Today, the U.S. Senate caved. They passed the One Big Bullshit Bill, carrying out one of the most destructive attacks on the American people in history. It will send us deeper into a debt spiral, make us a global pariah where energy is concerned, throw millions of people into poverty, medical debt, and despair, and … More An all-out assault on America’s future
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 Trump administration has sought to freeze funding for central Pennsylvania businesses and governments. This freeze will harm rural and urban economic development, impact clean energy, transportation, environmental remediation, resilience, and other infrastructure. These attacks will negatively impact our region’s goals in economic development, including–but not limited to–climate-related investments. Grist has developed a tool to … More Trump is stealing from central Pennsylvanians. Where’s Rep. Glenn Thompson?
From PennEnvironment: On Monday, January 27, ten governmental entities in Centre County have officially entered into a 15-year contract to supply their operations with renewable energy from a nearby solar project. It is believed that this cooperative solar purchase agreement is the first of its kind in Pennsylvania. “The ten members of the Centre County … More Ten Centre County governmental entities have signed on to a historic solar agreement
Yesterday was Martin Luther King, Jr. Day for 2025 and Inauguration Day for Donald Trump for the second time. I accept these facts, their juxtaposition and paradox. All I know is that I am in control of myself, that I am called to something greater than myself, and that the climate action and ecological citizenship … More As Gandalf said, “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
My amazing colleague, Erica Smithwick answers the question, “Is climate change to blame” for the California fires? “The answer, simply, is yes.” 2024 is officially the hottest year on record, the tenth of the ten hottest ever-recorded years. Snowpack is reduced, droughts are longer and deeper, and everything on the ground is drier and therefore … More “Is climate change to blame” for the California fires? “The answer, simply, is yes.”
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
I want the lessons of the Centre County solar power purchase agreement (SPPA) working group (WG) to be as accessible as possible. As readers know, 10 of central Pennsylvania’s local governments are finalizing the largest-by-member SPPA in the Commonwealth and maybe the country. This entry is my first deliberate crack at it. Here, I will use the World … More Early lessons from the Centre County solar power purchase agreement
State and local governments will persist in climate action. That’s the conclusion of a recent piece in Grist. We have virtual certainty the incoming Trump administration will withdraw from the Paris Agreement, leading to widespread worry about other nations’ commitments to reduce emissions and achieve the 1.5° or 2° C temperature goals. But there are lots of … More State and local governments will persist in climate action because it works.
In the last week, we’ve had more wins for the power purchase agreement. Last Tuesday, the Centre County Commissioners voted 3-0 to enter. On Monday, the State College Borough voted 6-1 to join. Tonight, Last night, Patton Township’s Board voted 5-0. They join the State College Area School District and Harris Township. All told, there are about … More Some lessons from the PPA: Openness. Honesty. Skepticism. Trust. Consistency.
Peter Walks for Democracy 