“Instead of working to mitigate climate change, many PA legislators are making things worse”

Climate Action Plan, Environment, Environmental Advisory Council, Serious Issues 1 Minute

(The latest in a series of posts relating to the environment, Bethlehem’s Climate Action Plan, and Bethlehem’s Environmental Advisory Council)

Kathy Fox is a member of the Bethlehem Environmental Advisory Council, a co-chair of the Northampton County Council of Democratic Women’s Environmental Committee, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Bethlehem Food Co-op.  Kathy involves herself in positive organizations and activities that foster community, environmental awareness, education, and good health. 

A tip o’ the hat to Steve Repasch for passing on “How Penn State Is Cutting Greenhouse Emissions In Half — And Saving Money” as “something to add to the climate discussion.”

Gadfly:

I agree with Ted Morgan’s statement in his recent “Your View” article about the enormous challenge of mitigating climate change, wherein he stated, “those political actors and fossil fuel producers who resist the necessary changes are guilty of crimes against humanity.”  Have you read or heard of the PA legislature’s package of bills deceptively named “Energize PA”?  They are nothing but eight industry-focused bills with the main purpose of promoting more fossil fuels. HB 1100, which gives a huge tax credit for petrochemical manufacturers, has already passed. And now they are working to pass three more bad bills: HB 1102, 1106 and 1107, which support the fossil fuel industry and strip the PA DEP of its ability to protect our environment and public health. The natural gas industry is eyeing Northeastern PA as a place to build more petrochemical plants.  Contact your representatives immediately, and tell them we don’t want PA to be supporting the fossil fuel industry and why we should be transitioning away from fossil fuels, not subsidizing them. Instead of working to mitigate climate change, many PA legislators are making things worse. We need legislators who protect their constituents, not support industries which damage public health.

Kathy

How to Festival UnBound

Festival UnBound
Ten days of original theatre, dance, music, art and conversation designed to celebrate and imagine our future together!
October 4-13

Published by The Bethlehem Gadfly

Edward J. Gallagher, Bethlehem immigrant, retired, nearly 50 years as Professor of American Literature at Lehigh University, known as "Dr. G" and "Conan the Grammarian" to students, whose virtual world avatar "EdwardScholarhands" stares at you here, has reinvented himself as the Bethlehem Gadfly.

Published

One thought on ““Instead of working to mitigate climate change, many PA legislators are making things worse””

  1. I agree with Kathy, except that I don’t think we can expect legislation to solve this problem — especially given the current legislature. It’s going to take lots of people getting out in the street and demanding action. Turn the ‘climate strike’ into more of a walkout and less of a rally-type event. Picket lines at legislators’ offices.

Leave a Reply