story by Molly O'Neill | portrait by Chris Crisman AT PEG AND AWL, stories bring products to life. Every découpaged candleholder, leather book necklace and sturdy wooden caddy proudly reveals the source of its reclaimed materials. A chalkboard tablet is reborn from oak bleachers of the century-old Liberty High School in
Morestory by Kirsten HarperMy boyfriend had always wanted to live aboard, so when he went to school to learn how to build wooden sailboats it seemed an opportune time to begin this adventure. We learned how to sail from scratch and bought a used, 30-year-old boat for a bargain during the
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Imagine an entire weekend dedicated to teaching sustainable skills of all kinds—backyard chicken raising, beekeeping, composting, gardening, healthy cooking and home energy efficiency. The Home Grown Institute, whose inaugural conference is this March, has planned to do just this. The conference is tailored to provide attendees with the skill sets and motivation to transform their
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Tony CroasdaleTony Croasdale is an environmental educator, field biologist and most importantly, avid birder. This year, the Philadelphia resident is blogging for Grid about his mission to observe as many species of bird as possible—what birders call a “Big Year.” The catch? Croasdale is doing all his birding via sustainable transportation. When attempting a big year, birders
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Looking to brush up on eco-friendly practices in the new year? Then join Congregation Beth Or this Sunday, January 22 at their Eco-Expo. A day-long celebration of sustainability, this free, non-religious event features more than 30 environmentally-friendly exhibitors in renewable energy, composting, agriculture, transportation and more. A LEED-certified architect, will be offering green construction and
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Has the post-holiday, back-to-work grind given you the blues? Join us on Thursday night from 5:30 to 7:30 at the Trinity Memorial Church (22nd and Spruce) for a dose of cheer. We’re sponsoring, in conjunction with Sustainable 19103 and the Office of Sustainability, a screening (just an excerpt), followed by discussion, of The Economics of Happiness.
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Image via phila.govIn August, we wrote about signing a petition for new zoning codes. And looks like you must’ve stepped up to the plate! On December 15, city council unanimously passed new codes. This was shortly followed by Mayor Nutter, who on December 22 signed the legislation, enacting new laws to officially take effect
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This weekend, the 2011 Community Arts Festival (CAFe) comes together to promote local artists and the importance of environmental sustainability. Featuring organizations from all over the city, there are plenty of diverse passions to discover: ceramics with Old City’s Clay Studios; Arabic calligraphy with Albustan Seeds of Culture, a local nonprofit that teaches Arabic language,
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