Dept. of Environmental Protection
Commonwealth News Bureau
Room 308, Main Capitol
Harrisburg, PA 17120

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Susan Rickens
(717) 787-1323

HARRISBURG (Jan. 13) – On behalf of Gov. Tom Ridge, Secretary of Environmental Protection James M. Seif today announced that the current episode of the award-winning television series "GreenWorks for Pennsylvania" features an overview of the recommendations made by the Governor’s 21^st Century Environment Commission.

The series is produced by the Environmental Fund for Pennsylvania (EFP) and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Viewers should check their local television listings for telecast times in their area. Viewers also can see these programs online through the GreenWorks website.

Following a video-magazine format, this episode, "Pennsylvania’s Environment in the 21^st Century," gives viewers practical examples of how Pennsylvanians already are implementing commission ideas.

Highlights of this month’s episode include:

An interview with a Bucks County realtor who worked with his local township to take a new approach to building homes that preserve open space;

A visit to the Park Forest Elementary School in State College, Centre County, for examples of the kinds of environmental education programs needed to teach the next generation to respect nature and how their actions can make a difference;

The amazing transformation of Washington’s Landing in Pittsburgh and a look into how a developer helped turn an island filled with abandoned buildings into a desirable place to live and work;

A project to plant more than 2,000 trees in neighborhoods throughout the City of Harrisburg, and the economic and environmental benefits of city beautification; and

A profile of Catherine Minnis of the West Philadelphia Habitat for Humanity organization. This volunteer of the month, along with other residents of her neighborhood, founded this chapter of Habitat for Humanity in 1987 to restore abandoned homes and to clean up her community.

Last week, Gov. Ridge acted on a key recommendation made by his 21^st Century Environment Commission by signing an Executive Order to identify and promote the use of best land-management practices across the Commonwealth.

Gov. Ridge said the Executive Order represents the first step in what will be a concerted effort in his second term to achieve a consensus in Pennsylvania on land use and other critical environmental issues identified by the commission for the 21^st century.

"The GreenWorks ‘Pennsylvania’s Environment in the 21^st Century' show is a chance to see all the creative ways Pennsylvanians are finding to re-energize their communities by preserving open space and farmland," said EFP executive director Timothy J. Schlitzer. "The goal of the 'GreenWorks for Pennsylvania' television program is to present positive examples of how Pennsylvanians are taking care of our environment."

EFP produces a half-hour show for television outlets across the state each month. Previous programs have addressed clean-air issues; Pennsylvania's watersheds; land use; pollution prevention; Pennsylvania environmental education initiatives; ways to make the home environmentally friendly; Pennsylvania's nationally acclaimed community recycling program; energy efficiency; DEP's new Southcentral regional "green" office building; and winners of the Governor’s Awards for Environmental Excellence.

To date, 76 cable systems in Pennsylvania carry the show. A list by county follows:

Adams, Adams Community TV (serves G.S. Communications); Allegheny, Bethel Park Community TV (serves Adelphia Cable), Comcast Cablevision, TCI of Pennsylvania (North Hills, South Hills), Cable 7 (serves Adelphia Cable), Moon Township Community TV (serves Time Warner Cable), WBGN; Beaver, Armstrong Cable, TCI of Pennsylvania, WBGN; Bedford, Altoona Public Access Channel; Berks, Berks Community TV (serves Service Electric, Time Warner Cable – Hamburg), Pottstown Community TV (serves Suburban Cable), Time Warner Cable – Reading; Blair, Altoona Public Access Channel (serves Cable Comm.); Bradford, Time Warner Cable; Bucks, Lower Bucks Cablevision, Suburban Community Cable TV;

Butler, WBGN; Carbon, Blue Ridge TV 13, WYLN; Chester, Harron Comm. Corp., Pottstown Community TV (serves Suburban Cable); Columbia, WYLN; Cumberland, Raystay Co.-TV Cable; Dauphin, Century Lykens Cable TV, Time Warner Cable, Office of the Mayor (serves Suburban Cable); Delaware, Suburban Cable; Erie, Erie Community TV, Mill Creek School District; Fayette,

Armstrong Cable – Connellsville, CUTV (serves Armstrong Cable – California, Helicon Cable), WBGN; Franklin, TV Cable; Lackawanna, WYLN; Lancaster, Time Warner Cable; Lawrence, WBGN; Lebanon, Time Warner Cable; Lehigh, Blue Ridge Cable TV 13; Luzerne, ServiceElectric Company, WYLN;

Lycoming, WYLN; McKean, Cable Comm.; Mifflin, Time Warner Cable; Monroe, Blue Ridge Cable TV 13, WYLN; Montgomery, Adelphia Cable Co., Cedar Brook Middle School (Comcast Cable), Pottstown Community TV (serves Suburban Cable), Suburban Community Cable TV; Montour, WYLN, CATV Services Inc.; Northampton, Blue Ridge Cable TV 13; Northumberland, WYLN; Perry, TV Cable of Carlisle (serves Raystay Co.);

Philadelphia, Drexel University TV (serves Comcast Cable, Wade, Greater Media); Pike, Blue Ridge Cable TV 13; Schuylkill, Blue Ridge Cable TV 13, WYLN, Time Warner Cable; Union, WYLN; Venango, Venango Video (serves TCI of Pennsylvania, Times Warner Cable); Washington, WBGN, TCI of Pennsylvania; Wayne, Blue Ridge Cable TV 13; Westmoreland, Comcast Cablevision, WBGN, TCI of Pennsylvania; Wyoming, WYLN; and York, York Community TV (serves Susquehanna Cable Co.).

All broadcast outlets in Pennsylvania may request the series. Public-television station WYLN, Hazleton, Luzerne County, also broadcasts the shows.

EFP funds environmental education and improvement projects from contributions made through payroll-deduction programs set up by employers and the Commonwealth, and other donations.

For more information about particular broadcasts or air times, visit Pennsylvania's homepage at www.state.pa.us; visit the "GreenWorks for Pennsylvania" website at www.greenworks.state.pa.us; or call EFP at 1-877-PAGREEN.

Copies of each show may be purchased from EFP for a minimal charge.

# # #

1999