Patricia DeMarco Ph.D.

"Live in harmony with nature."

Category Archives: Uncategorized


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Women of Steel – A Legacy of Solidarity and Power

by Patricia M. DeMarco

This Mother’s Day holds deep memories, and current powerful examples of the force of women on our society. I had the pleasure to attend the Battle of Homestead Foundation tribute to the Women of Steel celebrated in music, film and remembrance at the historic Pump House, the last original structure remaining from the Homestead Steel Works. Steffi Domike and Connie Portis organized the screening of Pauline Greenlick’s film set to Mike Stout’s song “Women of Steel.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gORURSBGge4 Betty Esper’s stories from the early days of running as a messenger from one end of the 5-mile mill complex to the other shared a time when every advance was hard-won. Sandra Gould Ford’s tales of her time in the chem lab of J&L, with her photographs becoming the base for her amazing work as a photographic artist ,gave powerful evidence of survival in the face of monstrous adversity. And Rose Bezey ‘s and Kelly Vereb’s tales of hardships persisting to this day raised the value and importance of the Union in combatting injustice and discrimination. We need the power of unions again today, more than ever.

I was thinking about my Mother, Marcella DeMarco, all evening as I sat absorbing the solidarity and the power of so many strong union women, so many friends in the movement. My Mother organized teachers for better wages, promotion opportunities equivalent to men; for equal sports opportunities for girls, before Title IX, and for better classroom materials.  She went on, after earning her Doctorate in Public Administration, to organize the Pittsburgh Administrators Association for the same needs – women’s rights, students’ rights and fair wages and opportunities to advance. Her passion for her students pervaded our lives. I remember carrying her emergency supply bag (lemons, smelling salts, water, blister salve and bandages etc.) as she coached the South Hills High School Drill Team for Memorial Day parade. I watched in awe as she coached the Women’s Gymnastics team, including my blue-ribbon sister Linda who defied gravity flying off the uneven parallel bars, or leaping to unimagined heights in floor exercises she performed to music she recorded on her flute. My Mother always had a passion for excellence and seeing that her students were able to pursue their highest ambitions.

So many of the Women of Steel, and the workers who made the steel industry the heart of our economy for nearly 100 years, came to Pittsburgh as immigrants fleeing strife and poverty. They infused America with passion for a better life, a hard-working ethic and a tight sense of community. These values still stand, even in communities disinvested for the last 50 years, especially among the immigrants here among us today. But how different their reception now compared to those many years ago! My parents and grandparents preserved the cultural richness from Italy, Poland and Croatia even as they settled into the culture of American life. Today we treat immigrants as “aliens” ignoring the richness added to our life experience in the diversity of foods, customs, music and joy they bring to our communities.

It is the women who preserve culture, who hold the community together when times get tough, and who stand in solidarity when the rules need to change. This strong spirit of solidarity and resilience holds even today. Rose Beazy spoke of the rising need for unions to protect workers rights for health and safety in the face of entrenched corporate greed. Our challenges increase as federal policies erode environmental protections, social services, education and health protections.

Hard-won rights for voting and fair representation loom as battles needed again. Freedom of religion, free speech and of the press erode daily through back-door executive powers backed by a corrupt Supreme Court. It is time for all of us to take the lessons of the Women of Steel. It is time to defend our Constitution:

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” https://www.senate.gov/about/origins-foundations/senate-and-constitution/constitution.htm

We must organize, mobilize and protest this administration’s usurpation of our country by greed, avarice and corrupt self-dealing at the highest levels of government. We who stand in solidarity with the people who actually do the work that builds wealth need to level the profit field so the workers benefit more fairly from their labor. The functions of government must return to serving the people, not just private corporate interests, especially of multi-national corporations.

I return to the amazing words and work of Eleanore Roosevelt in her time as Chair of the Commission on Human Rights in forming the United Nations. Her words spoken in the wake of the horrors of World War II ring as a caution to us today:

“We must not be confused about what freedom is. Basic human rights are simple and easily understood: freedom of speech and a free press; freedom of religion and worship; freedom of assembly and the right of petition; the right of men to be secure in their homes and free from unreasonable search and seizure and from arbitrary arrest and punishment.We must not be deluded by the efforts of the forces of reaction to prostitute the great words of our free tradition and thereby to confuse the struggle. Democracy, freedom, human rights have come to have a definite meaning to the people of the world which we must not allow any nation to so change that they are made synonymous with suppression and dictatorship.“https://erpapers.columbian.gwu.edu/struggle-human-rights-1948

We live in perilous times, embroiled in a “war of choice” amid the deliberate destruction of many institutions of science, education, arts, and humanity. We must renew our dedication to standing up for what we value. We must hold true to the sacrifices of so many before us who fought and died for true government “…of the People, by the People and for the People.” It is time to step into our power as engaged citizens. 

Live in harmony with Nature!


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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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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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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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The Special Power of Women in Shaping Good Governance

Presented to Three Rivers Democratic Women, Pittsburgh
November 20, 2025.

We close 2025 in the waves of disruption and distress from the re-alingment of the federal government under President Trump. Maintaining focus in the face of the Trump administration retrenchment on climate, environmental protections, civil liberties and common decency has been a challenge for most of us in the battle for a sustainable future.  I take hope from the continued advance of regenerative practice at the level of state and local governments across the country and around the world.

Women have the power to bring compassion, balance, dignity and joy to processes of governance too often mired in petty politics and power struggles over ego. It is time for women to stand together and call for a return to a government of compassion and caring; a government of shared prosperity and improved quality of life for all citizens; a government of moral alignment with basic human rights and dignity. It is time for women to step forward and lead from the heart of our nation.

     As we face this New Year, I find hope and sustenance from the many bonds of friendship and community around me.  People need each other, most especially in times of tribulation.  The greatness of our nation is not measured by the number and notoriety of its billionaires but by the wellbeing of the least among us- the children, the elderly, the infirm. We do not yield to hatred and anger but rather embrace the many opportunities to care for each other and for our Mother Earth. Extending dignity and respect to each person we meet reflects joy back and amplifies the sense of belonging to a common purpose.  We build toward a shared prosperity based on regenerative systems for food, energy, and infrastructure. We preserve and strengthen our life support system: clean air, fresh water, fertile ground and the vast diversity of species that constitute the great Web of Life. We are stronger together and together we rise.

     I wish the blessings of this Season of Hope and Joy for you and your families.

Buon Natalé!

11-20-2025 The Special Power of Women in Good GovernanceDownload


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Government of the People, by the People and FOR the People- now under attack!

Dear Colleagues and Friends:

I have just read in full the enclosed Memorandum  on “Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence” issued by President Trump on September 25th.  https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/09/countering-domestic-terrorism-and-organized-political-violence/

Wrapped in legal-sounding language, this memorandum asserts the intention of the President to quell dissent by defining those who disagree with his policies as terrorists.  Followed by his charge to the gathered military generals last week, this, to me, is a declaration of civil war against those who oppose the policies and positions of this President.  Evidence of retributional practices toward his detractors was made plain with the barring of Congressionally authorized funds specifically from states with Democratic leadership and his intent to target “Democratic favored programs” for layoffs and reductions. https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2025/10/03/government-shutdown-senate-cant-end-standoff-will-continue-through-weekend/ This includes environmental protection, any climate, renewable energy or emissions reduction actions, and any “diversity, equity and inclusion” programs. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/white-house-cancels-nearly-8b-in-clean-energy-projects-in-blue-states

Federal agents clash with demonstrators outside the ICE Detention Center in suburban Chicago. (Dominic Gwinn/Getty Images)

 This is not “Government for the People under any interpretation of the law! I Implore those with power to act to assert sanctuary in our State, County and Borough.  I ask for Resolutions of objection to this perversion of American values. I ask my fellow citizens to speak out to your elected officials at all levels to object to this divisive violence and ask for justice. I am not willing to stand silent while fellow citizens are hauled away in the dark of night, even children, with no notice of charges, refusal of legal representation, or refusal of communication.  This is not the America my Father fought for.  This is not the America I have served for over 50 years. The greatness of our country is not weighed by the number and fame of its billionaires but by the wellbeing of the least of its citizens- the children, the elderly, the infirm and the poor. Living in fear destroys our communities, our quality of life and our future.  We must restore the sense of confidence in the rule of law, in securing liberty and justice for ALL. 

It is time to call ENOUGH! to this abuse of power, corruption and terrorization of our communities.  Is “Innocent until proven guilty” no longer the law here?  Is the right of due process no longer applicable in America if your Governor is a Democrat? Have we lost the basic freedom of speech in the First Amendment of the Constitution that protects the public expression of opinions? Are peaceful protests now to be subject to tear gas, arrest and incarceration, as occurred in Chicago, Portland and Los Angeles? 

This kind of evil will only prevail if good people stand by and say nothing.  We should flood the White House with Resolutions of Objection, signed by the millions who seek to preserve our representative democracy, or the  “government of the people, by the people and for the people” may indeed perish from this Earth in our time.

Patricia DeMarco

Live in harmony with nature


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EPA Reconsideration of 2009 Endangerment Finding and Vehicle Efficiency Standards

The EPA is currently holding public hearings on its proposed reconsideration of the 2009 Endangerment Finding and Vehicle Efficiency Standards that authorized action to curtail greenhouse gases that cause climate change.
Eliminating this regulatory authority will nullify climate change actions to control emissions from power plants, vehicles and industrial operations. EPA is accepting comments until Sept 22,2025. Please consider filing a statement.

Reconsideration of 2009 Endangerment Finding and Greenhouse Gas Vehicle Standards
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OAR–2025–0194
https://www.regulations.gov/docket/EPA-HQ-OAR-2025-0194

My testimony is here:

8-18-2025 EPA Endangerment Finding TestimonyDownload


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Interview with Logan Crawford- on my book “In the Footsteps of Rachel Carson”

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Patricia M. DeMarco, Ph.D, author of “In the Footsteps of Rachel Carson: Harnessing Earth’s Healing Power”. Discover how you can break free from old patterns, overcome trauma, and reclaim your life through authenticity, healing, and a deep connection to nature. This powerful interview explores the blueprint to becoming your true self — the author of your own story. Don’t miss this transformative dialogue on personal empowerment and ecological wisdom. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfxRwsrpyGw

#globalbooknetwork#gbn#authors#books#PatriciaMDeMarco#InTheFootstepsOfRachelCarson#HealingJourney#TraumaRecovery#AuthenticSelf#NatureHealing#RachelCarsonLegacy#PersonalGrowth#MentalHealth#Empowerment#AuthorInterview#BookTalk#SpiritualAwakening#RewriteYourStory#beyourselfgamer Learn more: https://www.amazon.com/Footsteps-Rach…

About Logan Crawford: Emmy-winning broadcaster and actor who brings authors and storytellers to the spotlight on the Global Book Network.


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55th Celebration of Earth Day

My Dear Colleagues and Friends.
The passion for preserving our life support system – the living earth – runs as an elixir of inspiration through our work as teachers, guides and models of living in harmony with Nature. Regardless of any pronouncements or Executive Orders, the laws of Nature are not negotiable.

Earth Day has marked annual community clean-up days, opening farmer’s markets, flower displays and recycling events. But really in this year where the EPA Administrator gleefully proposed rolling back 31 environmental protection regulations that were intended to curtail toxic air emissions like mercury and proliferation of forever chemical materials like PFOS, we need more than one-time reminders and displays. We need to take the issue of actively protecting our life support system seriously. That means addressing climate change with leadership and courage. That means curtailing pollution from man-made materials, especially plastics. And that means looking at our own lifestyle for ways to live with less burden on the earth.

On this Earth Day I share with you Rachel Carson’s words:
“…man, far from being the overlord of all creation, is himself part of nature, subject to the same cosmic forces that control all other life. Man’s future welfare and probably even his survival depend upon his learning to live in harmony, rather than in combat, with these forces.” {From Rachel Carson’s essay on Biological Sciences for the National Council of Teachers. In Lost Woods- the Discovered Writing of Rachel Carson. Linda J. Lear (Ed.)Beacon Press. Boston. 1998.Page 165.}


As we celebrate this 55th Earth Day, may we remember that the greatness of a nation is not determined by the number and fame of its billionaires but by the well-being and shared prosperity of its children, the elderly, the infirm and the poorest among us. We cannot have healthy people in a polluted environment. We must offer leadership and give voice to the 73% of Americans, of both parties, who want more direct action on climate change. We who know cannot remain silent in defense of the Living Earth that provides fresh water, oxygen-rich air, fertile ground and the millions of species that constitute the great web of life, of which we humans are but one part.

On this Earth Day re-dedicate yourself to stand as a strong advocate for preserving our living earth…every day! Call you Senators and Congressional Representative today and remind them that our quality of life, indeed our survival, depend on preserving and restoring a healthy environment.

One tulip spared by the rabbits and deer!

Here is the link to my presentation for Earth Day at the Duquesne University Law School

4-22-2025Duquesne_Law-Earth_DayDownload

and my interview with Dr. Dana Noescue.
4-22-2025Duquesne_Law-Earth_Day.pptx (11054 kB)
Healing the Land and Empowering the People: A Message for Earth Day

DKLL LEGAL TALK SERIES Patricia Demarco-Event.pdf  (255 kB)
Event Sponsored by DKLL and the 2025 Students of Climate Change Law, Research, and Writing

The interview with Dr. Dana Neascu can be found here.

https://dsc.duq.edu/law-dcli-speakers/10/