Stories

OK, so we can't come in first every time. The Trust for Public Land came out with the ParkScore list, ranking Philadelphia #14 out of the major US cities (top 50). Find out how does ParkScore works and how Philly measures up, after the jump!

Staying up to date on sustainability can be a job within itself. But understanding the logic behind the ‘green’ arguments? It can be overwhelming. Summertime means lots of time on planes, trains and carpooling automobiles... or lazy hours in the cabin or beach chair... which is the perfect time to nestle up with some green reads. Here are 6 of my favorite green books:

Have you "Done the Math" recently on the carbon counts on our atmosphere? It's passed a milestone - and not a good one at 400 parts per million. This guest post comes from Clean Air Council's Federal Advocacy Coordinator, Russell Zerbo.   30 people came out to LOVE Park and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 3 headquarters on Thursday to listen to speakers and meet with the Public Affairs Director. Why? To demand that EPA finalize standards on carbon pollution to protect public health and curb climate change. Shipley High School students, Clean Air Council and Sierra Club members and other concerned Philadelphians, set up umbrellas and beach chairs on a swatch of grass in LOVE park to draw attention to the damage done to the Jersey Shore from Superstorm Sandy. The damage has been exacerbated by rising global temperatures, sea levels and carbon dioxide emissions. Last year, the U.S. experienced 11 extreme weather events that cost more than $1 billion each in losses and resulted in 349 deaths. The largest global disasters of 2012 were Hurricane Sandy (costing $65 billion) and the year-long Midwest drought ($35 billion). These events accounted for nearly half of the world's economic losses. Find out about what is the Federal Carbon Dioxide Pollution Standard - and the current status - after the jump.

Hate plastic bags getting caught in trees and littering our streets? We have great news to share: Logan Welde, Staff Attorney of the Clean Air Council will be on WHYY Radio Times (90.9 FM)  to discuss plastic bags and our proposed legislation, today from 11 AM - 12 PM. I've been working with Logan for almost a year on these efforts (like at Greenfest 2012) and he is a passionate, intelligent guy. It will be a great broadcast. Inquirer columnist Sandy Bauers also published our open letter to City Council this morning to coincide. Logan will be debating Hilex Poly, which is the biggest plastic bag manufacturer in the US (and a part of the American Progressive Bag Alliance). Many people have been asking: So what has been going on with plastic bags?

Today, June 5, marks World Environment Day 2013. Since 1972, World Environment Day, a United Nations Environment program, has drawn worldwide awareness to the environment to encourage political (and personal) attention and action. This year's theme is Think Eat Save and rightfully so. Ever year, 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted, yet 1 in 7 people go to bed hungry each day. Some people argue that GMOs will help solve hunger, but there's a few potentially scary consequences that may not be worth the price. You don't have to wait for science to make a difference - it's easy to stop wasting food. What else can you do to celebrate World Environment Day 2013? (Hint: useful links after the jump!)

Once you adopt your sustainable kitty, you'll know they need lots of play time and attention. Want to keep your cat entertained but not spend a boatload? No worries - you can create a DIY recycled cat scratcher for (practically) free! As you may know, Pounce DeLeon is well aware of his Carbon PawPrint between his food, litter and treats. I wanted to make sure his scratching post was recycled and aligned with his sustainable values - plus it saved me some cash. The cardboard cat scratch project began on one evening after work... Find out the instructions (and see more cat pictures!), after the jump!

Heading to the beach soon? My recent trip to North Carolina started as sight-seeing but turned up into a mini-beach cleanup. Here's how things went down (and some beautiful pictures of trash to help motivate!):

Attention foodies and food-lovers: The 3rd annual Philadelphia Vendy Awards want you to judge the best of Philly food trucks. OK, they already have a judge panel. But you can pick your own favorite as you taste your way through each truck for the People's Choice Award. The Philadelphia Vendy awards are coming up on this Saturday, June 8th from 2-6 PM at Penn Treaty Park (1341 N Delaware Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19125). Awards include Best Dessert, Messy yet Tasty and People's Choice Awards. Find out about the Vendy Awards and how YOU can win a free pair of tickets, after the jump!

It is highly likely. A GMO, also referred to as “frankenfood”, is a genetically modified organism created through the process of selecting, splicing, removing, and/or adding desired genes. There has been an increase in the amount of GMOs grown in the US, but what are the reasons? Find out about the history on the upsurge of GMOs, the benefits, consequences & latest controversies, after the jump: