Articles Written by Julie Hancher

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)

Typically, we see lots of new companies giving momentum to the green movement - which is why when Philly's oldest pub goes green, it's even cooler. 150-year old McGillin’s Olde Ale House (13th & Drury) recently chose to switch from traditional light bulbs to energy-efficient LED lighting to both reduce their carbon footprint & energy costs. McGillin’s has already started their switch to completely LED lighting that lasts up to 50 x's longer than their current lighting (90% less energy than traditional bulbs), saving the pub’s electricity costs by more than 25%. Besides reducing fossil fuels, McGillin’s efforts to go green include strict recycling practices and focusing on local draft beers instead of choices bottled and shipped long distances. Chris Mullins, co-owner of McGillin’s says,

Congrats to the following Green local businesses & honors who made Philadelphia Magazine's Best of 2010: Art Star Craft Bazaar Greenable Hana & Posy JuJu Salon & Organics SA VA The Franklin Fountain Tierra Mia TimeCycle, Inc. Best Urban Innovation: The bikes lanes on Spruce and Pine streets Check out these green locals in the print- You still have time to pick up Philadelphia Magazine's August 2010 issue in stores now. (and remember to recycle it after!)

Researchers took samples of umbilical-cord blood of ten babies and found 285 industrial chemicals present. Scary, right? Common food we ingest, cleaning products we use, and personal care products such as shampoo, toothpaste, and lotion we use on a daily basis ALL contain potentially dangerous chemicals. Lucky for us, Greening Your Family is a concise reference guide that gives us safer alternatives to everyday products. Author Lindsey Carmichael, MPH, outlines what chemicals are dangerous (and how they’re listed on labels) and specific brands that are safe. Easy to read, this book has tables, product lists, and additional references if you need more info. Whether you're starting your green journey or already have most of your house green, it's convenient and easy to sort your green product needs. Thanks to Lindsey, I made the switch to Tom's of Maine toothpaste & cut the Parabens from my shampoo & conditioner. We asked Lindsey a few questions about her book: (Read the full interview & ONE lucky commenter can download the app for free after the jump!)

One of the most popular questions we are asked is "Can I recycle this?" Now that we've gone over what you can recycle for curbside efforts in Philadelphia - plastics and beyond - here's a list of what you can't recycle:

Good news for Philadelphia! You no longer have to worry about asking me what you can & can't recycle checking those pesky numbers on your plastics containers - they're ALL recyclable (which just started August 1st). Here's what you can recycle: