Challenging the PJM market, Venice island flooding & sustainable AI

Catch up on this week’s latest sustainability news.

It’s Winter Salt Week, raising awareness that the salt we apply to the streets ends up in our freshwater, impacting our lakes, streams, and drinking water. The Stroud Water Research Center offers ways to cut the salt – like shoveling, using traction, education, and more.

The birds are in the Super Bowl – and there are lots of ways to support local businesses. The Wardrobe is offering 25% off all green merchandise through the Super Bowl.

PennFuture is challenging PJM’s capacity market, warning that its flawed structure could cause electricity prices to skyrocket, disproportionately harming Pennsylvanians while benefiting fossil fuel companies. With renewable energy projects stalled in a backlog, PennFuture argues that gas plants are not the solution to grid reliability, citing their failures during extreme weather events. The organization supports Governor Josh Shapiro’s call for PJM to delay its next capacity auction to allow for market reforms prioritizing clean energy, lowering costs, and improving grid stability without deepening reliance on fossil fuels.

Construction on Venice Island in Manayunk has raised concerns among residents about worsening flood risks in an area still recovering from Hurricane Ida’s devastation in 2021. The 30-acre site, in a high-risk floodplain, is being raised above the flood level by A.P. Construction, though no development plans have been made public. Locals and climate advocates warn that further construction could increase stormwater runoff, exacerbate flooding, and trap residents on the island. Philadelphia Inquirer.

AI and Climate News Collide in Sassy New Art Project. Philadelphia artist Sarah Kaizar has launched AT Feed, an AI-generated climate news column that blends real headlines into a satirical mashup, highlighting the challenges of climate communication in an algorithm-driven world. Published biweekly on TheArtBlog, the project critiques how climate news is consumed and interpreted, questioning whether floods of information lead to real awareness or just digital noise. Kaizar also tracks the carbon footprint of AI-generated content, adding another layer to the intersection of technology, sustainability, and media ethics. WHYY.

Photo by Claudia Salvato