the book ReImagine Appalachia: Healing the Land and Empowering the people is now available in paperback and as an electronic edition from Springer Nature at a much reduced price from the originally published hardcover. You can order it here. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-61921-2
The concluding chapter is important today as we look toward the Midterm elections. Policy re-adjustments to enhance and grow the middle class upwards have worked. Policies proposed from the ReImagine Appalachia Blueprint and adopted into the Inflation Reduction Act, the Infrastructure and Jobs Act and the CHIPS Act began to turn the curve towards investing in communities and working people, as opposed to further enrichment of the top 1% of the wealthy, as is happening now.
This reflection from Rachel Carson seems amazingly relevant for today’s situation:
Mankind has gone very far into an artificial world of his own creation. He has sought to insulate himself, with steel and concrete, from the realities of earth and water. Perhaps he is intoxicated with his own power, as he goes farther and farther into experiments for the destruction of himself and his world. For this unhappy trend there is no single remedy—no panacea. But I believe that the more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction. (Carson RL (1998) The real world around us. In: Lear LJ (ed) Lost woods—the discovered writing of Rachel Carson. Beacon Press, Boston, p 163)
By Patricia M. DeMarco, Mayor of the Borough of Forest Hills, PA
As extreme weather fluctuations and higher heat bring health concerns to the headlines, cities look for ways to adapt for a more resilient approach. Once defined only by skyscrapers and concrete canyons, many modern cities seek to bring nature into the cityscape to improve the health and quality of life of the people who live, work and play in urban environments. Natural landscapes bring many benefits to urban living, including health benefits, economic value of property, and cultural distinction.
Ecosystem services support all life on earth.[1] As people have settled into larger urban environments, we have become more removed from the essential services of the living earth that comprise our life support system. Fresh water, oxygen-rich air, fertile ground and the millions of species that make up the interconnected web of life come from the ecosystem services of the earth. Evolved over millions of years, the four categories of ecosystem services support life on earth as we know it.
These gifts of the living earth operate automatically. The supporting services include nutrient cycling for carbon, nitrogen, water, oxygen and phosphorous; soil formation from the action of millions of micro-organisms breaking down detritus; primary production includes energy conversion by photosynthesis to create biomass and release oxygen; and habitat provision which establishes living conditions specific to various regions of the planet. These services feed into all the other ecosystem services. The provisioning services generate primary food production, fresh water, wood and fiber and biomass- based fuels. The regulating services are the control systems of the earth that shape climate by storing carbon and the temperature through the thermohaline circulation of the oceans; flood and erosion control through wetlands and tree roots; water purification through wetlands; and disease control through predator/prey relationships in natural ecosystems. Finally, the cultural services provide spiritual and aesthetic values to human experience, often called biophilia- the natural feelings of being connected to nature that makes people want to be in the “outdoors” for vacations at the beach or in parks.
These services do not usually “count” in computations of the Gross Domestic Product or the economic valuation of transactions. However, they are priceless contributors to many aspects of daily life that people take for granted, such as having fresh water or pollination for agricultural products, or natural fibers like cotton, linen, bamboo and hemp. Note that all of these ecosystem services are circular in regenerating and replenishing the elements of each system, all driven primarily from the sun as the primary source of energy, temperature gradients and seasonal cycles.
Our Life Support System is Under Stress. Human activities, especially since the Industrial Revolution, have brought stress to the balanced ecosystems that have sustained life as we know it.Resource extractionfrom miningfor fuels and minerals, industrial scale farming, and land use for highways, buildings and parking lots has stressed the environment. Also, the rapid acceleration of burning fossil resources for fuel is reversing in decades the millions of years of biological process that increased the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere and sequestered carbon in coal, petroleum, and natural gas. The modern surge in use of synthetic materials, especially plastics which are derived from petrochemicals, has also stressed the natural ecosystems in many ways, especially as the population of the earth has continued to grow, and more countries adopt a heavy consumer-oriented economy. Hyper-consumption spreading worldwide adds to the stress on our natural life support system.
Pennsylvania’s Constitution Article 2 Section 27 states: “The people have a right to clean air, pure water, and to the preservation of the natural, scenic, historic and esthetic values of the environment. Pennsylvania’s public natural resources are the common property of all the people, including generations yet to come. As trustee of these resources, the Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all the people.”
However, Pennsylvania bears the scars of hundreds of years of reliance on extractive industries.
Abandoned mined lands estimated at 288,000 acres[2]
It is our ethical and moral obligation to preserve and restore the ecosystems of the living Earth for now and for the future. It is our duty to preserve the right for life to exist for the people we serve in our communities, and for future generations whole lives will be shaped by the decisions we make today. We cannot legislate the laws of chemistry and physics nor the biologic system responses to changes in the environment. But we can adjust our laws, and our way of life, to be more in harmony with the natural systems we depend on. The time for wanton exploitation of the natural world is over!
Pathways Forward We who govern at the local level are in a good position to shape a pathway to a better future. We are no longer facing a gradual transition but rather a transformation in our relationship to the natural world that supports us.
This transformation from an extractive civilization based on fossil-fuels to a regenerative civilization based on renewable resources is not a technical problem but rather a moral and ethical problem. Do we have the courage to shift the base of our economy to systems that can be sustained for the next generations, or will we persist in the destruction of our life support system for now, and for generations to come?
Our current situation has been built on a primary premise of economic drivers as the principal, sometimes the exclusive, basis for policy decisions. As a result, cultural values such as history, social services, public education, public health, public amenities such as parks and nature preserves as well as environmental values such as clean air, fresh water, fertile ground and preserving the biodiversity of species have diminished consideration in public policy decisions. This situation cannot be sustained for decades into the future without seriously compromising the quality of life for everyone on earth. The biggest shift from an extractive to a sustainable system involves a change in priorities to re-balance, economic, environmental and cultural values to be more equal in weight for decision making on policy.
Regenerative thinking provides a framework to support this adjustment. Regenerative thinking looks beyond the instant gratification of the next quarterly report, but rather considers the life cycle implications, and the associated impact on environmental and cultural values over time. [5] This is especially relevant in local government decisions, for example when determining what kind of a public building to invest taxpayer dollars in, or what land use decisions to make for preservation vs development. Fortunately, regenerative solutions are available, proven and cost-effective.Cities can be catalysts for living in harmony with Nature. The inherent human affinity for nature is called “Biophilia” and has been recognized as a movement throughout the world as a way to improve the quality of life for urban areas.[6][7] Incorporating nature into urban environments brings many benefits.
Renewable Energy Systems conserve and restore resources. Technology costs in renewable energy systems are dropping sharply.[8] Demand is increasing for efficiency and clean energy solutions. More supportive national policies (Inflation Reduction Act & Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act) showed the potential for effective adoption of renewable energy resources at scale.[9] Investment in renewable infrastructure is increasing in states, public institutions, and in private investments, in spite of federal policy changes. The Borough of Forest Hills designed and built a net-zero energy borough building, and now also has solar on five additional buildings to save energy costs and have more efficient operations. The capital costs the solar were administered through a Guaranteed Energy Savings Program of the PA Department of Conservation and natural Resources.
Prevent Pollution by designing materials through Green Chemistry principles that are benign by design.[10] This process reduces the inherent hazard from things like plastics and forever chemicals rather than limiting our exposure to toxic substances through regulation. Substituting biological materials like hemp, bamboo, algae and fungi for petrochemicals can shift the production to less environmentally and health damaging materials.
Circular Materials Management shifts our economy away from using raw materials to make products designed to be replaced rapidly.[11] Instead, materials and products can be designed to be made in America and made to last as durable goods. Also design features can include reclaiming raw material for re-use or repurposing, rather than to become trash. Ideally, circular materials management using renewable resources as feedstocks can create an economy of higher value with much less waste.
Reduce urban stress. Urban living often brings social stress, a sense of physical threats from crime, traffic safety and adverse environmental exposures associated especially with noise and air pollution, and heat island stress. Adding urban tree cover contributes to more vigorous physical activity among adults aged 18 to 24 as well as reduced obesity, better general health, less asthma and better social cohesion in communities.[12] Forest Hills has been a USA Tree City since 1975. Our 2,800 urban Trees contribute an estimated $19.7 Million in cumulative asset value.[13]
Calm traffic. Using natural landscapes and plantings as part of a Complete Streets policy helps to calm urban traffic and improve the quality of experience for pedestrians. This was especially effective when native plants and shrubs were used as well as incorporating water features such as fountains and ponds as part of bioswales for stormwater management.[14]
Provide economic value. Studies completed by the US Department of Agriculture show that urban tree canopies deliver over $18.3 billion in annual environmental and economic value.[15] This value is derived from shade that reduces cooling demand, health improvements from absorbing pollutants in the air, and sequestering carbon in trees.
Mature trees act as critical infrastructure thatboost property values, mitigate the urban heat island effect, and improve public health.[16]
Green Infrastructure can contribute to stormwater management by diverting storm surges into bioswales and rain gardens. Especially if these are planted with native species, they can also support birds and pollinators within the urban environment. The Forest Hills Borough Building has bioswales that capture all stormwater from the property.
Zoning and policy support canencourage land uses that include landscaping with native species, wilding lawns, encouraging urban agriculture for local food production and to connect people to nature, and using neighborhood park and open spaces as part of blight remediation.
Biophilic Design in Public Buildings and Urban Spaces incorporates natural elements like greenery, water, and natural light, enhancing both the physical and mental well-being of the people who occupy these spaces. Sustainable energy features and natural landscaping are especially easy to incorporate into the design of new buildings or major renovations of public buildings or public spaces. In Forest Hills Borough, the Late Bloomers Garden Club and the Forest Hills Garden Club plant and maintain native plantings and pollinator gardens in the Ardmore Boulevard and in Forest Hills Park. Borough plantings include native species and integrated pest management practices to protect pollinators and wildlife.
We are part of the interconnected web of Life. Every opportunity we can take as local leaders to make our communities more resilient, more beautiful with living landscapes more supportive to wildlife, birds and pollinators, the more our communities will support living in harmony with nature. When we preserve the living earth, we preserve and strengthen our own life support system.
(This article will appear in the August issue of “The Municipal Reporter” published by the PA Municipal League.)
[9] Environmental and Energy Study Institute. “Implementing the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act- A Progress Report.” March 9, 2023. https://www.eesi.org/irabriefings Accessed July 22, 2026.
[12] Jared Ulmer, Kathleen Wolf, Desiree Backman, Raymond Truthway, Cynthia Blain, Jarlath O’Neil-Dunne, Lawrence Frank. Multiple health benefits f urban tree canopy: The Mounting Evidence for a green prescription. Health and Place. Vol 42. (2016) Pages 54-62. https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/54105.pdf Accessed July 29, 2026.
[13]Jason Rihn, Nicholas Burnett. Forest Hills Tree Inventory and Management Plan. Bartlett Tree Experts. June. 2026.
[15] Heather Sander, Stephen Polasky and Robert Haight. “The value of urban tree cover: A hedonic property price model in Ramsey and Dakota Counties, Minnesota, USA.” Ecological Economics. Vol 69 (2010) Pages 1646-1656. https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/36073.pdfAccessed July 29, 2026.
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.
[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.
by Patricia M. DeMarco, Ph.D. Mayor, Borough of Forest Hills, PA
Black plastic is commonly used in kitchen utensils, takeout containers, food trays, and children’s toys. But they hide a dark secret- most are made from material recovered from electronic waste plastic. Many of these products are made from recycled electronic waste, which can contain harmful chemicals like brominated flame retardants and heavy metals.[i] Flame retardants (often called “Forever Chemicals”) are found in 85% of black plastic consumer products.[ii] Why is this a problem? Electronic products uniquely contain potential fire ignition sources within the components – circuit boards, batteries, transformers, connectors and other essential parts. To prevent and control the severity of fires, manufacturers coat electronics like computers, smart phones, televisions, gaming systems and tablets with a variety of flame-retardant compounds.[iii] According to the Green Sciences Institute, flammability standards for electronics were developed in the 1970s in an attempt to limit the risk of a small open flame igniting plastic materials. High levels of flame-retardant chemicals–as much as 25% of the weight of the plastic–are used to meet these standards.[iv] When these products are recycled to recover the plastic, contaminants can transfer to food through consumer products.[v]
However, the chemicals so widely used to prevent the small fire risk are well-documented and potent endocrine disruptors. As a class of chemicals, organohalogens are highly persistent, bioaccumulative, and cause health harms, especially endocrine disruption, in wildlife and humans.[vi] These compounds can migrate from the plastic cases into dust particles which can be inhaled or ingested. And, when recycled into materials in contact with food, especially hot items, they can be absorbed into the food itself.[vii] Repeated petitions to the Consumer Products Safety Commission resulted in a Guidance Notice in 2017 to be in place pending the development of final regulations: “Commission recommends that manufacturers of children’s products, upholstered furniture sold for use in residences, mattresses (and mattress pads), and plastic casings surrounding electronics refrain from intentionally adding non-polymeric, organohalogen flame retardants (‘‘OFRs’’) to their products. Further, theCommission recommends that, before purchasing such products for resale, importers, distributors, and retailers obtain assurances from manufacturers that such products do not contain OFRs. Finally, the Commission recommends that consumers, especially those who are pregnant or with young children, inquire and obtain assurances from retailers that such products do not contain OFRs.”[viii]
The Consumer Products Safety Commission has ceased rulemaking to implement this guidance, and has declared that the Commission does not have any rule prohibiting the use of flame retardants in children’s products, upholstered furniture, mattresses and mattress pads, and in plastic casings surrounding electronics.[ix]
Consumers are now without the protection of a regulatory limitation on products readily available and in common use. Why should we be concerned?
Human hormones produced by the endocrine system control essential functions. Hormone Disrupting Compounds act at very low doses of exposure. Endocrine glands and the hormones they produce enable the body to adapt to environmental change; they allow metabolic adjustments to occur in response to different nutritional demands (e.g. hunger, starvation, obesity, etc.); they are critical to reproductive function; and they are essential to normal development of the body and brain through their effects on growth and maturation of organs.[x]
EDCs disrupt normal hormone functions. EDCs can block normal hormones by binding to specific receptors.[xi] They can mimic normal hormones, like estrogen, for example, interfering with normal hormone functions. Some can cause stimulation of a normal hormone function resulting in an unintended response. Because normal hormones are receptor-specific and act at very low concentrations in the body, small amounts of EDCs can have a larger unintended effect.[xii]
Chronic exposure has been shown to cause diseases. EDCs in plastics include: bisphenols, phthalates, alkylphenol ethoxylates, nonylphenols, brominated flame retardants, perfluorinated substances, benzotriazole UV stabilizers, and toxic metals. Infertility, reduced sperm count, pregnancy loss, and low birth weight of infants have been caused by EDCs. Some EDCs have been shown to cause cancers or chronic illnesses like diabetes and obesity. Some of these EDCs are persistent and bioaccumulative (i.e., build up over time in body tissues). When humans are tested for the presence of EDCs in their blood, fat, urine, and other tissues, the results consistently demonstrate a variety of EDCs in all individuals worldwide.[xiii]
In conclusion: Please examine your daily exposure to plastics. They can enter the body from absorption to food from plastic packaging or wraps, from ingestion of small particles from coated cooking pans or plastic cutting boards, or from using personal care or cleaning products. The Environmental Working Group provides a good source for guidance and brand based lists of exposure as well as Safe Products and sources.[xiv]
Choose durable materials for food preparation, serving and storage. Many things like spatulas and cooking goods made from aluminum, stainless steel, and wood are inexpensive and readily available. Secondhand goods stores are often a very inexpensive source for amazing products from the days of handmade homemade foods and materials. Cast iron pans well-seasoned from regular use last for generations.
P. DeMarco photo
While recycling is an essential feature for a circular materials economy, it is more important than ever to design products to ensure that toxic substances do not proliferate through the process. Recycling, without the necessary transparency and restrictions to ensure safety, is resulting in unexpected exposure to toxic flame retardants in household items.[xv] The chemical industry persistently repels attempts to regulate these and other forever chemicals, and has successfully prevented requirements to produce products that are non-toxic by design.[xvi]
We are inundated with a stew of synthetic chemicals. Our bodies do not experience one chemical at a time but rather a complex mixture of contaminants now spread worldwide through air and water and soil, even to uninhabited areas like Antarctica. The effects of this complex mixture have never been studied systematically. However, the epidemiology evidence documents the fact that we have been conducting an uncontrolled experiment upon ourselves and all other living things on Earth. Rachel Carson’s early urging of precaution in the proliferation of synthetic materials into the biosphere was ignored, even despised and disparaged by the chemical industry and especially the petrochemical industry. We learn to our sorrow that she was right to urge precaution. Once released, this proliferation of “Forever Chemicals” cannot be retrieved. We have poisoned our world forever.
[ii] Liu M, Brandsma SH, Schreder E. From e-waste to living space: Flame retardants contaminating household items add to concern about plastic recycling. Chemosphere. 2024 Oct;365:143319. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.143319. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39271080/
[iv] Hall, J.R. Fires Involving Appliance Housings— Is There a Clear and Present Danger?. Fire Technology38, 179–198 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1014463317848 Accessed May 29, 2026.
[v] Liu M, Brandsma SH, Schreder E. From e-waste to living space: Flame retardants contaminating household items add to concern about plastic recycling. Chemosphere. 2024 Oct;365:143319. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.143319. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39271080/
[xv] Liu M, Brandsma SH, Schreder E. From e-waste to living space: Flame retardants contaminating household items add to concern about plastic recycling. Chemosphere. 2024 Oct;365:143319. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.143319. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39271080/ Accessed May 28, 2026.
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.
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.
RebuildEnvironmental 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.
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.
[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/
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.
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.
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.
Patricia DeMarco Ph.D. 