Articles Written by Julie Hancher

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)

"Do you know of a green way to dispose of a laptop? Throw it in the Delaware river?" -Kevin@aol.com, Green Philly Blog Reader Well Kevin, although the Delaware may be toxic, it definitely won't help Philadelphia get greener this year. Actually, disposing a laptop in a river OR landfill are both terrible options - it's just as outdated as your AOL email address. But here's some green tips to recycle your laptop:

Every Thanksgiving and Christmas, my family toasts with delicious Colorado Whiskey or Crown Royal. No matter what poison you pick, you can make sure you're making smart, green choices in 2011. What's even available on the eco-friendly liquor shelf?

Dear City of Philadelphia, Mayor Nutter & the Streets Department, I've never been one that likes resolutions. I tend to make resolutions when I decide to change something, instead of waiting for Jan 1 to roll around. Therefore, I'm officially requesting my New Years Resolutions for the City of Philadelphia in 2011:

Want to reduce your paper footprint further? Another way to reduce your paper (besides saying no to receipts) is paying bills and receiving invoices online. PECO, Comcast, Direct TV and many other local Philadelphia Companies have paperless billing & payment options. Reminders show up in your inbox & online payment is secure.