Articles Written by Julie Hancher

Are you a commuter who trudges into Philly everyday? Or worse, an urbanite who must leave the city every day to make a living? Philadelphia commutes are longer than the national average (31.5 minutes compared the to average of 25.5), and we have 253,000 workers commuting TO the city and an additional 147,000 city residents on the reverse commute daily. Philly has 25.6% of all commuters taking public transit, compared to 5% nationwide. This is half as much as New York's commuters (55.66%) in the number 1 spot, putting Philly at #7 after Jersey City, Washington DC, San Fran & other cities. Good, but not great. It's frustrating to see Philadelphia pat ourselves on the back for minor accomplishments when we could be SO much better. But in order to relieve our commutes, we need to improve SEPTA and public transit first. Here's what we have going for and against us:

Is your recycle bin overflowing compared to your trashcan? (Hint: If you're shopping wisely, reusing & composting, you should barely have trash in the can!) Do you want to help green Philadelphia schools? We're letting you know how to get FREE 32-Gallon recycle bins for Where Can I Wednesday? The Streets Department is running a special promotion to get a Super Recycling Bin in your hands. (Find out how, after the jump!)

I've changed this past month. I'm more cautious, I've had to reconsider every plant in my apartment, and I look tired. A new bundle of joy came into my life, and although challenging, I'm super-happy. Welcome to my crazy green lifestyle, Pounce DeLeon!  Pounce came into my life after I moved into a studio apartment. Growing up with dogs my entire life, I made sure to research and contact a few local shelters. Since I volunteer with PAWS Monster Miler program, the Old City Adoption Center was my preference. Luckily an orange and white tabby remembered me from my first visit, and his consistent snuggles stole my heart within a half hour. After watching him interact with a few other cats (and tested well in the plays well with dogs category), I knew it was meant to be! Want to green your cat? I will give my best (new) advice to you!

Cheerio! Do you feel like you're craving tea, sophisticated accents and bad teeth? (Just kidding about that last one..!) You don't need to get on a plane to get your London fix. If you enjoyed our Philadelphia Flower Show 2013 Preview, we have great news for you! We're giving away a pair of tickets to a lucky reader. (Find out how to win, after the jump!)

Brilliant! The Philadelphia Flower Show returns this weekend with lots of tea, crumpets, royalty and a guaranteed fun. From March 2-10, the Philadelphia Flower Show 2013 will transport you to Great Britain from the convenience of the PA Convention Center. A benefit produced by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, all proceeds feed back into local efforts to "garden, green & educate". Since 1829, the world's largest indoor flower show brings beauty to our lovely (yet often dirty...) city. This year's new features include opening a day early (Saturday vs the typical Sunday), an enhanced Flower Show Smartphone App, and a "Make & Take" room complete with opportunities to create your own British 'fascinator' or floral wristlet. We checked out the Media "Sneak Peek" of the Flower Show eve last minute preparations. As a former EXPAT in London, I was psyched to check out this year's theme. And for you our readers, we have a few of the fabulous 2013 Flower Show scenes for you:

Craving a winter food fest destined for locavores? The Brewer's Plate 2013 hosted by Fair Food Philly promises to be a tasty celebration of local breweries, restaurants, farmers & artisan producers all from within 150 miles of the city. Find out more, after the jump!

Last year, we visited where you can recycle your old sneakers, which included local spots like Philadelphia Runner. We also addressed how to recycle your old flip flops, since we all know how many we can collect for a little post-run relaxation. So what are you to do in 2013? Good news for you runners - there's more opportunities this year to give your old kicks a new life! (Find out how and where, after the jump!)

“Spare some change so I can get some food?” The man on the corner, aged beyond his years covered with wrinkles, begged for my spare change. Instead of digging into my pocket, I rolled my eyes and assumed he’d blow it on booze. Like many people, this is what hunger in my city looked like to me, until it didn’t. I was shocked when a young co-worker confided that she has been on food stamps. A single mother, employed full time, still struggling to make ends meet. Yet her challenge to put food on her family’s table is one that many Americans face daily. This man and co-worker represent the tip of the food iceberg. World Environment Day reflects on why food is too valuable to waste locally and abroad:

Need some fresh plants in your life? TreePhilly is back for 2013! Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, Fairmount Park Conservancy and Wells Fargo paired up for the Spring 2013 TreePhilly giveaway. Now through March 31st, any Philadelphia property owner can request a free yard tree on their private property. New additions to the 2013 giveaway include: