Articles Written by Julie Hancher

The political science geek-in-me secretly loves watching political speeches, debates and campaigns… even the opposing party’s negative reactions (I’m looking at you, Sarah Palin).  Monday’s State of the Union Address brought me joy similar to the sounds of “Dynamite” by...

Ever wonder what to do with those pesky plastic bags? You’re not alone. “A co-worker of mine has collected plastic bags for the past 3 years. He says we might need them. Well now they are taking up to much...

One of the easiest things to do - yet so often neglected - is turning off the lights in your home. Another? Shut off the faucet when cleaning or brushing your teeth. You can save an average of 30 gallons of water while washing dishes - saving you $$ (that would instead be going down the drain...!)

Our friends at Phillyist highlighted a Grub Street post about a controversy over lion tacos in Arizona and a similar proposition recently in Philly. This scandal of putting lion on the menu ended a chef's meeting his end (pun intended) at South Philly Tap Room. Somehow, I missed this controversy back in September 2008, but started researching how this debacle even happened. Right around the World Cup this year, an Arizona Chef attempted selling lion burgers from a "free-range farm" in Illinois. However, CNN Money & other big wigs decided to investigate (find out more, after the jump!)

Italy decided to start the new year off right by completely banning plastic bags in the country. Italians were using 20 BILLION bags per year - more than 330 per person, and was about 1/5 of the bags used in Europe. However, starting January 1st, retailers were required to distribute biodegradable plastic, cloth or paper bags instead. Italy joins the ranks of Mexico City & San Fran to implement a complete plastic bag ban, which Philadelphia failed to pass in June 2009. (However, retailers with Philly locations like IKEA & Whole Foods have banned plastic bags internally.) Other cities have imposed taxes on plastic bags:

A friend/former colleague tipped me off on the very impressive students at the Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush of Philadelphia. The students created art from only recyclable materials - anything from barbies, tennis balls, or everyday materials like cloth or string. My personal favorite is the dinosaur - See the video here (after the jump):

Are you looking for some new jewelry & bored with your current pieces? Rather than buying new or cheap jewelry, explore recycling options for gold you own! Or, try inquiring with local artisans who can rebuild it into something new. Websites like greenKarat offer recycling options as well as new (to you) pieces!

As I walked to the SEPTA station this morning, I noticed how fluffy the snow is outside... PERFECT for skiing. Skiing is one of my favorite addictions, but it's unfortunately often not the most green sport. We went over 11 Ways to Green Your Ski/Snowboarding last season, but here's some more ideas:

Speaking of recycling your laptop, The City of Philadelphia and the Urban Affairs Coalition are currently hosting a unused, undamaged computers drive (2001 or newer; Pentium 4/Apple G4 or better) that will be refurbished and given to community organizations for internet access and computer training. From now until Monday January 17th, you can drop off your donated computer during normal business hours at (find out where, after the jump)