I was impressed when I learned about Hawaii’s goal of 100% renewable energy by 2045, but I was shocked to learn about some unintended impacts of wind energy development on Oahu’s north shore. Hearing from impacted residents was a great reminder that wind energy, like any tool, is not inherently good or bad – it comes down to how it is developed and used.
Culture shapes us, and then we shape culture. The intervening time in between those things runs on the order of 30 years, which is often an explanation for reboots, revivals, and remakes of popular culture. The influence of the 1960s on the 1990s, and the 1990s on me was apparently very strong, which I realized this past fall when traveling in the Southwest.
In honor of Climate Week and our need for stronger, swifter climate action, this post examines the new Allegheny County ordinance calling for the creation of a Climate Action Plan, which will reference Pennsylvania’s and Pittsburgh’s existing plans. Therefore, it’s important we understand the assumptions and omissions present in these example Climate Action Plans and how their approaches will shape the county’s next steps.
Last month I had the pleasure of attending a drag brunch at a local brewery. The event received some backlash from the local community, which created a lot of media buzz. While the threats ultimately amounted to nothing, that is not always the case. While opposition to the LGBTQ community seems to be on the rise, our actions can play a big role in combating bigotry.
When I think of mothers, I think of almost ritualistic, uncomplaining sacrifice for their families, often to their own detriment. Something we rarely discuss related to motherhood is the level of agency involved in that decision and how critical it is that people become parents when they’re ready for it. What some call an unsavory topic, I call a necessary component of comprehensive healthcare.
Odd-numbered years mean judicial elections in Pennsylvania, and those are far more critical than most people realize. Our courts determine how our laws are interpreted, and we the voters decide who gets to be on the bench. In other news, Allegheny County residents who are registered democrat will likely be picking our next Chief Executive from a wide field of candidates.
Although the public has no direct control over who lands in the Supreme Court, we do have direct control over who is tasked with writing the laws the Supreme Court will interpret. With a conservative supermajority on the bench evaluating laws that govern abortion, discrimination, and elections, it is incumbent upon us – the voters – to understand what’s at stake when we elect our legislators.
In this post we turn our eyes away from Pennsylvania and toward the federal government. There are 18 important races happening across our state this fall for seats in the US congress, though the one for our senate seat is getting all the attention nationwide. Here’s what you need to know going into the booth to decide who will represent us in Washington DC.
The top seat in Pennsylvania’s government is up for grabs as Tom Wolf reaches the end of his second term. In this post, we take a look at the responsibilities of our governor, as well as some authority that the legislature removed with constitutional amendments last year. Those amendments will likely be impacting the Lieutenant Governor’s role too, in one way or another.
Election season is upon us once again. With five (or fewer) weeks to get ready, I’m sharing my latest research on this year’s general election in Pennsylvania, which boasts candidates of five parties. Not being a fan of parties myself (or the bias they can inflict on voters), I still thought it beneficial to review the general platforms for these groups. (Election spreadsheet included!)