Patricia DeMarco Ph.D.

"Live in harmony with nature."

Category Archives: Call to Action


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America – A Perspective on 250 Years

by Patricia DeMarco

The Declaration of Independence 1776

July 4, 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of the American colonies from the government of England. People across the country gather in their small towns and big cities to celebrate the government of the people, by the people and for the people established in defiance of the monarchies of Europe. America presented the audacious proposition of liberty and justice for all, and that the people consent to be governed by the rule of law applied equally. Lofty goals retained as an ideal, through wars and through economic, political, and cultural challenges. The vision of America as the land of the free and home of the brave shimmers as a mirage, sometimes clear, sometimes dimmed to abstraction. Under all the rhetoric lies the land itself whose resources and geography have protected and provided for human civilization for thousands of years before the first explorers ever set foot on this continent.

Today we mark a quarter of a millennium, a blink in the arc of time. It is a good time to recognize the fragility of this enterprise in democracy. Recognize that we depend on the land itself for our sustenance, our wealth and for our future survival. From colonial times forward, American enterprise has built on extracting the wealth of resources from the land, with little consideration for renewing or sustaining those resources over time. Vast forests of the east coast were felled as ship masts for the British Navy. What the colonists saw as untouched land as far as the eye could see and beyond was in fact a carefully curated landscape of permaculture stewarded by Indigenous Peoples who had thrived in populations of millions for thousands of years before. For example, the symbiosis of chestnut trees and passenger pigeons that sustained both the landscape and communities for hundreds of years was rendered extinct in a decade as settlers cast nets over the trees full of nesting birds, and harvested them by the thousands, leaving too few to survive future breeding cycles.

We look back to the industrialization of this country driven by the abundance of land, then coal, oil and natural gas to become a power house among nations. Steel, petrochemicals; technology for tall buildings, communication and transportation; vast agricultural expanses that feed the world, advances in medicine and science supported by public education and government investment in research and innovation. America became a beacon for the world.

Yet, we almost all came here as immigrants, whether in colonial times or in the various waves of people who fled strife and distress from other countries. The workers met in the mills and fields, factories and market places to pursue the great American Dream of a better life for their children.  This vision of working hard, often with great sacrifice, to make a better way for the next generation is as truly part of what makes America as any amount of patriotic music and polemic. That ideal that anyone can come to this land of opportunity and make a good life for our children drives people to come here even in modern times.  

This constant infusion of cultures, languages, foods and customs helped to shape the America where innovation thrives, and dreams come true. Often called a “Melting Pot” the immigrants, embraced the values of shared allegiance to the ideals of freedom- liberty and justice for all. But under the gloss of the ideal simmer the divisions that rose up, often with violence as in the Civil War, and in the charade of freedom for those enslaved and eventually liberated with great struggle. Under the scrim of a just and equitable society the latent racism lurks, empowered now more visibly by the rhetoric emanating from the 2026 White House. This is the caution we must face as we look ahead to the next phase of our America. Freedom is not free, and democracy has no guarantee. It depends on vigilance and engagement. Citizens must stand up to the rhetoric and actions of hate and suppression as they creep relentlessly into the trappings of government.  Freedoms hard won are swept away with a casual order, upheld by a hand-picked court. We who see the promise and wonder of America as an ideal for liberty and justice for ALL must call the government to account. We must uphold the values of the inherent dignity of every person. We must stand for the role of government in providing for the health and well-being of all citizens. Laws that enrich the few at the expense of the many suppress the very heart of what makes America.

It is not OK in America for children to go hungry.  It is not OK in America for people to go bankrupt over health care costs, or to suffer for unavailable services.  It is not OK in America for people to find housing and basic necessities beyond reach on a minimum wage. Sacrifice zones are not OK. Allowing public land to be squandered for private profit is a betrayal of our birthright. Undermining science and limiting education guarantees a poorer and more deprived future.  Enriching and protecting the few wealthiest individuals and corporations at the expense of the many is not OK in America.  It is time for a reckoning and a reset.

Under all is the land. Land that bears the scars of our extractive industrial period. As we look toward a future that can be sustained for another 100 years, even to think of another 1,000 years, we would be wise to look at the ways of the Indigenous Peoples whose concepts of living in harmony with nature stand as a model for surviving and thriving in this place.  As Thomas Jefferson took the concept of a government of individual states under a unified governance as a model of our Constitution, we can look to the nurture of the land as a way forward.  Plan for seven generations forward considering the needs of those yet unborn whose fate we determine by the decisions we make today.

Healing the land and empowering the people will rebuild a community resilient in diversity, strong in character and enlightened in understanding our place in the world. Governing toward a shared prosperity that builds the resilience and abundance of the natural world is part of our American Dream.  Shift from the extractive and unsustainable patterns of the last 100 years and embrace the commitment to regenerative practices that build a shared prosperity. Reinvesting in communities depleted by the extractive industries of the Industrial Revolution can reclaim the wealth of the land, re-employ the skilled workers and restore the shared prosperity of a region rich in culture and pride.

No technological breakthroughs are necessary for this new economy to operate building a prosperity that can last without the boom/bust cycles of depleting extractive industries. We can muster the political will to make the necessary changes in policy and practice to support a new economy for the 21st century. The true wealth of America lies in the land that supports us.  Not the fossil resources buried deep within the crust of the Earth, but the living earth, the fertile ground that gives life to our planet through binding essential elements to create food, fiber, fuel, and oxygen. When we restore the land and empower the people, we set the foundation for a long-lasting prosperity for all of our citizens.

Fly the American flag for Fourth of July. Remember that freedom is not free, but earned through the sacrifice of many people over the years. The right to freedom also holds responsibility to be an engaged citizen. Follow the actions of those who represent you at the federal, state and local levels of government. Know where your representatives stand on issues you care about, and hold them accountable for their actions in office. Exercise your right and obligation to vote in every election. Your vote is your voice. The ideal of America stands before us as a goal. It is up to all of us to reach it in practice.


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From WWII Victory Gardens to Climate Victory Gardens

We commemorate Memorial Day on the last Monday in May, honoring all of those fallen in wars from the Civil War until now. It is a solemn occasion to mark the service of those who have given their lives in the name of our country. The causes and outcomes have varied over the years, with some more strikingly clear than others. But as a constant lies the dedication and support of the families of soldiers; the solidarity of those who share the experience of combat in arms; and the grief of loved ones for the loss of youth and promise.

The “war of choice” in Iran engaging us now has disrupted commerce and challenged the concept of trust in our leaders to weigh the value of lives carefully.[i] We mere citizens have little influence over the powers that wage wars, but we do experience the personal losses of family and friends; and communities see the impact as resources shift from domestic to military support. As military disruptions affect the international flow of petrochemicals, we see clearly how dependent we have become on this resource in all aspects of our lives. Especially in the food system.

The Straits of Hormuz closing has restricted movement for critical materials disrupting the flow of about 20% of global oil supply.[ii] Fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and packaging in the food industry all come from petrochemical industry. So does the fuel that runs the machinery and processing equipment for cultivating and harvesting, and fuel for transporting food from the growing areas to stores and homes. As with many other systems, the use of petrochemicals (oil and natural gas) has been a driver in their growth and development to major international industries.[iii]Now the war in Iran has put a spotlight on what it means to move away from the fossil fuel base for our basic needs for energy, food and transportation. This wartime experience has sharpened the points of need for alternatives based on non-fossil fueled, sustainable systems. It took decades for the industrial revolution to create the conditions of dependence on extractive resources we experience today, but it need not take decades to shift to a more sustainable system. The building blocks are in place already.

The Victory Garden and Domestic food initiatives of the WWII era have many parallels with the sustainable food initiatives of today.[iv] Even though the motivation for the gardens differs somewhat, using local foods, and how we prepare and acquire food for economy, health and public purpose have strong parallels. Rachel Carson compiled recipes for using domestic fishes in all regions of the United States as part of this effort.[v] Efforts to compensate for such things as sugar and butter rationing suggest approaches that can help with healthier eating habits today. Likewise, processes for preserving food for Winter have seen major advances in technology, with dehydration for example.[vi] But the concept of putting food by for year – round use stands as a long tradition to the oldest recorded history of human civilization.

This year, we face food supply constraints not only from war blockades of supply chains but also from the side effects of climate events. In Georgia wildfires have delayed planting times.[vii] In the Midwest, drought lingers, and in the agricultural areas served by the Colorado River, water restrictions loom.[viii] [ix] Conflicting demands between industrial uses and domestic and agricultural needs are growing. The erratic swings in climate conditions makes reliable agricultural production even more of a challenge than it has been traditionally.

Acquiring local foods, preserving seasonal foods and practicing economy and health in what we eat are standards of food culture available to everyone. The women of WWII tended Victory Gardens as part of a war effort, displacing commercial food so production could feed the Armed Forces and Allies. An estimated 8 to 10 billion pounds of food were grown in victory gardens and from other domestic food sources, releasing commercial production for military use.[x]

Modern Home -Grown initiatives look toward reducing the carbon footprint of the food chain by using locally sourced food and using regenerative agriculture practices for healthier eating.[xi] The Rodale Institute has documented that global adoption of regenerative practices across both grasslands and arable acreage could sequester more than 100% of current anthropogenic emissions of CO2 and that stable soil carbon can be built quickly enough to result in a rapid drawdown of atmospheric carbon dioxide.[xii] Restoring fertile ground through regenerative agriculture is an effective tool for capturing carbon dioxide from the air and binding it in soils. That means growing food with natural fertilizers like compost that stores carbon and increases soil fertility. It means having food produced without pesticides and herbicides that can leave residues in food. It means less petrochemicals used for transportation fuel, packaging, and refrigeration. Even displacing a little food purchased can save much in energy use and food waste.

The Climate Victory Garden is a new initiative that contributes to the resilience and sustainability of our food supplies in uncertain times. You can see all the Climate Victory Gardens and register yours here https://greenamerica.org/climate-victory-gardens

You can also support your community farmers by buying fresh produce at local Farmers Markets or participating in Community Supported Agriculture in your area. Summertime is planting time. Harvesting foods as they are ready and appreciating seasonal fruits and vegetables fresh from local gardens and farms is a pleasure forgotten in the inundation of year-round hybrid strawberries, raspberries and apples. Gone are the regional specialties anticipated for a year and enjoyed as a rare delight- like fresh-picked peaches in August. Discover the joy of growing some of your own food and herbs. Share the experience with your children. Live closer to the force of Nature that supports our life on Earth.

Kitchen herb pots- P.DeMarco Spring 2026.

References and Citations:

[i]  Anton Troianovski. “Trump wants to call the shots but in Iran he keeps hitting his limits.” New York Times. June 8, 2026. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/08/us/politics/trump-iran-war-middle-east.html  Accessed June 9, 2026. 

[ii] Samantha Gross and Ryan Beane. “From chokepoint to crisis: The Strait of Hormuz and global oil markets.” Brookings Institute. June 8, 2026.  https://www.brookings.edu/articles/from-chokepoint-to-crisis-the-strait-of-hormuz-and-global-oil-markets/   Accessed June 9, 2026.

[iii]  American Fuel and Petrochemical Manfacturers. “From Farm to table: The Role of Petrochemicals in Agriculture.” March 15, 2016.  https://www.afpm.org/newsroom/blog/farm-table-role-petrochemicals-agriculture  Accessed June 10, 2026.

[iv] Megan Springate. Victory Gardens on the World War II Home Front. National Park Service.   https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/victory-gardens-on-the-world-war-ii-home-front.htm  Accessed June 9, 2026.

[v] Rachel Carson. Food From the Sea: Fish and Shellfish of New England. Conservation Bulletin 33. United States Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service. Washington DC. 1943. National Archive accessed in person May 12, 2025.

[vi]  USDA. Complete Guide to Home Canning, 2015 Revision. National Agricultural Library Digital Exhibit.  https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/ipd/canning/items/show/101   Accessed June 9, 2026.

[vii]  Southern Georgia Wildfires. Satellite Imagery. Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere. NOAA. April 18, 2026 https://satlib.cira.colostate.edu/event/southern-georgia-wildfires/  Accessed June 9, 2026.

[viii] Natalina Sents Bausch. Five Corn States Enter 2026 with Extreme or Exceptional Drought. Successful Farming. January 9, 2026. https://www.agriculture.com/5-corn-states-enter-2026-with-extreme-or-exceptional-drought-11882929  Accessed June 9, 2026.

[ix]  John Frank. Colorado River ranked as “most endangered” in the nation. Axios News. April 19, 2022. https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2022/04/19/colorado-river-ranked-most-endangered    Accessed June 9, 2026.

[x] Sundin, Sarah (2022) “Victory Gardens in World War II. Today in World War II History, August 15, 2022. https://www.sarahsundin.com/victory-gardens-in-world-war-ii/    Accessed June 10, 2026.

[xi]  Hilary McClafferty. Benefits of Eating Locally Sourced Foods. American Board of Physician Specialties. https://www.abpsus.org/eating-local-foods/  Accessed June 10, 2026.

[xii]  Jeff Moyer, Andrew Smith, Yichao Rui,and Jennifer Hayden.  Regenerative Agriculture and the Soil Carbon Solution. Rodale Institute. September 2020.   https://rodaleinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/Rodale-Soil-Carbon-White-Paper_v11-compressed.pdf


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Mayoral Proclamation for Earth day in Forest Hills Borough 2026

Mayoral Proclamation Commemorating the 56th Earth Day

Whereas April 22 has been designated as the annual celebration of the founding of the environmental movement in 1970 and is now celebrated in the United States and in 141 countries worldwide.

Global warming, global pollution of air, water, and land and global loss of biodiversity from the continued combustion of fossil fuels, the proliferation of plastics, and the advance of environmentally stressful technologies like data centers and fracking are causing disruption of traditionally stable environmental conditions.

Climate warming and pollution cause local increased number and severity of storms with flooding and power outages in both summer and winter, drought conditions, and increases in disease-vectors such as ticks, threatening the well-being and livelihoods of many people.

Pollution, environmental degradation and the climate crisis are generational justice issues that disproportionately affect young individuals and future generations, who will face difficulties accessing clean water and clean air.

The theme for Earth Day 2026 is “Our Power, Our Planet” recognizes the collective ability of individuals, communities, and organizations to drive climate action and environmental protection.

Whereas We recognize that the collective actions of many people contribute significantly to advancing environmental progress through sustained individual actions, civic engagement and grassroots organizing.

The Borough of Forest Hills values the quality of our environment by maintaining our standing as a Tree City since 1974, by participating as a Bird Town, by hosting two active garden clubs- The Forest Hills Garden Club and the Late Bloomers Garden Club.

The Borough of Forest Hills has incorporated environmental values through its Comprehensive Plan, Climate Action Plan and Active Transportation plan, with the participation of hundreds of residents, the Environmental Advisory Council, the Tree and Shrub Committee, and Members of Borough Council.

Forest Hills supports ecosystem restoration and watershed protection in Borough Parks and properties and encourages residents to plant and cultivate native flowers, shrubs and trees to support healthy ecosystems and clean water in our community.

Forest Hills supports the reduction of plastic waste by encouraging all citizens to first Refuse plastic when biodegradable alternatives are available, to Reduce the use of plastic by choosing alternative materials, to Reuse materials that can be adapted to other purposes, and to Recycle as much material as possible.

The Borough of Forest Hills continues its implementation of the Climate Action Goals to reduce dependence on fossil fuel resources by using renewable energy sources in Borough operations and to support citizens in their efforts to use renewable energy and consume energy more efficiently.

Now Therefore Be It Resolved that the Borough of Forest Hills recognizes the gifts of the living Earth that provide our life support system of renewable energy, fresh water, clean air, fertile ground and the wide array of species that constitute the web of life and shall celebrate Earth Day 2026 throughout the month of April with special events:

on Arbor Day on Friday April 24, 2026 at 10:00 am in Forest Hills Park with students from Trinity School to recognize the value mature tree canopies and native PA shrubs bring to our environment and our quality of life; and

on Saturday April 25, 2026 from 9:00 AM to noon Forest Hills will engage the residents of the community in a day of service to clean up accumulated litter and debris from the Parks and streets of the Borough of Forest Hills.

Adopted this 15th Day of April 2026.

Patricia M. DeMarco

Mayor


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Mayoral Proclamation for Forest Hills Arbor Day 2026

 OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS in 1872, the Nebraska Board of Agriculture established a special day to be set aside for the planting of trees, and

WHEREAS this holiday, called Arbor Day, was first observed with the planting of more than a million trees in Nebraska, and

WHEREAS Arbor Day is now observed throughout the nation and the world, and

WHEREAS trees can be a solution to combating climate change by reducing the erosion of our precious topsoil by wind and water, cutting heating and cooling costs, moderating the temperature, cleaning the air, producing life-giving oxygen, and providing habitat for wildlife, and

WHEREAS trees are a renewable resource giving us paper, wood for our homes, fuel for our fires, and countless other wood products, and

WHEREAS trees in our city increase property values, enhance the economic vitality of business areas, and beautify our community, and

WHEREAS trees — wherever they are planted — are a source of joy and spiritual renewal.

 NOW, THEREFORE, I,Patricia M. DeMarco, Mayor of the Borough of Forest Hills, PA, do hereby proclaim April 24, 2026 as ARBOR DAY in the Borough of Forest Hills, and I urge

all citizens to celebrate Arbor Day and to support efforts to protect our trees and woodlands, and

FURTHER, I urge all citizens to plant trees to gladden the heart and promote the well-being of this and future generations.

DATED THIS 24th day of , April 2026.

Patricia M. DeMarco

Mayor


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Our Moral Obligation to Preserve the Living Earth

Here in Pittsburgh in the first weeks of April, though the air is chilly now, this week follows five days of temperatures above 65 degrees. Blossoms not usually emergent until May are in full flower- violets, redbud trees, magnolia trees…and the daffodills and hyacinths have wilted from being so warm. As I had opened the windows a bit, i woke early to listen for the dawn chorus of birdsong I have always associated with the coming of Spring. There were several distinct songbirds- a few robins, a cardinal or two, a flicker, and American song sparrow, a Carolina wren. But the joyous chorus of many many birds greeting the dawn together is no more.

The harbingers of our fate call out in silences once filled with music. The unseen wonders lost. I take the occasion of this Earth Day theme “Our Power, Our Planet” to emphasize again the fact of our existence: we depend on the gifts of the living Earth. Our survival, our life support system comes from the solar power and ecosystem services of the interconnected web of life. The interactions between the living and mineral and inanimate parts of the planet shape our existence, and as humans we have developed the power to shape, re-shape and even destroy the living systems we depend on.

I reflected on our moral obligation to preserve these gifts of the living Earth for our children and those who follow.

Thanks to Jim Lenkner for the video recording and editing.

As you consider your own obligation to our living Earth and to the children among us and of the future, seek to live lightly on this earth, being judicious in how much of the world’s resources we use daily.

Uee your voice to advocate for preserving natural places and pulcic parks, refuges and oceans.

Engage in your own community to keep the green spaces, provide access to nature, and plant food and flowers instead of chemically supported lawn.

Remember to celebrate the joy of the natural world. We are more alike as human creatures than different in culture, religion, gender, or political persuasion. Find the common humanity across these barriers. Live in harmony with Nature.

Happy Earth Day!

Patricia DeMarco

8 April 2026


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Rebuilding Environmental Protection: Lessons from Rachel Carson

Click to access 3-6-2026-rebuilding-environmental-protection.pdf

In consideration of Women’s History Month, I am reflecting on Rachel Carson and her message of precaution in protecting the living earth.

Rachel Carson’s challenge. Rachel Carson lived and wrote in a time before pollution was regulated at the federal level. Her work at the Bureau of Fisheries and in the Fish and Wildlife service documented the value of preserving natural places, enshrined in the National Wildlife Refuges and in the Endangered Species Act. Rachel Carson advocated for preserving all the parts of natural ecosystems and using the tools of natural systems for pest control and resource management. She wrote often of the need to take precaution in the broadscale dispersion of man-made chemicals. She wrote, in the formal language of the 1950s, of the trend of our society towards destruction:

Mankind has gone very far into an artificial world of his own creation. He has sought to insulate himself, in his cities of steel and concrete, from the realities of earth and water and the growing seed. Intoxicated with his own power, he seems to be going farther and farther into more experiments for the destruction of himself and his world.               Rachel Carson. Speech on receiving the John Burrows Medal. April 1952.[i]

This describes the condition we face today. We see all around us the cumulative effects of pollution from burning fossil fuels to plastic waste, and forever chemicals created to control pests or for enhancements like “no-stick” pans. Rachel Carson raised concerns about the chemical stew resulting from the accumulation of materials from multiple sources and through concentration up the food chain. She documented how materials introduced into the environment migrate to unintended locations through the action of wind and water. Silent Springwas all about taking caution.[ii]

But we have not taken caution. We have conducted a massive experiment upon ourselves and our children with no controls, and no anticipation of how to redress the harm. Rachel Carson perceived this potential for harm long before the voluminous scientific documentation of health harms of pollution mounted in evidence.[iii] She wrote from a deep knowledge of the delicate intricacies of the interconnected web of life. She knew in her bones of the absolute dependence of humankind upon the smooth functioning of the ecosystems that provide fresh water, oxygen-rich air and fertile ground. Our life support system depends on these natural systems, evolved over millennia, and stable for thousands of years. But that stability also depends on respecting the laws of nature and preserving the living systems that sustain us.[iv]

The regulatory approach to controlling pollution has rested on the concept of mitigating risk to
the public and protecting the quality of air water and land from contamination. The level of total
risk is defined as the combination of inherent hazard, or how toxic a substance is to living plants,
animals and humans, and the amount of exposure.

RISK = {HAZARD X EXPOSURE}

Consequences: total toxic emissions and health harms. In spite of the voluminous regulations, pollution is increasing not only in the US but globally. Because dispersion by wind and water makes it impossible to isolate contaminants to a specific location, contamination crosses all political boundaries. Even as Rachel Carson pointed out so many years ago, we now see contamination worldwide. The public health implications of this proliferation of toxic contaminants are impossible to escape. (See full article for details.)

Although environmental regulation has improved the quality of air and water overall since before enacting the regulations under the EPA, the results have not kept up with the challenges of modern industrial chemical contamination, nor have they prevented the effects of accumulation of man-made chemicals in the environment. The expectation and complaints from industry that environmental regulation hurts the economy has not been documented. In fact, economic growth has continued even as environmental controls have been enacted and enforced.

De-construction of environmental protections. Today we see the unravelling of the complex tapestry of regulatory controls on pollution, from Executive Orders granting absolution to 41 industries from emission constraints to laws rescinding critical portions of the Clean Air Act.[ii] The EPA under the Trump Administration has rescinded 31 regulations that protect water, air and land from industrial pollution and chemical contamination, challenging Safe Drinking Water and Clean Water Act requirements, and curtailing enforcement actions. Rulemaking to control forever chemicals (PFAS) has been delayed or abandoned. The Supreme Court has removed the science-based expert authority of regulatory agencies requiring a strict and narrow interpretation of authorizations stated in the enabling legislation. The EPA revoked the Endangerment Finding of 2009 which put greenhouse gas emissions control under the Clean Air Act, effectively eliminating climate action controls. The EPA has also declared that costs of health harms and deaths from pollution will no longer be calculated in the analysis of regulatory action on air emissions. Challenges to these actions have had some success in federal courts, including the declaration that rescinding congressionally approved grants for renewable energy are illegal.

Rebuild Environmental Protection with Regenerative Thinking. The long-term implications of these policy changes alarm environmental organizations and people concerned with the health of communities who are looking toward a change of administration to correct the harms. But, at this point, simply reversing the actions taken so far will not address the underlying issues. Of all the environmental regulations adopted to date, only the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 addresses the concept of designing to prevent pollution and encouraging recycling. We can take lessons from the regulatory approach of the last 56 years and improve the outcome going forward. This is the opportunity to move our system of laws and regulations through a transformation from an extractive fossil-based economy to a regenerative renewable resourced economy. There are at least five elements to this process.

1. REACH: The first lesson would be to adopt the precautionary principle as the basis for evaluating the introduction of new man-made materials into large scale production.

2. Green Chemistry: Second, adopt a regulatory framework that emphasizes reduction or elimination of the inherent hazard, rather than computing the “safe” amount of toxicity for individual contaminants. 

3. Empower Renewable Resources. Third, adopt the regulatory infrastructure to empower distributed renewable energy systems.

4. Heal damaged lands. Beyond preventing future pollution and damage, lies the responsibility to repair the scars and harms of legacy industries. 

5. Remove fossil industry subsidies. The federal subsidies currently lavished on the fossil extractive industries can be shifted directly to fund the sustainable energy system.

A shared prosperity. It is time for bold action. It is time to recognize that the laws of nature are not negotiable, nor can they be rescinded by executive order or wishful thinking. The condition of our life support system requires both reduction in the levels and types of pollution as well as strong support for the known and available technical solutions. Burning fossil resources as the base for the economy drives the global warming that will make the planet uninhabitable to life as we know it.[i] By creating a new regulatory framework based on regenerative thinking and protection for our life support system, we can establish the conditions for a shared prosperity and sustainable growth within the constraints of our living earth.Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth shall find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. Rachel Carson.

See the full analysis, with citations, of our way forward here: Rebuilding Environmental Protection PDF

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Endangered but Not Yet Doomed

12.Feb.2026

By Patricia M. DeMarco

This year has seen so many long days of cold harsh reality crashing through the optimism and hope of the last two years. From the vision from ReImagine Appalachia to the many responses to the Community Change grants and the burst of enthusiasm for what was supposed to be a stable ten -year commitment to renewable energy support all had the rug pulled out from under them. The Trump flurry of Executive Orders, rescissions and retractions of approved funds, even grants under contract has sent shock waves through one community after another.  The deliberate cruelty with which federal assistance for disasters has been withheld or retracted, sometimes based on partisan vindictiveness, stands with little challenge. Now comes the gleeful revoking of the Endangerment Finding that supported EPA regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles, and point source pollution from power plants, factories and fossil extractive industries.[1]We are numb. Stunned into a shocked silence.

Well, the time for stunned inaction is over.  The America built on immigrant blood, sweat and tears, the America striving toward shared prosperity and a more just, equitable and inclusive future, the America of hope, compassion and joy must rise up again. We who believe in a government of the People, by the People and FOR THE PEOPLE must stand up and take back what is good and right as our responsibility and our duty.  We know that the science supporting the need to control greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels gives a short and closing window of timing for effective action. 

This graph, based on the comparison of atmospheric samples contained in ice cores and more recent direct measurements, provides evidence that atmospheric CO2 has increased since the Industrial Revolution.

Luthi, D., et al.. 2008; Etheridge, D.M., et al. 2010; Vostok ice core data/J.R. Petit et al.; NOAA Mauna Loa CO2 record. Find out more about ice cores (external site).

We dare to believe that excellent education for all makes stronger citizens and a stronger economy.  We insist that the health and well-being of all people depend on access to health care for everyone. We know that to have healthy people we depend on clean water, fresh air and fertile ground as well as the vast number of species that provide our life support system. It is our duty to protect and strengthen the laws and regulations that control and prevent the massive pollution that has become the hallmark of modern civilization. It is time for an effective national law on Climate Change.

No longer can we tolerate sweeping the climate issue to the side, whispering about it in closed enclaves. We must no longer tallow climate action to be disparaged as “woke” or succumbing to the “Climate is a hoax” dogma issuing from Trump and his minions.  The fossil industries who bought this President are bringing down our entire civilization.[2]These multi-national corporations have allegiance to no country, and certainly see no value in preserving humanity or any part of the natural world.  Next quarter profits are their only metric.  And if we look to the fate of our grandchildren, twenty years hence, the corporations do not care.  They have no children. They do not breathe air or drink fresh water. They do not bleed in war. They do not get illnesses from their filthy enterprises. The stock market is soaring.  The GDP is fine, what is our problem?

We need to focus on the fundamental systems that support a better future for all of us. That means we must address the unjust and skewed wealth distribution in our country. It is not a viable situation for the top 1% of people to control 86% of the wealth while the lowest 50% control less than 15%.[3]  The frozen federal minimum wage at $7.25/hour combined with a systematic attack on unions and worker organizing has killed the middle class.[4] The Tax Reform Act of 1986 under Ronald Regan and the “Big Beautiful Budget Bill” of Trump have combined to increase the disparity in wealth distribution.  Money is the heart of this evil. Unfettered capitalism feeds greed. And greed kills. Policies that demonize equity, inclusion, immigrants, and dignity to any outside the cult of wealth are destroying the best of what made America a great country. Now ripping away the Endangerment Finding assures the destruction of our life support system:clean air, safe drinking water, fertile ground and the millions of species that constitute the great Web of Life, of which humans are but one part. 

Climate must be on the agenda for the Mid-term Elections.  Rescinding the Endangerment Finding does not rescind the effects of greenhouse gas emissions on the climate. It just cuts out the ability of our government to move in a more positive and healthy direction. We can thrive without fossil fuels. But we cannot even survive in a planet warmed above the range of viability for all living things…including humans. We cannot have healthy, thriving people without a healthy thriving environment. We are facing our own extinction.  It is time to ACT!

Adopt a National Energy Act for Climate Resilience. We must recognize that the energy system is in the midst of a critically necessary transformation away from a fossil resource -based system that moves from extraction to production to trash. The renewable resource based, circular materials and energy management system is emerging worldwide, in spite of all U.S. efforts to stifle its progress.  We must boldly examine the regulatory infrastructure that can support a distributed energy system and a circular materials management system.  The laws and regulations governing utilities are designed for one way flow of power from central power stations to customers distant and connected by wires.  The emerging energy system is based on renewable resources. A distributed energy system accommodates multiple sources of electricity generation from net zero buildings that sometimes produce more energy than they need to microgrids linked with long duration battery storage systems and interconnected with load management software that balances loads and resources.  Customers generate some or all of their own power, from solar PV on their roofs and car batteries in their garages, and utilities struggle to accommodate two-way flows. Many large customers can also generate all of their own power with dedicated systems linked to their unique demands, and drop out of the grid altogether.  We need to examine an update to the laws and regulations governing the production and exchange of power to address the reality of a shifting energy system. A distributed energy system powered by renewable resources can sustain a better future. We need a regulatory infrastructure that enables this transformation in law.

The laws of nature are not negotiable.  As we increase the concentration of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere, the planet will continue to warm. That is just physics. Trump may try to erase Black History. He has reversed decades of policy supporting immigration as America the melting pot. He has re-aligned alliances and trade agreements. He can eliminate public education and limit health care and benefits.  BUT he has no power to change the laws of atmospheric physics and chemistry. He has no power to control the response of living systems, including humans, to changes in the environment.  He has no power to re-write the laws of Nature. We ignore these at our peril.

It is time to put our life support system on the agenda. It is time to protect our world for our children.  We can live without luxury cars. We can live without plastics.  We can live without gilded buildings. We cannot live without oxygen-rich fresh air, or clean water, or fertile ground that provides food. We cannot live without compassion and empathy for each other in communities of caring people. We cannot live without the ecosystems that support life on earth.

Endnotes and Resources:

[1] Environmental Protection Agency. President Trump and Administrator Zeldin Deliver Single Largest Deregulatory Action in U.S. History:Trump Admin Eliminates Obama-Era Endangerment Finding, off-cycle credits, start-stop feature. Feb 12, 2026.  https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/president-trump-and-administrator-zeldin-deliver-single-largest-deregulatory-action-us  Accessed Feb 12, 2026.

[2] Dharna Noor. “Big oil spent $445m in last election cycle to influence Trump and Congress, report says.” The Guardian. 23 Jan 2025.https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/23/big-oil-445m-trump-congress   Accessed Feb 12, 2026.

[3]   Urban Institute calculations from the Survey of Financial Characteristics of Consumers 1962, the Survey of Changes in Family Finances 1963, and the Survey of Consumer Finances 1983–2022.  Urban Institute. April 25, 2024.  https://apps.urban.org/features/wealth-inequality-charts/

[4] Mills Rodrigo. “America’s Wealthiest Are Getting Even Richer.” Inequality.org. January 31, 2026.     https://inequality.org/facts/wealth-inequality/   Accessed Feb. 12, 2026.


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A Dream of America with Justice, Equity and Inclusion: in Honor of Rev. Martin Luther King

On this day commemorating the life of Rev. Martin Luther King, I reflect on his dream of a better America, where the country would be “…true to what you said on paper in the Constitution…honoring the Freedom of Assembly, Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press. All assuring the Constitutional right to protest for what is right!”[1] His words ring true for us today in so many ways. “When people get caught up with that which is right and are willing to sacrifice for it, there is no stopping the outcome short of victory.”[2]  In the depths of the civil rights movement in 1962, he described the days of challenge to make America a better nation. His words and his passion for justice roused the conscience of our nation, and the world because he spoke to what is universally recognized. We are more alike as humans than different in race, religion, culture or even political persuasion. 

            Rev. Martin Luther King lifted up  the need for strengthening the moral fiber of society to recognize and act on the racial injustice and  poverty as a policy choice and war as an instrument of oppression. 

            There is a sort of poverty of the spirit which stands in glaring contrast to our scientific      and technological abundance. The richer we have become materially, the poorer we have          become morally and spiritually. We have learned to fly the air like birds and swim the sea             like fish, but we have not learned the simple art of living together as brothers.[3]   

[1] Martin Luther King  speech to the Memphis Refuse Workers. April 3, 1968. https://www.npr.org/2024/02/07/1228320048/black-history-mlk-speeches-martin-luther-king

[2] ibid

[3] Martin Luther King. Nobel Prize Lecture. Netherlands. December 11, 1964.  https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1964/king/lecture/

See the full essay here:

1-19-2026 A Dream of America with JusticeDownload


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A Moral Outrage: It may be legal, but it is not right!

Patricia M. DeMarco

     I sit in my sunroom at dawn this midsummer day listening to the insistent trill of the Carolina wren in the rose of Sharon bush just outside my door. The sight of Pasha Pussycat, safely behind the screen, is sending the apprehensive mother bird into a frenzy in fear of a threat to her nest in the niche above the doorway. It is natural for a creature to shriek at a threat in alarm and warning.As I attended  Reclamation! the 2025 Black Appalachian Coalition Storytelling and Policy Summit July 17 to 20, 2025, I heard many people share their experiences and their fears for the impact of the cuts to so many services. I wonder why we all are not shrieking in alarm and warning at the “One Big Beautiful Budget Act” that was signed into law on July 4th this year.

The major cuts to health care and food support will cast millions of Americans into poverty and even death. The major beneficiaries of this OBBBA are corporations whose taxes fall from 35% to 21%, and individuals with net income over $400,000 per year. The budget is the best representation of policy. This budget codifies a shift in values away from standards that long defined America. Here, greed and privilege displace equal opportunity and shared prosperity.

We must restore trust in each other and rebuild confidence in the representative democracy system of governance:

We must restore the sense of dignity and respect for people regardless of their income level, race, gender, religion, or even political affiliation.

We must recognize our responsibility to engage as active citizens.

We must commit to preserving a future for our children, and care for today’s children.

We must face the reality of climate change.  The laws of Nature are not negotiable. 

We must raise our voices in protest. Every Congressional Representative is up for election in 2026. The time to weigh in with them is NOW! 

We the People must take back the narrative of what this country is about. We do not judge our greatness by the number and fame of the billionaires but by how well the children, the elderly, the infirm and the poorest among us are doing. We can build a finer future that is people centered, not profit centered, and recognize that we live in a state of abundance. Shared prosperity will emerge when we shift our values to place priority on people above profits and planet health over the next quarter bottom line. This OBBBA makes a mockery of the message of the Statue of Liberty that has welcomed so many millions to our shores. Our diversity is our strength. We the People must raise our voices in moral outrage at what has become legal but is not right. 

See the full article below. I welcome your thoughts.

Patty

A Moral OutrageDownload


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Reality Check on the Big Beautiful Budget Proposal

As I look at the proposals coming through for the “Big Beautiful Budget” proposals, I am both shocked and horrified at the implications of this proposed action.  Programs and policies that help the climate transition, basic public health education and well-being as well as basic functions of government to track and monitor conditions are all under attack.  What are we thinking?!!!!

Under the initiative of “Department of Government Efficiency” and a barrage of Executive Orders, every agency of government is being slashed to curtail “diversity, equity and inclusion” initiatives, “climate change initiatives” emissions controls, arbitrarily and without consideration of due process. Further, government properties related to agencies that monitor or implement such programs are also being sold, lease terminated or privatized.

The progress to date on climate action to protect both land and people is being slowed or curtailed. This includes thousands of jobs already created under the Inflation Reduction Act in domestic manufacturing as well as investment stimulation from private sector initiatives.

Budget is policy. As debate continues in Congress for the budgetary implementation of these policies, we must call out the unintended, or perhaps cruelly intended, consequences of these actions. Our country is yielding its leadership position on climate adaptation. Willful denial and pushing the regulatory system to favor fossil resource extractive industries will only worsen the consequences for everyone, now and for our children. The laws of Nature are not negotiable, nor can they be rescinded or revoked.

Call your Representative and Senators and ask for restraint on destroying our life support system. https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member

Find the full article here:

5-18-2025 What are we thinking! A Reality Check on the %22Big Beautiful Budget%22 ProposalDownload