On January 19th, 2006, the Forum held its first event - Session 1 of the Forum, " Life and Breath in the Big City: Philadelphia's Air in the 21st Century".
Guest speakers included keynote speaker Brian Castelli from the Alliance to Save Energy; and speakers Joe Minott from the Clean Air Action; Morris Fine from the City's Air Management Division; and Penn transportation engineering professor Dr. Vukan Vuchic.
Brian gave us an overall picture of the links between air, energy and transportation worldwide; and how current policies and proposed changes would affect our future. Joe gave an impassioned plea for a change in policies. Morris described the current condition of the air quality in Philadelphia, and the measures currently being implemented to bring the City into attainment for the 2 pollutants in non-attainment status: ozone and PM 2.5 (fine particulate matter). Finally, Dr. Vuchic showed how our transportation policy affects air, energy usage, and most importantly our quality of life. He also showed alternatives that have been successful in other parts of the world, from Portland, Oregon; to New York City; to Germany and Japan.
For more details, please see their bios and powerpoint presentations at our website: http://www.sustainablephiladelphia.com/forums/jan19.html
Now, we want to hear from YOU !!!
What did you think? Did you agree or completely disagree with some of the suggestions our panelists had? And, perhaps most important, what should the Forum select as its # 1 Priority in the arena of Air, Energy, and Transportation?
Please let us know! (And please be civil in your responses)
Guest speakers included keynote speaker Brian Castelli from the Alliance to Save Energy; and speakers Joe Minott from the Clean Air Action; Morris Fine from the City's Air Management Division; and Penn transportation engineering professor Dr. Vukan Vuchic.
Brian gave us an overall picture of the links between air, energy and transportation worldwide; and how current policies and proposed changes would affect our future. Joe gave an impassioned plea for a change in policies. Morris described the current condition of the air quality in Philadelphia, and the measures currently being implemented to bring the City into attainment for the 2 pollutants in non-attainment status: ozone and PM 2.5 (fine particulate matter). Finally, Dr. Vuchic showed how our transportation policy affects air, energy usage, and most importantly our quality of life. He also showed alternatives that have been successful in other parts of the world, from Portland, Oregon; to New York City; to Germany and Japan.
For more details, please see their bios and powerpoint presentations at our website: http://www.sustainablephiladelphia.com/forums/jan19.html
Now, we want to hear from YOU !!!
What did you think? Did you agree or completely disagree with some of the suggestions our panelists had? And, perhaps most important, what should the Forum select as its # 1 Priority in the arena of Air, Energy, and Transportation?
Please let us know! (And please be civil in your responses)
posted by Spencer Finch at 10:59 AM
8 Comments:
I was very impressed with the first forum and look forward to seeing how the entire series helps us identify ways to improve the overall sustainability of Philadelphia.
These forums are very exciting! Having been involved with the Alliance for a Sustainable Future here in Philly for 5 years, I am thrilled to see this coming into being. What a great coalition is evolving. Thanks to DVGBC and the Academy of Natural Sciences for getting this started.
As part of NativeEnergy, I am also very pleased that we could contribute by helping to "climate neutralize" the greenhouse gas impacts of the series.
The water program was the first I attended and I learned a great deal but reviewing the schedule, I find that there is an elephant in the room that is being ignored.....energy. Our city and its region import virtually all of our energy, from greater or lesser distances. Of course our oil and natural gas come from thousands of miles away, and our electricity comes from a variety of distances. Coal fired plants are probably the most local, but the percent that comes from local or regional sustainables is negligible. Why is there not an event focused on energy flows in the region and how to reduce/localize them? I for one would like to know the amount of energy we consume locally, its source breakdown, end use (lighting, transport, home/building heat), how much could potentially be reduced or substituted by technological improvements, retrofitting of existing building stock, etc.
Obviously upgrading our water and air quality, as well as reducing solid waste have energy inputs, which are mitigated by the extent to which we reduce water consumption, pollutant generation, and solid waste production.
The forum is putting together ideas for future programs. What would people like us to address. We acknowledge the need to address energy and expect to focus on that in an upcoming program. What other issues should be explore?
I posted this on April 29, 2006
Thanks for the past several months of events - I believe this series has done more to enervate a variety of people than any other such - of course, times have changed, eh?
KEY IS WHAT WILL MOVE US FORWARD - TOGETHER.
I have asked ever more widely for a summit of leaders beyond the 'sustainability' folk, to create an agressive agenda for turning this region into a truly integrated system of systems. It is all about economics, individual-group motivations, language used to express how the world 'is'.
With George Hoguet and others we have a working model for a collaboration tool to get this going: cross-disciplinary, leadership and layman led, ongoing, self-adjusting, facilitated by trained civic dialogue folk from the east coast interested in fostering this future.
What say all? Can we create a constructive meeting ground to get this regional sustainability dialogue structured and working?
Bill Marston
267-304-4193 this weekend
I posted this on April 29, 2006
Thanks for the past several months of events - I believe this series has done more to enervate a variety of people than any other such - of course, times have changed, eh?
KEY IS WHAT WILL MOVE US FORWARD - TOGETHER.
I have asked ever more widely for a summit of leaders beyond the 'sustainability' folk, to create an agressive agenda for turning this region into a truly integrated system of systems. It is all about economics, individual-group motivations, language used to express how the world 'is'.
With George Hoguet and others we have a working model for a collaboration tool to get this going: cross-disciplinary, leadership and layman led, ongoing, self-adjusting, facilitated by trained civic dialogue folk from the east coast interested in fostering this future.
What say all? Can we create a constructive meeting ground to get this regional sustainability dialogue structured and working?
Bill Marston
267-304-4193 this weekend
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Very interesting discourse. How do those of us who are just simple Philadelphians get our leaders to act on the issues discussed short of chaining ourselves to city hall or the capitol in Harrisburg?
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