From a solar-powered shed in East Parkside to an orchard on State Road, these SustainPHL nominees are making sure everyone gets a way into Philadelphia’s green economy.

Philadelphia has a carbon-neutral goal by 2050. Somebody has to install the panels, plant the trees, fix up the rowhomes and turn last night’s leftovers into next spring’s soil. Who gets those jobs?

This year’s SustainPHL nominees are answering that question. Some reach kids before they can spell “photovoltaic.” Others open doors for teenagers, career changers, and people returning from incarceration. A green economy worth building has room for everyone, Including Disabled workers and first-time job seekers.

Meet five of the SustainPHL nominees building Philly’s green workforce ahead of the SustainPHL awards on October 29, and read more below.

North Star Park’s Solar Shed brings clean energy and community resources to East Parkside

At North Star Park and Garden in East Parkside, a small solar-powered shed is doing more than generating electricity. It’s helping neighbors access food, learn about renewable energy and prepare for emergencies.

Developed by the East Parkside Residents Association with Julian Burnett and community partners including Drexel University students, Playful Learning Landscapes, Centennial Parkside CDC and Neighborhood Gardens Trust, the Playful Learning Solar Shed operates entirely off the grid using solar panels and battery storage.

The shed powers a refrigerator for Philadelphia’s Summer Food Program, helping neighborhood children access free meals during school breaks. Residents can use it to charge devices and keep medications refrigerated. Around the park, gardens grow tomatoes, figs and grapes, while constellation-themed installations and an outdoor classroom introduce kids to reading, astronomy, physics and solar energy.

Solar States: Building Philly’s clean energy workforce

Solar States has spent nearly two decades putting solar panels on buildings across Philadelphia. But founder Micah Gold-Markel is just as focused on who’s getting the opportunity to install them.

Founded in 2008, the certified B Corp has completed more than 2,000 solar projects, helping customers avoid more than $14 million in utility costs. Along the way, the company has made workforce development a central part of its mission. Its training programs provide paid opportunities, industry credentials, internships and pathways into solar careers for Philadelphians who face barriers to employment.

In 2025, Solar States trained 132 students, offered 27 paid internships and hired 10 graduates into full-time positions. Former trainees have gone on to work in solar installation, permitting, sales, operations and electrical trades. Some have even started their own businesses. Gold-Markel also helped create Bright Solar Futures, a three-year, 1,080-hour high school career and technical education curriculum covering solar technology, battery installation, weatherization and workplace safety.

Kristie Chin connects neighborhood improvements with job opportunities

Vacant lots, aging rowhomes and climate resilience might seem like separate challenges. Kristie Chin is working to connect the solutions.

As director of Philadelphia’s Innovation Team in the Mayor’s Office, Chin works with city departments and community partners to address housing, public space and economic opportunity. One of those efforts is Lotscapes, an initiative to transform 10 publicly owned vacant lots into neighborhood assets. The work begins at 33rd and Diamond streets in Strawberry Mansion, where community input is reimagining a former dumping ground.

Chin’s team also helped develop the Home Repair Academy, a six-month paid training program that combines weatherization and green building skills with professional development and internships. With support from 10 employer partners, the program welcomed its first cohort in fall 2025. Participants gain hands-on experience working inside an actual Philadelphia rowhome while preparing for careers in the building trades.

The Innovation Team also supports the next generation of local environmental leaders through its Youth Climate Action Fund, which provides microgrants for youth-led projects focused on sustainability and climate resilience.

Laura Cassidy is turning food waste into opportunities at Philadelphia’s prisons

At Philadelphia’s prison facilities on State Road, food scraps are being put to work.

Laura Cassidy helped establish a city-run composting program that turns food waste into a resource for local gardens and farms. She also developed a two-acre organic farm, orchard and greenhouse system on the prison grounds.

Together, these efforts divert between 555,000 and 1.37 million pounds of food waste annually, saving the city up to $40,000 in disposal costs. But the program goes beyond composting.

Working with Temple University, Cassidy co-created a vocational certificate program that teaches incarcerated participants horticulture, composting and land management skills for employment after release. The program produces compost and supports community gardens, food pantries, and neighborhood organizations. Through a partnership with Bennett Compost, the facility also accepts household food scraps from Philadelphia residents.

Leslie Davidson is connecting Pennsylvania’s farmers, makers and textile industry

Most of us don’t know much about where our clothing comes from, let alone who grew the materials or made the fabric. Leslie Davidson wants to change that.

As co-founder and executive director of Pennsylvania Fibershed, Davidson is helping build a regional textile network that connects farmers, fiber producers, mills, designers, educators and consumers. With a background in fashion design, Davidson became interested in the environmental impacts of clothing production and the potential to rebuild local supply chains.

Since 2017, she’s worked to strengthen connections across Pennsylvania’s fiber industry and make it easier for people to find locally produced materials and goods. In 2025, Pennsylvania Fibershed hosted 27 events and seven programs, reaching 925 participants. Its online Supply Chain Map now features 312 listings and has received more than 7,000 views.

The organization’s University Ambassador Program has also expanded to 27 students across five universities. Meanwhile, an advocacy letter to Gov. Josh Shapiro gathered more than 250 signatures and led to meetings with his team. Davidson is also working with The Weaving Circle to launch Philly Fiber Fest, a public event showcasing regional fiber producers and finished goods.

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