We’re in the final stretch of 2010—and with that comes a final look back before trudging forward into 2011. Both TreeHugger and Grist are re-capping the year, with a focus on the environment. The sites both acknowledge the BP oil disaster as the 2010 environmental event that will go down in history, but Grist takes

Shot Tower Coffee in Bella VistaThis past weekend, I checked a few things off my to-do list: visit 1 Shot Coffee‘s new No Libs location (and sample those baked eggs with tomato sauce); stop by my neighborhood’s new Shot Tower Coffee (6th and Christian); and watch the Eagles humiliate the Giants. Check, check and check.

We’re milking this year’s holiday cheer for all it’s worth—and that means we’re going to share as many local gift ideas as possible. Next up, a gift certificate from Harvest Local Foods. (You might remember them from last year’s Farmbook.) The cards range from $25 to $200, and can be used to purchase absolutely anything

Somehow this escaped our notice until last week: A few months ago, at GreenFest Philly, Grid was interviewed by the pair behind frequency555.com. The couple, John Shimkus and Dana Lagomarsino, are traveling the country covering sustainability and health.  Click here for the full list of Pennsylvania profiles.

Remember Taryn Zychal from last year’s January issue? She’s the girl behind Recycling Zychal—rescuing one broken umbrella at a time from the landfill, and transforming them into functional accessories for guys, gals and furry friends. She is also one of ten finalists in a contest to win the Stoli Vodka “originals contest,” and $25,000. Take a

The day we’ve all dreaded since this post appeared has finally arrived: Philly Brownstoner has gone black. You will be sorely missed. Thanks for the linkage.

Things like this make me feel like everything is going to be OK—beautiful, thoughtful public space for the city alongside an underutilized natural resource. Click through to uwishunu for more details on the Race Street Pier and some spectacular renderings. On Tuesday, Philly Brownstoner had a shot of some initial construction.  Via Philebrity, who win points

Very young Birchrun BlueOn Friday, December 17 (4 - 6 p.m.), Fair Food will host their final Meet Your Local Cheesemaker Happy Hour of the year.
Here are details, courtesy of the Farmstand's Paul Lawler:
The Miller family of Birchrun Hills Farm have been handcrafting some of the Philly area's most uniquely-flavored cheeses for some time. These include the

Every year, my boyfriend's family gives gifts Christmas Grab Bag-style—and this is the first time I’m participating. The yearly tradition can get pretty cutthroat, so I've been nervous from the moment I signed on. I knew I needed to come up with an original array of selections, or risk being shunned and booed.
Enter Green Aisle

The New York Times has an excellent in-depth feature on China and the wind turbine industry. It’s yet another example of the contrast between China’s increasing resource usage and pollution production and their progressive, ambitious stance towards alternative energy. The story offered this specific example of their increasing expertise: One Chinese supplier here became so adept at