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A Penn State researcher learns what bees can teach us about urban ecology

An entomological research project might bring to mind expeditions through far-away jungles or at least meadows out in the countryside. It probably doesn’t conjure up an Old City chocolate factory rooftop. But to reach this field site we walked into Shane Confectionery. From there we hiked up the stairs through one of the most delicious-smelling

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3 mins read
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Access to Justice: A Case for Fair School Funding

Can the legal system improve the quality of public education? A  Pennsylvania Supreme Court case gives cause for optimism. But first, let’s review how the system works now.In the United States, your Zip code determines whether or not you have access to high-quality education. According to an NPR investigative study, a wide disparity in educational

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2 mins read
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Bike Talk: Slow Down on the Trails

It was a hot August morning when Suzanne Hagner joined the Bicycle Club of Philadelphia for a ride from the art museum to the airport. They took off behind the museum and onto the Schuylkill River Trail, riding single-file, calling out, “Passing on the left!” as they rode by other cyclists and joggers. But one jogger,

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2 mins read
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Gardens from A-Z

Philadelphia is America’s Garden Capital, with a whopping 36 public gardens within 30 miles of the city—a distinction that no other city in America can claim. Peruse our guide to these glorious green spaces to plan your next garden trip. 

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9 mins read
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The future of food convenience meets the triple bottom line

Over the past 75 years, Americans have relentlessly pursued liberation from household tasks. How we eat has been at the heart of this movement. Fast food, TV dinners and microwaves have all promised more free time—no more food shopping, cooking or, for the most part, cleaning.  Unfortunately, that promised free time has been filled up

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11 mins read
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Action Mom: An Inclusion Revolution

Several years ago, Chinatown resident Anna Perng was grappling with her child’s autism diagnosis. For friends of hers in similar situations who had language barriers, access to information was even more challenging to find. When people started asking her for help, she became involved with a support group and decided to serve on the Philadelphia

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2 mins read
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Stoneleigh, the region’s newest public garden, faces a possible seizure by the Lower Merion School District just as it opens its doors

Stoneleigh: a Natural Garden—the Villanova estate turned rustic public green space profiled in Grid’s May 2018 issue—is the most recent addition to the 36 public gardens that earned Philadelphia the moniker of America’s Garden Capital. But the uniquely beautiful green space wasn’t even open to the public yet when Natural Lands executive director Molly Morrison found

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2 mins read