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PennFuture conference will explore the effect of global warming on Southwestern PA

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Chances are you have a clear idea about how climate change could affect the planet. But have you considered how dangerously increasing heat will feel in your own backyard–or your town, county, region, or state? Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future will focus on such local and statewide isues in its fourth annual conference on global warming for Southwestern Pennsylvanians, which will be held at the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens on Sunday, March 29.

The general public is invited, and some 20 regional organizations working to involve citizens in the discussion will also participate, with many of them offering a way for individuals to become better informed and identify actions to reduce one’s personal carbon footprint while becoming more active on behalf of public policy to support the goals of sustainability.

“We already have 100 people registered,” says Sharon Pillar, southwestern Pennsylvania’s global warming outreach coordinator for PennFuture. “We are having a strong response for this stage in our planning. So we are pretty optimistic that we will reach capacity.”

The keynote speaker, Jerome Ringo, president of the Apollo Alliance, a national coalition of business and environmental organizations working on green jobs, global warming, and clean energy, will be the keynote speaker. Emphasizing the impact of green technology, the Apollo Alliance recently reported on the potential of green technology to create 40,000 of jobs in Pennsylvania–with York (4,915), Berks (5,305), Lancaster (3,273), Allegheny (2,295), Montgomery (2,434), Erie (2,833), and Lehigh (2,039) counties having the highest concentrations.

Jim Thorne, senior director of science for the National Lands Trust, will present a report by the Union of Concerned Scientists on the range of impacts global warming could have in Pennsylvania based upon several scenarios.

Also, federal, state, and local legislative updates will be presented as a channel for participants who wish to become active in the issue. The program will begin at 1:30 p.m. and last until 6 p.m.

“There will be plenty of information to get people involved,” Pillar says.

Source: Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future, Sharon Pillar
Writer: Joseph Plummer

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