GridPhilly

When I was in grade school and done with classes for the day, all I wanted was to avoid homework. I'd slough off my Catholic school uniform and watch television or find some friends and get a Wiffle Ball game going. I was kid. That's what kids do, right? They avoid work—or so I thought.

Philadelphia’s oldest pub, McGillin’s Olde Ale House, is going green. They’re replacing their traditional light bulbs with energy-efficient LED lights, cutting down on energy usage. Here’s what the historic establishment had to say: The switch can reduce the pub’s electricity costs by more than 25%, and the LED bulbs will last up to 50 times

Grist.org pointed me in the direction of this intriguing Guardian editorial from George Monbiot. In 2002, he wrote, “veganism is the only ethical response to what is arguably the world’s most urgent social justice issue.” He has since changed his tune, thanks to Meat: A Benign Extravagance, a new book by Simon Fairlie. From Monbiot: The meat-producing system Fairlie

The bee population is suffering all over the country. And with a decrease in bee population, scientists fear that pollination will suffer, too. This tragic press release from the University of Toronto showcases a new study detailing that dismal decline.According to this 2004 National Geographic article, we count on bees for 15 to 30 percent of

If you haven’t noticed, it’s been very dry recently in our region. The past two weeks have been void of rain, and with this summer’s heat breaking all sorts of records, it’s no surprise that the hot air has carried over into September. That combination has caused the National Weather Service to issue a red

Chloe Coscarelli, a 22-year-old chef, recently scored a blow for vegan bakers everywhere, winning Food Network’s Cupcake Wars. From the New York Times‘ Well Blog:  “Of all the shows we’ve done, the thing I hear the most is, ‘Were those vegan cupcakes really that good?’ ” Ms. Nelson [a judge and owner of Sprinkles Cupcakes in

To get yourself ready for Grid‘s upcoming fashion issue—hitting the streets at the end of the week—check out these eco-friendly items from Vix Emporium in West Philly. They’re all made from upcycled or reclaimed materials. 

Do more efficient light bulbs always lead to decreased energy usage? This column from the Inquirer points out that, as people get excited about using energy-saving bulbs, they sometimes end up keeping lights on longer: The funny thing – and yes, they laughed about this – was that once they made the switch, the residents were

It’s a conundrum that plagues our wallets, morals and stomaches: Organic vs. conventional agriculture. An article posted on Grist yesterday attempted to set the record straight via a study conducted by a Washington State University professor on organically and conventionally grown strawberries. Although the study only focuses on one fruit, it offers a lot of

Energy cannot be created or destroyed, and SEPTA is using this principle to go hybrid in its subway system. Armed with a $900,000 grant from The Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority, SEPTA announced Wednesday that it will use the kinetic energy from braking trains to generate electricity. This project has been designed by Viridity Energy Inc,