Back to work
The new Pennsylvania General Assembly was sworn in on Tuesday and the new and returning members will need to roll up their sleeves and get to work on some crucial issues when session starts in earnest at the end of the month. First up is addressing our economic crisis and making sure Pennsylvania can make the most of the economic stimulus money that will be arriving from Washington. While our economic challenges are enormous, we have the opportunity to finally tackle some long-standing problems – crumbling roads and bridges and aging water and sewer systems – and make new investments in energy conservation and renewable energy. Our elected officials should insist that we invest the money wisely and resist squandering it on pork barrel projects.
Mm mm good homegrown fuel
Every gallon of diesel fuel sold for on-road use in Pennsylvania will include homegrown renewable fuel. Pennsylvania biodiesel entrepreneurs have met the first production goal triggering the requirement for all diesel fuel to contain a percentage of biodiesel.
The law, passed last July as House Bill 1202, requires 2 percent biodiesel content, now that homegrown biodiesel has reached 40 million gallons for three months. The requirement increases as Pennsylvania production increases. The passage of Special Session Senate Bill 22 provided a second critical piece of the puzzle for the biodiesel industry, with a temporary, three-year, 75 cents per gallon production incentive. These homegrown fuels help clean the air, reduce our reliance on foreign oil, increase our energy security and provide new markets for Pennsylvania farmers.
It can't happen here
Electricity ratepayers in two states will be paying higher electricity bills thanks to their monopoly electric utility system. Progress Energy in Florida announced that it would install two nuclear power units costing $14 billion, and the Tennessee Valley Authority announced that costs to clean up their massive December 22 coal ash flood would amount to hundreds of millions of dollars. In both cases, the utilities do not have to bear the financial risk of their decisions; they will simply pass these costs onto their customers.
But in Pennsylvania's competitive electricity market, consumers can choose among power suppliers, so shareholders, not ratepayers, take on the risk of unwise investments or unsound environmental practices.
Greening the Farm Show
Visitors to the 2009 Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg will have 6,000 animals, 10,000 competitive exhibits, 270 exhibitors and the legendary Food Court at their disposal. But they'll also have the opportunity to learn about clean energy and other environmental solutions.
The Department of Environmental Protection will have a display helping visitors make connections between global warming, energy conservation and renewable energy. Over 25 Pennsylvania renewable energy companies will have booths and displays, including one with a mobile poop to power digester that converts animal waste to energy. And Pennsylvania FFA Chapters will compete to present the best display that tackles the theme, "Agricultural Technology: Improving Your Environment."
The Pennsylvania Farm Show runs from January 10 to 17 and will be televised on PCN-TV.
Cheers
Green Drinks is an informal event held in 461 cities where environmentally minded folks can network and converse over local beer and other beverages. Five Pennsylvania cities now hold monthly Green Drinks events with the recent addition of Harrisburg. Other events are held in the Delaware Valley, Lancaster, Pittsburgh, and the Upper Delaware.
Podcast of the Week: A different kind of environmental festival
Jonkanoo is a masquerade festival/parade from Jamaica, believed to be of West African origin. It is traditionally performed through the streets during the Christmas period. This past December, Pittsburgh's Legacy Arts Project held Junkanew, a play on words to emphasis the need to conserve our planet. This celebration of music, dance, food, and fun revolving around the environment, also featured leaders of the environmental justice movement nationally and locally. PennFuture's western Pennsylvania outreach coordinator, Joylette Portlock, brings us the voices and enthusiasm of those leaders in this week's podcast.
You'll hear from Namosha Smith, the passionate organizer of the day-long event, which was subtitled "The Art of Red, Black and Greening." You'll also hear from the amazing Tanya Fields from Sustainable South Bronx, Andrew Butcher from Pittsburgh-based GTECH, and Lindsay Baxter, Sustainability Coordinator for the City of Pittsburgh.
Remember, you don't have to wait for our podcasts. You can have PennFuture podcasts download automatically to your desktop or iPod. Just download the free software iTunes and follow the directions to subscribe to PennFuture's podcasts.
|
