Er, I mean, from the Inquirer:

 Specter leads rally for dredging
By Henry Holcomb
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter (R., Pa.)
U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, appearing today at a pep rally on a Philadelphia dock on a sweltering day, said he was confident that the Delaware River would be deepened and that the massive project would create 175,000 […]

This is part two in our two-part series on the Union of Concerned Scientists‘ (UCS) recent report "Confronting Climate Change in the U.S. Northeast: Science, Impacts and Solutions." In this podcast, PennFuture’s Sharon Pillar speaks with Dr. Lewis Ziska, who serves as one of the members of the UCS health & agriculture teams. Dr. Ziska is a plant physiologist with the United States Department of Agriculture in their Agricultural Research Service.

Dr. Ziska reviews some fascinating recent findings regarding the impacts of increasing temperatures and atmospheric carbon dioxide levels on crops, agricultural products, and public health. Scientists are interested in determining how agriculture must adapt to the impacts of global warming, the impacts of weeds and pests resulting from climate change, the economic and environmental consequences of both things, and the links between climate change, plants, and public health.

For example, in Pennsylvania, agriculture is the state’s number one industry. Pennsylvania’s dairy farmers alone contribute a very significant amount to the Commonwealth’s economy, at the state and local levels. Producing about one billion gallons of milk every year, Pennsylvania cows are at serious risk from global warming because their milk production decreases as temperatures go up. In 2005, the industry lost $40 million in Pennsylvania as a result of high temperatures and low rainfall.

Many Pennsylvanians also suffer from allergies and allergenic asthma. Dr. Ziska describes how weeds like ragweed actually are making allergies worse as heat-trapping gas emissions continue to rise in the atmosphere. Pollen from ragweed, for instance, is produced in greater quantities as temperature and carbon dioxide goes up, and the allergy-causing attributes of that pollen increase as well. Poison ivy has been thriving as well. Nutritional values of some agricultural crops are even decreasing as a result of global warming– cereal crops are losing protein, though scientists don’t yet understand why.

And while many people in the world deal with illness by filling a prescription at the pharmacy, few of us consider the plants that many medicines come from, or the three billion people worldwide that depend directly on plants for their medicinal qualities. Dr. Liska shares that scientists are discovering that the medicinal values of many plants are decreasing or changing as a result of higher temperatures. The effects are almost impossible to predict or quantify.

Waiting to act is not an option, as Dr. Liska points out during this podcast. The need for action is "yesterday," as he says. To learn how you can become a part of the Cool Pennsylvania Campaign to stop global warming at home, visit our Web site. There, you will also find links to the UCS study and other important information about global warming. We encourage you to support our work through a donation, and by joining our weekly global warming news e-mail list. As always, we welcome your comments; simply e-mail us at podcast (at) pennfuture (dot) org, or click on "Comments" below.

Environment Meetups > The Philadelphia Environment Meetup Group

SBN presents a seminar on Conservation, Recycling and Reuse for Business people concerned about managing their resources in a responsible way. Most businesses, their people and their buildings, consume vast amounts of energy and water and generate mountains of waste every day. Most of us have no idea how this effects natural resources or where our waste goes, but we have a nasty feeling it ain’t good!

Learn strategies that will help you to become more efficient, reduce your consumption and manage your waste responsibly. Many of these strategies are cost neutral, very often cost saving, and help to reduce green house gas emissions and pollution.

Hear from businesses that have developed innovative technologies and services to assist your business in becoming ever more sustainable. Save money while you save the earth!

SBN Seminar: Waste=Food: July 25th
When: Wednesday, July 25th; 6PM-8PM
Location: TBA
Cost: $15; $10 for non-members
RSVP via e-mail to leanne@sbnphiladelphia.org

Philadelphia, PA 19147 - USA

Wednesday, July 25 at 6:00 PM

Attending: 0

Fee: Event fee: USD 10.00 per person

Details: http://environment.meetup.com/228/calendar/5987699/

Environment Meetups > The Philadelphia Environment Meetup Group

Thursday, July 19, 2007

6:00 ? 8:30 pm

at The Franklin Institute

222 North 20th Street

Philadelphia

This special Urban Sustainability Forum will be held at the Franklin Institute, and will feature practical solutions for those who trying to practice a more sustainable lifestyle. Join us as we hear from some of the regions most innovative groups working to promote sustainable choices.

Featuring speakers from:

RecycleBank
PhillyCarShare
Mural Arts Project
Delaware Valley Green Building Council

Philadelphia, PA 19147 - USA

Thursday, July 19 at 6:00 PM

Attending: 0

Details: http://environment.meetup.com/228/calendar/5987636/

"Confronting Climate Change in the U.S. Northeast: Science, Impacts and Solutions" was recently released by the Union of Concerned Scientists, and PennFuture’s Sharon Pillar had an opportunity to speak with two of the scientists who contributed to this comprehensive, stunning report. This new report, part of a series in the Northeast Climate Impacts Assessment (NECIA), provides information on the impacts of climate change on key climate-sensitive sectors (coastal, marine, forests, agriculture, winter recreation and health), and options and opportunities for mitigation and adaptation.

The NECIA is a collaboration between the Union of Concerned Scientists and a team of more than 50 independent scientists and economists and covers the U.S. Northeast, from Pennsylvania to Maine.   

The report finds that without urgent action to reduce heat-trapping gas emissions today, the region could face a number of very serious impacts, detailed below. Important to note, however, is that the report examines two emissions scenarios, a high and low, but these should not be considered ceilings or floors. In other words, things could be even worse than predicted and modeled, and even under the lower emission scenario, things are bad. The key will be for us to reduce significantly our contributions to the problem to come in below the low-emissions scenario; that would mean, on average, cutting emissions by about three percent per year for decades, which is very achievable but cannot be delayed.

In this podcast (first in a two-part series), Sharon speaks to Dr. Jerry Melillo. Vice-chair of the NECIA synthesis team, Dr. Melillo is director of the Ecosystems Center at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Mass., and a trustee for the H. John Heinz III Center for Science, Economics and the Environment.

Summary of Potential Impacts
Climate: By late this century, summers in Pennsylvania could resemble summers today in Georgia or Alabama if emissions continue unabated.  Under a lower-emission scenario, summers in Pennsylvania could resemble those in Virginia and Kentucky.
Human Health: The number of days of dangerous heat and poor air quality that Pennsylvania residents will need to cope with could increase dramatically this century.  By late-century, Pittsburgh could experience roughly 24 days over 100ÂF every summer under the higher-emissions scenario, compared with roughly six such days under the lower-emissions scenario. Also, increasing levels of carbon dioxide are expected to accelerate seasonal pollen production over the next several decades, extending the allergy season and exacerbating symptoms for asthma and allergy sufferers across the state.
Agriculture: Under the high emissions scenario, most July days in Pennsylvania late in the century are projected to exceed the heat-stress threshold for many economically important crops currently grown in the state, and the dairy industry is particularly at risk. High temperatures would also allow agricultural pests and weeds, such as kudzu, to spread further north.

But there is good news, too. The report shows that the technology and ingenuity to reduce the threat of global warming is already at our fingertips. Solutions are already available:
Electric Power: The state of Pennsylvania has seized upon wind energy as a new energy resource and an economic development strategy. The wind-energy company Gamesa, for example, is investing $84 million and creating nearly 1,000 jobs by locating its U.S. headquarters in Philadelphia and building three plants in the state. We have also made great strides in jump-starting renewable energy development and energy conservation by passing key sections of the Energy Independence Strategy, and will continue to pursue other aspects of the total strategic package as laid out by Governor Ed Rendell this fall.
Buildings:"Green" building programs, like the federal Energy Star Buildings program and the U.S. Green Building Council LEED certifications, provide guidance needed to make buildings more energy-, water-, and resource-efficient. Pittsburgh has the largest number of "green" buildings of any city east of the Mississippi.
Transportation: The transportation sector in the Northeast represents the single largest source of CO2 emissions. Pennsylvania adopted California’s vehicle emissions standards, which will require emissions reductions of 30 percent below 2002 levels by 2016, beginning with the 2008 model year (with implementation contingent upon an EPA ruling).
 
For more information and to view the full report, including state-specific information for all the northeastern states as well as a new solutions feature, visit www.climatechoices.org/ne. For more information on PennFuture’s Cool Pennsylvania Campaign to stop global warming here at home, visit our Web site. There you can also make a donation to support this critical work. As always, we welcome your questions and comments. Simply e-mail us at podcast (at) pennfuture (dot) org, or click on the "Comments" link below.

Cloud Cult, the band that will make you want to go green, heads out on tour next month and are stopping by Philadelphia to headline the MusEcology Concert for GreenFest Philly, a huge festival held on Sun., Sept. 9. This independent band with a self-created record label, Earthology Records, has been hitting the top 10 […]

Environment Meetups > The Philadelphia Environment Meetup Group

A Seminar in Socially and Environmentally Responsible Investing

Now at four locations!

? On Friday, July 13th at 7 PM the seminar will be held in Lionville/Exton at the Lionville Pharmacy located at 309 Gordon Dr. in Lionville, PA 19341.

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? On Tuesday, July 17th at 6:30 PM the seminar will be held in Philadelphia at Kaffa Crossing located at 4423 Chestnut St. in Philadelphia, PA 19104.

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? On Thursday, July 194h at 6:30 PM the seminar will be held in Lansdale at the offices of Apollo Financial Services at 100 West Main Street, Suite 404, Lansdale, PA 19446.

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? On Thursday, July 264h at 6:30 PM the seminar will be held in Doylestown at the Bucks County Coffee House (in the basement meeting room) located at 22 N. Main St. in Doylestown, PA 18901.

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? Hosted by James Cox and Scott Hall of Apollo Financial Services, a seminar will be presented on socially and environmentally responsible investing. Learn how to financially benefit from the coming ?Green Revolution”. Jim and Scott are Registered Representatives who specialize in socially and environmentally responsible investing. The presentation will consist of a power point demonstration on the benefits of SRI strategies for individuals and business owners. Apollo is in the process of setting up several environmentally responsible 401k plans for local businesses. There will be a discussion afterwards. Check listings for a seminar nearest you!

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For reservations call 267-498-0350 or email jcox@fwg.com or shall@fwg.com .

Philadelphia, PA 19147 - USA

Tuesday, July 17 at 6:30 PM

Attending: 0

Details: http://environment.meetup.com/228/calendar/5987687/

In the last minute budget madness that overtakes Harrisburg every year at this time, Rendell this week suggested taking $40 million from state land preservation funds to pay for toxic site cleanup (full story):
Both the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund and the Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund (commonly known as HASCA) need to be “fully […]

Buy Fresh Buy Local Week Kick-Off Event at Yards Brewing Company
2439 Amber Street, Philadelphia, PA
Sunday, July 15
2:00pm - 6:30pm
All Local Ingredient Cheese Steaks (Pastured Beef and Veg. Options) * Hand
Crafted Ales * Live Music * Dunk Local Food Leaders in Dunk Tank!
This 5th annual celebration will kick off an incredible week […]

Interested in local food? Love fresh fruit at the height of the season? Need a fun way to get out of Dodge?
Then come join the Fair Food family for a day on the farm!
2007 Fair Food Farm Tour Series
U-Pick for Buy Fresh Buy Local Week
Saturday, July 14 | 9:30-2:30
Overbrook Herb Farm & Willow Creek Orchards
Lansdale […]