Blog

I feel for Lolo Jones' big secret. The dating world is tough, and things that make you different can be uncomfortable to share with someone you're just getting to know. My little secret?

Happpppy Independence Day Week! The celebration to kick off America's birth has begun, and we're celebrating all things red, white & green. (Whattt?) Here's a few links for your enjoyment:

I'd be hardpressed to think of a time when grilling is more appropriate than the week surrounding the Fourth of July. Something about bbqing feels ultra American and festive. So, get your grill on but don't forget these eco-friendly tips. (Read on after the jump!)

Welcome to our new monthly series, City Spotlight, where we feature green goodness in cities across the nation and globe. Here you'll find ideas for great vegan and veg restaurants, cool eco-sites and shops, and other worthy attractions for when you venture beyond Philly - and the Jersey Shore ;) My recent and upcoming travels have prompted me to share some of my favorite haunts, and we hope you'll share yours as well whether in the comments or via email. Today let's talk about NYC - the city where you can get anything you want anytime of day. And, that includes off the charts vegan dining options. I enjoy a lot of vegan restaurants when I'm in Manhattan including Blossom, Peacefood Cafe, Pure Food & Wine (all raw!) and v-note. However, my first choice go-to picks are sister restaurants Candle 79 & Candle Cafe. They focus on local, seasonal vegan fare and use organic ingredients whenever possible. Click through to find out what makes these spots special!

With Dirt Factory debuting in University City this week, everyone's talking about composting. Whether you're a University City resident or not, where can you turn your orange peels & egg shells into plant-satisfying goodness?

One of the beautiful things about a CSA is getting a crapload of veggies which you have no idea what to do with. I may have overdosed after having goat cheese, almond & cranberry salad 7 days straight for lunch. My next dilemma? I had various vegetables and wanted something asian-influenced to go along with my 5% Asian self. Luckily I found a package of spring roll wrappers from the grocery story recently and decided to be creative with them. Note: you can swap out the veggies I suggest with your own fillings. But mine were pretty damn delicious... Here's my vegan recipe: Julie's Half-Assed Veggie Spring Rolls

Nope it's not a trendy new club or restaurant opening,  this is better friends... The Dirt Factory means good news for Philadelphia composting. The Dirt Factory is University City's new composting center. If you're new to the green game, (find out about the Dirt Factory & composting, after the jump!)

We've all heard it before: - Air conditioners "work" harder when they're cooling down your house after a hot day ... But it's (True? False? The anticipation is killing me... so just click through & find out, after the jump!)

I recently received an invite to attend an evening sold as a "conversation" about the local food movement. (Disclaimer #1: Specifics withheld:My intention is not to embarrass any individuals, but to discuss my frustration from this experience.) Since I've been screaming 'GO LOCAL" on GPB for the past few months, I felt like I wanted to rejuvenate my feelings on the topic and get some new insight. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed. The format of the discussion was pretty straight forward: Young woman "expert" wrote a thesis, presented a PowerPoint with a few short clips (including Food Inc. & Freakanomics), followed by discussion. The most frustrating part of the evening was the presenter's arguments against the local food movement. (Disclaimer #2: I've read a book pro-locavore and anti-locavore.) Although I love a good debate, I felt that many of her anti-locavore arguments weren't well explained. Therefore, I've analyzed a few of the "Going local isn't all it's cracked up to be" arguments: