Articles Written by Julie Hancher

It's easy to get into the reusable groove at home, but what about when you're on the road (or flight)? I recently traveled to Austin to run a half marathon. Although I packed my stainless steel water bottle for the trip, my carry on suitcase was essentially full with all of my other goods. Before starting our day, we wanted a quick breakfast on the run. Asking for a bagel and coffee ended up with this much waste: (Find out more, after the jump!)

Hey you! Want a free drink? You deserve it. We're hosting a Plastic Bag Reduction Happy Hour this upcoming Tuesday, February 19th from 6-9 PM at the Field House (1150 Filbert Street) in Philadelphia! Come sign the petition or sign a form letter to your favorite City Council Member for a FREE drink. We have the nice, new section of the Field House with some bar games too! RSVP on Facebook, or just show up! (RSVP not necessary but preferred.) Please email Julie or Beth at greenphillyblog@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Happy Valentine's Day! Want to show some love for your mother today? We mean Mother Earth... Make the switch to clean energy with a PA Wind & Renewable supplier if you haven't yet! It's easy, won't break the bank and you'll be guilt-free of awful carbon emissions. Which one should you choose? I recently found out there's a few options to consider when I moved... (Find out more, after the jump!)

Today is the infamous Fat Tuesday, where we gorge ourselves with Jambalaya, Muffalettas, King cake and beignets. And obviously, we guzzle lots of booze in the New Orleans tradition. This day traditionally prepares Christians to start their Lenten season on Ash Wednesday, where they make major sacrifices like no meat on Fridays. (Huge, I know!) Regardless if you're Catholic, Jewish or Buddhist, you can create a challenge yourself for a more sustainable behavior for 40 days. "What can I do?", I hear you ask. (Yes, I can hear your thoughts readers! But not always, which is why we encourage comments.) (Find out more about the 40 day green challenge and what I'm doing, after the jump!)

Who cares about what we throw away? Why does it matter? And have you ever, truly thought about it? The Taxonomy of Trash is determined to find out. Back in October 2011, a group of artists were at the Revolution Recovery recycling center right here in Philadelphia to participate in the Recycled Artist-in-Residency program. They realized there were jewels in the rubbish, or dare I say, that 'One man's trash is another man's treasure' . The Taxonomy of Trash is an analytical approach to stuff we throw away. They're building a

Mayor Michael Nutter has done a lot of cool stuff for Philly's sustainability scene. In 2009, he realized that the city needed to treat every street as a "Complete Street" to accommodate the different ways Philadelphians choose to travel - whether by bike, bus, car, train or strolling. Thus, the Complete Streets Policy was required to accommodation safety and convenience for all users and balance the needs of ALL users. (This is why the recent Bill 120532, which increases fines for improper parking AND bicycling behavior emphasized importance on multiple transit types.) The result? Check out the Complete Streets Handbook 2013 final version, which has been released for your eyes here. We reviewed the 163 page handbook for you. To save you time, here are some sustainable observations:

Plastic pollution increasing by land and by sea. Barrels of oil wasted.  BPA. High transportation costs. False advertising. Low regulations. Money wasted. Bottled water has a stigma these days. And sitting around the office “water cooler” (or perhaps ‘larger caskets of bottled water’) doesn’t have the same pizzazz that it used to, eh? We already know that plastic water bottles don’t make sense financially or sustainably. We bring our own stainless steel water bottles to fill up, but working for 8 hours a day leads to an inevitable refill or two. Those large plastic jugs you’re filling up with at work or the gym are still made of plastic, and therefore have the same green consequences as those single-sized bottled waters. A business based in King of Prussia, Quench USA, recognized this environmental conundrum of the ‘larger’ water bottles and came up with a better solution. (Find out more, after the jump!)

I recently found myself in North Carolina on a cool weekend in January to see the sights with my companion. Although it was the midst of a southern winter, the desire to get outside and do something athletic (and obviously sustainable) was high as ever. After searching for a few options, we found Zipquest Zip Lining. (Find the full story and tons of pictures (AND video) after the jump!)

Hosting a Super Bowl Bash on Sunday? Here's quick tip that will save you money (and help out the environment!)