Stories

Need some fresh plants in your life? TreePhilly is back for 2013! Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, Fairmount Park Conservancy and Wells Fargo paired up for the Spring 2013 TreePhilly giveaway. Now through March 31st, any Philadelphia property owner can request a free yard tree on their private property. New additions to the 2013 giveaway include:

I don't know about you but I could use some greens after all the Valentine's treats I've consumed for the past week. Luckily, this warm brussels sprouts salad recipe should do the trick. (It's all about balance, right?) And, let's just take a second to pay homage to brussels sprouts. As a kid I remember them as mushy and bland with a bit of an offensive aroma. But, after trying them roasted a few years back my feelings towards brussels completely changed. It turns out they're seriously tasty when prepared the right way. I mostly enjoy them baked and crispy but in this recipe I sautéed em for a change, and they tasted delish. This is one of those dishes that's really simple but the contrasting flavors makes it taste like you put a lot of work into it. Click through for the recipe!

This weekend an estimated 40,000 people marched in Washington DC to support action for climate change. They gathered outside President Obama's doorstep to urge immediate rejection of the Keystone XL Pipeline and energy extraction practices that threaten the environment. The Keystone XL Pipeline project would pipe some of the planet's dirtiest oil from Canada through America to be shipped overseas through the Gulf of Mexico. This tar sands oil proposal could be disastrous for our planet - producing tar sands crude that kicks out two or three times as much carbon pollution as producing conventional crude oil.

It's easy to get into the reusable groove at home, but what about when you're on the road (or flight)? I recently traveled to Austin to run a half marathon. Although I packed my stainless steel water bottle for the trip, my carry on suitcase was essentially full with all of my other goods. Before starting our day, we wanted a quick breakfast on the run. Asking for a bagel and coffee ended up with this much waste: (Find out more, after the jump!)

Hey you! Want a free drink? You deserve it. We're hosting a Plastic Bag Reduction Happy Hour this upcoming Tuesday, February 19th from 6-9 PM at the Field House (1150 Filbert Street) in Philadelphia! Come sign the petition or sign a form letter to your favorite City Council Member for a FREE drink. We have the nice, new section of the Field House with some bar games too! RSVP on Facebook, or just show up! (RSVP not necessary but preferred.) Please email Julie or Beth at greenphillyblog@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Happy Valentine's Day! Want to show some love for your mother today? We mean Mother Earth... Make the switch to clean energy with a PA Wind & Renewable supplier if you haven't yet! It's easy, won't break the bank and you'll be guilt-free of awful carbon emissions. Which one should you choose? I recently found out there's a few options to consider when I moved... (Find out more, after the jump!)

Whether you're spending Valentine's day with your buddies, your significant other, your couch and some booze, and chocolate today I bring you some ideas to make this red themed hallmark-holiday a bit greener. Cards are sweet, and these days most drug stores offer a decent selection printed on recycled paper. But why not up the thoughtfulness ante, and create a homemade card from scratch. Use recycled construction paper or the back of some paper you have lying around the house. Surely, your Valentine won't mind the chicken scratch list on the back side when you've put so much effort into a cute homemade card. ( I did this for my husband one year and he said it was his favorite card I've given.) Red roses are traditional, a little boring and not the most sustainable choice as they often carry a big carbon footprint from being flow in from afar. Instead of flowers treat your Valentine or yourself to a house plant. They clean household air and last MUCH longer. What's valentine's day without chocolate?  If  you or your Valentine is a chocoholic like me choose fair trade options like Endangered Species chocolate or Alter Eco. Skip the tacky and cliche box o'chocolates; You never know what you're biting into in those, anyway! Feel like baking?

Today is the infamous Fat Tuesday, where we gorge ourselves with Jambalaya, Muffalettas, King cake and beignets. And obviously, we guzzle lots of booze in the New Orleans tradition. This day traditionally prepares Christians to start their Lenten season on Ash Wednesday, where they make major sacrifices like no meat on Fridays. (Huge, I know!) Regardless if you're Catholic, Jewish or Buddhist, you can create a challenge yourself for a more sustainable behavior for 40 days. "What can I do?", I hear you ask. (Yes, I can hear your thoughts readers! But not always, which is why we encourage comments.) (Find out more about the 40 day green challenge and what I'm doing, after the jump!)

Who cares about what we throw away? Why does it matter? And have you ever, truly thought about it? The Taxonomy of Trash is determined to find out. Back in October 2011, a group of artists were at the Revolution Recovery recycling center right here in Philadelphia to participate in the Recycled Artist-in-Residency program. They realized there were jewels in the rubbish, or dare I say, that 'One man's trash is another man's treasure' . The Taxonomy of Trash is an analytical approach to stuff we throw away. They're building a