State climate plan presented to Governor
Pennsylvania now has a comprehensive state plan to combat global warming. Our state's emissions could be slashed by as much as 36 percent by following the 52 recommendations in the Climate Change Action Plan presented to Governor Rendell by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Climate Change Advisory Committee in late December. Pennsylvania could create 65,000 new jobs and add $6 billion to our economy by implementing the plan.
Check out the executive summary of the Climate Change Action Plan, the full plan by chapter, as well as praise from business and environmental leaders. PennFuture President and CEO Jan Jarrett serves as a member of the Climate Change Advisory Committee.
Reducing our fuel's global warming pollution
One recommendation in the Climate Change Action Plan is to cut heat trapping gases of our transportation fuels by adopting a low carbon fuel standard. The low carbon fuel standard is a strategy to gradually reduce global warming pollution from fuels by creating incentives for the use of lower carbon fuels such as cellulosic ethanol and locally produced biodiesel.
Last week Governor Rendell signed a memorandum of understanding with officials from 10 other northeastern and Mid-Atlantic States to develop a regional low carbon fuel standard. Each state will have the opportunity to consider implementation and changes to the regional standard.
Like Buttah
While Barbra Streisand probably won't be there, nearly half a million Pennsylvanians will be rushing to attend the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg. The show starts tomorrow and runs through January 19, featuring nearly 6,000 animals, 10,000 competitive exhibits, and 270 commercial exhibitors.
But the boffo exhibit, hands down, is the butter sculpture, which features a dairy farm family enjoying breakfast which includes – you guessed it – butter! (Tune in to PCN-TV at 8:10 p.m. tonight for the formal unveiling.)
We're sure the cows that provided the raw material never dreamed of having the butter become an objet d'art. And at first blush, it seems a waste of 1,000 pounds of butter. But never fear. At the end of the show, the butter will move on to its next incarnation – as biodiesel.
Greet the sun and hear about solar energy
PennFuture is hosting a series of Clean Energy Breakfasts around the state starting next week. Hear public officials, energy entrepreneurs and PennFuture staff explain the benefits of the Green Jobs/Clean Energy Bills (House Bill 80 and Senate Bill 92) that promote growth in the clean energy sector of our economy. Business leaders will discuss how the bills, expanding on our successful 2004 renewable energy standard, will help to significantly grow the clean energy sector, create green jobs and attract new investment into the Commonwealth.
There are six breakfasts scheduled so far, and more are in the pipeline. Space is limited and preregistration is required. The schedule and locations include:
Mayor Nutter's green vision
Mayor Michael Nutter (D) wants to make Philadelphia the greenest city in America. Many of Nutter's ideas emerged from the work of the Next Great City coalition coordinated by PennFuture. This week WHYY asked PennFuture Director of Outreach Christine Knapp, who has played a vital leadership role with Next Great City, to give her take on Nutter's first two years in office.
The PATH hits a dead end
Energy conservation and efficiency programs just help saved consumers in the Mid-Atlantic $1.8 billion. An analysis by the PJM Interconnection, the organization that ensures a reliable supply of electricity and the ability to deliver it, has determined that the proposed $1.8 billion PATH power line is not needed.
In 2007, PJM determined that the PATH project should be built to avoid overloads on transmission lines in Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia and Pennsylvania. PJM says the line is now not needed because of substantial gains in energy efficiency and conservation programs and reduced electricity demand caused by the downturn in the economy.
PennFuture joins Dunder Mifflin
We have not joined the cast, but we have made a presence in the break room of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, featured in the popular sitcom, The Office - a sure sign that PennFuture's expanded presence in northeastern Pennsylvania is now ingrained in local culture. If you are a fan of The Office – set in Scranton, Pennsylvania – you already know that Michael, Pam, Jim, Dwight, and the rest of the staff frequent the break room to fill their coffee, chat about office politics, make their way to the restroom, and fill those of us watching with laughter. The next time you watch a scene in the break room, be sure to look out for the PennFuture logo magnet hanging on the side of the refrigerator. This clip of a recent scene shows the magnet twice briefly starting about 5:45 into the clip.
No podcast this week
Something about butter, pancakes, the farm show, and the editing equipment. Anyway, rather than feature our staff voices in slo-mo (kind of a Suzanne Pleshette riff), we'll fix it and the podcast will return next week with all new content. Meanwhile, here's an oldie but a goodie.
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