Lifestyle

Once the summertime hits, it's so easy to get inspired to move your booty outside and take on a more positive mood. Editing and writing about sustainability everyday becomes a part of my routine, so I try to consciously do more than the three Rs and practice what I preach. Find out what I'm doing to inspire in our weekly #ThisWeekI column, after the jump!

My top two passions in life are sustainability and traveling. When Citizens Diplomacy International (CDI) Philadelphia invited me to represent the local green media and meet with five Indonesians in Philadelphia to discuss the US's take on sustainability (back in June), I enthusiastically accepted.

Who's ready to kick off their week with some inspiration? Last week, we debuted our #ThisWeekI column to inspire each other. Here's what people around the web were saying: I think I finally convinced my dad that wild salmon tastes better than farmed! It only took 3 years. @greenphillyblog @dvgbc #ThisWeekI Find out more inspiration AND what #ThisWeekI's featured Michael Di Tizio is doing to inspire - after the jump.

I was a cloth diaper baby! My mother believed in cloth diapers; in fact, she thought they were more environmentally friendly before we even talked about it. Although it cost more initially, cloth diapering for my siblings and me saved my parents money in the long run. My mother believed that it was her responsibility to reduce the family’s carbon footprint by living consciously. Back THEN, there was a constant debate and conflicting information about using cloth diapers.

Recently, I went to a Living Building Challenge event and through talking to one of the participants, I came up with an idea: If each of us inspires two other people to do ___ better, and each of those two people inspire two more, we can make exponential change. So, let's inspire each other. It doesn't have to be big. Find out more about "#ThisWeekI"'s column debut, after the jump:

After a Green City showdown between Philly and Copenhagen last week, we’re breaking it down further about cycling culture. Philly fell short of Copenhagen’s cycling prowess, but why? Let’s compare Copenhagen’s famous cycling culture and progress with Philly’s blossoming bike culture.

It's HOT outside. With summer upon us, getting dressed for work can be a painful exercise. Ties or jackets in 95*F? Ouch. Turns out that some businesses are noticing that what we wear can cause pain to our planet.  Relaxed summer wardrobes are a good start to easing the pain: the fewer layers you’re wearing, the less air conditioning you need to be comfortable. Bring on the polo shirts! Find out more about how climate change is affecting office attire, after the jump.

I have a rocky relationship with water. I am often negligent and forget to drink water during the day, especially during the summer. I’ve even fainted a few times from dehydration and heat exhaustion. This didn’t mean I didn’t drink a lot during the day. I did. I just didn’t drink a lot of water. In recent years, I’ve fixed this problem by always having a reusable water bottle on hand and by sometimes drinking water substitutes. Water substitutes are a different way to look at water. As such, I have complied a list of five favorite fun ways to drink water. 5 Fun Ways to Drink Water this Summer:

This past semester, I escaped the Polar Vortex and studied abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark. Over four months, I discovered and explored the new city, including its sustainability scene. Copenhagen, the winner of the EU’s Green Capital 2014, is well known for its advanced efforts to as a model sustainable city. Philly has begun its journey to be the most sustainable city in the US, according to Mayor Nutter’s Greenworks plan. How does Philly compare to Copenhagen? Who’s winning the green battle on their respective continent?