Climate challenges, opportunities: Meet Bethlehem's new sustainability manager

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — From a very young age, Sarah DeGrendel knew she liked being outside.

“I grew up playing in the streams and collecting frogs — getting my hands dirty,” said DeGrendel, who grew up near Detroit, Mich.

“I have three brothers, so naturally I found myself outdoors a lot, just playing around in nature.

“And my parents were pretty active and put us in camps and activities that focused around farming and just being outside. Really capturing that as a child, I think, drove my goals to become an environmental scientist.”

DeGrendel recently was hired as the city’s first sustainability manager, a position focused on creating and facilitating sustainability initiatives while capturing grant funding to cover the cost of related projects.

It’s a relatively new position for the Lehigh Valley, and the rest of the commonwealth, as municipalities fight the ongoing and worsening impacts of climate change.

“Long term, I want to see Bethlehem become a model for sustainability and urban development,” DeGrendel said.

“And I think this also doesn't just involve reducing our carbon footprint, but also creating a more vibrant and equitable community for those environmental justice areas.

“And working toward a future with sustainability integrated throughout all aspects of life, from transportation and housing, economic development and social equity.

"And I believe, working together, we can really create that. And so, it's so exciting to have my position.”

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Sarah DeGrendel

Sustainability managers in the Lehigh Valley

Bethlehem is the second of the Lehigh Valley’s three major cities to carve out a position dedicated to sustainability and mitigating the effects of climate change.

Allentown in March hired Veronika Vostinak as its first sustainability coordinator after a contentious 2024 budgeting process, coupled with campaigns from the city’s environmental advocates promoting the importance of the position.

Her position has since been renewed for another year. The 2025 budget shows a salary increase from $66,976 to $71,630.

It’s a trend that’s occurring outside the Valley, too.

A handful of other commonwealth cities have made similar hires — Erie, Reading and Harrisburg all have sustainability coordinators or managers.

In Bethlehem, climate action planning has been going on for several years, and hiring a sustainability manager has been a key part of it.

“Written in the plan from the start was to hire a sustainability manager,” DeGrendel said.

“So to have that almost checked off, or have that in place, and have that funding for a position like me is really exciting and really promising, for promoting sustainability throughout the Lehigh Valley.”

Bethlehem’s climate action plan, or CAP, was published in April 2021. Since then, officials have doubled down, seeking to reduce community greenhouse gas emissions 33% by 2025, a 60% reduction by 2030 and hitting net-zero status by 2040.

The municipal operations target is a 67% reduction by 2025 and net zero by 2030.

As part of the CAP, officials have launched the Bethlehem Climate Challenge, an effort created so residents can meaningfully participate in the city’s efforts to fight climate change.

During a November update, officials said 125 residents have signed up, as well as more than 30 area organizations.

At the event, Mayor J. William Reynolds said he attributes the progress so far to the community’s belief in the mission.

While the city has previously worked with an engineering firm to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, officials decided it was time to have that work done in-house by hiring a sustainability manager.

Based in the engineering office of Public Works, the position's job listing has salary at $64,000 to $88,000, based on experience.

The city’s 2025 budget, passed in December with no tax increase, shows a $76,312 salary for the position.

‘Woven throughout everything’

In addition to spending lots of time outdoors as a child, DeGrendel said her high school and college experiences and mentors helped steer her toward a career in sustainability.

“I was involved in a lot of clubs, like the eco clubs, and then later on, I did stuff with our sustainability club,” she said. “Part of it was in high school — one of my teachers really impacted me through my studies with AP environmental science.

“He was a huge factor in pushing me to go to a school that focused on environmental science and sustainability, and I really found my passion through that.

"I think of putting that support and him showing me the opportunities that there can be within this degree and this area of study.”

During the summer breaks, DeGrendel worked for the National Lakeshore in the state’s Upper Peninsula area, learning conservation practices and park management skills.

After graduating from Stoney Creek High School in Rochester Hills, Michigan, DeGrendel came to Pennsylvania to continue her studies.

She went on to major in environmental science and sustainability at Allegheny College in Meadville, Crawford County, graduating in 2023.

“In college, I also had a really impactful professor, Eric Pallant, who, again, just really gave me the opportunities and insights to what a career could look like, and that there are so many different opportunities nowadays within environmental science,” she said.

“I think shedding that light and just supporting my creativity and the aspects that I was interested in, and knowing that sustainability and environmental practices are woven throughout everything and really impacted that drive for me.”

Coming to Bethlehem

After graduating, DeGrendel took a job as an energy analyst back in her home state. The role included hybrid and remote work, which let her visit her partner, who lives in the Valley.

She moved to the Christmas City in the weeks before its namesake holiday.

“It was really cool to see all the fun traditions, and the history that Bethlehem has," she said. "And all the events and community engagement that they really put into, like, creating that community within Bethlehem.

“I really love that. It was exciting to see. And my partner is from the area, so it was fun to have that kind of firsthand experience of what his family traditions are and things in the area that I wouldn't have known about otherwise.”

With experience working in both state government and private-sector jobs, DeGrendel said the idea of working for a municipality piqued her interest.

“I liked that it was more community-focused, and that I would have that impact that I could, and reach as many people as I could within a local government, I think really drove me to pursue a career in this,” she said.

“But I didn't ever have a childhood goal or dream of this career. I didn't really have one specific thing in mind. I more follow my passion as it comes.”

Challenges, opportunities

Since taking on the job in early December, DeGrendel has had her hands full learning about the city and the Valley.

“I'm still kind of settling in and trying to collect as much information as I can about what is going on and what is happening already, so that I'm not overstepping people,” she said.

“And, making sure that I have a full, encompassing understanding of everything before I start implementing.”

In her role, she works across departments to find opportunities to introduce sustainability initiatives in alignment with the city’s CAP.

Short-term goals include building a really strong foundation for long-term success, she said.

“I want to deepen my understanding of Bethlehem — specifically, the sustainability challenges and opportunities, which includes meeting stakeholders across the city,” she said.

“And I want to build a strong relationship within the city department as well in the community partners and residents, to ensure that all the sustainability initiatives are truly collaborative.

“And I want to focus on implementing all the key projects from the climate action plan that they've been working toward, and hitting a lot of those goals.”

Updating the community-wide greenhouse gas inventory, the climate challenge recognition program, and initiating composting and community garden projects are on her to-do list.

“Climate change is impacting everyone nowadays,” she said. “So I think it is really all-encompassing, which is a great thing for my role, being able to touch as many people as I can.

“But I think it also is a challenge in that aspect of, it is so multidisciplinary that some areas can get forgotten or left out.

"And I think another reason why having a sustainability manager is important is because there is someone then that can focus on those areas that typically do get left out or forgotten about.”