Nature’s Miracle Worker by Heather Shayne Blakeslee In the same way that friends in rural areas might know the difference between a tree branch hitting the side of the house and someone knocking on the door, city dwellers learn to distinguish—before we’ve even turned around—the sound of a car behind us from the hiss of
MoreIllustration by Chris Bernhardt 1. Protect your petsVeterinarians recommend keeping pets on flea and tick preventatives all year round, but if you’ve fallen behind, now really is the time. Mosquitoes and ticks are out in full force. 2. Harvest your early cropsYoung potatoes and peas—direct from your garden plot—should be part of your home-cooking menu.
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Interfaith Walk for Green Energy Culminates After 100 milesAn interfaith, intergenerational group of activists concluded their 100-mile trek through PECO’s service area, a demonstration dubbed the Walk for Green Jobs and Justice. About 40 walkers began the journey May 8 at Morris Chapel Baptist Church in North Philly, and upon their return to the city
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Illustration by Corey Schumann Trees of Life interview by Heather Shayne Blakeslee When historian Jill Jonnes sat down to write her book “Urban Forests: A Natural History of Trees and People in the American Cityscape,” it was with the intention of looking at our past relationship with trees in order to see into the future
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Illustration by Abayomi Louard-Moore The Energy Bottom Line by Jerry Silberman Editor’s note: This is Part Three of a series that concludes in July. Question: Which kind of energy is the most efficient?The Right Question: How much energy does it take to get energy? The most important aspect of energy that most people have never
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Photo by Jared Gruenwald by Brittany Barbato Today, the Philadelphia region has more than 30 public gardens within 30 miles of Philadelphia, cultivating roots that ground much of America’s horticultural history. These four lesser-known gardens contain a treasure trove of beautiful, interesting and historically relevant plants waiting for you to discover and explore. The Gardens
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Illustration by Mike Wohlberg Pet Sense by Lauren Johnson When it comes to protecting the environment, it’s good to get the whole family involved —including our four-legged friends. Doing your research and being a savvy consumer can also create a healthier environment for both you and your pet. Here are a few ways to get
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Photo by Steve Belkowitz Lost in Philadelphia’s Wilderness by Justin Klugh It’s 2006, and Phil Ranly is lost in the Wissahickon. Somewhere along the trail, he took a wrong turn, became distracted by the sight of sunbeams yawning through the canopy or got caught in a wave of self-reflection. “There are some trails that run
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Stop and Go for Vision Zero by Justin Klugh In the hustle and buzz of an urban commute, we take our lives in our own hands. A driver’s grip on the steering wheel of a two-ton projectile at rush hour is capable of slipping, of getting distracted, of grabbing a phone. Cyclists, too, each day
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Photo by Mark Likosky A Bike of One’s Own by Justin Klugh One journey started on a pair of bike tires, cruising over the flatlands of Lincoln, Nebraska. “On a dare, I got into bike racing in the fall of 2009,” says Nebraska native Elisabeth Reinkordt. It was cyclist Sidney Brown, a National Time Trial
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