One of the oldest museums in the country strives to become more efficientby Will DeanWhen a fire broke out at the Wagner Free Institute of Science last February, they decided it was time to do something about their 100-year-old heating system.
The city's first craft distillery hopes to replicate beer's successby Will DeanCraft beer has transformed the drinking scene in Philly over the past decade, growing from a niche tipple to a fixture at most bars. Now, the more rarefied—or just more determined at getting drunk faster—world of craft spirits is hoping for the same luck.
by Samantha WittchenPhiladelphians have been conditioned to prepare for a typical hot and humid summer. Windows are filled with those ubiquitous boxes that crank out cold salvation for us city dwellers. Perhaps this is the year you decided to upgrade your old energy-sucking air conditioner to a newer, Energy Star-rated unit. According to their website
Become a Philly Beekeeperby Phil Forsyth & Micah WoodcockOur recent urban beekeeping survey and tour revealed that the majority of Philly’s two dozen or so beekeepers started within the last five years. Why? We know that bees are essential pollinators for gardens, farms and orchards. Other than wind-pollinated corn, the vast majority of our vegetable,
Bike parts normally go on bikes, as nature intended, but occasionally they can find other homes, like on your walls. At the Bike Part Art Show, local artists have sifted through the unusable parts left over from Neighborhood Bike Works’ (NBW) community and youth cycling programs and created pieces of sculpture that entrance the eye
It’s August and the full splendor of the CSA is upon us. For the uninitiated, CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. (This acronym is somewhat obtuse. I would suggest replacing it with BFF, Buying From a Farmer.) The way it works is you sign up before the farmers’ harvest, usually in the late winter or
Dig your toes in the sand at the Jersey shorePicture waves crashing, the smell of salt in the air and vitamin D nourishing your skin. Pack your beach bag for a day trip down the shore.
The economy should be funby Paul Glover
Philadelphia’s greenest dreams can come true, with enough money. Parks and yards can overflow with fresh healthy food; our neighborhoods can become as beautiful as our kids’ smiles; each of us can be proudly employed rebuilding our city; every home can be secure.
Unquenchable: America's Water Crisis and What to Do About Itby Robert GlennonIsland Press, $27.95Unquenchable begins with the story of one of the most obvious and ostentatious wastes of water in America: Las Vegas. A gleaming, neon-bedecked homage to decadence in the middle of the desert, Vegas is a testament to our ability to build what
Wild Fermentationby Sandor Elix KatzChelsea Green, 2003; $25I’ve lost count of the number of times this book has been recommended or mentioned to me, and it deserves every one. Katz explores the world of fermentable foods, which includes some of the earliest prepared foods humans ate, not only to give you something great to eat,
