Articles Written by Julie Hancher

Hey guys- The last 2 1/2 weeks sans car have been quite exciting! I've got the train schedule down and have been taking the shorter Express morning train, finished 3 books (2 of which have been Chelsea Handler & Tucker Max) and have read the Metro every morning. Some other highlights include:

Happy October! Plans to celebrate? Join PhillyCAM First Friday October Viewing Party. The Painted Bride Arts Center (232 Vine Street) & PhillyCAM are hosting a special 2-hour, Community produced programming on the theme of sustainability tonight (October 1st) from 5:30 pm–7:30pm. Hosted by social commentator Desire Grover, producer of GhettoPrint and Community Organizer for the Energy Justice Network, you can meet producers and local environmental organizations. Here's a sneak peak of Ed Golden's Re-CYCLE, for you recycling & bicycling enthusiasts! (luckily, I am both!) Here's the list of featured programs:

It's fall! What a better time to re-check your junk mail and minimize where you can. With iPhones, Blackberries, Facebook & the internet everywhere, it's too easy to find people or businesses, and shop online. Do you really need phone books, credit card offers and glossy printed catalogs dropped off at your front door? Save the 1000's of pages used for each dinosaur-era book:

Festivities for Manayunks's Eco Arts Festival go as follows: Thursday, September 23rd, 6-9 PM:Launch party at Mango Moon (4161 Main Street). The "Green Carpet" will feature Nicole Miller runway looks, an award ceremony in honor of Mayor Michael Nutter and Councilman Curtis Jones Jr. as they are presented with the EcoChampion Award. In addition, VIPs will be treated to the Vodka Mar"tea"ni & Green Lantern created by Mango Moon and Mugshots Coffeehouse & Cafe while enjoying live jazz, free appetizers and green networking. Please RSVP to // mvidauri@manayunk.org // Saturday, September 25 11-7, & Sunday, September 26, 11-6: Come join eco-minded artists, green businesses and ecologically-concerned community groups on Main Street Manayunk at this free event to share resources and education about green & healthy living! Some of the Participating EcoArtists, EcoBusinesses, Main Street Businesses & Non-Profits Include:

Hey guys! Exciting news... After I applied on a whim, I was picked to be 1 of 20 lucky participants in Zipcar's Low Car Diet! Starting tomorrow for 30-days, I'll be virtually car-free! As co-author of Green Philly Blog, I know we all have skeletons in our trying-to-be-green closet... and haven't been able to kick my dreaded driving habit while working in the suburbs (which lacks a solid transit system). So I'm giving this a go, refraining from lunch outings and staying late on the weekdays. Every day, I'll be updating Julie's Low Car Diet blog to

GreenFest Philly 2010 GreenFest Philly returns to 2nd & South Street/Headhouse Square District for a fashion-themed event this Sunday, Sept. 12 at 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. The annual green festival will feature: Bike Philly 2010 This Sunday, September 12 at 8:00 am, join cyclists for Bike Philly, a morning of relaxed biking on certified car-free Philadelphia streets. This annual event is (Find out more about GreenFest Philly & Bike Philly, after the jump)

Got a green thumb? Gardeners of all levels should soak up the plants, gardening tips and all things green at the Free Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) Fall Gardening Festival on Saturday, Sept. 11, 11 AM-4 PM at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. The free festival will showcase PHS’s special programs for homeowners and gardeners, as well as food, live music, plant sales and demonstration. Highlights of the day include:

This past Sunday marked Philly’s 2nd Annual Naked Bike Race. The #1 reason was to promote “fuel-conscious consumption” – with bikes lessening our city’s carbon footprint.  This city-wide trek draws attention to environmental awareness & cyclist safety. While not every...

Philadelphia's on the fast track to becoming one of the greenest cities. You've carpooled, recycled all those shiny plastics and even made your dog eco-friendly. Before you can get to plan your green wedding, you gotta conquer another hurdle to lessen your carbon impact: dating. Dating can be done quite well with an eco-friendly touch. Here are some ways to lessen your impact on the earth while getting to know someone a little bit better (after the jump - see excerpts from my recent guest post - readers, still time to vote on the Philly Hot List)