Representatives from business, faith, and sportsmen's groups joined public health officials this week in calling on Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senators to support a bill in Congress that would reduce carbon emissions and take steps to curtail climate change.

A debate on the Climate Security Act is scheduled to begin June 2 with a vote expected in the upcoming weeks.

"Stopping global warming is not only vital for the environmental future of our planet, it is important for businesses and jobs here in Pennsylvania," said Gary Sheehan, Regional Operations Manager for SunTechnics Energy Systems, Inc. "Using domestic rather than imported energy sources and finding innovative ways to use clean renewable resources to keep businesses and our economy growing here at home."

Speaking in Philadelphia's Love Park in front of a crowd of children, parents, and other supporters, representatives of various faiths talked about the need to protect the planet for future generations.

"People of all faiths recognize we cannot destroy our world, which is God's creation," said Rabbi Shawn Zevit of the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation. "It is our duty to protect what has been given to us, make sure God's abundance and beauty in nature is available for our children, and to teach our children about their responsibility to care for our planet.

Rabbi Zevit was joined by Sister Mary Hamm of the Sisters of Saint Joseph in Philadelphia.

The bi-partisan Climate Security Act, co-sponsored by Senators Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and John Warner (R-VA), would require reductions of carbon emissions, primarily responsible for global warming, by 2 percent a year through 2050. Though scientists say we need to reduce our carbon emissions by approximately 80 percent by 2050 if we are to avoid adverse impacts from a warming planet, the Climate Security Act is a strong first step in the right direction with its mandatory emission reductions.

The bill would spur job creation by rewarding innovations in the marketplace to reduce pollution. A cap and trade policy would allow companies that cannot economically reach their required pollution reduction numbers to buy credits from other firms that exceed their mandated cuts.

"The rising cost of energy is straining our economy, and traditional fossil fuel energy resources are increasingly scarce, expensive and impacted by international political volatility," said Joseph Otis Minott, Clean Air Council Executive Director. "We need new approaches to meet our growing energy demands with solutions that protect our environment. Passage of the Climate Security Act will send a clear signal that will ultimately jumpstart America's entrepreneurial forces and allow the market to develop innovative and sustainable solutions for a cleaner, safer future.

New investments in clean energy such as wind, solar, and other renewable sources are already creating new, quality jobs for Pennsylvanians. In 2006, the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries generated 8.5 million jobs and nearly $970 billion revenue in America.

"William Penn called his land Penn's Woods almost 330 years ago because of the natural beauty he saw here," said John Johnson, a sportsman and member of the Valley Forge Chapter of Trout Unlimited. "Today, millions of Pennsylvania sportsmen and visitors enjoy this great outdoors for many different activities. But, sportsmen are already seeing alarming changes in wildlife habitat which will threaten hunting, fishing, camping, and just enjoying the outdoors if we don't stop global warming."

Every year, sportsmen spend $3 billion in the Pennsylvania and support some 50,000 jobs. Nearly 80 percent of sportsmen polled in the state recognize climate change is happening and there is an urgent problem that needs immediate action. So far, 63 Pennsylvania hunting and fishing groups, fly shop owners, and sportsmen's guides have joined over 700 other groups from all 50 states in sending a letter to PA Senators and other elected officials in Congress urging immediate action on global warming.

"Higher temperatures from global warming affect us all by increasing ozone pollution, another name for smog," said Walter Tsou, former Philadelphia City Health Commissioner. "Ozone is a very harmful pollutant created by vehicle and factory emissions that is exacerbated by the heat and damages lung tissue. Even a healthy person may experience chest pains, nausea, and pulmonary congestion when exposed to high levels of ozone."

"The time is now for us to take action to stop global warming," added Sheehan. "And the time is now for Pennsylvania citizens to contact PA Senators and urge them to support the Climate Security Act, for the environmental protection and economic well being of our state."

5/30/2008