On Monday night, I joined State College Borough Council to give an update on the Centre County Solar Working Group’s power purchase agreement. I gave a spicier update to the State College Area School District later that night. For most people, the Borough presentation was a boring affair about final document signatures, a PJM queue … More Hallelujah! The solar PPA moves on!
Homicides are the #1 cause of death for children in the United States. “The overwhelming majority of those homicides are carried out with guns. In 2022, firearms killed more children and teens, ages 1 to 17, than any other cause including car crashes and cancer.” In the U.S., the gun death rate in that age … More The threat of a school shooting in my community
Over my ten years in municipal and school government, higher education, and non-profit leadership, I have witnessed children and families advocate for each other and our community. As I share in an op-ed piece today at StateCollege.com, they are “wise and trustworthy. We should listen. They have urged the municipal board in Ferguson township that … More Our families are wise and caring. Trump is attacking them.
Last week, thousands of people gathered across the country to Stand Up For Science. In Washington, DC, my friend and co-author, Michael Mann stood in front of the Lincoln Memorial and asked, “What would Benjamin Franklin do?” Mike’s at the University of Pennsylvania which Franklin founded. It’s a great question. Franklin was a scientist, a … More What would Ben Franklin do?
Over the last ten days, I’ve been in Aotearoa, New Zealand as part of a climate research, education, and capacity-building team from Penn State. It has been a joy to be here a second time and learn more about forests, fire, carbon, and biodiversity as well as Māori culture and practices, national and local government, … More Ten days focused on people, land, & climate in Aotearoa
The day before my first birthday–July 7, 1977–a climate memo was prepared for Pres. Jimmy Carter. It was titled “Release of Fossil CO2 and the Possibility of a Catastrophic Climate Change.” It recognized the pending impact from warming caused by the amplification of the greenhouse effect from exponential fossil fuel combustion. Carter saw it. I … More 7.7.77: A prescient note on climate change to Jimmy Carter
“A second Trump term is game over for the climate – really!” That’s what Michael Mann told The Guardian. “If we are going to avert ever more catastrophic climate change impacts, we need to limit warming below a degree and a half Celsius, a little less than three degrees Fahrenheit. Another four years of what … More We have to get s*** done for the climate regardless of who is in the White House.
Last week, my son completed his college application essay. He chose to write about what he learned about himself and about leadership by serving on two hiring committees at his school. He goes to a “democratic school fostering choice, voice, and diversity of thought to develop engaged citizens and inspired leaders.” The particulars of his … More If the last week was a college application essay, Harris would get in. Trump definitely wouldn’t.
My community is ground zero in the fight for America’s future. We affectionately call our home “Happy Valley.” It surrounds Penn State University (where I work). A blue dot in the middle of red counties, we believe in the promise of a democratic republic rooted in freedom, individual dignity, environmental integrity, innovation, and equal opportunity. … More We fight for freedom. The Christo-fascists want to steal it.
We are now under two weeks until Election Day 2024. With Donald Trump seeking office a second time, citizens should understand that Trump’s own cabinet and a swath of staunch Republicans oppose him. For those RepublIcans who revere the Constitution and believe in the rule of law–folks who supported Nikki Haley but worry about Kamala … More The great warning: Those closest to Trump are not voting for him.
Peter Walks for Democracy 