For the past 40 years Earth Day has been a time to think about our stewardship of the planet, and to vow to do a better job. Frankly, we are not doing such a great job–and I’m not just talking about caring for the plants and animals with whom we share the planet. On this [...]

It doesn’t take a genius to know that tap water is not meant to catch on fire. Yet, for some who live near natural gas drilling stations in the United States, it is very much a reality. Natural gas has been billed as a “clean” and inexpensive form of energy. But, when it is extracted [...]

March 16, 2010 Today, as I watched a screening of Josh Fox’s documentary GasLand, about natural gas extraction by means of a hydraulic drilling process called “fracking,” it struck me just how often we allow short-term greed to stand in the way of what is best for everyone over the long term. Natural gas has [...]

Day 10–July 13 (Breezewood, PA-Everett, PA, 8.2 miles) Route 30 as it heads east from Breezewood is no place to be walking. Large trucks whiz by; the shoulder of the road is miniscule; and in the heat of the sun it is miserable. Slathered in sunscreen and breathing in car exhaust I couldn’t help but [...]