Nearly two decades ago, in 2006, SEPTA bought its very first hybrid
As climate change caused flooding and extreme heat in the region and
Over the past year, Philadelphia has received over $21 million in federal
There aren’t as many American bumble bees (Bombus pensylvanicus) as there used
Current Issue
Grid is a monthly magazine, so we are not equipped to report news. Sure, we occasionally cover some stories as they happen, but mostly we stay away from breaking stories — especially national news. However, the dramatic changes at the federal level deserve at least some commentary. I think just about every Trump-related story can
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 Despite the decision being rescinded two days later, the fate of funding for environmental work remains murky due to the vague language and unclear legality of the sweeping order.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
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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Meet Craig Santoro, a bike commuter whose trek to work involves constantly dodging cars. From the vehicles parked in bike lanes to the vehicles whizzing by in driving lanes, the city’s streets are always keeping Craig on his toes. Cue the Philadelphia Parking Authority’s bike patrol. Follow Craig and the PPA as they bring us
The Latest
I had never heard of the Philadelphia Art Commission back in 2022 when I tuned in to a Zoom meeting about plans to build a driving range at the Cobbs Creek Golf Course. When reporting on a public meeting of a City commission, it’s not uncommon to find yourself waiting impatiently through all the other
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In 2003 former Tuskegee Airman and pioneering Black journalist Chuck Stone wrote “Squizzy the Black Squirrel,” about a Philadelphia boy who bonds with a black squirrel in Fairmount Park. Squizzy was the only black squirrel the boy had ever seen in the park, but visitors today still spot them gathering acorns and running up trees.
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Mayor Cherelle Parker leads Philadelphia at a key point in the fight against climate change. By 2030 — that is, in a mere five years — the City hopes to have slashed municipal emissions in half and power municipal buildings entirely with renewable energy. If things go according to current sustainability plans, a Philadelphia whose
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In the summer of 2023, farmers and gardeners in Philadelphia had good reason to be optimistic. The City had just published its first urban agriculture plan, called “Growing from the Root,” which offered a 10-year road map for building a thriving local food system and securing land for farmers and gardeners. And in June of
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The soaring rhetoric of campaign trails often meets the hard realities of governance once candidates take office. Competing demands, limited budgets and City Council’s own priorities can make for a challenging first year for any new mayor. Back in March 2023, when Cherelle Parker was a candidate in the Democratic primary, Grid published her responses
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Three years after its launch, the Philadelphia Environmental Justice Advisory Commission (PEJAC) has yet to assert itself as an impactful player in efforts to ensure that all Philadelphians live free from environmental toxins and hazards. One year into Cherelle Parker’s mayorship, the commission has been absent from the administration’s Office of Clean and Green Initiatives.
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Environmental issues are rarely at the top of the political agenda. If they were, we might not need this special issue looking at Mayor Cherelle Parker’s first year. Given the long list of environmental problems facing Philadelphia and the long list of solutions beginning to be worked out, it wasn’t entirely clear where to start.
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At her inauguration on January 2, 2024, Cherelle Parker said, “We will make Philadelphia the safest, cleanest and greenest big city in the nation.” Philadelphia has long been plagued by litter, poorly-contained household trash and illegal dumping (“short dumping”) of waste that should be taken directly to a commercial dump: old tires, debris from construction,
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Philadelphia is often ranked among the best cities in the country for cycling. And yet, leading up to the 2023 mayoral election, cyclists had reason to fear for their safety on city streets. That year, 10 cyclists were killed in vehicular crashes, one third the number of cyclist deaths reported in New York City —
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