Stories

Eco-minded Philadelphians were graced with a picture-perfect day yesterday for GreenFest. The historic Headhouse Square was lined with rows of green businesses and non-profit organizations. It was refreshing to look around and see hundreds of like-minded people gathered in one place. Though we're constantly interacting with so many of Philadelphia's eco- activists and green companies, it's always revitalizing to chat in person. For us, much of the day was focused on discussing the Plastic Bag Ban.

Happy Political Conventions Week! From the chair POTUS to Bill Clinton, John Kerry & many more discussing sustainability plans, it's been a fun week to watch the election. (I even found my own chair #Clinteastwooding with Skinny Bitch.) What else did you miss?

Back to school... Back to school... (Those were the days...) Make your students'  journey back to school a sustainable one. This year, practice the 3 R's:

This September 15th the Camden waterfront is the site of the Philadelphia Red Bull Flugtag competition. Red Bull Flugtag challenges teams of everyday people to build human-powered flying machines and pilot them off a 30-foot high deck in hopes of achieving flight! Flugtag means "flying day" in German, but typically these crafts simply splash into the waters below. But that doesn't make the event any less fun. Teams are judged not only on their flight's distance, but creativity and showmanship as well. One of the team's participating this year is a group of Rowan University students who are members of the university's environmental club. They recognized the opportunity to create an "aircraft" using upcycled materials. I spoke with team captain, Brooke Golden, to get the scoop on the team's Flugtag initiative and her team - The Filthy English Kuh-Knights.

The school year is starting back up, and many youngin's will be coloring joyously. What do you do when your kids have moved on and are finished with crayons? (Find out, after the jump!)

Within the past 12 hours, I've heard 2 reports about a shocking report by Stanford, saying that organic food is no better than conventional produce.  More specifically, that organic foods offer no more vitamins and nutrients than conventional products. (What should you actually get from this study and find out about the dirty dozen, after the jump!)

You're enjoying your fresh produce & CSA veggies now, but what are you going to do once the temps drop and fresh, local veggies aren't available? Hint: Preserve them! You can (Find out more, after the jump!)

  Do you have plans for September 9th, friends? Save the spot on your calendar and come by to say to us too, at 7th Annual Greenfest Philly! And best of all, it's F-R-E-E! The Clean Air Council's Greenfest Philly will have fun for greenies (new & seasoned) of all ages! Live music, organic food vendors, family-friendly arts & crafts, and recycling only begin to describe it! Here are some of the things about Greenfest '12 we're excited about:

Zipcar is one of Philly's prime car sharing solutions for urban dwellers who want to live a mostly car-less life but need wheels every once in awhile. Now the world's leading car sharing network is expanding to include Zipvan™ cargo van service across North America. Zipcar is launching the Zipvan service in Philadelphia, Seattle, Los Angeles, and Portland, Oregon and will expand to other markets over the next year. I had a chance to ask Zipcar Philly's General Manager, Peter Bruvik, some questions about the new van sharing initiative . Read on for the Q&A.