Meet the SustainPHL Nominees: Sustainable Communities

The Sustainable Communities nominees have shown extraordinary work in their community. These folks improve the quality of life locally.

In August, Philadelphia’s very first SustainPHL Awards will highlight and celebrate 3 of these community changemakers. Join us to celebrate these visionaries and announce our Sustainable Communities at the SustainPHL Awards on August 18th at WHYY!

Sustainable Communities Nominees 2016:

• Green Futures | School District of Philadelphia
• Lori Braunstein
• Philadelphia Orchard Project

Green Futures | School District of Philadelphia

“Every student has the right to learn in a green and healthy school. Our students are the future leaders, environmental stewards, social justice advocates and global citizens.”

The School District of Philadelphia, led by Francine Locke and Megan Garner from the Office of Environmental Management and Services, created the first ever comprehensive sustainability management plan, Green Futures. This five-year plan aims to reduce the district’s environmental footprint, conserve resources, decrease consumption and waste, create green school settings and healthy indoor environments and integrate sustainability education into curriculum and district leadership policies and practices.

The plan was developed over a two-year period in collaboration with a diverse group of community resources and stakeholders, as well as teachers, administrators, and students. The plan, modeled after the City of Philadelphia’s Green Works initiative, has five sections, each with targets and indicators: Education for Sustainability, Consumption and Waste, Energy and Efficiencies, School Greenscapes and Healthy Schools/Healthy Living.

The School District of Philadelphia is a large urban school district that serves over 130,000 diverse students from every community in the city. They operate 218 schools and maintain 23 million square feet of building and grounds. The potential impact of this plan is tremendous for the district, the city, and the planet.

Lori Braunstein

“Lori has been involved with sustainability for years. She was one of the main reasons that PA Green and Healthy Schools has become an established organization. Her commitment to the cause is known by many. She is an inspiration.”

Lori utilizes vision, energy, and skill to bring diverse stakeholders together toward a common goal. The founder of the non-profit civic group Sustainable Cherry Hill and former Director for Green Schools at The Delaware Valley Green Building Council, Lori is currently the Director for Change Leadership at The Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education.

This is a lady who has been well-involved locally. She has helped initiate and support over 200 education, networking, and community-based events throughout the region and over ten community driven task forces. She’s worked with local organizations sustainability plans including Cherry Hill Township’s initial 10 Point Green Action Plan, Sustainable Jersey certification; Cherry Hill School’s Sustainable Jersey for Schools certification, Camden County’s Five Year Sustainability Plan and mentored dozens of other local community sustainability efforts.

She co-founded the Tri-State Sustainability Symposium with Brad Molotsky, overseeing its planning/execution for the first four years. As the Director for Green Schools at DVGBC, she guided and supported programmatic priorities, strategic planning and communications for the DVGBC Green Schools Campaign. She founded the PA Green & Healthy Schools Partnership and began working with the School District of Philadelphia to develop (fellow nominee) Green Futures, their just released comprehensive sustainability management plan. 

Philadelphia Orchard Project

“Philadelphia Orchard Project works with community-based groups and volunteers to plan and plant orchards filled with useful and edible plants. POP is creating more beautiful green spaces that expand community-based food production, environmental benefits, and opportunities for nature education in neighborhoods across Philadelphia.”

 

Philadelphia Orchard Project works with community-based groups and volunteers to plan and plant orchards filled with useful and edible plants. POP is creating more beautiful green spaces that expand community-based food production, environmental benefits, and opportunities for nature education in neighborhoods across Philadelphia.

Philadelphia Orchard Project supports 53 community orchards throughout the city. Each orchard is planted in collaboration with a community group. POP provides ongoing assistance to all orchard partner sites. This includes free or discounted access to our orchard care education programs, POP staff site consultations, and recruitment of volunteers for orchard work days. POP also works with its partners to engage the community via seasonal harvest festivals.

POP has helped these community organizations transform neglected and underutilized spaces across the city into community-owned organic orchards filled with useful and edible plants. POP orchards include diverse fruit and nut trees, berry bushes, fruiting vines, perennial vegetables, herbs, and ground covers that build healthy soil and attract pollinators and other beneficial insects. The products of these orchards have been used by after school programs; sold at neighborhood farm stands; and donated to food pantries; while the orchards themselves create sites for community gatherings, micro-enterprise, and educational opportunities.

 

Join us for SustainPHL on August 18 to find out who will become our Sustainable Communities recipient!