Philadelphia, as the old trope goes, is a city of neighborhoods. While each has its own concerns and culture, sustainability is a key for all in establishing and maintaining a neighborhood that nurtures and uplifts those who live there. In our Sustainable Communities in Action series, GRID will highlight organizations that are working to make
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FACT
Building-related construction and demolition waste totals approximately 170 million tons per year, roughly two-thirds of all non-industrial solid waste generation in the U.S.
PROBLEM
Total annual construction and demolition waste (“C&D waste” in the biz) equates to 3.2 pounds of building-related materials per person in the U.S., per day. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 52
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For years, the electric vehicle has been mentioned in hushed tones, believed to be the second coming of sorts for our car-dependent society, a clean-running innovation that would allow us to keep up our driving habit without that messy foreign-oil guilt. Yet electric cars have seemed as mythical as Sasquatch—often spoken of, but rarely, if
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Revolution recovery’s three-and-a-half-acre lot on Milnor Street in Northeast Philadelphia is a shrine to waste. The space hosts a huge pile of used wood and another of drywall. There are stacks of ceiling tiles and bundles of miscellaneous plastic and cardboard. The back of a truck is filled with rolled-up carpets and a group of
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Image via marcellusprotest.org/node/1288Another public demonstration against fracking is in the works. Next Wenesday, September 7, you can join the “Shale Gas Outrage” Rally to Protect Air, Water, Earth and Human Health in solidarity against the controversial natural gas drilling technique—fracking—in Pennsylvania. The rally, organized by Philly grassroots advocacy organization Protecting Our Waters, will be held
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Movie-goers enjoy the pedal-powered screening. Image via Guardian.The drive-in movies have gotten an eco-makeover in England as cycle-in cinemas are becoming popular. At these outdoor theaters, cyclists attach their bikes to generators and pedal to power the movie screening. Guardian What do Oprah fans and tar sands have in common? Apparently a support for women’s
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Graphy by Nielsen on climate change opinions. For full size, click image. Image via GuardianWhile 69% of global citizens are concerned about climate change, public opinion is dropping in the biggest polluter countries. Which region is most concerned? Check out the survey to find out. Guardian Hurricane Irene is leaving more than flooding and
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My story begins like those of many others who are passionate about real food. I was surrounded by it from the beginning. I spent my young childhood growing up on our family farm in Missouri with cows, sheep, pigs and an enormous garden that nourished us with everything from Brussels sprouts to cherries.
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The Tûranor PlanetSolar ship / Image via charterworld.comA solar-powered ship is sailing around the globe. The spaceship-looking vessel has already covered almost 24,000 miles. New York Times Oyster-lovers may have to start paying more for the seafood delicacy; ocean acidification is seriously hurting populations. OnEarth Gemasolar is more than an optical illusion. The first commercial
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Image via milrose.comZoning. Ok it’s not the most interesting issue, but without zoning codes cities would be a mess. Zoning keeps homes and factories from being neighbors, prevents communities from becoming overpopulated, and makes sure buildings aren’t too tall and have enough parking, among other things.
Unfortunately, zoning in Philadelphia has become a nightmare. The city’s
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