Philadelphia

Philly is clearly psyched for the NFC championship game this Sunday. Personally, I’ll be watching, wearing my lucky jersey, drinking out of my lucky glass and cheering HARD! Another thing fans should be pleased about is the team’s green efforts. The eagles were the first professional sports organization to launch an environmental initiative. In 2003, the Eagles started the Go Green campaign. Some of the programs highlights to-date include:

Many Americans are gearing up for a trip to DC with the intention or hope to catch president-elect Barack Obama's inauguration. From an environmental perspective, January 20th couldn't come sooner. I was appalled after reading a Rolling Stone article regarding Bush's midnight regulations - the majority of these last minute regs (including the hit on the Endangered Species Act) are atrocities to the environment, leaving many to question how big of a mess Obama will need to clean up.

The National Audubon Society (with support from Toyota) recently awarded TogetherGreen Fellowships to 40 of the nation's most promising conservationists - one of whom is representing Philadelphia! Keith Russell has been protecting birds and wildlife for over two decades with fellow Philadelphians. Keith started the Philadelphia Mid-Winter Bird Census which includes a reservoir in Fairmount Park - and will soon be the site of a new Audubon Center where locals can learn, enjoy and work our city's nature.

After you're finished making 'green' resolutions for yourself, here's another one to consider: Greening your home! Greenable is located in the heart of Olde City and can assist you in your abode's needs - whether you're building a new house or re-vamping an older design. They offer supplies ranging from eco-friendly paint, flooring, insulation, and more. Interested in a more eco-friendly building, but not sure where to start? Greenable provides many services including energy audits, consulting and interior design. Whether your fixing up a home or storefront, Greenable is very knowledgeable with both - their custom orders are a mix of residential and retail.

Want to grab a drink this Wednesday evening after work and meet local green friends? Green Drinks has 4 locations in the Delaware Valley/Philadelphia area for people who have green interests or work in the environmental field to meet up for informal sessions and drinks. Expect a lively mixture of people from NGOs, academia, government and business. Catch up with green friends or network with new contacts. Everyone invites someone else along, so there’s always a different crowd, making Green Drinks an organic, self-organizing network. Green Drinks occurs the 1st Wednesday of each month from 6-8 PM ET at the following locations:

Check out the Trunk Show hosted by Philadelphia’s City Paper this Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at TLA (334 South St.) Over 50 local vendors will be in attendance - including some of Philadelphia’s hottest boutiques, designers and craftspeople. There will be an array of clothing, jewelry, house wares, cosmetics, etc. Four of the many reasons to get yourself to the Trunk show this Black Friday:

One easy way to live greener is to reduce waste you'd typically kick to the curb. To my friends I'm commonly refered to as "JuleBay." My nickname (derived from being an E-Bay connoisseur) actually symbolizes my aspiration to live green. When I visited my eldest brother in Denver, I thought he was crazy for selling his CDs & movies. But between my iPod, Netflix & local library, why should I keep a storage facility in my humble abode when mostly everything's on-demand? Therefore, I jumped on the e-Bay bandwagon to rid myself of excess "stuff".

Exciting News! You can join us this Sunday, November 16th from 3-6 PM during the Women for Entrepreneurship, the Environment, and Social Equity discussion and networking session. The event's being held at Greenable at 126 Market Street. For only $15 (for adults), $5 (College Students with University ID) and $5 (Children under 12), join some of Philly's green female leaders, eco-group founders and entrepreneurs to learn about health, economic, and environmental benefits by designing, building, and living greener. Eco-Panelists Include:

This past Sunday, Nov. 9, Weavers Way Co-op hosted a discussion at North by Northwest (7165 Germantown Ave.) on sustainability issues in our city. The discussion's special guest was Dr. Mark Alan Hughes, Director of Sustainability for the City of Philadelphia. Dr. Hughes has a vital role in Philadelphia. Since this past spring's appointment by Mayor Nutter, Hughes has served as the Mayor's Senior Advisor and has worked closely with the Managing Director, Deputy Mayors and other heads of Departments to coordinate sustainability policies across Philly government.