Philly residents brainstormed sustainability solutions – Here’s what they came up with

Things feel heavy for the environment right now. For the sustainability community, coming together to set “Sustainability in Motion” can spark ideas for change.  

Over thirty-five community members, local experts, and the Green Philly team joined together on March 18th to host Sustainability in Motion, a series of roundtable discussions on solutions to Philadelphia’s sustainability issues. 

In September, Green Philly hosted a conversation with two legislators – Liz Lankenau and Councilmember Jamie Gauthier’s office. This time, Green Philly offered residents a chance to engage in group discussions with experts, discuss challenges they see in their experiences, and further the conversation. 

Participants brainstormed solutions on five topics: Litter and dumping, Renewable Energy, clothing and Textiles, the Built Environment, and Environmental Justice and Land Use.

Want to learn from these discussions? Let’s dive into each of the topics, challenges, and takeaways from participants. 

Litter & Dumping, led by Shari Hersh of Trash Academy

Group prompt: What innovative strategies can be implemented to reduce litter and combat illegal dumping in urban communities?

Brainstormed Solution: Make it accessible and affordable for small haulers to bring their construction and demolition trash to waste facilities. 

Small haulers are often people and companies who work on small construction projects like home repairs and renovations. When their work is completed, they must remove their construction waste, but they have very few options on where to dispose of it. Construction waste must be taken to private facilities for a fee. Small haulers, however, still have to pay the same fee charged to the large-load haulers. These two factors – few waste center options and high prices – contribute to small haulers illegally dumping their trash in vacant lots around the city. 

The Litter and Dumping group proposed decreasing the price by offering a cost-sharing membership for small haulers. If decreasing this barrier saves the City money on cleanups, the group suggested using that as a tax incentive for those small businesses. Their final suggestion was to increase the visibility of small haulers who legally dispose of their waste, as well as a social media campaign that counts the number of days a neighborhood has been free of illegal dumping. 

Ashley Scott, a Strawberry Mansion resident, said, “Why are there kids playing in vacant lots with glass? Children should grow up in environments that feel warm and welcoming to them. They shouldn’t be walking through trash.”

Note: Green Philly will discuss this topic in an upcoming article, so keep your eyes peeled!

Built Environment, led by Emily Pugliese of Green Building United

Group Prompt: How can urban development prioritize sustainability while balancing the need for affordable housing and public/green spaces?

Brainstormed Solution: Zoning code requirements to prioritize climate resiliency and retrofitting existing aging housing stock 

Philadelphia has one of the oldest housing stocks in the country, is in a housing shortage, and does not have strict zoning code requirements to prioritize climate resiliency. 

In response, the Built Environment group proposed increasing education for homeowners on what initiatives exist – like the Built to Last program – to decrease the cost burden on low income households by weatherizing and making homes more energy efficient. The group proposed training Licenses and Inspections employees on climate resiliency and outreach, suggesting that doing so could potentially decrease community fear of L&I as well. 

Environmental Justice and Land Use, led by P.O.C. of EcoWURD and Judith Robinson of Susquehanna Clean Up/Pick Up

Group Prompt: How can we ensure marginalized communities have a seat at the table when decisions are made about environmental policies affecting their neighborhoods? How is valuing the land part of that conversation?

Brainstormed Solution: Changing behavior and respecting the people and space so that their land is taken care of. Ensure that the Committee on the Environment is representative and has a clear guide for accountability.

Keeping Philadelphia clean from litter requires a change in behavior and a culture shift. This group, however, said that that change will only come if there is clear respect from the city towards the people who live and work in these neighborhoods. They proposed creating safe environments for people working green jobs focused on cleaning and beautification. This, in turn, will help inspire people to want to protect and take care of those spaces. 

The group also asked for more representation, transparency, and impact reporting of the City Council’s Committee on the Environment. The Committee consists of six council members, but the Environmental Justice and Land Use group suggested increasing that number and making it more representative of community groups so that councilmembers would be more inclined to think beyond their district. 

Terrill Haigler, known as ‘Ya Fav Trashman,’ said, “We just need one champion on the policy side. We would love for the [Committee on the Environment] to be super active. We’ll actually have a direct line to a decision.”

Clothing & Textiles, led by Leslie Davidson and Rachel Higgins of PA Fibershed

Group Prompt: What role does the textile industry play in environmental sustainability? How can we encourage circular fashion practices?

Brainstormed Solution: Create co-ops for brands to share costs

Clothing and textiles involve many people, from farmers to sewers, manufacturers, designers, brands, and engineers. In order for fashion to be ethical and sustainable, it requires a higher price point which is not always accessible for consumers. The Clothing and Textiles group suggested creating co-ops for brands so that they could share costs. For instance, an overarching brand could cooperatively thrift, upcycle, mend, and provide for new local suppliers all at once; one part of the business would support another part. The group also proposed making social media influencers a big part of the sustainable textiles movement to talk about the story of their clothes. 

Renewable Energy, led by Colin Teague of The Energy Co-Op

Group Prompt: How can individuals, businesses, and local governments affect renewable energy progress?

Brainstormed Solution: Reducing regulatory barriers 

Less than 5% of the state’s energy consumption is from renewable sources, ranking Pennsylvania number 41 in the country. Renewable energy is more expensive than energy from fossil fuels on the wholesale side. The Renewable Energy group suggested decreasing regulatory barriers to renewable energy that are currently making renewable energy more costly and less viable in Pennsylvania. 

Energy production and distribution is also a labyrinthine process involving many steps. Small energy suppliers who generate and buy energy from local sources may need subsidies to compete against a fossil fuel-driven market.

Monica Carty, a resident, said, “So many of these structures are set up to make it difficult for individual people to make good choices that are also cost-effective given the increased capacity costs that the grid company is passing onto the consumers.”

Overall takeaways

Several of the attendees agreed that many of the issues presented for discussion were multifaceted, so focusing on lowering cost was a good place to start for all issues on the table. A small step, said textiles facilitator Rachel Higgins, “is always to tell at least one person what you learned.”

Beyond the policy discussions, many attendees shared that the event gave them a sense of hope and community. In a time when climate headlines can feel overwhelming, the space to connect with others who care about sustainability felt empowering. “It was refreshing to be surrounded by people who are interested in making a change,” one participant shared.

Facilitators also walked away with new perspectives. Upon how hearing from attendees in different sectors—like building operations or nonprofit work—helped them better understand the interconnected nature of local sustainability efforts. These conversations served as reminders that progress doesn’t happen in silos—and everyone has a role to play.

Additional photos from Sustainability in Motion

Photos by Claudia Salvato Photography