Millbourne Borough, A Local Community Led By A Sierra Club Volunteer, Wins DVRPC's Air Quality Partnership Award

Millbourne Borough was honored to receive Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission's (DVRPC) Air Quality Partnership Award on Wednesday, May 15th, 2013. Speakers included Jeanette MacNeille, Millbourne Borough Council President, Bill McCune, President of Delaware County Memorial Hospital, Sue Edwards of the Sierra Club's Pennsylvania Clean Air Campaign, John McBlain, Commissioner to DVRPC and Sean Greene, Senior Planner at DVRPC.

Many actions led to this award. The Borough planted 160 trees last year with support from PENNVEST and Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, Natural Lands Trust and PECO, bought and upgraded its street light system resulting in estimated savings of $105,000 over 6 years and 20% reduction in energy use, and developed a transit-oriented plan for an 18-acre lot near the Millbourne Station on the Market-Frankford EL.

In the future, the Borough and Millbourne businesses will fly Air Alert flags at Millbourne Borough Hall, Wister Drive Park, and Millbourne Train Station to let neighbors know that they should take steps to avoid adding ozone and particulates on days when air pollution is bad.

The award was accepted by Mayor Tom Kramer and Borough Council President Jeanette MacNeille in honor of all the children of Millbourne, who represent our future and need clean air to breathe.

Sierra Club House Party/Meeting Sunday May 19th

To all my environmental friends,

The local Sierra Club group seeks creative ways to get out its message about the need for clean energy (efficiency and solar and wind power) to replace dirty fossil fuels. Recently we held a mock tug-of-war near Independence Mall between Fossil Fuel Fat Cats and supporters of Clean Green Energy. It was lots of fun while having a serious message for President Obama about the need for bold action to follow up on his words supporting clean energy.

You are invited to a Sierra Club House Party/Meeting.

Join like-minded people at my home and hear an update of the Sierra Club's 100-day plan. Find out what's planned ahead and how, if you'd like, you can help or be involved.

We will have refreshments (finger foods) wine, coffee and if anyone cares to bring beer. Our last event was fun and informative.

WHEN: Sunday, May 19th
TIME: 2- 5 pm
WHERE:

527 Wartman Street
Phila PA 19128

Call 215-508-2532 or Email <maria.dilullo@gmail.com> to RSVP or for directions
Maria DiLullo

It’s Not My Fault: A Fictional Conversation About The Climate

It’s Not My Fault

J: It’s not my fault.

M: What’s not your fault?

J: Global warming. Climate change. Increasing air and ocean temperatures due to the increase of carbon based gases in our atmosphere and a global greenhouse effect.

M: No, it’s not your fault.

J: So why should I change my life? I didn’t create this car-centric world with gas stations all over the place; electricity that comes from burning coal and gas; heating my house with oil and gas. I didn’t choose it. This is the world I was born into. I’m just trying to live – get to work, heat and cool my house.

M: So that’s why you don’t want to deal with global warming? Because you are just a rat in a race that you didn’t endorse to begin with?

J: Yeah. I’m just a rat. How about a mouse, a cute brown mouse. I’m just looking for my piece of cheese.

M: But there is a problem. You seem to understand the problem, right? You said it yourself, the increase in CO2 in the atmosphere is causing the average global temperature to rise which is causing ice caps, permafrost and glaciers to melt at an unprecedented rate causing the oceans to rise and warm. Weather patterns and ocean acidity levels are going wacky. So there is a problem. Does it matter who’s fault it is, we need to fix it, don’t we?

J: But if I didn’t cause the problem, why should I have to fix it?

M: Did someone ask you to fix it?

J: Well, I’m as environmentally conscious as the next guy. I recycle. I don’t litter or pollute and I don’t like people or businesses that do. But now environmental groups are telling me to stop driving my car or buy bio-fuel and a special car that can burn it; weatherize my house and buy “green electricity”. If the problem is the fuel we burn, shouldn’t the energy companies fix the problem? I don’t know anything about this stuff. I’m just a consumer. A mouse.

M: Yes, the energy companies should fix the problem.

J: Then why don’t they?

M: Because they are making lot’s of money doing just what they are doing. Money is a very powerful motivator. And Billions of dollars a day is a lot of motivation.

J: But we’re talking about messing up our whole ecosystem. Potentially displacing millions of people and extinctions of marginalized species.

M: Yup.

J: Still, it’s not my fault, and it’s not obvious that it will affect me very much, at least not for a while.

 

M: I can hear the Exxon CEO saying the same thing. He’s just supplying a product that the people are demanding. Kind of like cocaine, except it’s all legal – even government subsidized.

J: Well if consumers are just doing what they do, and energy companies are just doing what they do, who’s going to solve this problem? Governments?

M: Ah

J: Ah? What’s ah? Don’t our elected officials have a responsibility to take the long view? Regulate pollution? Protect natural resources?

M: Yup.

J: Then why don’t they do it?

M: Who are you going to vote for, the candidate that advocates carbon emissions regulations, possibly new taxes on gas, oil and coal? Or the candidate that advocates cheaper energy, less regulations for business, more jobs that feed a better economy?

J: Well we do need more jobs. And my 401k is already hurting. I need to think about my future.

M: What’s that?

J: I need to think about my future.

M: Bingo. We all do. Climate change is not your fault, but it is your problem. And you are part of the solution. You have the power to: reduce your carbon footprint, send a message to energy companies that you want clean, renewable energy, and elect public officials that will make the hard decisions and protect our children’s future.

J: OK, I’ll try. Want some cheese?


Written by:
Jim Wylie
Sierra Club Volunteer
Chester County, PA
www.pennsylvania.sierraclub.org/chestercounty/