Just like the song about Kansas City, everything’s up to date in Erie. Home to Pennsylvania’s most visited state park, Erie is also home to a lot of green energy companies, and one of the new green economy’s biggest boosters, State Representative John Hornaman (D-Erie).

This podcast features some of the speakers at the Erie Clean Energy Breakfast, held on January 21. PennFuture’s President and CEO, Jan Jarrett, who drove more than 1300 miles in the PennFuture hybrid car to lead discussion at the six clean energy breakfasts we organized in January, once more set the stage for the other speakers. Jan is then followed by Representative Hornaman, one of the members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly’s Green Dog Caucus. We then hear from some Erie area green business leaders – Brian Gerrits, senior product manager for General Electric, Drivetrain Technologies; Tim Ryan, senior executive vice president of Apex Wind Energy Inc. and Axio Power Inc. and president, Apex Offshore Wind LLC; and Joe Simko, president and general manager for Hodge Foundry.

Passing the Clean Energy and Green Jobs legislation (HB 80) will help these and other green businesses grow here in Pennsylvania. You can do your part to help pass the bill by contacting your own representatives. Just go to PennFuture’s Action Center to urge your rep to vote for clean energy and green jobs now.

PennFuture works every day to make a difference for Pennsylvania’s environment and economy. Isn’t it time to join us and make a difference yourself? Go to our secure website to join PennFuture, and make sure you sign up for our publications. And remember, you can make sure you don't miss any podcasts by subscribing to them through iTunes.