The Mayor’s 6th budget address makes no mention of climate or environment. Councilmember Gilmore Richardson calls him out.

Today, Mayor Kenney delivered his sixth budget address to City Council. However, there was not a single mention of climate change, the environment or clean streets.

Kenney did announce a $1 million investment to improve air quality and mentioned pollution, without the greater issue of the climate crisis. The city cut the Zero Waste and Litter cabinet in May 2020 due to pandemic reductions.

Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson, Chair of City Council’s Committee of the Environment, called out Kenney for this absence. “While the Mayor has made significant commitments to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, achieving zero waste, and protecting our natural resources, we must integrate this work into all City operations and understand how our decisions today will impact our resiliency tomorrow,” said Gilmore Richardson in a statement.

Leaving climate change out of an important address can have negative impacts. Climate experts like Katharine Hayhoe have said that talking about climate change is the most important thing to do, so people feel invested to take action on the problem.

As Hayhoe said, “if we do not have these conversations, how do we expect the world to change?”

If the entire city of Philadelphia can rally against an oat milk company in a few hours, there’s potential to make a way larger impact on something as urgent as the climate crisis.

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Julie Hancher is the co-founder and Executive Director of Green Philly, an independent media organization making sustainability accessible, affordable and actionable. Since launching Green Philly in 2008, she has grown it from a passion project into a leading voice for local climate storytelling, pairing impactful journalism with community events and experiences. Julie is a frequent speaker on climate, media innovation and the future of local journalism, and is the creator of SustainPHL and EcoFair. Outside of Green Philly, you can find her hiking, biking, traveling, or exploring Philadelphia. View all posts by Julie Hancher