West Philly’s Hybrid X Team builds green cars, and the case for vocational education by Lee StabertOK, disney movie pitch: A group of high school kids (almost all African-American) from West Philadelphia build cars for an international competition, striving for a $10 million dollar prize. There’s a handsome, ambitious teacher, highly-funded, flashy competitors with big
MoreI’m very jealous of the west philly hybrid x team. In middle school, I took a home ec class for one quarter. My crowning achievement? A loaf of banana bread. In wood shop, I sawed and sanded a less-than-perfect corner shelf—it was promptly lost somewhere in my parents’ attic. Then in high school, nothing. Not
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The city makes tree planting a priorityby Cassie Cummins
Upon unveiling Greenworks Philadelphia, the city’s sustainability plan, Mayor Nutter announced his ambition to make Philadelphia “the greenest city in America” by 2015. A little over a year later, the city has numerous programs underway, including its Tree Planting Initiative—an effort to increase the city’s tree canopy
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A local distributor brings sustainable seafood to Philly by Scott Orwig
Philadelphia boasts ever-growing options for obtaining fresh, local fruits, veggies, meats and cheeses. From farmers’ markets to CSAs, it has never been easier to find affordable, sustainable food. But when it comes to seafood, options dwindle and prices skyrocket. Otolith Sustainable Seafood—located in, yes, Fishtown—is
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Eric Allen melds function and form in his Kensington design studio by Claire ConnellyMost free publications are housed in metal boxes or sit on generic wire racks. Not Grid. We want our racks to be eye-catching extensions of our personality.
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Julie Lorch pedals along with notable members of Philly’s bicycle community on a route of their choice. They ride, they chat, she reports back
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Tending to tomatoes is a tumultuous affair
Let’s call the whole thing off, shall we? No matter how you slice it, tomatoes are tough. Every summer I’m ready to throw in the towel, swearing that the seductive fruit will never again wind up on my deck.But that would break my heart.
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The Issue: Plastic that can’t go in the blue bin
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The Community Design Collaborative democratizes design by Lee StabertA plan is powerful. Lines on a page are often the first step towards realizing the transformation of a space, or a neighborhood. The Community Design Collaborative is driven by this idea.
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An energy audit could save you some serious cash by Samantha Wittchen
With all of the options available to homeowners for improving the energy efficiency of their homes, determining where you can get the biggest bang for your buck can be difficult. Is it improving insulation? Air sealing? New windows? A home energy audit by a
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