Is Philly the Greenest City? Greenworks 2015 Report Released

When Mayor Nutter took office in 2008, he set two important goals: for Philadelphia to become the Greenest City in the USA and to reduce homicides by 30-50%. In 7 1/2 years, the city has reduced homicides by 37%.

So how did Mayor Nutter & his team fare with the sustainability goal?

Last evening, the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability & Mayor Nutter hosted a Greenworks 2015 reception in honor of the report release. This report will be the final released version under Mayor Nutter’s administration.

Mayor Office of Sustainability Director Katherine Gajewski kicked off the event by thanking the MOS staff for their hard work releasing the detailed report. As she reminisced about her uncertainty coming in as director at age 28, it’s clear that the modest Gajewski has done a tremendous job leading the city’s sustainability initiatives forward.

Mayor Michael Nutter then took the stage, commending Gajewski and the Greenworks team for their hard work. He also noted that every City department has had a role in moving the Greenworks program to where it is today. For example, the Philadelphia Prisons have the largest orchard in the city on its grounds.

So what else was revealed?

GREENWORKS 2015: PHILADELPHIA SUSTAINABILiTY STATUS REPORT

Mayor Nutter recognized various accomplishments across the city. Here are a few of the highlights of last night’s speech.

Greenworks 2015 progress (from 2008):

• Philadelphia went from a 6% to 20% recycling rate
• Diverted 53% to 73% waste from landfills.
• Greenhouse Gases are 15% below 1990 levels
• 120,000 + new trees across the city
• 100 new farmers markets, gardens & farms for fresh foods
• 15% alternative energy used in Philadelphia (from 2.5%)
• 16,283 retrofitted homes since 2008
• Went from 20 to 6 unhealthy air quality days
• 581 new acres of green space for stormwater (from zero)

Plus, Philly can get excited about Philly Food bucks, providing $5 for SNAP beneficiaries at Farmers Markets to buy fresh food. Nutter also commended Americorps & Powercorps PHL for serving Parks & Rec and the Water Department for various improvement projects across the city.

Nutter discussed the importance of realizing the impact of climate change outside our city. Approp for an upcoming September visit, Nutter reiterated Pope Francis’ recently statements to declare climate change as a global issue.

Nutter, along with Houston Mayor Annise Parker and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti recently participated in a U.S. Conference of Mayors and co-founded the Mayors National Climate Action Agenda in order to suggested how the federal government can assist in fighting climate change. The three Mayors represent the largest cities on the Presidential Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience, calling on President Obama to “fight for the strongest possible climate agreement”.

Mayor Nutter concluded his Greenworks speech by discussing the future of climate change, and calling on the next generation to continue the climate change movement. After all, sustainability goes hand-in-hand with social justice issues.  As he said,

“People are at the heart of sustainability.”

Nutter also declared that our relationship to energy must change. We must use less of it and make the switch to renewables. He mentioned we must leave clean air and water for future generations, improve public health and provide a sustainable future. And as Nutter closed,

“To the next generation of advocates: Expand the movement. refine the vision. Stagger us with what you can do.”

Greenworks still hasn’t hit 4 of its 16 targets, but we’re proud of the progress the city has made over the past 7.5 years. How else has Greenworks impacted our city? Stay tuned to GPB for more Greenworks 2015 coverage.

When the reception was complete, I couldn’t resist snagging this opportunity for a shot:

Readers, what are your thoughts on Mayor Nutter’s achievements for the Greenworks program while in office?