Tuesday, February 24, 2009

First Lady promotes local food...

We were thrilled to read this quote from Michelle Obama. It was published in a New York Times article about the First Lady visiting the White House kitchen with some culinary students:

The first lady took the opportunity to put in a pitch for local and sustainable food and for healthy eating, a recurring theme of hers during the campaign and since she arrived in Washington.

When food is grown locally, she said, “oftentimes it tastes really good, and when you’re dealing with kids, you want to get them to try that carrot.”

“If it tastes like a real carrot, and it’s really sweet, they’re going to think that it’s a piece of candy,” she continued. “So my kids are more inclined to try different vegetables if they are fresh and local and delicious.”


If you want to read the entire article we have posted it here.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Follow-up to previous post - Van Jones on Green Jobs and Taking America Forward...

The event held at West Chester University on February 5th (mentioned in the previous post) resulted in an excellent article in the Philadelphia Inquirer - which not only highlights the growth of the green collar economy but also mentions a local Kennett Square business! And doubly-exciting was to see that this article (linked here) made its way on to the Press Page of the Green For All website - the organization founded by social and environmental activist, Van Jones. Go Pennsylvania!

While on the Green for All website and blog I stumbled across the recap from the February 4 - 6 Good Jobs, Green Jobs conference sponsored by the Blue Green Alliance and held in Washington, D.C. and couldn't help but watch the plenary speech delivered by Jones. If you have never had a chance to hear him speak, I highly recommend watching the video (below). Sadly the image gets cropped in an odd way (you can go to the blog to view it in its entirety), but really it's his words and wisdom that are worth listening to and being inspired by - so if you have about 15 minutes to spare, please watch Van Jones talking about "taking America forward"...

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

A Green February

It looks like February is the new April (despite what the groundhog indicated), it might not be so warm outside, but there is definitely an exciting greening taking place. Below is a listing of Green Events:

The Wild and Scenic Film Festival, Thursday Feb. 12th (see previous post)

A Green February at WCU

Pennsylvania Green Economy Forum

On Thursday, February 5th at 7pm at West Chester University, the Sierra Club is joining other local environmental groups to host a forum on green jobs, the federal economic stimulus package, and our economy.

Get the most up to date information about how the pending economic stimulus package can create green jobs in Pennsylvania and protect our environment.

Experts including former Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Kathleen McGinty will be in attendance.

Make sure to RSVP for the Green Economy Forum as soon as possible.
What: PA Green Economy Forum
When: Thursday, February 5th
Time: 7:00 PM-9:00 PM
Where: Sykes Student Union-Ballroom, West Chester University, 110 W. Rosedale Ave. West Chester, PA

Local and national organizations are coming together to show concerned Pennsylvanians how we can fight global warming while forging a clean energy economy. This includes efforts to use the federal economic stimulus package to fund "ready to go" clean energy and public transit projects, which will significantly reduce global warming pollution and create jobs.

Former DEP Secretary Kathleen McGinty will speak about her work on these initiatives, including her current work at Element LLC, a private equity firm investing in clean technology companies. Ms. McGinty's opening remarks will be followed by a panel discussion with local leaders from the environmental, labor, and business communities.

February 24th & 25th____________________________
Environmental Sustainability across WCU
featuring Mitch Thomashow
Dr. Mitch Thomashow is a noted author and the President of Unity College, an environmental liberal arts college in Maine. Prior to his arrival in Maine, he served as Chair of the Department of Environmental Studies and Associate Dean for Institutional Advancement at the Antioch New England Graduate School in Keene, New Hampshire. His most recent book entitled Bringing the Biosphere Home, is a guide for learning how to perceive global environmental change. In 1995, Thomashow published Ecological Identity: Becoming a Reflective Environmentalist, a guide for teachers, educators, and concerned citizens that incorporates issues of citizenship, ecological identity, and civic responsibility within the framework of environmental studies.
Tuesday, February 24th
3:00 – 4:00pm “Leading Change: Integrating Sustainability Across the Curriculum”
Faculty Forum: Philips Board Room
4:15 – 5:15pm “Students Creating a Sustainable Future: Stories from Unity College”
Student Forum: Sykes, Ballroom 4
7:30 – 9:00pm “Bringing the Biosphere Home, Bringing the Amazon Home”
Public Lecture w/ the ACEER Foundation: Schmucker Science Center Auditorium
Wednesday, February 25th
9:00 – 11:00am “Integrating the Environment and Sustainability into the West Chester University Curriculum” Faculty Workshop: FHGreen Library 409
FREE and Open to All
For more information contact Dr. Paul Morgan (pmorgan@wcupa.edu) 610-436-6945

The Academy of Natural Sciences Town Square:
Town Square is a series of lectures, forums, and panel discussions bringing together experts, stakeholders, and the public for serious discussions of critical environmental and scientific topics. Town Square is now part of the Center for Environmental Policy.

The Dominant Animal: Human Evolution and the Environment in the Obama Administration
When: Thursday, February 5th; 5:30pm - 7:00pm
Where: The Academy of Natural Sciences
1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Cost: FREE

Dr. Paul Ehrlich (Bing Professor of Population Studies, Stanford University) one of the world's most eminent environmental scientists and writers will be speaking at the Academy of Natural Sciences, highlighting his new book 'The Dominant Animal: Human Evolution and the Environment'. The focus of this most recent work is on learning how humans can learn from our evolutionary past to adapt in ways that safeguard the natural environment.

Dr. Ehrlich is an outspoken advocate of conservation and environmental protection. His controversial 1968 book Population Bomb, sparked a global debate that continues today on overpopulation and famine.

Dr Ehrlich has been at Stanford University for almost half a century at Stanford University, and has held the Bing Professorship of Population Studies there since 1977. He has been both an active scientific investigator, specializing in the study of butterfly populations and biodiversity, and an environmental activist. He has authored dozens of books and hundreds of articles, and has won numerous awards, including the Tyler Prize and a MacArthur Prize Fellowship ("genius award").