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Welp. It's Monday again. Hope you were able to get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend! We explored the Schuylkill Boardwalk for a run, as you can see from this week's featured photo. Whether you scored a free Uber-X ride pre-sting opp or are still contemplating better names than SEPTA's new Key smart card payment system, it's time to start focusing on the important stuff. Like the week ahead, and how you're going to start locally celebrating Halloween all week. Philly Events: Week of October 27 - 31st:

Ready to celebrate the holidays focused on sugar shock? Halloween is only a week away, but you can maximize your celebrations at any age. With all of those traditionally-individually wrapped candies (estimated at over 598 million pounds at halloween alone!) generating wrappers, there’s room to make this holiday a little more sustainable. Let’s discuss how you can join festivities in a sustainable way!

We aren't kidding with the price and found all the pieces in our own city. We'll show you how with our Mission: Local Thrift Store  With the fashion trends changing from season to season, it can be hard to maintain the look when you’re on a budget. Who doesn't want top trends without the price tag? Luckily, we have a solution without burning a hole in your pocket. Whether you're searching for a 'new' piece inspired by your Grandpa's sweater or high-waisted jeans, there's no better place to shop for vintage clothes than your local thrift store. Thrift shops hold so many unknown treasures all for an unbelievable cost. In order to stay ahead of the fall trends, we took a trip over to the Salvation Army in Manayunk and scouted clothing options. Fortunately, the thrift shop is home to many wonders just waiting for a new closet home. We found an overwhelming selection of clothes in a wide range of colors and sizes. While at Salvation Army, we pulled an outfit together that can be seen at any college campus during the fall, all for under $15.00.  Find out how, after the jump!

"Women are damn resilient." One of the first speakers for the PA Conference for Women, Jill Abramson, was referring to her recent firing as The New York Times' executive editor in May 2014. But like Jill, the resiliency and power of women continued as a theme throughout the day. Although women were the focus of the conference, men and women can both discover lessons about how to make a difference in our community, become involved, and help others. Find the Pennsylvania Conference for Women 2014 Recap, after the jump!

Fall brings bright colors, chilly weather, and most importantly, great seasonal foods. It’s the best time of the year to bake fresh apple pie, simmer-up squash soup, or candy sweet potatoes.  If you’re not up for cooking yourself this week, there's a few great spots around Philly for delicious local eats. Events for the Week of October 20-24:

Still confused about what goes into the recycling bin (and what stays out)? Friends of GPB & Recycling enthusiasts Michelle Feldman & Phil Bresee shared a few resources and misconceptions over on Young Involved Philly.

Happy Friday! Don't get us wrong: we love men 'round here, but are still totally amped from yesterday's Pennsylvania's Conference For Women. From Robin Roberts reminding us we've all got something, to Candy Chang's transformation of neighborhoods with chalk & side of a building, to Diane Keaton's questioning of Billy Pitt, that poet on top of City Hall (and holllerrr - our logo figure) - it was an inspiring day to be in Philadelphia and a woman.

Looking for an all-star garden-to-table affair, complete with locavores, wine and more? PHeaSt is the place to be this Friday, October 17th from 7-10 PM at the Navy Yard in South Philly. Complete with recycled props from the Flower Show for an "industrial-chic" setting, seasonal dishes, gardening teams and the opportunity to chat with chefs, PHeaSt is perfect for foodies or locavores. Thrown by Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, the decor, food and drinks satisfy the senses. A few of this year's highlighted partners include:

How are Philly's buildings faring with energy use? Just like we hinted in our recap of what Philly's doing to prep for climate change, the Mayor's Office of Sustainability (MOS) released results of Philly's Energy benchmarking program yesterday. The Year Two benchmarking results are available online to download. Don't feel like reading the whole thing? Highlights of the 2014 Philly Building Energy Benchmarking Report include: