Stories

Save the Valley - Petition & Background My BFF sent me a link a few weeks ago to a Change.org petition. After browsing, I realized that 750 acres of woodland & farmland are in danger for a Wal-Mart, a few housing developments & more retail stores. This area wasn't in a foreign country endangering panda bears or chimpanzees. Instead, it was in my hometown. My territory where I grew up for 18 years. Throughout my childhood, I noticed my quaint suburban neighborhood slowly developed from open land to forests cleared and made room for McMansions. Although I wasn't able to fully process it at the time, more deer and animals dashed onto the back roads. There were even a few tragic car accidents as drivers were killed by confused deer during daylight savings time. As time wore on, more and more stores were put in on more corners. A 10 minute drive to the local movie theatre delayed into 15 or 20 due to traffic congestion on the highway. Fast forward: It's 2013 and Beaver Valley (or "the Valley") is another precious land at stake. Nestled in Delaware County, 750 acres hidden behind Route 202 are a wildlife refuge, public lands for hiking and biking, and a rarity in the ever-booming suburbs. It's so beautiful and rare, National Geographic even recently caught wind. Developers want to Find out more about this land at stake, after the jump.

You may know your neighborhood garden like the back of your hand, but do you ever out what the other neighborhoods in Philly are doing? We ventured over to West Philly to check out the University City District's latest sustainability initiatives. University City District of Philadelphia strives to promote a vibrant and safe public living and social environment. It works for the neighborhood by providing opportunities, hosting events, and shaping public places. So what is the University City District doing to stay green?

This sponsored guest post comes from Akil Marsh from Solar States, who discusses solar energy advantages with more energy than a Lady Gaga concert. Solar panels are increasingly popular as we can see them pop up on rooftops and sides of businesses. But it's not for you, right? The advantages of solar energy may convert you to a new look for your home or business. Solar energy doesn't seem convenient - In fact, it's the punching bag of right wing political pundits. Are you even able to afford solar panels on your roof? Here's the 5 biggest lies (and advantages!) of solar energy:

Not enough sustainable art in your life? Revive, an art show featuring over 5,000 square feet of recycled and upcycled art, is happening at Hancock Garage on June 8 at 7:00 p.m. All 16 artists were required to use at least 50% recycled/upcycled materials. Find out about the artists and why you should attend, after the jump!

Happy Friday! The upcoming holiday on Monday means we get to kick off a loooong (and much-needed) weekend. Have plans to head to the shore or mountains? Make sure to lessen your carbon footprint this holiday weekend regardless of where you go. Here's a few quick tips to stay sustainable:

AKA the post about why I'm majoring in environmental science...  “If all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago. If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos.” E.O. Wilson once said the above quote, which was one of the first I heard in my environmental science class. Although I understood that humans have been negatively impacting nature and environment, I didn’t realize the magnitude of the effects. Climate change and global warming have been increasingly covered topics, but why? These questions are why I decided to study environmental science. I was interested in how living organisms, especially humans, interact with their nonliving environment. Plus, humans do more than just contribute to global warming - we cause a lot of damage. Here’s 3 ways we're destructing the Earth:

I spent last weekend soaking up the loveliness that is Napa Valley. We stayed in the charming town of Yountville and enjoyed it to the fullest. Napa is gorgeous all year-round but the spring and fall months tend to be the busiest. If you're in need of lots of some wine and relaxation I'd consider it for your next vacation. Here are some of my recommendations: Explore One of my favorite things to do when traveling is aimlessly wander and see what I stumble upon. In Yountville its super easy to do just that. The town is small and walkable. I took a jog my first morning there to take in the beautiful hills and quaint shops.  I happened upon parks, a greenhouse, and shops opening for the first wine tasting of the day (yes, at 8:30am!)

Heading to your local bank or any sort of street fair tends to have one giveaway: Free Pens! And who doesn't need writing supplies - even in this digital age? Yet a few 'free' pens can stack up to a pile of half-full, glutenous answer to the mighty pen-or-sword  debate. Which brings us to our Where Can I (Wednesday) question: Where can you recycle used pens?

Bike to Work Day was last week, but that doesn’t mean it’s too late to start biking now! Bike commuting not only leads to a healthier lifestyle – it reduces carbon emissions that contribute to global warming.  Plus, as the number one bike commuting city, employers and employees alike should encourage more folk to bike Philly. Here are 6 tips for Philly bike commuting in the fourth-best bicycling city in the country: