Ride of Silence, Brownfields Cleanup, Solar in Schools, & More

Catch up on this week’s sustainability news:

New public orchard and gateway garden at Penn Treaty Park. Friends of Penn Treaty Park celebrated the new additions on May 18th. The garden includes native fruit trees and pollinator-friendly plantings, with produce to be donated to Lutheran Settlement House.

Bicycle Coalition hosts Ride of Silence in honor of riders killed or injured by motorists. This is the 21st year of the Ride of Silence, which started at the north side of City Hall. From the Coalition: “The goal of this annual, international event is to not have another ride, but to have a year with zero bicyclist deaths.”

Philadelphia climbs to 28th spot on 100 largest city park scoring index. Philadelphia rose four places in the Trust For Public Land’s ParkScore index, due to “strong marks for park access and park amenities.” According to the report, 95% of Philadelphians live within a 10 minute walk to a park. The parks, however, are smaller than the national median. 

EPA selects 30 recipients in Region 3 for brownfield cleanup and development grants. Brownfields are typically previously developed lands that are abandoned due to environmental contamination. The Brownfields Grants will provide $12.3 million across 17 communities in Pennsylvania.

Solars for Schools Grants support the rise of solar in school districts across Pennsylvania. A new report from nonprofit Generation180 states that schools in PA more than tripled the amount of solar installation over the past ten years. The Solar for Schools Grant Program – introduced by Philadelphia Representative Elizabeth Fiedler- announced 73 grants totalling $22.6 million to help fund new solar projects at public schools.

Cover photo: Courtesy of Solar States via Solarize Philly