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Climate change is the greatest challenge of our lifetime. In order to overcome it, we need to make solutions easy, local, and relevant to everyday people.  

Green Philly is your resource for a sustainable, local, and accessible lifestyle. Our mission is to connect you with eco-solutions for a more resilient future, make sustainability fun, and foster a vibrant, inclusive community.

15 year

Green Philly hosts events throughout the year, including panel discussions, educational flash talks, and our signature events, SustainPHL, Philly’s annual sustainability awards ceremony and celebration, and EcoFair.

Make Green Philly your go-to sustainability hub, learning about local changemakers making a difference, ethical businesses, and where to recycle odd objects in our Where Can I Wednesday column. Check our community events calendar, Delaware Watershed Database, and previous episodes of our City Rising podcast on iTunes.


How it Began

Green Philly event table

Co-Founder Julie Hancher began her career in marketing at a local publishing company. In 2008, one of her coworkers told her that the company was secretly throwing the recycling bin contents into the trash cans.

The unveiling of “Recyclegate 2008” was shocking, and lead to a lightbulb moment.

Sustainability seemed difficult, hard and expensive – and it was 2008! Things should be easier. Shouldn’t companies be should required to recycle?

Fast forward to 2022, and many of the same problems exist in Philadelphia and the world. People still combine trash and recycling – even if it’s the city of Philadelphia on occasion. Companies make decisions without the planet in mind. And continue to combat environmental racism and make the sustainability sector more inclusive.

Green Philly approaches sustainability with a wide lens. Beyond environmental sustainability, we must allow sustainability for ALL people, the planet and afford a comfortable lifestyle.

We believe that when we can educate and empower an individual to make small changes, they’ll become invested in an achievable, sustainable future. Get involved today by signing up for our newsletter.

Green Philly was born from frustrations and expectations that we – Philadelphia, young adults, and community – could simply do better.

Despite its humble beginnings as a blog in 2008, Green Philly has evolved into a robust media organization with a website, social media, events, and podcast.

We value local journalism as a pillar of democracy. Green Philly works collaboratively in the local journalism ecosystem, as a Broke In Philly partner, and has participated in the Delaware River Watershed Reporting Collective, Covering Climate Now, and Civic Story.

Sustainability shouldn’t be hard.


How we’re funded

Green Philly is a benefit corporation, which means we are a socially-focused organization. We’re funded through a mix of sponsors, grants, advertisers, and reader subscriptions.

If you enjoy our content, events, and mission, please contribute to Green Philly. If you are a company or organization that would like to elevate your message to Philadelphia’s sustainability community, contact us about advertising opportunities. If you would like to give a one-time or monthly donation as a reader, contribute here.

Funders

William Penn Foundation

The Team That Makes it Happen…

Co-Founder & Editor-In-Chief

Julie Hancher

Julie Hancher is Co-Founder & Editor of Green Philly, a local media company that makes sustainable living easy, accessible and affordable to the region through its website, events and podcast.

In 2016, Hancher created SustainPHL, Philadelphia’s annual sustainability awards and celebrations. Green Philly launched the City Rising podcast in Fall 2018, available on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Julie is a frequent speaker and sustainability expert and has appeared on WHYY Radio Times, Philly Weekly, Travel & Leisure and more. During her tenure at Green Philly, her initiatives have resulted in plastic bag legislation, connected readers to careers, and increased the security of the Schuylkill River Trail.

She graduated from Pennsylvania State University and completed a Climate Change Science, Communication and Action certificate from Cornell University. When she’s not behind a computer, you can find Julie hiking, biking, creating art and recipes, or traveling.

Meet the Team

Lauren Belcher - Marketing & Social Media Manager

Lauren is the Marketing and Social Media Manager for Green Philly. Lauren resides in West Philly and is passionate about utilizing social media and marketing as an educational tool to connect people to our natural world. Currently, she is pursuing her Masters degree in Biology through the University of Miami. When she is not studying, Lauren loves to go on long walks with her dogs, pick up a different hobby monthly, and find new green spaces throughout Philadelphia.

Melvin Powell - Events & Membership Manager

Melvin is the Events and Membership Manager for Green Philly. Melvin is an experienced entrepreneur and event planner and is currently the co-founder of Sync Production Group, a special event project management service for corporate and live entertainment events. He previously served as the Executive Director of Sunflower Philly and helped with the execution of over 200 community events. As a proud Temple Alumni currently living in the Brewerytown section of North Philadelphia, Melvin has been an actively finding ways to give back to the local community.

Angie Bacha - Civics Reporter

Angie Bacha (she/her) is a Philadelphia-based solutions journalist and recent Erasmus Mundus Master's in Journalism, Media and Globalisation student in Aarhus, Denmark. She is currently reporting on local government and civics through our Every Voice, Every Vote project. Previously, she worked as a student journalist at Community College of Philadelphia and Editorial Intern at Resolve Philly. Some other hats she has worn: Human Rights and Theatre Studies graduate; teaching artist; carpenter; AmeriCorps volunteer; and rock climbing gym shift supervisor.

Meet Contributors

Jada Ackley

Jada is a West Philly native passionate about environmental justice and climate adaptation in the city. Currently, she is a Program Coordinator for the Overbrook Environmental Education Center, but in her spare time, she enjoys spending time in nature, mixing music, and tending to her plants.
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