GridPhilly

SEPTA’s Recycled Energy and Optimization Project is on its way thanks to a Li-ion energy storage battery that will recover energy generated by braking trains, essentially recycling it for further use. The battery will be designed, manufactured and commissioned by Saft, a France-based high technology battery corporation recognized world-wide for its energy-generating products. The choice

"Écolibrium" (Image/Liz Pacheco)As you might have already heard, the corner of 20th and Market has been transformed. About a month ago the space was a fenced-in vacancy, covered in weeds and trash, a more than 20-year-old eyesore in Philadelphia’s business district. But now, amidst the skyscrapers of Center City, stands what Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS)

Volunteers care for stranded whales | Image via nytimes.com Facebook photos make college parties greener Wild, drunken frat parties aren’t particularly environmentally friendly. Instead, they usually end up leaving a pile of strewn bottles in and around trashcans, instead of recycling bins. A study at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom is using Facebook to

While environmental initiatives are essential to creating sustainable communities, addressing education issues is equally important. The West Philadelphia Alliance for Children (WePAC) was started in the 2003-04 academic year to support literacy efforts in the community. In support of WePAC’s Open Books Open Minds initiative, Impact100 recently awarded the organization a $100,000 grant.     Developing

Image via kickstarter.com In our December and June issues we featured Marathon Grill’s urban farming initiative, Marathon Farm. Now, the Philly-wide restaurant chain has announced plans to expand its foray into the agricultural world, and begin sourcing more products from local farms in PA and NJ. Great news for Philadelphia residents seeking a wallet-friendly option

Image via scienceblogs.comArsenic Chicken Pharmaceutical company Pfizer announced last week it would stop selling roxarsone, an arsenic-laced poultry feed additive that has been used since the 1940s. Despite long-time concerns from scientists, the FDA only recently agreed to test supermarket chickens. Unsurprisingly, they found traces of arsenic. Mother Jones Clash Over Coal Over the weekend

A rendering of the green roof bus shelter | Image via phillywatersheds.org
Today, the Philadelphia Water Department announced the debut of a new green roof bus shelter at the intersection of 15th and Market, across from City Hall. The demonstration project is part of the PWD’s Green City, Clean Water, and the Mayor’s Greenworks Philadelphia initiatives,

Imagine what changes you could make as the city planner for Philadelphia. Would you add more affordable housing, better access to healthy, locally grown foods? How about safer bike lanes and an expanded, more efficient public transit system? These are just some of the changes the Philadelphia City Planning Commission proposes in their Philadelphia 2035

Image via designsprout.comBarbie Goes Green Under increasing pressure from Greenpeace, Mattel Inc. has announced it will stop buying wood products from a Singaporean company responsible for clear-cutting large portions of Indonesia’s rainforest. But Greenpeace is still demanding greater environmental responsibility from the toy company. LA Times   Climate Change? A video version of the satirical

Yesterday, Henry Got Crops!, the urban farm run by Weavers Way Co-op and Saul High School, opened its farm stand for the season. The community supported agriculture (CSA) stand is located right next to Saul High School (not far from the actual farm on Henry St.) and will be open every Wednesday from 2-5p.m. through November. As a