Groceries, Architecture and Ice Cream

Last Friday Repower Pennsylvania visited three small businesses in downtown Lancaster. On a chilly, but otherwise pleasant day, we met with grocers specializing in local foods, an architect specializing in building preservation and efficiency, and an ice cream shop that uses local dairy and produce and serves its frozen treats in environmentally-safe containers.

While the businesses we stopped at are quite different from each other, they are all leaders in Lancaster's small business community in providing examples of energy efficiency, clean energy investment and economic growth in tough times. Repower Pennsylvania Director Michael Fedor thanked each business' owners for their commitment to sustainable, energy-efficient practices that are good for the climate and the economy.

First up was Expressly Local, a relatively new grocery spawned from a blog and email list about local food. Lancaster, of course, is the hub of Pennsylvania's Amish population, and Expressly Local's owners Cheryl Young and Kharran Cattell have provided that community and other local food-producers with an outlet to sell their products. Many, but not all of the items sold by Expressly Local are labeled organic, but in the fight to make our food energy-efficient, more important is how much energy is consumed in producing, transporting and selling the food. As Cheryl put it, "organic doesn't always mean sustainable."

But the items Cheryl and Kharran sell are chemical-free and are made within a 100-mile radius of the store, significantly cutting down on fuel and transportation costs while providing meat, dairy, produce and dried goods that taste great and help grow the local economy. By fostering relationships with their suppliers, Cheryl and Kharran are helping their business and that of regional farmers.



After thanking Cheryl and Kharran for their work, we did a little shopping. Our communications director bought some smoked cheddar, a pound of locally-roasted coffee, two bars of homemade soap, and a pint of applesauce, which was later eaten in one sitting.

Next up was Community Heritage Partners and its principal Eugene Aleci, an architect focusing on preserving old buildings and making them more energy efficient. This is a relatively young trend in architecture and planning, as "15 years ago, no one knew what sustainable or green was" as Gene put it. In Gene's line of work, it is far more energy-efficient to renovate an existing building than embark on new construction. His designs have been put to use in redeveloping public spaces not just in Lancaster, but around the Northeastern United States including Portland, Maine. And as a leader of the Susquehanna Sustainable Business Network, Gene collaborates with other businesses in south-central Pennsylvania to foster clean energy usage and greater energy efficiency.



Our final stop was Carmen and David's Creamery, a one-year-old ice cream shop that serves premium ice cream made in-store from fresh, locally-purchased dairy and produce. (Some ingredients, like chocolate, need to be brought in from tropical locales.) They also serve fruit smoothies using local dairy and produce when possible. Their products are served in corn-based cups, plates and bowls that decompose within days, avoiding the lasting pollution of Styrofoam and other non-biodegradable materials.

David Hommel told us that after a long career in the furniture industry, he and his wife opened the Creamery as a "retirement business" but with an emphasis on buying local ingredients and supplies that minimize the shop's environmental impact. "We strive to be a local model for small, sustainable businesses that support our community," David told us. The Hommels are also getting quite involved with Repower Pennsylvania, hosting Friday-evening get-togethers and sporting our logo in their front door:



"Being clean-energy conscious is not a marketing tool," David said. "It's just our commitment."

After the conversation, the five of us from Repower bought some ice cream and hot chocolate, both of which were delicious.



Business practices like purchasing renewable energy, using locally-produced supplies and reducing waste don’t just benefit the climate. These actions and others are making real differences for these companies’ customers, employees and financial bottom lines. Repower Pennsylvania is proud to have them as partners in building the political will to transition to a clean energy economy. Together we can show that any business can be a green business that helps restore our environment and our economy.

Operation Free Goes to Copenhagen

Back in October Operation Free, a group of veterans of the wars of Iraq and Afghanistan, traveled through Pennsylvania as part of a cross-country bus tour in support of clean energy for national security.

This week Operation Free touched down in Copenhagen to attend the 15th United Nations Conference on Climate Change.

From their press release:

A delegation of US military veterans will travel to the climate conference in Copenhagen next week to highlight the national and global security threats posed by climate change and America’s dependence on foreign energy. These veterans bring personal stories and a front-lines perspective to the national security threat, a vital and oft-overlooked aspect of the ongoing negotiations. Most of the veterans served during the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Hailing from ten different states and three branches of the military, they will hold press events, meet with members of the US delegation, and relay their experiences as members of the US military to an international audience. The veterans will highlight that:

• Global action is necessary for global security because climate change makes the world a more dangerous place. In the parlance of the military, it is a threat multiplier, helping create safe havens and breeding grounds for terrorists when unstable countries collapse under the weight of the droughts, famines, and floods caused by climate change. Preventing climate change means protecting us and our allies from having to fight future conflicts.

• The world needs a united front in the face of this common threat. It is time for real teamwork, where every nation can be part of a win-win solution for everyone. America needs to set the right example, look to the future, and lead by example in the face of this global security threat.

• Depending on one or two sources of energy makes a nation vulnerable. Veterans know that it is dangerous to depend on unfriendly nations for the resources we need to run the economy. This is true of America, and of other nations. For example, in America, oil is a worry. In Europe, it is common to worry about natural gas supplies. It’s time for all nations to take control of our energy future.
The veterans hail from the following states: Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, South Dakota, Virginia, and West Virginia.

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Operation Free also posted these photos from their trip to Copenhagen:



For more on Operation Free, visit their Web site at www.operationfree.net or follow them on Twitter @operationFREE

A Clean Energy Makeover

When you think of a green business, you may not immediately think of a hair salon, but one Central Pennsylvania business is making “green” about more than the bottom line.

A few weeks ago, one of our field organizers met Kelly Deardorff-Palumbo, owner of the Halo Hair Salon in Shiremanstown, just a few minutes from Harrisburg. Deardorff-Palumbo is using clean energy and protecting the climate all while ensuring her customers look fabulous.

Halo Hair Design is setting an environmental example by treating its customers' with organic and nontoxic products, hair reusing furniture and flooring from a previous tenant of its location, and making plans to invest in solar energy in 2010.

“We have remodeled completely to our needs, green and eco-friendly and are trying to make a small difference just by changing things,” Deardorff-Palumbo said.

Halo Hair Design also reduces its energy consumption and costs by maximizing usage of natural light supplemented by energy-efficient light bulbs in every fixture. Palumbo is currently making plans to conduct an energy audit and to install solar panels to make her business more energy independent.

Repower Pennsylvania is highlighting small businesses that are making the transition now to more sustainable practices that are better for the environment and improve the bottom line in the long-run.

And check out Deardorff-Palumbo's video from the Repower Wall, filmed in front of a shelf of her environmentally and financially friendly hair care products:

Governor Rendell is on the Repower Wall

Governor Ed Rendell recently recorded a video for the Repower Wall, a project to collect voices across the country in support of clean energy and climate protection.

In the governor’s words, “Climate change threatens virtually every aspect of our lives. America needs smart effective policies that reduce global warming pollution, put our people back to work and make us less vulnerable to foreign nations for our energy needs. Up till now, states like Pennsylvania have been leading the way... Our efforts to reduce greenhouse gases will cut our carbon emissions to 5 percent below year 2000 levels....If America gets real about climate change and developing more renewables, we can create 1.7 million green collar jobs, about 70,000 of which will be here in Pennsylvania.

“If we miss this opportunity we’ll be setting America back. And instead of leading the world, we’ll be following nations like China and India and we’ll be buying clean technologies from their companies, not ours. And unless we curb our addiction to oil, we’ll just continue sending billions of dollars to the Middle East every year. That’s not a way to prosperity or national security. Americans have the know-how to become energy independent. Our leaders just need the political will and courage to unleash those talents. America’s global competitiveness and ability to withstand future economic downturns depend on our willingness to take bold steps to address these issues. The time to act is now because we can’t afford to sit back and wait. Otherwise, this opportunity is going to pass us by.”

As scientists and world leaders meet in Copenhagen, Repower Pennsylvania is continuing to build the political will and broad support for clean energy and climate protection action that the Governor talked about in his message. It’s also worth mentioning that Governor Rendell is the first governor of any state to add his voice to this project that now boasts over 30,000 messages to our leaders in Washington in support of comprehensive energy and climate reform.

Governor Rendell’s video is available at: http://www.repoweramerica.org/wall/#/view/28615

You can also view the Governor's message right here:

Repowering Edinboro University

The Green Energy Fair was an event at Edinboro University, organized by first-year student M. Robert Marks. Exhibitors included non-profit organizations and businesses from the clean energy industry. The day was bracketed by a series of workshops on everything from renewable energy sources to energy efficiency.

The Green Energy Fair was part of the larger "Green Energy Week" initiative at Edinboro, which included film screenings, demonstrations and test-drives of hybrid vehicles, a speech by "No Impact Man" Colin Beavan, a "Green Energy Job panel" and more.

Pittsburgh to Senators Specter and Casey: Support Clean Energy Jobs

For Immediate Release: December 1, 2009
Contact: Benjamin Freed, Repower Pennsylvania, 917-903-3031, benjamin.freed@climateprotect.org
Randy Francisco, Sierra Club, 412-802-6161, randy.francisco@sierraclub.org

PITTSBURGH, PA — Continuing its partnership with Repower America, the Sierra Club and the Blue-Green Alliance, the Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday declared its support for swift and comprehensive clean energy and climate federal legislation. In a unanimous resolution, the City Council urged the passage of the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act in the U.S. Senate and called on Senators Arlen Specter and Bob Casey to be strong advocates for its passage.

“Pittsburgh, with its strong industrial base, built the economy of the 20th century, and if the Senate takes action, we will have the opportunity to create the clean energy economy of the 21st century,” said Councilmember Bill Peduto. “This resolution will send the message to Senators Casey and Specter that our city is ready to lead the way in rebuilding our economy with 78,000 jobs for Pennsylvania, restoring our climate by reducing carbon emissions and becoming energy independent by ending our harmful dependence on foreign oil.”

Earlier this year, the Pittsburgh City Council declared August 3 “Repower America Day.” Since opening its doors in the Lawrenceville neighborhood, Repower Pennsylvania has educated and engaged thousands of Pittsburgh residents about solutions to the climate crisis that can create millions of new jobs, hasten our economic recovery, and strengthen our national security. Repower Pennsylvania partnered with the Blue Green Alliance in September for a clean energy jobs rally in Pittsburgh that drew thousands.

“This resolution is a bold step forward in the movement for clean energy and climate protection,” said Repower Pennsylvania Director Michael Fedor. “The City of Pittsburgh is recognizing its opportunity to lead Pennsylvania and the United States in the creation of a new clean energy economy that will put us back to work, protect our climate for future generations, and make us safer and more secure. I hope other cities around Pennsylvania follow Pittsburgh’s example and tell Senators Casey and Specter to support clean energy jobs that will put America back in control of its economic and energy future.”