Some 20 community leaders, members and business owners came together last week to deliver a passionate and unified message in support of cleaner energy and reduced dependence on fossil fuels.
Urging policymakers to take action on these issues, each presenter had a few minutes to share concerns and ideas on topics such as climate change, the economy, shale gas, energy efficiency and natural disasters.
Held at the Schlow Centre Region Library and hosted by the National Wildlife Federation, the press conference featured State College Mayor Elizabeth Goreham; Charles Dumas, former Democratic candidate for the 5th Congressional District; representatives from Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light, Sierra Club Moshannon Group Chair Gary Thornbloom; and others.
Ed Perry, an aquatic biologist working on the NWF’s clean energy and climate change campaign, said the NWF called the press conference to attract attention to the lack of activity on climate change coming from Washington, D.C.
“Despite the president repeatedly talking about the need to take action on climate change, his rhetoric has not been marked by enough action,” he said. “For example, his (Environmental Protection Agency) missed a court-appointed deadline to finalize the rule restricting carbon emissions from new power plants. And we haven’t even begun tackling emissions from existing power plants, and now we hear the president is leaning towards approving the Keystone pipeline, bringing some of the dirtiest oil on the planet to market.”
Perry said given the threat climate change poses to future generations, the group in attendance call on the president to embark on a “man on the moon” type of effort to break dependence on fossil fuels and begin the process of moving to clean, renewable energy.
Goreham, who introduced herself as a member of the Pennsylvania Native Plant Society and an organic gardener, said State College declared itself a “Climate Protection Community” in 2007.
“Our neighborhoods in State College are eager and willing to make needed changes,” she said. “But we cannot do it alone. (Not) by a long shot.”
Goreham said a year ago the EPA issued a draft of a long-awaited rule regarding carbon dioxide — the first restrictions on climate-changing gases from power plants.
“Despite the fact this rule enjoys broad based public support, in April, the same month CO2 levels reached new high levels in our atmosphere, (the) EPA announced it would delay putting the new rule into effect because of objections from the electric power industry,” she said.
Goreham said it is time elected officials at every level, and especially in Washington, D.C., “step up to the plate.”
“Reducing greenhouse emissions is good for everybody,” she continued. “Meeting challenges is part of what makes our country great.”
Dumas, referencing the latest election for Pennsylvania’s 5th Congressional District, said he has joined the press conference to give voice to the “over a hundred thousand votes” he received.
“Many tend to think global warming is primarily an issue for the middle class, academics, environmental activists … nothing could be further from the truth. Those most affected by climate change are poor, working class people, often from black and brown families,” he said.
Dumas urged those in attendance to recall the images of victims from the latest climate disasters, including Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Sandy and the Oklahoma tornadoes.
“Portraits of disaster are the pictures of our poor white, black and brown neighbors,” he said. “While the parasitic polluters in U.S. industry try to polarize the situation by claiming they are creating jobs for the unemployed, what they are really doing is poisoning our planet which affects all the people, all the time, both in the present and for our progeny.”
Bob Potter, former executive director of the Centre County Community Foundation, said because of inaction of leaders on climate change, “we are leaving a horrible legacy to future generations.”
“We are leaving a vastly changed environment, one that will make every aspect of life on earth altered for the worse for all people, plants and animals — forever,” he said.
Potter said he implores elected officials to recognize the “dire reality” of human-generated climate change, and to “lead immediately and decisively in the direction of a fossil fuel-free future.”
“We all must do our part,” he said, “but if our leaders don’t take strong action on climate change, they are guilty of leaving a devastating and deadly legacy to the future.”
Thornbloom agreed that climate disruption is a threat to everyday lives and to the future. He said it is more than temperature change; it is about disrupting the basic weather patterns that affect nearly every aspect in people’s lives.
“We already see unprecedented droughts and wildfires, record-breaking heat and melting glaciers,” he said. “The time to fight climate disruption is now.”
Bill Sharp, founder and director of the Transition Center in State College, said sustainable economic growth is an oxymoron.
“We must ask: what is it about non-renewable energy that our policymakers do not understand?”
Sharp said it’s important to change the minds of the voters who “change what happens here in our own community.”
Art Heim, executive director at Discovery Space, said global leaders must apply intellect, and must be responsible for the next generation. The future of children and their children are “dependent on the decisions we make today.”
Other speakers on Monday included: Dr. Elizabeth Crisfield, climate change biographer; Dr. Ray Najjar, professor of oceanography at Penn State; Mark Henry, member of the PA Federation of Sportsman’s Clubs; Peter Morris, of the State College Borough Council; Elaine Meder-Wilgus, owner of Webster’s Bookstore Café; Steve Sywensky, owner of Fly Fishers Paradise in State College; Martha Hoffman, owner of Inglebean Coffee House; Cricket Hunter, director of PA Interfaith Power & Light; Jason Grottini, director of operations and development at Envinity, Inc.; sportsman Bob Andronici; Sylvia Neely, board member of the PA Interfaith Power & Light; parent Jon Brockopp; and Sue Smith, of the Centre County League of Women Voters.
