A panel discussion on Climate Change and its Effects on Children was held at Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania on Monday, October 24th, 2016.
October 24, 2016 –US Senators Bob Casey and Sheldon Whitehouse conducted a panel discussion with the following participants who shared their knowledge and experience on climate change and their hopes for legislative action:
Grethchen Dahlkemper, Moms Clean Air Force
Charmane Braxton, CHOP Community Asthma Prevention Program
Dr. Val Arkoosh, Montgomery County Commissioner
Paul W. Meyer, Morris Arboretum's F.Otto Haas Executive Director
Adam Garber, Penn Environment
Dr. Walter Tsou, Physicians for Social Responsibility
Jessica Caum, City of Philadelphia
Robert Graff, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission
Senator Casey kicked off the discussion by stating his commitment to protect the light inside children to reach their potential and how climate change might impinge on that growth. He referred to a political directive in Pennsylvania, saying:
"The voters of our state ratified a constitution. It says people shall have the right to clean air, to pure water and to the preservation of the natural, scenic historic and esthetic values of the environment. That is a constitutional directive. It's not a 'try to' or 'see if you can make some progress on' or a 'maybe' or a 'hope for.' It's a directive and we are all bound by that, in my judgement."
Though climate change is a worldwide issue, Casey wants the Commonwealth to lead the way in turning things around.
