Penn State Center For Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training Seeks Input On Shaping Agenda For ACAP Ag Conservation Con 2025 In April

The Center For Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training at Penn State Extension is planning the Second Annual ACAP Ag Conservation Con for April 1-3, 2025 in Harrisburg. 

Whether you work for a County Conservation District, Government Agency, Tech Service Provider, or are an Independent Conservation Professional, the Center wants your input to shape the agenda for the conference. 

Please help us provide the best possible conference by suggesting presentations and field trips and submitting your presentation proposals. 

The survey will close on December 4, 2024. 

We appreciate you participating in this anonymous survey.

Visit the Penn State Extension  Center Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training  and Ag Conservation Con webpage for more information.

Upcoming Events

-- Upcoming Training & Events For Ag Conservationists

Resource Links:

-- Careers In Ag Conservation

-- Too Many Nutrients Are A Problem For Our Water

-- A Values And T Values: What Is That All About?  [Erosion]

-- Trees In Horse Pastures

-- What Influences Our Choices On Farm Safety?

(Reprinted from latest Ag Conservation Currents newsletter.  Click Here to sign up for your own copy (bottom of the page).)

[Posted: November 20, 2024]  PA Environment Digest

PA Recycling Markets Center Hosts Dec. 17 Webinar On Glass For A Sustainable Future

The Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center will host another in its Sustainable Materials Management webinar series December 17 on Glass For A Sustainable Future from 1:30 to 2:45 p.m.

Glass has proven to be a critically important material for the development of contemporary human civilization. 

Its influence continues to grow as new glass products and processes are developed to address global challenges in energy, the environment, healthcare, information technology, and more. 

Despite recent advances in glass science and technology, major challenges remain with respect to the sustainability of the glass industry, which generates more than 86 million tons of carbon dioxide annually.

After discussing the presenter’s own journey in glass from Corning, New York to Penn State University and reviewing some recent advances in glass physics and chemistry, we’ll peer into our glass (not “crystal”) ball to discuss future glass technologies for a more sustainable future. 

The latter part of the presentation will introduce LionGlass, Penn State’s patent-pending glass compositional family that offers an alternative to standard soda lime silicate glass for reducing the carbon footprint of the glass industry by ~50%.

LionGlass achieves this goal by lowering the melting temperature of everyday glass products by 400°C and eliminating the use of carbonate batch materials. 

LionGlass also offers 10× improvement in damage resistance compared to soda lime silicate, enabling the lightweighting of everyday glass products. 

The featured presenter is Dr. John C. Mauro is Dorothy Pate Enright Professor and Associate Head for Graduate Education in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at The Pennsylvania State University. 

John earned a B.S. in Glass Engineering Science (2001), B.A. in Computer Science (2001), and Ph.D. in Glass Science (2006), all from Alfred University.

He joined Corning Incorporated in 1999 and served in multiple roles there, including Senior Research Manager of the Glass Research department. 

John is the inventor or co-inventor of several new glass compositions for Corning, including Corning Gorilla® Glass products.

John joined the faculty at Penn State in 2017 and is currently a world-recognized expert in fundamental and applied glass science, statistical mechanics, computational and condensed matter physics, thermodynamics and kinetics, and the topology of disordered networks.

John is the author of over 380 peer-reviewed publications and is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the American Ceramic Society. 

He is co-author of Fundamentals of Inorganic Glasses, 3rd ed. (Elsevier, 2019), the definitive textbook on glass science and technology, and author of the newly published textbook, Materials Kinetics: Transport and Rate Phenomena (Elsevier, 2021).

John is a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors with 83 granted U.S. patents. John is also a Fellow of the American Ceramic Society and the Society of Glass Technology. 

He is a Member of the National Academy of Engineering and the World Academy of Ceramics.

Click Here to register for this free webinar and for more information.

Visit the Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center website to learn more about commercial recycling and reuse opportunities.

Related Articles:

-- Reminder: Keep PA Beautiful Accepting Nominations For Litter Hawk Youth Award Thru January 31  [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- Wilkes-Barre Times: Volunteers Remove Thousands Of Tires Along Sugar Notch Trail  [Organized By Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority, Eastern PA Coalition For Abandoned Mine Reclamation, Earth Conservancy, Luzerne County Conservation District, Keep Northeastern PA Beautiful]

-- Reading Eagle: Volunteers Cleanup Area Around Tulpehocken Creek In Berks 

-- PA Resources Council What’s Up Watershed: Fireflies, A Magical Reason To Leave Your Leaves 

-- PennLive Guest Essay: Pennsylvania Should Ban Single Use Plastic Bags - By Sedona Boyle, Lehigh University Student

-- Post-Gazette: Styropek Seeks Buyer For Old Plastics Manufacturing Plant Set To Close In January

[Posted: November 20, 2024]  PA Environment Digest

Susquehanna Greenway, Susquehanna River Trail Assn.: New Middle Susquehanna Paddling Resource To Be Available Next Spring For Snyder, Northumberland, Juniata, Perry, & Dauphin Counties

On November 20, the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership and Susquehanna River Trail Association are excited to announce the release of a new paddling resource that features day and overnight paddling itineraries along the beautiful Susquehanna River Water Trail – Middle Section, which traverses Snyder, Northumberland, Juniata, Perry, & Dauphin counties.

“This booklet joins a repertoire of free booklets that SGP has produced for paddlers of the Susquehanna River,” explains SGP Director of Communications, Alana Jajko. “As the convener of the Susquehanna River Water Trail managers, SGP was thrilled to pair our resources with those of the SRTA (the Middle Section manager) to provide a new planning tool for this section of the river.”

The Susquehanna River Water Trail – Middle Section is one of four state-designated sections of the Susquehanna River Water Trail system within Pennsylvania. 

This section includes launch sites for motorized and non-motorized on-water recreation, as well as a series of island campsites, along 52 miles of the Susquehanna River. 

The paddling booklet itself showcases four trips along the Middle Susquehanna between Sunbury, PA and Harrisburg, PA, some of which feature overnight stays at the river island campsites.

Each itinerary features a unique route overview that includes the length (in miles), estimated time for paddling the section, a map of the route, put-in and take-out locations, a difficulty rating, photos, and trip highlights to look for along the way.

This paddling booklet and other resources will be available for free at all SGP events, as well as partner events and festivals that SGP attends, throughout 2025.

“The Susquehanna River Trail Association (SRTA) was pleased to collaborate with the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership on this stellar new itinerary booklet for the Middle Section of the Susquehanna River Water Trail,” says SRTA President, Brook Lenker. “With excellent graphics and descriptions, the booklet entices paddlers to explore several exceptional routes. It will be an excellent tool in introducing more people to the work of the SRTA and the wonders of the river."

Each itinerary of the new Middle Susquehanna booklet is accompanied by a QR code that will connect the user to an online profile with additional resources and a way to explore the route virtually before hitting the water.

The paddling booklet of the Middle Susquehanna is just the beginning of what SGP has to offer in the coming year.

The Middle Susquehanna Paddling Booklet was financed in part by a grant from the Community Conservation Partnerships Program Environmental Stewardship Fund under the administration of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation administered through the Pennsylvania Environmental Council’s Pennsylvania Water Trails Partnership Mini Grant Program.

Sign Up For Email Announcements

SGP plans to host a cleanup month, river sojourns, paddling workshops, and the Susquehanna Greenway Outdoor Expo in 2025.

To stay up to date on SGP’s Events, sign up for email announcements, or follow Susquehanna Greenway on Facebook or Instagram.

The Susquehanna Greenway is a corridor of connected trails, parks, river access points, and communities, linking people to the natural and cultural treasures of the Susquehanna River. 

The mission of the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership is to continue to grow the Greenway by building connections along the Susquehanna River, inspiring people to engage with the outdoors, and transforming communities into places where people want to live, work, and explore.

The Susquehanna River Trail Association is a Pennsylvania 501(c)3 nonprofit that promotes sustainable use of the river and the continued stewardship of the river and surrounding watersheds in partnership with private individuals, environmental and recreational organizations, and government agencies.

Related Articles:

-- Pine Creek Headwaters Protection Group Update: Industrial Shale Gas Development In Tioga State Forest Prioritizes Industry Profit Over Constitutional Mandate To Preserve, Protect State Forest Lands  [PaEN] 

-- DCNR’s Square Timber Wild Area In Cameron County Inducted Into The Old-Growth Forest Network  [PaEN] 

-- PA Parks & Forests Foundation: New Friends Of Chapman State Park Group Formed In Warren County  [PaEN] 

-- Rothrock Trail Alliance Awarded $500,000 Grant To Improved Recreation Access To Rothrock State Forest In Centre County  [PaEN] 

-- Berks Nature: New Data On The Annual Economic Value Of Nature Documents $853 Million In Savings, $938 Million In Outdoor Recreation Benefits To Citizens of Berks County  [PaEN] 

-- Wildlands Conservancy Opens 187 Acre Black River Sanctuary In Lehigh County  [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Firefly Festival Lottery For 2025 Festival & Glow & Know Campouts Will Start January 1  [PaEN] 

-- Nominations Now Being Accepted For Wildlife Leadership Academy Student Conservation Ambassadors Program  [PaEN] 

-- Applications Now Being Accepted For Rivers Conservation Fly Fishing Youth Camp June 15-20, Messiah University, Cumberland County  [PaEN] 

-- Volunteers Invited To Be Part Of Pennsylvania Bird Atlas First Ever Winter Bird Survey Starting Dec. 1  [PaEN] 

-- Federal Highway Administration, Fish & Wildlife Service Host Dec. 4 Online Pollinator Conservation And Transportation Symposium  [PaEN] 

NewsClips:

-- Reading Eagle: Berks Nature Emphasizes Community Planning During State Of The Environment Breakfast

-- The Allegheny Front: New ClearWater Conservancy Conservation Education Center In Centre County Lands Federal, State Funding

-- TribLive Editorial: Another Step Forward For River Recreation? 

-- TribLive: Pitcairn Officials Look To Improve Recreation Areas In Advance Of Great Allegheny Passage, Westmoreland Heritage Trails Connector 

-- Republican Herald: New StoryWalk Promotes Fitness, Literacy At Pine Grove

-- Republican Herald: New Schuylkill Conservation District Educator Aims To Get People Outdoors

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation: Chesapeake National Recreation Area Takes Critical Step Forward  

-- PennLive: Will Drought Impact Central PA Christmas Tree Sales, Prices?

-- Citizens Voice: Drought Has Susquehanna River At Exceedingly Low Levels 

-- WNEP: 60 Acre Wildfire Contained On Montage Mountain In Lackawanna County

-- Williamsport Sun Editorial: Firefighters Take Service Across State To Fight Wildfires

-- New York Governor Declares 15 Counties In Drought Warning, Drought Watch Statewide

-- PA Resources Council What’s Up Watershed: Fireflies, A Magical Reason To Leave Your Leaves 

[Posted: November 20, 2024]  PA Environment Digest

Dickinson College To Host Atmospheric Scientist Katharine Hayhoe To Discuss Finding Hope In The Face Of Climate Change During Public Talk Dec. 4

Award-winning atmospheric scientist Katharine Hayhoe will discuss how to build hope in the face of the devastating impacts of climate change during a special event at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Cumberland County. 

Her talk will take place Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 7 p.m. in the college’s Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium. The program will be available online.

Drawing on insights from climate science, psychology and sociology, Hayhoe will explore how to engage hearts—regardless of background or belief—and find practical solutions that help create a more livable and just world. 

Hayhoe is the 2024 recipient of Dickinson’s Sam Rose ’58 and Julie Walters Prize for Global Environmental Activism. 

This annual $100,000 prize is awarded to individuals or organizations significantly impacting responsible action for the planet, its resources and its people. 

Hayhoe accepted the award during Dickinson’s Commencement in May.

Recognized as a United Nations Champion of the Earth, Hayhoe calls climate change “one of the most pressing issues we face today.” 

She is the chief scientist for The Nature Conservancy and is a distinguished professor and endowed chair at Texas Tech University. 

Hayhoe served as a lead author on multiple U.S. National Climate Assessments, gave a TED talk with over 4 million views and is a prolific author whose works include “Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World.” 

Hayhoe is also known for her work bridging the gap between scientists and Christians. 

Christianity Today named her one of their 50 Women to Watch, and she serves as the World Evangelical Alliance’s Climate Ambassador. 

Hayhoe hosted the PBS digital series “Global Weirding: Climate, Politics and Religion” and produces the newsletter “Talking Climate.” 

Her husband, Andrew Farley, is a pastor, radio host and best-selling author of numerous popular Christian books. 

Together, the couple co-wrote “A Climate for Change: Global Warming Facts for Faith-Based Decisions.” 

Hayhoe is also a co-founder of nonpartisan advocacy group Science Moms.  

Hayhoe is a fellow of the American Geophysical Union, the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society and the American Scientific Affiliation. 

She serves on advisory boards for organizations including Netflix, UBS and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. 

The Rose-Walters Prize has previously honored advocates including Elizabeth Kolbert, Mark Ruffalo, Bill McKibben and Lisa Jackson.  

Visit the Dickinson College Sustainability webpage for more information on sustainability initiatives at the college.

Resource Links:

-- Dickinson College Environmental & Indigenous Rights Honoree Tara Houska: Don’t Disconnect Yourself From The Reality Of Nature; Endless Expansion Of Pipelines Have No Place In Reality; Find Powerful Moments Of Joy

-- Dickinson College Ranked First Among Baccalaureate Institutions In Comprehensive Sustainability Report; CMU, Penn, Penn State, Muhlenberg Also Recognized

-- Dickinson College Wins Award For Advancing Sustainability Through Education Abroad

-- Dickinson College To Host International Climate Symposium Oct. 24-26

-- Dickinson College Farm's Matt Steiman Honored With Lifetime Achievement Award From The Sustainable Energy Fund

Related Articles:

-- DEP: Some Guidance Now Available To Apply For $396 Million In RISE PA Industrial Decarbonization Grants; Application Period Opens Early In 2025  [PaEN]   

-- PA Solar Center, Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services Release New Guidebook For PA Municipalities On Development Of Large-Scale Solar Facilities; Nov. 22 Webinar  [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- TribLive Guest Essay: My School District Saved Over A Million Dollars In Energy Costs By Going Solar, With Solar For Schools Your District Could Be Next - By Carlisle Area School District 

-- Altoona Mirror: Central Cambria School District Considering Solar Energy To Save Up to $500,000 Over Next 25 Years

[Posted: November 20, 2024]  PA Environment Digest