Opinion

Green Philly Statement

We are outraged and mourn the senseless murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tamir Rice, and too many black Americans. We stand in solidarity with the black community who have suffered injustices for too long. Over the past week, we have felt a variety of emotions: anger, sadness, and hope. There is a huge problem with systemic racism in our country that has brought too many injustices, from police brutality to disproportionate effects of the climate crisis.

Green Philly’s mission is to make sustainability easy, accessible, and low cost for all Philadelphians. A sustainable life and future should be every Philadelphian’s right, regardless of their income, age, or color of skin.

We recognize the need for a larger role and to use our platform to highlight our black, brown, indigenous, people of color, and LGBTQ allies in the environmental movement.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to positive change: participated, protested, contributed and donated, publicly or privately. 

While we’ve implemented internal changes to increase the visibility of diverse voices in the sustainability movement through our website, events, and SustainPHL over the past few years, our efforts have not been enough. We will continue to challenge ourselves and our readers, and highlight stories of incredible changemakers to show the city as we see it: diverse, bold, and beautiful.

If you have suggestions or feedback, please reach out to us via email contact@greenphillyblog.com or DMs.  

– The Green Philly Team


Julie Hancher

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.

Recent Posts

Energy and restoration grants, bird migration & more

Catch up on the latest sustainability news: Temporary bike lane closer to permanent status. Councilmember…

4 days ago

Op-ed: Dinosaurs may be extinct. But the Academy of Natural Sciences doesn’t have to be.

The Academy of Natural Sciences survived for more than two centuries. Now, its future depends…

4 days ago

Washington Avenue Connector, trash pickup contest, & more

Catch up on the latest sustainability news: New Washington Avenue Connector completed. The City of…

2 weeks ago

Meet 5 people building Philly’s green workforce

From a solar-powered shed in East Parkside to an orchard on State Road, these SustainPHL…

2 weeks ago

Enviro jobs & grants, & more

Catch up on the latest sustainability news: Parks and Rec expands environmental stewardship program. Philadelphia…

3 weeks ago

Meet 6 people making Philly greener, one neighborhood at a time.

(and they're all SustainPHL nominees!) From storm drains in Germantown to community gardens in Kensington,…

3 weeks ago