Activists Sandy FIeld and Andrew Stuhl join On Air to discuss their victory in shutting down the proposed Encina chemical recycling facility in Point Township, PA. The now-dead plastic chemical recycling plant faced immediate community opposition when it was announced in 2022. The proposed facility—which would have been the largest of its kind in the United States—intended to use extreme heat and refining processes to convert plastic into toxic benzene, toluene, and xylene to be shipped by rail throughout the state, raising major air quality and safety concerns. The process would have used 2.9 million gallons of water a day from the Susquehanna River, threatening to pollute a vital source of drinking water with microplastics and PFAS. Their organizing efforts are a playbook for other communities facing similar proposed polluters.

Learn more about the victory at saveoursusquehanna.org.

Learn more about Clean Air Council at cleanair.org

The theme of Earth Day 2024 is “Planet vs. Plastic.” For this theme, we sat down with award-winning producer of the Story of Plastics, Stiv Wilson. Stiv shares his eye-opening experience of creating the documentary and the global impact of both the oil and gas industry and the petrochemical industry and how they are banking on us to keep using single use plastics. Learn about what we must do to stop our dependency on plastics and protect our environment. Stiv also shares a sneak peek into his new documentary, “Goliath is Shaking.” Tune in to learn more.

Learn more about Stiv Wilson’s work at https://peakplasticfoundation.org.

Learn more about Clean Air Council at cleanair.org.

Recently, we sat down with Alex Bomstein, the Council’s new Executive Director, to learn what makes him tick as well as his ideas for Clean Air Council’s future. Alex candidly answers questions about his work at the Council, being a life-long environmentalist and devout vegan, and a dog/cat dad. Tune in and get to know Alex.

Learn more about Clean Air Council at cleanair.org

This installment of “On Air with Clean Air Council” is the conclusion of our two-part episode looking into the aftermath of Norfolk Southern’s train derailment in East Palestine, OH. This two-part episode features Clean Air Council’s Andrew Woomer, as well as residents and activists Hilary Flint and Jess Conard. 

In this second episode we discuss the support received by residents living in and around the East Palestine crash site and hear some of the lasting effects almost a year later. 

If you missed the first episode of this series, you can listen to it here.

Guests: -Andrew Woomer, Advocacy Coordinator for Southwest Pennsylvania at Clean Air Council -Hilary Flint, Director of Communications and Community Engagement for Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community and Vice President of Unity Council for the East Palestine Train Derailment -Jess Conard, Appalachia Director for Beyond Plastics

Learn more about Clean Air Council at Cleanair.org, Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community at MarcellusAwareness.org, Unity Council for the East Palestine Train Derailment at facebook.com/groups/758398132306434, and Beyond Plastics at beyondplastics.org

The ninth installment of “On Air with Clean Air Council” breaks down the events surrounding Norfolk Southern’s train derailment in East Palestine. This two-part episode features Clean Air Council’s Andrew Woomer, as well as residents and activists Hilary Flint and Jess Conard. 

In this first episode we discuss what happened the night of the derailment and the immediate response from Norfolk Southern and the EPA. We hear Hilary and Jess’s accounts from the communities in and around the crash site, as well as Andrew’s experience on the ground providing direct relief to those affected.  Stay tuned for the second episode in this series about the train derailment in East Palestine coming in 2 weeks on December 14th. 

Guests:

• Andrew Woomer, Advocacy Coordinator for Southwest Pennsylvania at Clean Air Council
• Hilary Flint, Director of Communications and Community Engagement for Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community and Vice President of Unity Council for the East Palestine Train Derailment
• Jess Conard, Appalachia Director for Beyond Plastics

Learn more about Clean Air Council at Cleanair.org, Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community at MarcellusAwareness.org, Unity Council for the East Palestine Train Derailment at facebook.com/groups/758398132306434, and Beyond Plastics at beyondplastics.org

In the eighth installment of “On Air with Clean Air Council,” we follow the story of an apartment building creating a healthier environment for its residents. Thomas Wynne Apartments President Cathy Lockyer Moulton and Leasing Manager Kathryn Willcox give us insights into their journey transitioning to a smoke free apartment building. Find out what challenges and benefits they faced in this process and learn some tips if you want your apartment building to be smoke free.

Learn more about Clean Air Council at Cleanair.org and about the Smokefree program at cleanair.org/other-enviro-initiatives/tobacco.

In the seventh installment of “On Air with Clean Air Council,” we learn how infrastructure can make a street more or less safe for pedestrians and other road users. Titania Markland, Clean Air Council Transportation Outreach Coordinator and Feet First Philly representative, talks about Feet first Philly, pedestrian advocacy, and an amazing mini-grant program that puts money in the hands of community members to create public space enhancements and safety improvements where they are needed the most.

Learn more about Clean Air Council at Cleanair.org and about Feet First Philly at feetfirstphilly.org.

The blog post about the Mini-Grant program can be found here.

Download the full request for proposal and application here.

Submit your application using Feet First Philly’s Google form here.

Donate to the mini-grant program here.

In the sixth installment of “On Air with Clean Air Council,” we travel to Renovo, PA, to talk with residents opposing a proposed power plant right in town. Renovo, PA is a designated environmental justice community and small idyllic town in North Central PA, where Virginia-based multinational engineering corporation, Bechtel Corporation, is proposing to develop the Renovo Energy Center gas-fired power plant. This power plant is being planned to be less than 30 feet from homes and businesses, just north of Erie Avenue in Renovo, PA. The plant would be the fourth largest industrial polluter of greenhouse gases in Pennsylvania and would emit more greenhouse gases than the City of Pittsburgh. Learn from residents Sue Cannon, Maureen Rhul, and Michelle Whitney why this gas fired power plant is unwanted, unnecessary, and will provide no benefits to residents - only burdens.

Learn more about Clean Air Council at Cleanair.org and about Renovo Residents for a Healthy Environment at healthyrenovo.org.

Tune in wherever you listen to podcasts or listen to all past episodes at cleanair.org/on-air