Greetings!
Physicians for Social Responsibility supports heat pumps as a way to fight climate change, lower household energy costs, and move homes and other buildings off dirty fossil fuels. You can use heat pump systems to heat or cool a building or replace a hot water heater. Below, learn more about heat pumps, indoor air quality, new inequities in Pennsylvania's utilities system, and letter writing for the environment.
Heat Pumps - Video Snapshot
Learn the basics of heat pumps and their benefits in under two minutes.
Latest Blog: The Air We Breathe - Daniel Wolk, MD
"As a family physician, I regularly see patients with chronic respiratory diseases. Many of these patients have symptoms year-round, even when windows are closed and the air conditioning is on. Why is that?"
Gas Stoves and Indoor Air Pollution
Your gas stove can create levels of indoor air pollution that would be illegal outdoors. PSR has partnered with the Rocky Mountain Institute, Mothers Out Front, and the Sierra Club to publish an in-depth report on the health effects from gas stoves.

In May, PSR Pennsylvania held a webinar on the health effects from gas stoves. You can view a recording here.
Utility Shutoffs: A COVID-19 Crisis
Photograph of four electricity meters outside of a brick building. Photograph by Nicolas Nova, Creative Commons license.
Access to heating, cooling, and electricity is a racial and economic justice issue. The economic fallout from our government’s inadequate response to COVID-19 has left even more U.S. residents unable to pay their utility bills. If the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) lifts the moratorium on utility shutoffs this month, more than 790,000 consumers and 45,000 businesses across Pennsylvania will be in danger of shutoffs.
Risks from PA's Chapter 14
Without changes to Chapter 14 of the Public Utility Code, Black and brown residents of Pennsylvania will be most at risk, because chapter 14 makes it harder for consumers to prevent or end a utility shutoff. In an op-ed, Community Legal Services highlights the harm from Chapter 14 and notes that 9 out of 10 Philadelphia residents who contact CLS for utility assistance are Black or brown. CLS urgently calls for a plan to protect low-income consumers before the utility shutoff moratorium is lifted.
What You Can Do
Letter Writing for the Environment
Our Harrisburg physicians are organizing a letter-writing campaign to encourage you to express your support or displeasure about legislation that impacts the environment and climate change in Pennsylvania. Thanks to our friends at PennEnvironment, here are four recent or pending bills that you may wish to write about.

HB 1808: "Advanced Recycling" (plastics-to-fuel)
See how your State Representative voted.
If they voted NO, thank them! If they voted YES, let them know you're disappointed.
Then, find your State Senator and ask them to vote NO.
 
SB 15: Cap & Trade
See if your senator is a current co-sponsor.
If so, thank them! If not, ask them to sign on!
 
HB 732: Tax break for the fracking & petrochemical industry
See how your State Representative voted.
See how your State Senator voted.
If they voted NO, thank them! If they voted YES, let them know you're disappointed.
 
HB 2025: Anti-RGGI (Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative) bill
This bill to block EPA from regulating carbon and placing caps passed in the House, but Governor Wolf has vowed to veto it. See how your House Representative voted.
Upcoming PSR Events
Clean Energy and Health Conference - September 14 - 28
Please join Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) Pennsylvania and Earth Quaker Action Team (EQAT) September 14 - 28 for our virtual conference on Clean Energy and Health. National and local experts will present on Jobs in Clean Energy, Growing the Clean Energy Economy, and Clean Energy and Health. During those two weeks there will be an open question and answer period with the panelists. For more information and to register, click here
Join a Heat Pump Presentation Friday, August 28, 12 p.m.
Please join PSR Pennsylvania for a free Zoom presentation and discussion about the health benefits of heat pumps and how electrification to heat and cool buildings can be powered by renewable energy sources. To register, click here.
PSR Pennsylvania - We value your participation and support. Please support us this year!
Use less Plastic
Your support this month will help PSR and reduce plastic waste.

Please become a monthly donor. We value and need your help to maintain our work.
Our gift to you:
PSR PA
Statewide
We are working across the state to bring advocacy and education to Pennsylvania. Our focus remains the same.

40 years & growing!
Volunteer
with PSR