Today’s the day. Give a salute to clean energy!

As we celebrate our nation's 239^th birthday with pool parties and picnics this weekend, let's not forget that it takes energy to cool our houses and grill our holiday food.

Show your civic pride this Fourth of July and declare your energy independence by donating to PennFuture so we can continue to push for more renewable, homegrown energy and a brighter future for our state!

Pennsylvania has long been an energy innovator. It's essential that we continue to lead as we build a clean energy economy to restore our environment and provide a sustainable future for our kids. PennFuture's job is to work with policymakers across the state and the nation to shape public policy and make Pennsylvania a leader in renewable energy and energy efficiency. Our educational campaigns convinced large institutions, businesses, and individual consumers to go green and be sustainable.

Will you help us continue to fight for more renewable energy?

Three generous donors have agreed to match a total of $5,000 in gifts for our campaign to push for more renewable energy. Your gift will be matched dollar for dollar and your support will really make a difference.

Renewable energy is projected to make up 10 percent of U.S. energy consumption in the next year, but in Pennsylvania, renewable energy makes up only 4 percent of our total energy consumed. Meanwhile, our neighbors in New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and Delaware continue to deploy more renewable energy — and have more renewable energy jobs than Pennsylvania.

We know we can do better. PennFuture will continue to work tirelessly for more clean energy in Pennsylvania. Like the Founding Fathers, we're not just sitting around. We're pushing forward to make our state a leader in clean energy to create jobs, improve air quality, and reduce our dependence on foreign energy supplies.

America has been the land of innovation for almost two and a half centuries. We plan to continue that tradition by making bold strides in clean energy production right here in Pennsylvania.

Declare your independence! Salute clean energy and support PennFuture with your tax-deductible donation today!

Mary Kane is development associate for PennFuture and is based in Harrisburg.

Video: Energy switching in six minutes: Part 1

Pop quiz! Ready?

Who is your electricity supplier?

      A) My local utility

      B) A renewable energy supplier in Pennsylvania 

If you answered B, give yourself a pat on the back. Simply by paying your bill every month, you are helping ensure that Pennsylvanians have clean, healthy air to breathe. Our lungs thank you. 

If you answered A, maybe now is the time to consider making the switch. 

Energy Switching Series,created by Nicole Catino for PennFuture

Much of Pennsylvania's electricity comes from coal-fired power plants, which spew pollution into our air. Unhealthy levels of air pollution in Pennsylvania contribute to asthma, COPD, lung disease and even cancer. 

While individuals and organizations (including PennFuture) work to ensure that our air is protected, you too can take a step to increase clean energy generation. You can choose to buy your electricity from renewable wind and solar sources, right here in Pennsylvania. Want to know more? This three-minute video outlines why energy switching matters.

Valessa Souter-Kline is western Pennsylvania outreach coordinator for PennFuture and is based in Pittsburgh. She tweets @ValessaSK.

Build the Bridge between Natural Gas and Renewables

Jared L. Cohon, president of Carnegie Mellon University, wrote a thoughtful op-ed on his big-picture perspective of shale gas development in Pennsylvania. Among other things, Cohon explains why he joined the Board of Directors of the Center for Sustainable Shale Gas Development.

Towards the end of his piece, Dr. Cohon addresses the argument that we should not be fracking for natural gas because it will delay the development of renewable energy. His response is straightforward - the country will be dependent on fossil fuels for a long time, so we should minimize the environmental and social impacts of burning dirtier fuel in the interim while we "aggressively develop" non-carbon alternatives.

Ahhhh! And therein lies the rub - those that doubt that shale gas will be a bridge to a clean energy future fear that this cheap and plentiful fuel will take the pressure off of a nation only capable of making significant policy shifts in the face of imminent crisis. Eliminate the crisis and you eliminate the impetus for investment in renewables.

Dr. Cohon describes this argument as "strange" - but it is not clear what he considers odd - the basic concern about cheap gas delaying the development of renewables, or the conclusion that because of this concern we should ban fracking.

As to the first, the underlying concern is legitimate. To achieve the goal of "aggressively promoting" renewables, the nation will need a significant shift in energy policy - and that will not be easy. Moving from coal, oil and gas to renewables will affect many vested and well-funded interests. The champions of solar, wind and geothermal cannot compete with multi-nationals that have poured millions into campaign coffers over the years, and now can do so anonymously.  Additionally, this Congress has demonstrated a unique ability to disagree on just about anything - not to mention a bold policy shift that would financially disadvantage deep-rooted and well-funded interests on Capitol Hill.

The "ban fracking" portion of the argument could be viewed as cutting off our nose to spite our face - depending on methane leakage rates - but it could also be mooted by policies that directly link carbon fuels to renewables. This could be done on a national scale through a carbon tax, or through individual state policies that would generate "health revenue" from the development of coal, oil and gas in order to promote energy sources that do not inflict increased heart and asthma attacks on Pennsylvanians, and put mercury in our food chain.

Pennsylvania's energy policy fosters cynicism amongst the "ban fracking" advocates because it does not do what Dr. Cohon promotes - it does not build a bridge between natural gas and the aggressive promotion of renewable energy. Pennsylvania's Act 13 directs state revenue from natural gas development to road repair and other "local impacts." It does not promote strategic statewide policies such as renewable energy and early childhood education. That is but one of the failures of a state policy that does not impose a reasonable tax on the development of Pennsylvania's shale gas.

Corbett's tax breaks are all about natural gas, to the exclusion of renewable energy

Tim Puko reports in this morning's Tribune-Review that there is "quite a bit" of capital looking for investment opportunities in renewable energy in Pennsylvania and elsewhere. 

EverPower, a wind developer, employs 60 workers in Pittsburgh that have an uncertain future, in part, because of shifting government policies. EverPower would like to expand its business in Pennsylvania, as would Joe Morinville, owner of the Pittsburgh-based solar company Energy Independent Solutions. But if development picks up outside the United States, that is where the growth will occur.

Unless you are associated with the gas industry, don't look to the Corbett Administration for leadership on this issue. Patrick Henderson, Tom Corbett's energy executive, told Puko that "he [the Governor] won't be passing new tax credits or incentives in favor of renewable power ..."

Why will Corbett not adopt tax policies that promote investment  and job growth in Pennsylvania's renewable energy sector? According to Henderson, “I think it's time for all of them to stand (and compete) on their own.”

Ah yes, the ole' "we don't play favorites" argument. That must explain why the Corbett administration offered Royal Dutch Shell $1.65 billion in tax breaks to locate an ethane cracker plant in Monaca, Pennsylvania. Does the word "hypocrisy" come to mind?  Because, you know, we don't play favorites.

The fact is that Corbett has gone "all in" with natural gas, betting that focusing every state policy on developing that single industry - from superseding traditional local control over planning to balancing the state's budget on the back of childhood education instead of a reasonable shale gas tax - will raise the tide for all.

The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry reports that the Commonwealth's unemployment rate of 8.1% continues to exceed the national average of 7.7% percent, and has increased from over a year ago when it was 7.6 percent.  Over that same period, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that unemployment in 37 other states and Puerto Rico has decreased - but not in Pennsylvania. 

Corbett's single industry plan does not appear to be working for Pennsylvania.