us the chance to work through our values, our strengths and weaknesses, and what tradeoffs we can or can’t accept.

Segment 3: After the options are worked through, groups will summarize where they found common ground and, if possible, determine what actions they can and should take.

Segment 4: Groups will assemble to report out and have a large group discussion.

AFTERNOON-Taking it to Your Community

After lunch, we will reconvene to learn how to organize a deliberation in your community. Tips will include how to determine who you should work with, how to cooperate with libraries and media, and how to facilitate and moderate discussions. We will be joined by Cathi Alloway, executive director of the Schlow Memorial Library and Britani Peterson, a second-year Penn State Law student with experience in group facilitation and a passion for social justice, and Peter Buckland, of Penn State’s Sustainability Institute.

Questions can be sent to Peter Buckland at [email protected]">[email protected].

PERC's Climate Choices Deliberation is based on the Kettering Foundation's Climate Choices. Climate Choices creates a structured way for organizations and communities to discuss the issue of climate change in a meaningful way. It brings ethical issues to the forefront, invites individuals to explore trade-offs between different climate solutions, creates good conditions for dialog and decision-making, and respects the democratic process. Best of all for our members, it will surface our individual and collective values, provide us with ways to engage our own campuses and communities, and give us the basic skills we need to organize and facilitate. If you so choose, you can make this deliberation part of an event in your community on April 8, 2020 as part of the national Solve Climate by 2030 project organized by Eban Goodstein and the Bard Center for Environmental Policy.

Click here for more information and to sign up!

Upcoming Event at WCU

Marcus Thompson — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 23:26:07 GMT

The Biggest Little Farm Film Screening

Thanks to WCU’s Office of Sustainability, the Slow Food Club, and the West Chester Green Team, West Chester University will be screening The Biggest Little Farm! This movie is about two people who leave the city behind to restore farm land. The film will begin at 7 pm in the Sykes Student Union Theater and is free to the public!

Upcoming Event at Shippensburg University

Marcus Thompson — Thu, 24 Oct 2019 00:20:48 GMT

Impact on Forestry and Wildlife

Please joining us for a lecture with Benjamin Jones, a leader in science based conservation, as he discusses regional climate change impact on forestry and wildlife. Ben was unanimously chosen as the new President and CEO of the Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodstock Society! This event will be held on November 13th in the Orndorff Theater (Room123) at Shippensburg University. There is free visitor parking in lot C-7 on the night of the event. (campus map available here:https://www.ship.edu/visit/campus_maps/)

Upcoming Event at Bucknell University

Marcus Thompson — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 18:59:56 GMT

14th Annual River Symposium!

Do not miss out on the Annual Susquehanna River Symposium on October 18 and 19 in the Langone Center at Bucknell University. This free and public event has been put on by the Bucknell Center for Sustainability & the Environment. The goal of this symposium is to bring together many people in order to discuss research, innovative projects, share ideas and increase awareness about the health of the river and the communities within the watershed. Last year’s event was comprised of over 100 students and faculty from 22 colleges and universities.

"The symposium brings together academics, consultants, state, federal, and regional agencies, conservation groups, and the public to discuss ongoing scientific research and innovative projects, to share ideas, and to increase awareness of the connection between river health and the communities within our watersheds. Its presentations and breakout discussions explore various management and sustainability issues facing the mid-Atlantic region today," said Watershed Sciences & Engineering program director Dr. Benjamin R. Hayes.

"One of its primary goals is to draw together people from all walks of life who share a common interest in rivers, watersheds, communities, and the connections therein. It offers a time and a place where the public can interact with academics, professionals, and regulators, all working toward the same goal - a sustainable Susquehanna and Chesapeake Bay." The Pennsylvania Water Resource Research Center is also a proud supporter of this symposium.

Upcoming Events at WCU

Marcus Thompson — Wed, 18 Sep 2019 01:07:18 GMT

WCU Climate Emergency Week

WCU is providing many opportunities this week to learn about and to take action on the climate crisis. Join us and other WCU students, faculty, and staff as we learn more about the challenges posed by the climate crisis at home and around the globe.

WEDNESDAY

Sustainability Research and Practice Seminar

Join us this semester in welcoming scholars and practitioners from across campus as we explore the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals. This week we'll be hearing from the Dr. Karl Hausker from the World Research Institute on Zero-Net Emissions by 2050: Climate Realities and Challenges. The Sustainability Research and Practice Seminar is held weekly on Wednesdays from 12 pm to 12:50 pm in Sykes 255 A/B. Students, faculty, and community members are all welcome. Refreshments will be provided.

Live Streaming of the presentation will be provided by Kristin Herman of WCU’s Distance Education Office via a Zoom website connection at https://wcupa.zoom.us/j/8729284546.

THURSDAY

The 3rd Annual Environmental Sustainability Film Series

BIKES VS CARS

Coming up on Thursday of this week, the first film in a series of four will be screened in the Sykes Student Union Theater as a part of the 3rd Annual Environmental Sustainability Film Series. This first film will be Bikes vs Cars, a story about the struggle for space and rights on the road by cyclists and motorists alike. The film screening will begin at 6pm and admission is free. This event is open to the public and is sponsored by the WCU Office of Sustainability, the West Chester Green Team, and members of the Chester County Environmental Alliance.

FRIDAY

Rally to Support the Climate Strike

Friday, a rally will be held at the Chester Country Courthouse to stand together with climate strikes taking place across the globe that same day. These strikes have been organized to fall just three days prior to the UN Climate Summit being convened in NY City on September 23rd. The rally in West Chester will take place at 11am, but for those on campus, RUCCAS (Rustin Urban Community Change Axis) will be walking down with a group leaving from the entrance of Main Hall at 10:45am.

FRIDAY

Park(ing) Day

On Friday West Chester University will participate in an international Park(ing) Day event where urban parking space is reimagined. From 8:30am to 4p on Church Street near Rosedale Ave, a parking space will be creatively transformed into small scale parks. Walk over and check it out and maybe find inspiration for how urban space could be utilized!

SATURDAY 12 PM

International Day of Peace

The theme for the 2019 International Day of Peace is "Climate Action for Peace," and the United Nations is calling on everyone to take action. In West Chester, a commemoration of the International Day of Peace will be held at the Chester County Courthouse from 12pm to 1pm, sponsored by the Chester County Peace Movement.

SATURDAY 2PM

March for Peace & Climate

Directly following the official commemoration of the International Day of Peace, a March for Peace & Climate will be taking place, leaving from the Chester County Courthouse and continuing on for 4 blocks to the Unitarian Congregation. Speakers at the march will include Senator Andy Dinniman, Pipeline Activist Ginny Kerslake, former Mayor Jordan Norley, Environmental Activist Isaac Harte, Clean Water Activist Maurice Sampson II, Peace Advocate Jen Karsten, members of the Sunrise Movement, Sierra Club, & powerful Youth Leaders from across Chester County. Mayor Dianne Herrin will give a welcome and there will be live music provided by Rev Dan Schatz. Refreshments will be provided by the West Chester Cooperative.

AORE Campus Challenge

Brought to you by WCU's Outdoor Adventure Pursuits, the AORE Campus Challenge is kicking off today and running through October 13th! The challenge is aimed at simply getting people outdoors, which is especially relevant as we enter into a week long series of events to raise climate change awareness. 98 schools across the country are competing and you can be a part of helping put WCU on the map! Just download the AORE Campus Challenge App and post your outdoor activities any time during the next four weeks. This could be as simple as your morning walk or bike ride to work, a weekend hike or stroll with your dog, or as adventurous as joining the OAP program on their fall Mountain Biking Trip on September 28th. Just get outside!

AORE Campus Challenge - 24 Hour Adventure Race

As part of the month long AORE Campus Challenge, WCU's Outdoor Adventure Pursuits is hosting a 24 Hour Adventure Race this Friday evening from 6pm to 9pm at the Quad. There's going to be live music, games, and food as participants go head to head with schools across the country to see who can get the most people outside and active. Contact [email protected] with questions.

Perils of Plastics

with Dr. Sherri Mason

The Stroud Water Research Center will host a fascinating lecture on Sunday, September 22, 2019 by Dr. Sherri Mason titled Perils of Plastics. Dr. Mason will present her groundbreaking research at this time on the identification of the presence of microbeads and microfibers in fresh water, and the associated dangers of these findings. Doors will open at 4 pm at the Stroud Water Research Center's Meetinghouse and the lecture itself will begin at 4:45 pm. This event is free and open to the public. Contact Jessica Provinski with questions.

Upcoming Event at LVC

Marcus Thompson — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 17:17:01 GMT

Please Join Us for the Climate Awareness Walkout September 20th!

On September 20th Lebanon Valley College will be participating in the climate awareness walkout and rally. This event will be held at Annville Town Square from 1-3 PM. The goal of this rally is to raise awareness about climate change and demand political leaders to take action. Some solutions this rally is advocating for include state and federal government action supporting renewable energy, banning fracking in Pennsylvania, ending public subsidies to fossil fuel interests in PA and supporting LVC’s Climate Action Plan. For more information contact [email protected]">[email protected]. For more information on the Week of Climate Action, visit http://350.com or http://strikewithus.org

New PERC Intern

Marcus Thompson — Fri, 13 Sep 2019 18:12:24 GMT

PERC's Fall Intern!

PERC has added a new member to the team. Marcus Thompson is a senior environmental science major at Dickinson College and is PERC’s new Member Outreach/Social Media intern. Marcus will be contacting member schools to learn about any sustainable news or achievements. These stories will be posted onto multiple PERC social media platforms as well as the PERC website. Feel free to send any sustainability news from member schools to [email protected]" style="font-size: 16px; font-family: Verdana; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">[email protected]!

PEER Training Session September 25th!

Thu, 12 Sep 2019 17:19:24 GMT

REGISTER NOW! and learn how PADEP and PEER are partnering to create reliable, resilient and sustainable power systems in Pennsylvania

Recently, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's Energy Programs Office announced that it has partnered with PEER, the first rating system that measures and improves power system performance and electricity infrastructure. As part of this partnership, PADEP will sponsor the PEER certification of several projects in Pennsylvania.

Join USGBC, GBCI and PADEP for a free hour-long webinar to learn about the partnership and about how energy stakeholders in the Commonwealth can use PEER to advance their grid modernization, resiliency and sustainability goals.

Pennsylvania PEER Webinar

When: September 25, 2019 from 11:00am – 12:00 pm EST

With PADEP's support, three to five entities in Pennsylvania will receive a free technical assessment of their power system and possible PEER certification. Eligible entities include college campuses, water/wastewater treatment plants, microgrids, rural electric cooperatives, municipal utilities, hospitals, emergency management headquarters, major electric utilities, and/or transit systems.

Energy professionals, policy makers, utility providers, engineering and design professionals, business and industrial leaders who are interested in learning about the partnership and PEER should attend.

About PEER

PEER encourages the adoption of reliable, resilient and sustainable practices, and helps utilities and campuses solve aging infrastructure, find cost savings, share best practices, build for resiliency and enhance tracking to determine and prevent failures. PEER evaluates and verifies a power system’s performance and, through certification, celebrates industry leaders who are improving their efficiency, day-to-day reliability and overall resiliency and who are preparing for severe events, such as flooding and hurricanes.

The overarching goals of the program are to help modernize our energy infrastructure, reduce global emissions, make our communities more resilient, improve the safety and security of our energy systems, create new green jobs in the electricity industry and catalyze economic growth at all levels.

The Pennsylvania PEER project is funded through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection from the US Department of Energy’s State Energy Program. The webinar is the first in a series of education and outreach events to educate customers, stakeholders and policy makers. For more information, contact Heidi Kunka at [email protected].

Upcoming Event: Sunrise Movement Training Session on Climate Crisis!

Wed, 04 Sep 2019 12:51:35 GMT

Please Join Us at the Sunrise Movement Training Session Sept. 7th & 8th!

Students concerned about the climate crisis and looking to take meaningful action now are invited to join the Sunrise Movement at its Northeast Regional Summit. From September 7th-9th, 2019 Sunrisers will gather in Providence, Rhode Island for a climate activist training. The summit will be an opportunity to meet other regional hub members and build community across the movement. Attendees will be trained in Sunrise's message as well as communications strategy, action planning, fundraising, creating partnerships, and other core skills in building a powerful grassroots movement to tackle the climate crisis. This is one of Sunrise's biggest trainings yet! For more information please go visit their website or contact the local group of Sunrisers at [email protected].

PADEP SEEKING INTERNS!

Tue, 13 Aug 2019 12:29:02 GMT

DEP Seeking Interns to Work with Communities on Climate Change

_{PADEP (Pennsylvania Department of EnvironmentalProtection) is trying to recruit upper-level undergraduate or graduate students for their local government climate action assistance program. Below is their scope of work for this program. The PADEP is currently seeking students for the fall semester, but will eventually also be looking for students for the spring semester 2020. Any senior-level or graduate student who needs to complete an internship for college credit or a capstone project as part of their coursework would be fair game to participate. A whole class could also take on one or two local governments, as part of their coursework, so that format is another to consider. There is no one-size-fits-all approach for engaging students in this program. The PADEP is open to your ideas and what works for your university/college.}

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania released an updated Climate Action Plan (CAP) in April 2019, the fourth version of the strategy. Recognizing the need for the Commonwealth and local governments to lead by example, the Commonwealth desires to ignite a movement of local government climate action to both mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and address impacts of extreme weather events already impacting local Pennsylvania communities.

One strategy to reduce the long-term impacts caused by climate change is to reduce GHG emissions. Establishing a baseline and comparative GHG measurement is a fundamental first step for a city, town or county committed to reducing carbon emissions. Once the baseline of emissions and opportunities for mitigation is known, a set of GHG mitigation actions can be identified and evaluated. This evaluation and prioritization of actions to reduce emissions is core to developing a CAP.

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, many local governments have yet to complete GHG inventories or climate action plans. In partnership with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI) will guide a group of up to 20 Pennsylvania local governments and college students as they complete GHG inventories using a common accounting methodology, ClearPath, which is a cloud-based tool. Additionally, the cohort of local governments and college students will be guided through the process of developing a local CAP to mitigate emissions and engage community members. DEP will work with PA universities & colleges to try and match a student with each participating local government, so they can be assisted in the process of developing their GHG inventories and CAPs.

ICLEI will provide software, live webinar sessions with open Q&A, one-on-one technical assistance as needed, self-paced e-learning modules, facilitated peer networking, and guidance through specific tasks for target setting, forecasting emission reductions, identifying benefits and costs of mitigation actions, and strategies to engage community members.

The ability of local governments to complete their inventories and CAPs is highly dependent on (1) the availability of data to complete the inventory, and (2) the level of participation of the local government staff member and/or college student.

Timeline: We anticipate matching students with local governments by the end of August 2019. The kick-off call with all participating local governments & students will be held in late August/early September. All work must be completed by June 30, 2020.

Time Commitments: For fall semester, the student would need 40-90 hours to complete the GHG inventory. The time requirement is dependent on how much the local government actually wants to assist/co-lead the effort with the student, as well as how readily-accessible the data is from utilities. For spring semester (climate action plan cohort), the students would need to devote approximately 10-15 hours per week. All of this work can be done remotely, so the student does not need to be located near the county or municipality they are assisting. However, we do have money in our budget for ICLEI to reimburse students for mileage, if they do want to meet with their local government in person or attend a Township/Borough meeting.

If you are interested please contact Heidi Kunka at the PA DEP! [email protected]

Upcoming Event at Dickinson College

Sat, 10 Aug 2019 16:03:23 GMT

Upcoming Event: Register NOW for BE.Hive Interactive Summit at Dickinson College on October 5th!

Over the last 30 years, climate change has emerged as the most pressing threat to our species and to life on our planet. Human behavior lies at the center of this issue, both as the problem and the solution. At the BE.Hive on Campus: Climate Change Needs Behavior Change, you will learn about the latest academic insights from behavioral science, get inspired by the world’s leading environmentalists, be ignited by artists, storytellers, and explorers, and identify some of the greatest opportunities for shifting human behavior to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Whether you’re looking to change yourself, nudge your peers, transform higher education sustainability efforts, train the next generation of conservationists, or move society, please join a community of environmental change-makers, behavioral scientists, conservationists, designers and thought leaders at this this one-day summit at the dynamic intersection of behavior-centered design and climate change. Dickinson College invites sustainability professionals and students to join them in rethinking the project and program development for transformational change.

Register today and join us for BE.Hive on Campus: Climate Change Needs Behavior Change, a one-day summit to explore global climate change through the lens of human behavior and establish college campuses as the front line of global climate action.

https://give.rare.org/event/be-hive-dickinson-2019/e233289

Podcast from Southern Environmental Law Center

Tue, 30 Jul 2019 23:59:53 GMT

Listen to a Talk of Clean Energy Inspiration from the South

Looking for some inspiring regional stories around the transition to clean energy? We recently contributed to this 30-minute episode of Broken Ground, a new podcast from our friends at the Southern Environmental Law Center. The episode takes a look at the progress and potential of solar-powered schools in Virginia, and includes powerful stories of school leaders taking part in our transition to clean energy—including the first Virginia school district to be 100% solar-powered.

Listen to the episode here.

Lebanon Valley College Wins with Green Power

Mon, 22 Apr 2019 22:22:50 GMT

Lebanon Valley College Recognized By EPA As Top Green Power User In The Middle Atlantic Conference In 2018-19

Lebanon Valley College announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized it as an Individual Conference Champion in the 2018-19 College and University Green Power Challenge. Lebanon Valley College currently uses more green power than any other school in the Middle Atlantic Conference. Since April 2006, EPA’s Green Power Partnership has tracked and recognized the collegiate athletic conferences with the highest combined green power use within the program. The Individual Conference Champion Award recognizes the school that uses the largest amount of green power in a qualifying conference. Lebanon Valley College beat its conference rivals by using 10 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power, representing 100 percent of the school’s annual electricity use. Lebanon Valley College is procuring a utility green power product from Constellation. This commitment to green power demonstrates a sustainable choice that helps to reduce the negative health impacts of air emissions including those related to ozone, fine particles, acid rain, and regional haze.

According to the U.S. EPA, LVC's green power use of 10 million kWh is equivalent to the electricity use of nearly 1,000 average American homes annually.

In the 2018-19 challenge, the 35 collegiate conferences and 109 schools competing collectively used nearly 3.6 billion kWh of green power. EPA’s Green Power Challenge is open to any collegiate athletic conference in the United States. To qualify, a collegiate athletic conference must include at least two schools that qualify as Green Power Partners, and the conference must collectively use at least 10 million kWh of green power. EPA will restart the 14th season of the College and University Green Power Challenge in fall 2019 and conclude it in spring 2020. For more information, visit: www.epa.gov/greenpower/college-and-university-challenge.

PERC Interns

Wed, 17 Apr 2019 15:29:31 GMT

PERC Interns Attend 2019 Spring Conference

This past April 9th, the PERC interns had the pleasure of attending the PERC 2019 Spring Conference and Annual Meeting. The theme of the day was “Blueprint for the Future,” which was reinforced throughout the day by the numerous accomplished speakers and leaders in sustainability efforts who shared what they had to say with the conference attendees. Each speaker had much to say about each of their subjects, simultaneously raising awareness of our current state in combating the impact of climate change, and inspiring our outlook on how we can go about combating those impacts.

The day for us started at the crack of dawn, with Tom Simpson, Franklin & Marshall’s Sustainability Coordinator, picking us up for our early morning drive to the conference. We arrived at State College just in time to help set up and shortly after enjoyed a light breakfast whilst making introductions with numerous PERC members. The conference kicked off at 9 a.m. with warm welcome from Josh Hooper, PERC’s Executive Director and Ben Culbertson, PERC’s President. Shortly after, Brian Noonan of Brookfield Renewable offered an in-depth sponsor’s perspective, that offered a variety of information on the benefits of hydro power in times where adopting green energy is becoming more and more urgent.

After, Paul Shrivastava, Penn State’s Chief Sustainability Officer, gave a powerful presentation on the current state of Pennsylvania’s efforts toward sustainable developments, discussing how we can improve through addressing particular issues as a state. He went over the 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development, a theme brought up many times throughout the rest of the day. (For the master PowerPoint of the entire conference day click here!)

Following that, a panel including Caroline Fox, Jeffrey Brownson, and Lisa Davis discussed the state of sustainable development in Pennsylvania. Moving on from there, Ted Monk, the Vice President of Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility for Sodexo North America discussed Sodexo’s efforts toward the Sustainable Development Goals. Following that, a panel discussing how our member colleges and universities work with Pennsylvania cities to meet targets for sustainable development was led by Shauna Barnhart, Ilona Ballreich, and Olivia Termini.

Lunch was served and then the Keynote commenced. John Quigley, the founding Director of the Center for Environment, Energy & Economy and Lecturer in Sustainability at the Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, and formerly the Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, shared his thoughts about the present and future state of sustainability in Pennsylvania, his past experiences with the roles he filled over the years, and what roles we could play moving forward. After the Keynote, a poster session ensued, where we talked to a variety of undergraduate and graduate students about their research in sustainable efforts across Pennsylvania. After that, 2019's Campus Sustainability Champions were recognized, click here to find out more about the designees.

The final panel of the day started, and it was about operational success stories members and partners have experienced in recent times. The speakers were Nick Goodfellow, Rob Cooper, and Chris Steuer, who brought hopeful accounts on successful campus projects and how they aligned with sustainable projects in the state of Pennsylvania and the Sustainable Development Goals. Lastly, the Sustainability Cafe was held, where we all workshopped as students, faculty, and staff, and discussed how each of our respective roles in college life could be used in helping our own institutions adopt more sustainable practices, which was followed by the closing remarks of the day from Josh and Ben, after which the conference came to a close.

Lombardo Welcome Center Millersville

Mon, 08 Apr 2019 01:50:37 GMT

Millersville University's Lombardo Welcome Center

Millersville University is yet another Pennsylvania campus working toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The university recently opened their first zero energy building, the Lombardo Welcome Center. As an EPA Green Power Partner, the building features over 500 rooftop solar panels, a geothermal heating system, and an energy-efficient design that allow it to generate more energy than it consumes. “Zero energy starts with energy efficiency. The Lombardo Welcome Center is about 60 percent more energy efficient than the other buildings on campus,” explains MU sustainability manager, Chris Steuer. “The University of committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2040. This building encapsulates those aspirations in form and in function.” Learn more about the zero energy building here!

F&M Continues Recycling

Mon, 08 Apr 2019 01:19:30 GMT

F&M Takes Extra-Step to Continue Office Paper Recycling

Lancaster City, along with many other municipalities nation-wide, recently reduced what its regular recycling pick-up accepts, no longer accepting office paper in the single-stream bin. Franklin and Marshall College has found a way to work around the new regulations, collecting paper on their own to drop off at the city’s recycling center. The center is still accepting office paper, just not collecting it. F&M’s Center for the Sustainable Environment (CSE) on campus has distributed green bins, specifically for office paper collection, to “Green-Certified” offices on campus. Offices on campus are rated in terms of their sustainability efforts, a process which takes into consideration their energy consumption and conservation, recycling efforts, and other waste reduction efforts such as coffee pots in replace of Keurig-cups and electronic versus printed newsletters. Once an office has been green-certified, they have proven their commitment to sustainability and are eligible for an office paper only recycling bin. So far, eleven offices on campus have these bins. The paper is collected from the bins and transported by the school to the Lancaster City Recycling Center.

- Sarabeth Erdman

PERC Interns

Sat, 06 Apr 2019 18:20:10 GMT

PERC Brings On 2 Interns for Spring Semester!

PERC is focusing on communications this year as an overall strategy to be able to promote and amplify the sustainability successes of our campuses. As a result of that we have two interns working with us on communications and outreach enhancement. Sarabeth Erdman and Pat Manion are both seniors at Franklin and Marshall college with interests in environmental studies and sustainability. Sarabeth is PERC’s Member Outreach/Social Media intern, while Pat is PERC’s Web Communication intern. Sarabeth has been focusing on contacting member schools regarding their recent sustainability news and achievements, as well as developing multiple social media platforms for PERC. Pat has been working to redevelop and modernize PERC’s website, as well as organizing the Perc News page and uploading news of member schools' achievements to the Perc website!

Dickinson College Residence Hall Gains Platinum Status

Fri, 05 Apr 2019 17:16:53 GMT

New Dickinson College Residence Hall Gains LEED Platinum Status

Dickinson College's new residence hall is the latest building on campus to be recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council for its sustainable construction and footprint. And this time, it’s the council’s highest honor: LEED Platinum.

(More...)

Pitt recognized for commitment to zero food waste!

Fri, 05 Apr 2019 16:46:46 GMT

Pitt recognized both state-wide and nationally for commitment to zero food waste!

The University of Pittsburgh has recently been recognized by both the Pennsylvania Resources Council (PRC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for their food recovery achievements.

Food Recovery Heroes, a student group at The University of Pittsburgh committed to sustainability began recovering surplus food from a campus bakery in 2014 when they noticed food was being thrown out at the end of the night. After conversations with chefs and volunteer recruitment, four years later students are recovering from multiple dining halls and cafeterias across campus including the basketball arena after games and concerts. Students and Pitt Dining teamed up with the local food recovery organization 412 Food Rescue and together the students, Pitt Dining, and 412 Food Rescue have recovered more than 23,000 pounds of surplus food from campus - delivering it to local hunger-fighting agencies in the area including the campus food pantry and the local housing authority.

Nick Goodfellow, Sustainability Coordinator at Pitt, calls the student group an “invaluable member of the Pitt service and sustainability community.” The group’s efforts have led to the recognition Pitt has received in the past year regarding the university’s sustainability practices.

The PRC’s Zero Waste Awards aim to recognize environmental leaders for their commitment to sustainability and waste diversion. Pitt was awarded the Zero Waste Excellence award in early 2019. This award followed the EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional award in the Data Driven category for colleges and universities, at the end of 2018. The university was recognized for their success with the EPA’s Food Recovery Challenge.

The Food Recovery Heroes are now moving forward with a compost program expansion to compost 50% of food waste by 2025.

Check out the full stories regarding both the PRC and EPA’s awards!

PSU's New Solar PPA

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 01:38:23 GMT

Penn State University Announces New Solar Power Purchase Agreement

On Feb. 5, Penn State and Lightsource BP announced the development of a large-scale, ground-mounted solar array of over 150,000 solar panels near Penn State’s Mont Alto Campus. This 70-megawatt, off-site solar energy project will support the University’s Strategic Plan, helping implement the plan’s "Stewarding Our Planet’s Resources" key pillar and supplying up to 25 percent of the University system’s electricity.

(More...)

PSU Professor Wins 2019 Tyler Prize

Tue, 12 Feb 2019 19:09:39 GMT

Penn State Professor Awarded Prestigious 2019 Tyler Prize – “Nobel Prize for the Environment”

Michael Mann, distinguished professor of atmospheric science, Penn State, has been awarded the 2019 Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement. Founded in 1973, the Tyler Prize — often referred to as the "Nobel Prize for the Environment" — remains the premiere international award for environmental science.

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Swarthmore at Climate Negotiations

Fri, 30 Nov 2018 19:12:11 GMT

Swarthmore College Delegation Travels to International Climate Negotiations

Swarthmore has made it a mission to lead in the climate change movement: The College was one of the first to adopt a carbon charge, hosted a workshop at the recent Global Climate Action Summit, and has committed to being a zero-waste campus by 2022.

(More...)

Millersville University Waste Diversion

Thu, 02 Jun 2016 13:17:49 GMT

Millersville University Finds New Home for Residence Hall Furniture

Millersville University’s Purchasing and Campus Services Department recently found opportunities to reuse over 1,600 pieces of furniture from the Gaige Residence Hall by donating them to local charities.

“To avoid just disposing of 300 sets of room furnishings, Lauren Weitzel, our assistant director of Purchasing and Campus Services, canvassed multiple charitable organizations in the area to see if there was a need,” said David Errickson, director of Purchasing and Campus Services. “She was very successful and, beginning on May 12, had organized the donation of over 1,600 pieces of furniture spared from the landfill, and benefitting four local non-profits – Water Street Rescue Mission, Refugee Resettlement, Habitat Restore and Nuestra Clinica. In addition, a number of pieces of furniture were donated to Thaddeus Stevens College and Student Lodging Inc.”

Gaige Residence Hall is slated for demolition during the summer of 2016. The work was completed during a short interval between the close of the building on May 11, and the start of the demolition sequence on May 24.

Refugee Resettlement, which provides immigration and refugee services to thousands of refugees fleeing oppression all over the world, was among the recipients. Additionally, MU donated furniture to Nuestra Clinica, part of the Spanish American Civil Association (SACA), which provides rehabilitation support and halfway house accommodations for needy Spanish Americans in Lancaster County as well as Water Street Rescue Mission which provides food and shelter to the homeless in Lancaster County. Lastly, MU donated furniture to the Lancaster Habitat Restore—a donation center that sells new and gently-used furniture to help fund their organization—and Thaddeus Stevens College.

In addition to donating the furniture, Millersville was able to identify a company that recycled the mattresses, thereby diverting them from the landfill.

Source Article on Millersville University’s Exchange: http://blogs.millersville.edu/exchange/2016/05/31/gaige-innards-put-to-good-use/#comment-136860

Penn State Earth Day Events

Fri, 06 May 2016 00:28:00 GMT

Penn State holds weeklong Earth Day events

Earth Day was Friday, April 22, and Penn State University held a number of Earth Day themed events throughout the week of April 18 – 25. Earlier in the week, some of the events included presentations, a food waste demo, an alternative vehicle display, and the showing of movies including discussions.

Two of the main events occurred near the end of the week. On Saturday, April 23, Penn State held a day long Watershed Cleanup Day that occurred throughout Centre County. The Campus and Community Sustainability Expo was another significant event at Penn State that occurred a few days after the watershed cleanup on Monday April 25 at 5 p.m. The sustainability expo included groups of students that worked on sustainability projects with community partners presenting the projects they completed over the year. Michele Halsell, the Director of Sustainable Communities Collaborative at Penn State’s Sustainability Institute talked about the importance of the expo for students and the community.

Halsell said that the expo allows students that participated in projects to share their work with the community and other students. The expo also allows community partners to show their commitment to sustainability and shop around for ideas, Halsell explained. She also talked about students having a better understanding of sustainability.

“Students get a chance to see (their) project in a broader way,” Halsell said.

Halsell talked about what students can get out of the expo. She explained that the expo can give students an understanding and better perspective of sustainability, and a connection with the community partner. The expo also helps give students analytical, team building, and communications skills, Halsell said. She went on, talking about how the sustainability of the university having electric vehicles on campus and trying to lower the university’s carbon footprint affects their relationship with the community.

“When the community sees they can work with the university (when it comes to) sustainability, it strengthens the bond between the university and the community,” Halsell said.

Halsell also talked about the diversity of students presenting at the expo, explaining that eight of the twelve colleges at Penn State were represented at the expo. This expo shows that sustainability is not just part of one discipline, Halsell said. Halsell also said that she felt it was interesting to see the different types of learning going on at the expo.

Bucknell Sustainability Symposium

Thu, 28 Apr 2016 00:50:59 GMT

Buckell holds Sustainability Symposium

PERC member school Bucknell University held its annual Sustainability Symposium for the fourth year over the week of April 4-8, 2016. The event discussed the path of the global phenomenon that is sustainability according to Bucknell’s website http://www.bucknell.edu/SustainabilitySymposium.

Dina El-Mogazi is the director of Bucknell Center for Sustainability and the Environment’s Sustainable Design Program. She is also an adjunct professor of Environmental Studies at Bucknell. El-Mogazi talked about the importance of the symposium.

“It gives students across the state a chance to meet, network, and discuss challenges they have found in sustainability efforts,” El-Mogazi said.

El-Mogazi said that she hoped the students had a chance to learn from each other at the sustainability symposium. She also talked about wanting to give the students more confidence in their work and to help them get new ideas. Finally, El-Mogazi talked about her hope that the students were able to learn about projects. El-Mogazi discussed the kind of effect the event had on Bucknell and the surrounding community.

“Very positive,” El-Mogazi said. “Not a lot of Bucknell students could have traveled to the symposium. It gave them a chance to be active in the event and see what other schools are doing.”

El-Mogazi talked about the event changes from year to year. She explained that every year the types of projects that are discussed in the panels are a little bit different than the year before. In addition, El-Mogazi also said that there is a different group of students at the event each year and they all bring different ideas.

The first two days of the event, April 5 and 6, included screening a pair of screenings of the 2014 film Flowers of Freedom and having discussions regarding the films. The heart of the conference began on April 7 with a series of discussion panels. These panels included topics like food waste, and producing fuel for the world. April 7 also included a student poster display session which was held from 2-4 p.m., according to Bucknell’s website.

That evening there was a keynote speaker, Timmons Roberts, who spoke from 7-8:30 p.m. in Trout Auditorium, which is part of the Vaughan Literature Building. Roberts spoke about new global politics and how they relate to climate action according to Bucknell’s website.

There was a pair of events on April 8. The first was a presentation on fighting climate change on campus from 10 – 11:30 a.m. The second event that day was a discussion panel on sustainability perspectives from abroad, according to Bucknell’s website.

PA Power Dialog

Thu, 21 Apr 2016 01:58:58 GMT

Harrisburg holds PA Power Dialog

On April 4, 2016 the Pennsylvania Environmental Resource Consortium hosted the PA Power Dialog from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Power Dialog was held at the State Museum in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

The Dialog included three student panels that discussed various elements of the Clean Power Plant that included questions from the audience. In addition there was a keynote address from John Quigley, the secretary of the PA Department of Environmental Protection. There was a fourth panel that consisted of professionals that discussed the implementation of the Clean Power Plan in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania’s Power Dialog ended with the audience members dividing up into small groups for discussions.

Michelle Barakat, a senior earth and environmental sciences major at Susquehanna University, led one of the small groups at the Power Dialog. Barakat explained why she chose to lead a small group discussion as part of the Power Dialog.

“I have been to a few PERC conferences before and I figured I would give them a hand and get the experience of leading a group,” Barakat said.

Barakat said that she thought it was interesting to lead a small group discussion and that it was cool to get people talking about environmental issues.

“At first I had to answer questions myself, but after a while everyone started building off each other,” Barakat said.

Barakat said that one of the biggest things she got out of the Power Dialog is that not only people involved in the environmental science field are impacted by the climate and the legislation around it.

Barakat said that the PA Power Dialog is important because it helps get everybody’s ideas together. She argues that a conference like this is especially important in Pennsylvania because it is a leader in power production. Barakat said that it is important for us to see where we stand individually and as a state when it comes to power production.

One thing that Barakat’s group discussed was opportunities for young people to have a role in climate change, such as writing letters to legislators, advocacy and education through acts, and being a model through personal lifestyle choices. They also talked about some challenges young people face when trying to send a meaningful message to the community including that they need to establish a sense of patience, the stereotype that young people will grow out of their passions and are inexperienced and undereducated, and that some voices are heard louder than others. Finally the group talked about what steps could be taken to overcome the challenges. The group agreed that there was strength in groups and collaboration and came up with some ideas such as attending municipality meetings, finding organizations, such as churches and nonprofits, that are taking action, looking for resources in creative places and continuing to question and critique ideas.

“I was expecting it to be a little bit more professional based,” Barakat said. “It was nice to see that there were other students our age that researched in this field and care about.”

Gladys Brown, the Chairman of Pennsylvania’s Public Utility Commission, talked about the importance of the power dialog.

“It is always beneficial to hear what other state agencies are doing and to share information regarding the PUC’s work with other government agencies, industry, and academic institutions,” Brown said.

Food Recovery Challenge

Sat, 09 Apr 2016 02:10:36 GMT

Franklin and Marshal a Shining Example of PERC Food Recovery Challenge

The Pennsylvania Environmental Resource Consortium, more commonly referred to as PERC, has teamed up with EPA and the food services company Sodexo in a project called the Food Recovery Challenge. The program includes 22 schools and over 100,000 students have been impacted by the program, according to PERC’s website www.pagreencolleges.org.

One of PERC’s leading schools in the Food Recovery Challenge is Franklin and Marshall College. The Sustainability Coordinator at Franklin and Marshall College, Tom Simpson, talked about the school’s food recovery challenge strategy. Simpson explained that the school focuses on composting both pre and post consumption waste. He also talked about how the school uses disposable plates and utensils. Simpson said that the school has a contract with a trucking company who collects the waste from dumpsters on campus and takes the waste to a compost farm.

Franklin and Marshall began their involvement in the Food Recovery Challenge almost six years ago, Simpson explained. He continued by saying that since there was an issue with finding a trucking company Franklin and Marshall no longer worked with the company they originally found. Simpson said that Franklin and Marshall began their second attempt with the Food Recovery Challenge about two and half years ago.

In 2015 Franklin and Marshall composted 94 tons of waste compared to the 73 tons of waste they composted in 2014. Simpson said that he hopes to top the 2015 mark this year. Simpson also said that he plans to extend the Food Recovery Challenge to different areas on campus.

“We hope to extend where we compost to more events where we weren’t before,” Simpson said.

Simpson believes that the Food Recovery Challenge benefits the school and local community because people will not be throwing away the trash, which in this case is incinerated. In addition, Simpson explains that the program does not cost much more money than throwing trash away. Simpson said that composting food waste creates a useful product that is being used in fields and gardens on campus.

Luke Wolfgang, who works for the EPA and is in charge of the Food Recovery Challenge in the Mid-Atlantic region, talked about how he gets more people involved in the Pennsylvania Food Recovery Challenge.

“We reach out to schools, businesses, and organizations through networking, endorsements, and working with composting organizations,” Wolfgang said.

Wolfgang explained that all the EPA managers are part of a work group that meets biweekly. He continued by saying that the group coordinates strategies that other offices have.

Wolfgang said that he wants to improve the data collection for the Food Recovery Challenge and make it more streamlined. He explained that the date collection system needs to improve to include more universities, businesses, grocery stores, and institutions.

Penn State holds Energypath Conference

Tue, 29 Mar 2016 02:40:41 GMT

Penn State to host 2016 Energypath Conference

The 2016 Energypath event will be held from July 25-29 on Penn State’s main campus. There will be pre conference energy camps from July 25-27 and the Energypath conference will take place from July 28-29 according to Energypath’s website energypath.org.

The Energypath event includes pre-conference camps that hands on experiences on energy topics such as Solar PV, Wind, and Micro Hydro. The event also includes a banquet dinner with nationally recognized experts on renewable energy technologies. The main attraction of the event will be the Energypath conference and exhibition that would include professionals, academics and policy makers according to Energypath’s website.

Last year the Energypath event had 373 attendees. The event also had 31exibitors and 23 sponsors, according to Energypath’s website.

Katie Fischer, a sophomore Earth and Environmental Studies major at Susquehanna University, was one of the attendees at the 2015 Energypath event. Fischer decided to go to the event because it was free and the event was held really close to her home.

“I thought it would be a fun educational thing to do over the summer,” Fischer said.

Fischer explained that the thing she enjoyed the most about going to the conference was all the people she met there.

“Everyone was easy to get along with because we had a lot in common. I met a lot of neat and eccentric people,” Fischer said.

Fischer also said that she felt the conference was what she expected and that it was really hands on. She had a piece of advice for students going to the Energypath event this year.

“Try to be very open and friendly and don’t be afraid to talk about things you’re knowledgeable about,” Fischer said.

Fischer also talked about how going to the conference benefited her.

“Going to the conference helped me to become independent,” Fisher said. “It was a really good way to spend my summer vacation.”

Jeremy Motsko, a junior Earth and Environmental Science major at Susquehanna University, is one of the students that will be attending the Energypath event in 2016. Motsko heard about the conference through an email from his department head and his interest in the event came from his earth and environmental science major.

Motsko said that he is looking forward to getting a diversified view of the different renewable energy options. Motsko also talked about how he could use the conference to further his career.

“It would allow me to understand different renewable energies more and how they can be used in different sectors,” Motsko said.

Motsko feels that the Energypath conference is very well reputed and he expects that there will be a high level of academia there. He also expects to network with the other companies there and to gain exposure to different viewpoints.

Villanova Green Power Boot Camp

Wed, 16 Mar 2016 17:35:10 GMT

PERC Green Power Boot Camp Held at Villanova University

Villanova University held a Green Power Boot Camp event that was sponsored by Pennsylvania Green Colleges and the Green Gigawatt Partnership on Friday, Feb. 19 from 12:30 – 4:30 p.m. Villanova held the event in association with the Pennsylvania Environmental Resource Consortium (PERC).

Liesel Schwarz, the Sustainability Manager at Villanova University talked about the importance of having an event like this at Villanova.

“The biggest benefit is getting all the key players from different universities to learn and network together,” Schwarz said.

The Green Power Boot Camp event helped the participants create a renewable energy strategy that included off-site and on-site approaches according to The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s (AASHE) website http://www.aashe.org/events/workshops/2016/Philadelphia-Green-Power-Boot-Camp-Feb-2016.

AASHE’s website also talked about some of the events the workshop included. Some of these are an overview of renewable energy trends, short informative pieces on power purchase agreements, and case studies that came from colleges.

Schwarz explained that there are a lot more opportunities to purchase renewable energy now then there were in the past. She talked about how people used to have the option of purchasing renewable energy credits, which were never very desirable, or on site projects such as solar panels on buildings and parking garages. Schwarz argued that although on site projects could work well in areas of the country that get a lot of sunshine, they left something to be desired in other areas.

One of the things that the Green Power Boot Camp featured was information about long term power purchase agreements. Schwarz explained that the agreements allow people to purchase energy from solar producers without added costs.

“A large portion of campus greenhouse gas emissions come from energy,” Schwarz said. “Pursuing renewable energy goes a long way towards reducing [the university’s] carbon footprint.”

Schwarz talked about how education and policy insurance are two of the biggest things that could be done to make renewable energy available to the everyday homeowner. She also said that the government has to have a standard in policy insurance where policies won’t change in order for renewable resources to be available to the masses.

PERC Harrisburg Conference first article part 2

Mon, 14 Mar 2016 03:02:18 GMT

The third panel discussed leadership on climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, reduction planning and strategies from the United States and other communities around the world. There were two speakers on the panel, Shaunna Barnhart from Becknell University, and Tom Simpson from Franklin and Marshal College. Barnhart spoke about national organizations that work with government and leaders. One of these organizations is the National Association of Counties which helps communities track how much energy they are using and help them switch to solar power. Simpson talked about some of the work that was done in Copenhagen Denmark where there is a goal of carbon neutrality by 2025 and 100% renewable energy in 2025. Copenhagen is using a “Smart Energy System” that is considering heating and cooling, electricity, smart grids and transport.

There was a 5 minute presentation from PERC sponsor Chris O’Brien, who works for the company Altenex, preceding the fourth panel. The fourth panel focused on adaptation and resilience work at the local government level. There were two speakers at the panel, Richard Freeh, the City Energy Project Manager from the Office of Sustainability in Philadelphia, and Robert Graff, the manager at the Office of Energy and Climate Solutions for the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission.

Freeh talked about how the climate has changed in Philadelphia, and talked about an Adaptation Planning Process that he had been working on to prepare for Philadelphia’s warmer and wetter climate in the future. Graff also discussed climate change adaptation including flooding in new areas and storm water infrastructure that is nearing capacity.

After an hour and 15 minute lunch, the fifth panel began on the topic of support for the PERC and state partnership on local government climate change programs from local government organizations in Pennsylvania. There were two speakers in the panel, Ed Knittel, from the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs, and Jim Price, who works for Sustainable Pittsburgh. Knittel talked about how Boroughs are centers for jobs in government, education, and health jobs and about the boroughs’ change in the dynamic of energy and sustainability. Price discussed how his company creates a rapid assessment for over 150 municipalities and how he wants to get the same amount of work done with fewer resources and less staff.

The last panel regarded interest in the program from Pennsylvania state government and the EPA. There were a total of six speakers in the sixth panel, some of them where Megan S. Goold, from the office of Air Partnership Programs with the United States EPA, and Keith Wells, who has the Deputy State Treasurer for Fiscal Operations and Senior Advisor for Policy position at the PA Treasury Department. Goold talked about how colleges can be mediators and about the kinds of impacts expected from climate change. Wells discussed the residential energy efficiency program. The program is a keystone help program, has been a model for other states, and would be able to reduce tax on energy consumption. The meeting finished with a PERC brainstorming and strategic planning session where the goals of the program and the role of higher education were discussed. Donald Brown said that the most important thing for people to do is to reduce greenhouse gases.

“It’s important to try to get everybody to massively reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Not just people, but schools, and governments as well,” Brown said.

PERC Harrisburg Conference first article part 1

Mon, 14 Mar 2016 02:25:31 GMT

PERC Members Converge for Annual Conference

The Pennsylvania Environmental Resource Consortium held their annual event on Feb. 5 at the Rachel Carson building in Harrisburg. According to a statement by PERC, the purpose of the meeting was to gather relevant information regarding a partnership between Pennsylvania colleges that are PERC members and Pennsylvania State government that will encourage other local and county governments to develop and implement climate change and greenhouse gas emissions reduction strategies and programs that will enhance the resilience and adaptation to climate change impacts.

PERC founder Donald Brown talked about the benefit of having a meeting where all the members come together.

“It allows us to form partnerships between universities and state agencies,” Brown said.

The meeting began with a short welcome followed by the first panel which covered the topic of current PERC school activities on climate change and community change. There were two speakers in the first panel, John Dernbach from Widener University Law School and Brandi Robinson from Penn State University. Dernbach talked about how he had approached the city of Harrisburg about teaching a class on sustainability and about a program that would take the legal skills of his students and apply them to the real world of local governments. Robinson focused her presentation on whether Penn State’s new Bachelor of Arts degree led to jobs in science policy and the Penn State Park Inventory program.

The second panel had to do with local government leadership on climate change issues in Pennsylvania local governments. There were three people who spoke during the panel, Richard Freeh, the City Energy Project Manager from Philadelphia, Alan Sam from the State College Borough, and Dan Zimmerman from Warwick Township. Freeh spoke about what Philadelphia was doing regarding greenhouse gases and how colleges were helping out by conducting municipal and city wide greenhouse gas inventories and creating the Green Works Sustainability Plan. When Sam spoke he focused on some of the work State College Borough had done in the past and talked about two current programs, Sustainability Community Collaborative and Sustainable Pennsylvania, both of which created connections between Penn State and the surrounding community. Zimmermann discussed Warwick Township’s Climate Change Initiative that included two methods reducing energy use and planting trees.

PERC Harrisburg Conference second article

Mon, 29 Feb 2016 15:57:00 GMT

Graff fights greenhouse gas emissions in the city of brotherly love

It was Feb. 5 when the Pennsylvania Environmental Resource Consortium held a conference in Harrisburg at the Rachel Carson Building. One of the speakers at the conference was Robert Graff, who is the manager in the Office of Energy and Climate Solutions at the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission.

Graff’s organization, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, was designated the Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Greater Philadelphia Region. The Metropolitan Planning Organization is bi-state and includes nine counties surrounding and including Philadelphia. One of the responsibilities the organization is responsible for are energy use and greenhouse gas emissions inventories.

Graff talked about a number of local government issues during his presentation including climate change adaptation and Greenhouse Gas reduction. Some of the local government issues caused by climate change adaptation were new areas that were flooding and the fact that storm water infrastructure is over capacity. This can also affect changes in summer and winter recreation and vegetation changes.

“Ski areas are having less snow,” Graff said. “Snow is coming later in the year and leaving earlier.”

Graff gave a specific example when it came to vegetation, talking about a type of local tree that was forced to leave the area due to a warming climate.

“Agriculture has been affected as well: the Sugar Maple tree that was local to the area was forced to move north,” Graff said.

Graff also talked about the work his organization did with regards to greenhouse gas reduction. Some of the things his organization works towards are alternative energy facilities such as solar power, alternative fuel vehicles such as electric vehicles and natural gas vehicles, and making it easier for people to walk and bike in the community. Graff made a number of specific points about the importance of biking and walking in a community.

“From a greenhouse gas standpoint, cars put out a lot of start and stop emissions,” Graff said. “It releases less greenhouse gases and gets children comfortable getting places by walking or biking.”

Graff explained that climate change is already occurring and can no longer be completely prevented. He continued that the majority of greenhouse gas emissions came from generating electricity and using vehicles to transport passengers and goods.

Graff talked about how lighting and temperature controls have gotten better and less expensive over the years. Although he believes lighting and temperature controls can increase energy efficiency, he warned that the challenge is to set the lighting and temperature controls correctly.

Susquehanna University's Freshwater Research Initiative

Fri, 05 Feb 2016 01:03:37 GMT

Susquehanna offers rare research opportunities for students

by Kevin Jones

Susquehanna University first year ecology major David Huntzberry has a research opportunity that not many students have. He was given the chance to work as an assistant at the Freshwater Research Initiative. Huntzberry explained he became involved in the Initiative because of his childhood interest in studying water and the chance to further his young career.

“I always enjoyed being around water growing up, and felt it was a good opportunity to further my career,” Huntzberry said.

Freshwater Research Initiative leader Jonathan Niles went into detail about the origins of the Initiative. He explained that the Fresh Water Research Initiative began in May of 2014 thanks to a grant of $2.25 million from the Richard King Mellon Foundation. Niles joined the Initiative because it allowed him to do research he was interested in and allowed him to teach undergraduates, which is something he was particularly interested in.

Niles explained that the Initiative is involved a variety of research projects and works in collaboration with state and federal agencies as well as other colleges. He continued that a lot of the research goes to organizations that are involved in water quality, fish management, and stream classifications as well as other environmental policies. Niles feels that there is not one specific threat to the Susquehanna River, but several threats that steam from human activities.

“The Susquehanna and its tributaries do not suffer from one threat, but many invasive species, pollution issues, and climate change,” Niles said.

Niles believes that the health of local streams and the surrounding wildlife is important because people get their drinking water from these local water systems and if the streams are not heathy the water will have to be treated and cleaned which takes a significant amount of resources and manpower. He also thinks that people like to live near heathy bodies of water that they can use for recreational activities like swimming, and boating. Huntzberry explained that he learned a lot about insects that live in the area during his work for the Initiative.

“I never knew there were so many bugs in the Susquehanna and how important they are,” Huntzberry said.

Huntzberry said that what he liked most about his work at the Freshwater Research Initiative was learning how to identify the different kinds of bugs and their importance to river ecology.

Penn State Extension Hosts Garden Sense event

Wed, 27 Jan 2016 01:33:36 GMT

By Kevin Jones

On Jan. 30, the Penn State Extension of Clinton County will host the third and final installment of their Garden Sense event at Clinton County Extension Learning Center in Mill Hall, Pennsylvania from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Clinton County Master Gardener Coordinator Debra Burrows explained that the event hopes to share knowledge about environmentally friendly gardening.

“The point of the event is to for us to share information about environmentally friendly gardening and lawn care with the community,” Burrows said.

Burrows said that the event is in its second year and will continue to be an annual event for Clinton County’s Penn State Extension. She went on to say that the some of the speakers who will make presentations at the event will be from Penn State Extension, while others will be from external organizations.

For the Jan. 30 event there will be three workshops, according to Penn State Extension’s website http://extension.psu.edu/plants/gardening/events/garden-sense-2016.

The first workshop at 9 a.m. will be called Using Plant Resistance to Fight Pests and is presented by Extension Horticulture Educator Thomas Butzler. There will be another workshop on outdoor photography presented by retired Penn State Master Gardener Charles Hildebrand at 10 a.m. The final workshop of the day, on the topic of soil health, will start at 11 a.m. and will be presented by James Harbach and Gerard Troisi who are a cover crop farmer and crop consultant respectively according to Penn State Extension’s website.

James Harbach started working with Penn State Extension in the summer of 2015 when he hosted a tour for the master gardeners after which he was asked to speak at this year’s Garden Sense event. This is the first time Harbach has been asked to speak for the Penn State master gardeners, but he is very involved in the agricultural groups in the area. Harbach was impressed when he met with the master gardeners.

“What impressed me the most was their genuine concern,” Harbach said. “The event is an excellent opportunity to share our message.”

Harbach explained that the topic of soil health, which he will be presenting on, has a significant effect on the areas water quality.

“Regenerating the soil is one of the things that will help our water quality. If public opinion changes regulations may change,” Harbach said.

Burrows explained that the event will educate the community and show them environmentally friendly ideas, giving members of the community options. She went on to further elaborate that some of the things that would be discussed would be environmentally friendly ways of lawn care with less fertilizer and water, focusing on the hours and resources that could be saved.

Although there is no cost to attend the event, preregistration is required. Those interested in attending can register at Penn State Extention’s website http://extension.psu.edu/plants/gardening/events/garden-sense-2016.

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