Mayor Kenney Appoints Christine Knapp New Leader of Mayor’s Office of Sustainability Christine Knapp will head the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability during the Jim F. Kenney mayoral administration. Knapp has been a leader in Philadelphia’s sustainability community for over a decade; she led PennFuture’s Next Great City Campaign, headed Philadelphia’s Urban Sustainability Forum, and most
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Illustration by Kathleen White 1. Order your seed catalogs January may seem like a lull in your gardening endeavors, but there’s no better time to start dreaming about spring. Order your catalog now, and when February rolls around, you’ll be ready to start your planning in earnest. 2. Go wassail a tree Caroling to orchard
MoreIllustration by Kathleen White Blowing in the Wind by Jerry Silberman Question: Is large-scale renewable electricity production sustainable? The Right Question: Is renewable energy the future for human society? The recognition that burning fossil fuels may burn us out of the planet’s ecosystem has made the abandonment of fossil fuel resources the right choice, regardless
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New Bakers, Bakeries and Cafés about Town by Emily Kovach For many of us, the workday begins with coffee and a bagel at the corner café and ends with a baguette from the local bakery. It’s a simple and satisfying pleasure to bite into a still-warm, aromatic sourdough, or see that our favorite kind of
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Illustration by James Olstein Running in Circle interview by Heather Shayne Blakeslee For the last few decades, scholar and author Juliet Schor has been studying Americans: the way that we work, play and spend. She’s made her life’s work of understanding the economic and cultural forces that mold us—as well as what makes us happy,
MoreIllustration by Mike L. Perry House of Cards by Logan Welde What if I were to tell you there was a system in Pennsylvania, and in most states, that—in principle—ensures that new buildings are built to the safest-known standards, with the best-known technology to save lives and reduce energy consumption? What if I were to
MoreNo Sweat by William Beisley Jess Edelstein, CEO and co-founder of PiperWai, has a rote but enthusiastic way of discussing her all-natural cream deodorant, which is understandable considering their recent bombardment of interviews. Edelstein, along with co-founder and CFO Sarah Ribner, had four interviews the day before their meetup with Grid, not to mention an
MoreDaily Bread by Anna Herman It is hard to improve upon the fresh bread available from so many excellent local bakeries. But you can come close, and few things are as magical as transforming flour, water and salt into fragrant loaves—so it is worth your time to try. Whether turning out unleavened, hand-rolled flatbreads, or
MoreSweet Potatoes by Peggy Paul Casella They might not be as flashy as other super foods, but sweet potatoes pack a serious nutritional punch, and have impressive concentrations of fiber, potassium and other essential nutrients. Most notably, sweet potatoes are one of the most potent natural sources of beta-carotene and other pigment-related antioxidants, which have
MoreIllustration by James Olstein Buy Nothing, Gain Everything by Susan Corcoran About two years ago, I realized that every time I walked into my apartment I felt anxious and unfulfilled. Things I didn’t use were everywhere. I was always questioning why I had so much when it caused me nothing but stress. I first tried
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