Illustration by Corey Brickley Greater, Better, More Beautiful by Michael A. Nutter I have spent my whole life in Philadelphia. This is my place in the world. As my two terms of mayor come to an end, I think back to the Philadelphia I knew as a child and as a young man in the
MoreIllustration by Julia Tran The Road Ahead by Noelle Billbrough A door slams shut, a guard calls count, and that’s when it hits me. This is my reality now: an 8×12 jail cell. All control over my life is gone, and all I can do is think about my regrets. I’d spent more time running
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Illustration by Narrator Essay by Christopher Putvinski Anyone who thinks they can change the world on their own is both wrong and dangerous.” It was in early 2013 when I first heard these words from distinguished anthropologist Wade Davis. I mistakenly took it as defeatist: Was he implying that a single person wasn’t capable of
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Illustration by Mike L. Perry
by Natasha Alvarez
My love affair with tiny houses started when I was tiny myself. Delighted by all things small, I spent hours playing with my dollhouse as a achild, imagining whole lives for the Lilliputian family that lived inside. How wonderful it would be, I thought, if I could just shrink myself
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by Mary Van Ogtrop
Illustration by Julia Tran
Want to enjoy your commute? Try walking.
At 7 a.m., my clock radio powers on to the sound of WXPN. “It’s a cold morning in Philadelphia,” the announcer says, a little mournfully, “with a low of 23.”
My eyes flashed open and I hopped up. Over 20 degrees: better get walking.
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Illustration by NARRATOR
Wissahickon's litter problem prompts man to collect it for a year, turning it into a powerful art project
Since moving to Philadelphia from my small Central Pennsylvania hometown in 2000, the single biggest gripe I’ve had with the city is its litter problem. Many anti-litter programs have come and gone—and even exist today—and still,
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Illustration by Kirsten Harper
When I got serious about growing our own food four years ago, I had no idea how much it would affect how my wife and I lived and managed our lives and our home. We had already made a conscious decision to shop, cook, and eat as locally and seasonally as possible.
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Illustration by Mike Jackson
On Dec. 31, I resolved to build the next year around sustainability. A lot of people talk about it, but I was finding that few people actually lived it — myself included. I wanted to set an example and share what I learned with those around me. So, I embarked on 365
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A local project commemorates the loss of a beloved home in Mantua
Illustration by Kathleen White
If you’re like me and you live in Philadelphia, chances are you did not build your own home. So, what you call “your” kitchen or “your” bedroom was actually someone else’s kitchen and bedroom before you moved in. Imagine flipping through
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Illustration by Laura Weiszer
A cyclist's commitment to all-weather commuting
Last October I got serious about biking. I know it was October because that’s when I ordered a pair of waterproof pants from Amazon. I had already been biking mostly everywhere for just over half a decade, but I had made a conscious decision to only bike,
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