Grid Magazine

#005 June 2009/Community/education/Environment/Environmental Justice/Race and Equity/Urban Nature

Cover Story: A Natural Fit

The ultimate vision of an eco-friendly and educational urban oasisby Natalie Hope McDonaldThe sounds along Lancaster Ave. in West Philadelphia’s Overbrook neighborhood don’t usually include chirping. But on one overcast day in May, across the street from the U-Haul rental center and footsteps from a fruit and vegetable bodega, a small red-breasted bird whistled over

June 2, 2009

9 mins read

#005 June 2009/Green Building

Design: Dyeing for Reuse

Old factories and warehouses get a green retrofitby Christopher WinkFor five generations and 140 years, the Globe Dye Works dyed and wound yarn, and employed hundreds at its peak. In 2005, unable to continue fighting the globalization and outsourcing that moved other businesses, Globe closed, ending another vestige of Philadelphia’s past as the Workshop of

June 2, 2009

2 mins read

#005 June 2009/Cooking/Food

Food: Vegan Fare From Near and Far

Combining local foods with the realities of your pantryrecipes by Dynise BalcavageLike many people who are concerned about the environment, I dutifully seek out locally-grown produce. I try to patronize restaurants that lean heavily on local fare. I even make my own soy and coconut ice creams instead of purchasing my favorite West Coast-produced brand.

June 2, 2009

3 mins read

#005 June 2009/Cooking/Food

Food: In Season

Recipes for a four-course local mealWe’re still full from our food issue (last month, by the way), but we decided to continue expanding our recipe selection, along with our pant sizes. The kind bloggers at FarmtoPhilly.com agreed to help us out by mixing up a whole meal of delicious, local dishes you can serve at

June 2, 2009

4 mins read

#005 June 2009/Circular Economy/Environment/Guides/Recycling

How-To: Seeing Clearly

How to recycle your TVby Samantha WittchenMy television is older than I am. When I was younger, my best friend called it “The TV From Outer Space” because it has that mid ’70s space-age look. My sister, who lives with me, hates the thing. So, when the digital television transition became imminent, she was all

June 2, 2009

1 min read

#005 June 2009/Bicycling/Guides/transportation

How-To: Beneficial Inflation

How to fix a bike flatby Will DeanSo you’re riding along, minding your own business, maybe humming a tune, and suddenly every push of the pedal takes ages, and people are walking past you. Unless you have some kind of heart condition (in which case, please seek medical attention), your tire probably popped a flat.

June 1, 2009

3 mins read

#005 June 2009/Politics

Ask Mark

Philadelphia's Director of Sustainability, Mark Alan Hughes, answers our readersThis month's column is my last as Director of Sustainability and my question comes from the editors of GridQ: What is the most important or surprising lesson you’ve learned during your time as Director of Sustainability?

June 1, 2009

2 mins read

#005 June 2009/Environment/Green Building/Water

Profile: Better Living Through the Rain

Landscapers save rainwater for watering gardensby Brian James KirkThroughout the Wissahickon watershed, a 64 square-mile basin beginning in Montgomery County and flowing south into Philadelphia, a stormy early May has saturated the ground with rainwater, which will eventually twist downstream through dozens of tributaries into the Schuylkill River.

June 1, 2009

2 mins read

#005 June 2009/Farming/Food/GridPhilly

Buy Local: Weaver’s Orchard

Weaver’s has been a family operation for four generations. Owner Ed Weaver and his son Justin carry on the tradition, tending to their 100 acres in Morgantown, PA.

June 1, 2009

1 min read

#005 June 2009/GridPhilly/Politics

News: Lean and Green by 2015

Mayor Nutter announced his plans for making Philadelphia the “greenest” city in America last month, highlighting five areas of interest and 150 initiatives he hopes to achieve by 2015. He has defined the ambitious plan as a restructuring of Philadelphia towards a “green economy,” which, if it lives up to its alternate meanings, could definitely

June 1, 2009

1 min read