It can be easy to get discouraged these days. Everywhere we look, there are signs of a struggling planet and, often, it’s difficult to see a clear path to an effectual response. 2022 may well eclipse recent years as the hottest on record. Rainfall has alternated between being absent or violent in Pennsylvania, one of
MoreThe New York Times has a report on Lumenhaus, a solar-powered home built by students and professors at Virginia Tech. The design recently won an international competition in Madrid, and perusing the images, it’s easy to see why. Who wouldn’t want to live there? From The Times: Lumenhaus, which draws inspiration from Mies van der
MoreThis Sunday is GreenFest Philly. Grid will be there—and we hope you will be too. Here are the deets: The annual event celebrating all things eco is back, and this year’s theme is fashion. The fest promises to cover every corner of Philly’s sustainable fashion world, educating attendees on the importance of shopping with the
MoreContain your jealousy; those are some sweet wheelsLate last week, I had a surprise. I came down from the Grid offices at 11th and Arch to find that the beheaded parking meter my bike had been lock to was no more. In its place was one of nem newfangled racks. Fortunately for me, the installer was
MoreFork has gone sustainable with their seafood. Phoodie has the scoop: Chef Terence Feury of Fork (306 Market St.), has announced the restaurant’s new policy of serving only sustainable seafood. Fork is now sourcing the most responsible fish and shellfish, and serving only those that are caught and shipped with respect for the environment. To celebrate, Chef Feury will
MoreWhen 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.
MorePhiladelphia’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
MoreGrist.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
MoreThe 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
MoreIf 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
MoreChloe 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
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