In 2022, the Pennsylvania State Board of Education adopted new environmental literacy and sustainability standards. This is surely important — that all students in Pennsylvania learn about how to protect the environment and live sustainably — but how do we get them to take that education to heart? All the nature lovers out there know
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Every Wednesday morning during spring and fall migration seasons, Peter DeStefano walks the brick sidewalks of Independence Mall in Old City in search of birds — dead ones. A volunteer for Bird Safe Philly, DeStefano combs the areas where, because of an abundance of large windows, migrating birds are most likely to meet their demise.
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The internet’s latest viral skincare ingredient might surprise you. Many are raving about the many potential skin benefits of using soaps and moisturizers made from beef tallow — yes, rendered cow fat. While the popularity of these products has been on the rise since about 2022, one Philadelphia-based soap company was years ahead of the
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Amid a federal disinvestment in technical support for environmental justice communities, four community-based organizations (CBOs) in Philadelphia are advancing their work to address the local impacts of climate change. Partnered with Drexel University’s Environmental Collaboratory, Esperanza, Mantua Civic Association, Overbrook Environmental and Education Center (OEEC) and SEAMAAC have released the findings of thorough community outreach
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Imagine the dirtiest engine legal in the United States. It’s an engine responsible for an annual 30 million tons of carbon dioxide, 21,000 tons of fine particulates and 68,000 tons of nitrogen oxides nationwide that are harmful to human health and the environment, PennEnvironment reports. A heavy-duty truck or SUV may spring to mind, but
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Philadelphia band Darling Damselfly wants their most recent album, “Galapagos,” to get listeners thinking about human’s relationship with the planet — in the hopes of saving it. “Being able to have a better understanding and appreciation of the wonder of [the environment] can help us be more connected and want to work harder to combat
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Each year, Earth Day brings a flurry of messages about sustainability and the importance of protecting our planet. Subject lines range from “Ten tips to reduce your carbon footprint” to “The fossil fuel industry cures cancer and rescues kittens stuck in trees.” The deluge can leave you dazed and maybe feeling a little guilty, as
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Twelve million federal dollars granted to Philadelphia’s tree canopy expansion efforts are caught in the Trump administration’s federal funding freeze, officials said at a City Council hearing on Wednesday, March 5. Philadelphia Parks & Recreation (PPR) Commissioner Susan Slawson told Councilmember Jamie Gauthier that the department does not have access to the funds. PPR declined
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Expanding electric vehicle infrastructure isn’t the only Philadelphia initiative that’s taking a hit from the Trump administration’s halt to federal funding, the ultimate ramifications of which are being worked out in courts across the nation. Key projects tackling climate change, public health and even the City’s program to eliminate traffic deaths are now in limbo,
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There aren’t as many American bumble bees (Bombus pensylvanicus) as there used to be in the state the insect is named after. The big black and yellow bees are in decline, with the International Union for Conservation of Nature rating the species as vulnerable. Although the American bumble bee might need protection in Pennsylvania, there
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When president Donald Trump signed an executive order to halt federal spending on January 27, its impacts hit close to home. Despite the decision being rescinded two days later, the fate of funding for environmental work remains murky due to the vague language and unclear legality of the sweeping order. It left sustainability-focused groups, including
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