The print version of “Sustainable Lehigh Valley” was not ready in time for Earth Day, April 22.

It’s ironic, in a way. Fewer trees chopped down for the paper product. Less to recycle.

Because of the coronavirus shutdown, the print edition of the Spring 2020 “Sustainable Lehigh Valley” was delayed. The print version is expected to be available after the shutdown ends.

“Sustainable Lehigh Valley” is a directory of nonprofit organizations and businesses who promote sustainable environmental practices.

According to the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development, sustainable development is “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

The 17th issue of the directory lists 13 restaurants and cafes and more than 100 nonprofit organizations, colleges and universities and watershed associations.

Peter Crownfield, Internship Coordinator of the Alliance for Sustainable Communities Lehigh Valley, says sustainability is “a vision towards a regenerative society, not only sustainable, without exhausting present and future resources.”

The Alliance’s vision statement looks for “a future characterized by a self-healing environment, honorable and ethical behavior, self-determination, and secure freedoms for a diverse people.”

Crownfield says the directory lists “groups moving towards sustainability, to change both the system and the current situation.”

Until 2011, the publication was known as Wganizations Promoting Sustainable Communities.” The print run has increased to 6,000 copies. This year, for the first time, there are plans to put out a second edition in the fall.

Crownfield says the next edition will draw more attention to writing and art.

The 2020 online edition begins with “Voices of the Valley,” a collection of essays and a poem. The essays deal with agriculture, maintaining cultural identity, criminal justice reform, environmental solutions, energy efficiency, and the food system. It includes a call for submissions of essays, poetry, short stories, drawings and photographs.

Last year, Alliance interns released a report, “Climate Action Planning for the Lehigh Valley,” which developed guidelines intended for municipalities to create environmentally-sustainable communities.

Crownfield developed a website, “Let’s Talk About Climate,” at teach-climate.net, that includes teaching guides and resources for educators.

One of the Alliance’s goals is “bringing organizations and individuals together and magnifying voices of individual groups,” Crownfield says.

“Sustainability is a public health problem, not an environmental one. The World Health Organization says climate change will become the No. 1 one health issue in the coming years,” sayd Crownfield.

Downloadable copy of the Spring 2020 “Sustainable Lehigh Valley”: https://www.sustainlv.org/publications/sustainable-lehigh-valley/