Philly

Are you psyched to drop off your leaves for recycling? The Streets Department leaf recycling 2014 drive has begun, alleviating landfills from a few compostables. (Sound familiar?) And it’s the perfect highlight for our Where Can I Wednesday column! Here’s...

Whether you’ve heard about how awesome or wasteful the new Riverbank Schuylkill Boardwalk is, have you taken the trudge down to the River? If you’re an avid jogger or walker, you were most likely one of the first to cross the entire path.  But many Philadelphians have been wondering what it would do for the city.  Is it worth the $18 million and 3 years spent on its planning and construction?  Some have even gone as far as to call it Philly’s “newest playground for the rich,” which may be a dramatic embellishment...but it’s a fair opinion. What was Jessica's conclusion about the Schuylkill Boardwalk? Find out 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!

Happy Tuesday! I hope everyone is relaxed after that three day weekend! There was a definitely ton to do, between Paddleboard Yoga and Wellness Walks, but if you’re looking for something to liven up the week as well, we’ve got a bunch of great events for you! Here are some great, green events to try this week:

We compared the greenest hotels, coffee shops, and more (obviously, that’s in our name). However, one big player in the sustainability game is often overlooked: universities. Philadelphia is lucky enough to have a number of high-ranking universities. the majority of these schools are making progress in sustainability, with initiatives growing annually and beyond their own campuses. Let’s take a look at a handful of these schools and the programs that they've been implementing.

Looking for a sustainable place to work with friends? City CoHo is the largest and only green co-working space in Philadelphia. Based in Center City, it hosts to sustainable professionals, environmentally conscious businesses, and green events.

Do you know Philly’s hiking trails? How about the native wild plants and their uses? These kids do. The Urban Blazers’ summer program encourages middle school kids in Philly’s under-resourced neighborhoods to explore local parks and trails while school is out.

*Or very low cost. But you clicked, right? Green City, Clean Waters, Philly’s 25-year plan for protecting its watersheds, uses green infrastructure for stormwater management. The project, recognized by the EPA for setting the standard for a national model for green infrastructure, catapulted Philly to the forefront for stormwater management. Why is stormwater a concern?

Inspired by our newest debut column (#ThisWeekI), we love to acknowledge the wonderful organizations that work hard to create environmental awareness, building a better world for us to live in. This week, I’m shining the community spotlight on Philly’s Urban Tree Connection (UTC).