Our Story

If waste follows the path of least resistance; then all roads lead to Pennsylvania. We have more landfills, toxic waste burners, and interstate traffic of hazardous waste than any other state in the union. To be sure, it helps to have a state government that is pro business. After all, waste and the distribution of it is if anything; all about business.

In his award winning book, “When Corporations Rule the World,” David Korten, warns of what will happen when the necessities of commerce determine public policy. That awful future, where the need for clean air, water and land for the citizenry takes a backseat to the needs and wants of corporations, has all but come to fruition in Pennsylvania.

Seventeen years ago, the Pennsylvania Environmental Network (PEN), formed to address the problems associated with living too close to industrial waste that has been haphazardly disposed of. The fruits of their labors gave birth to a statewide organization that has swelled at times to almost 1500 active members all working against waste disposal issues in one form or another. The list of issues we have addressed have included landfills, hazardous waste incinerators, polyurethane production, soil burners, nuclear waste transportation, and garbage to energy incinerators just to name of few.

PEN’s collective goal from the start has been to increase communication between our membership and our government and between those not necessarily involved in environmental issues but certainly affected by them. We welcome you to our site. If after seeing all that we do you would like to join us, contact us and let us know what your needs and special talents are. A movement such as ours is only successful because the people involved are directly connected to the problems they face. And the beauty of PEN is that as battles have been won and lost our membership old and new are still all connected.

Get connected too! Join us.

The State Board
Pennsylvania Environmental Network