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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The Living Building Challenge demands that teams exceed LEED requirements to create buildings that restore nature
An artist rendering of Re:Vision Architecture’s concept for the Alice Ferguson Foundation’s multi-building complex. | Courtesy Alice Ferguson Foundation
The Living Building Challenge is the black belt of the green-building scene. The international building certification program, philosophy and advocacy tool
4 mins read
At Spruce Hill Preserves, Molly Haendler concocts delectable jams and jellies
Photo by CJ Dawson Photography
For a while, Spruce Hill Preserves carried itself like some sort of jam and jelly speakeasy, selling jams, jellies, fruit butters and preserves without any licenses, from Molly Haendler’s small kitchen in West Philadelphia. There, she sold her flavorful
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Nourishing meals for short days
Beans & Greens Stew; Savory Muffins with Prosciutto; Leek and Cheddar; and Vanilla-Roasted Winter Fruit are all nourishing and satisfying dishes perfect for a chilly January. | Photo by Emily Teel
January can be cruel. The days are short and cold, and the contrast between the overindulgence of the holiday season and
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Kensington's Philly Fixers Guild works to keep broken items out of the landfill
Philly Fixers Guild co-founder Holly Logan and founder Ben Davis created a long-term repair group to teach people how to fix their own broken items. | Photos by Megan Matuzak
That formerly dependable but now inoperable vacuum cleaner doesn’t have to go to
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In a bid to raise awareness to the connection between air pollution and respiratory health, ChoosePAWind and the American Lung Association of the Mid-Atlantic partnered to launch a campaign promoting local wind energy options, using a group of local organizations as the initial participants. The goal of the campaign is to bring faith-based institutions, environmental groups,
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When your Christmas tree needles begin to fall this year, don’t throw your tree curbside, recycle it. Providing an alternative for trashing dying trees, the Streets Department’s Residential Christmas Tree Recycling Program will recycle it. This year, the program will run from Monday, Jan. 5 through Saturday, Jan. 17. where from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., you can
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The centerpiece is the Blue Cross RiverRink, a 21-year-old outdoor ice-skating rink. | Photos by Matt Stanley
Embrace the brisk weather by visiting the Delaware River Waterfront for the Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest. The winter respite touts thousands of lights, great food and drinks, comfy rockers and couches, games and more.
Building off of the success of
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Volunteer and grant writer brings many skills to East Kensington’s Emerald Street Urban Farm
Bryan Thompsonowak says volunteering at the Emerald Street Urban Farm has made him more invested in the neighborhood. | Photos by Jared Gruenwald
When Bryan Thompsonowak, 37, was young, his father, a bricklayer and “all-around handyman-type of a guy,” taught him to
2 mins read
In the ‘Mushroom Capital of the World,’ Laurel Valley Soils creates the ground floor of green building
Laurel Valley Soils owes a large degree of its prosperity to the continued growth of the green-building movement. | Photos by Jared GruenwaldIt’s a bright mid-summer day in the rural Chester County borough of Avondale, which sits just
4 mins read