South Philadelphia: Local Tree Planters Breathe Life Into Community
Finding the time and energy to maintain one’s property can be a daunting task in a city like Philadelphia. In certain neighborhoods, having “curb appeal” can be as simple as not having a pileup of trash on your sidewalk. For the many local groups involved with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s Tree Tenders program, beautification takes […]
Juniata Park: Carribbean Native Connects Local Community To Philly Creek
As litter from the sea washed upon the white sand beaches of Puerto Rico, Doryán De Angel discovered her zeal. Fueling her fervor for the recovery of Earth’s waterways, the environmentalist is now the community watershed leader of the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership (TTF), a Philadelphia-based initiative established in 2000 to promote community engagement with the body […]
Brewerytown: Girard-Dream Garden An Attempt To Integrate Bordering Neighborhoods
In 2011, the Brewerytown CDC and the Fairmount CDC collaborated to turn an abandoned lot into a space the two neighborhoods could put to use, creating the foundation for the community run Girard-Dream Garden. With the help of a grant from the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia, the Fairmount CDC was able to select and […]
Sustainable Living: Five Eco-Friendly Businesses in Philadelphia
When a business is sustainable, its practices demonstrate how to make a profit while also promoting, addressing and being conscious of environmental issues. Here are a few businesses that focus their mission not only on making money but remaining environmentally sound. Moon + Arrow 754 S. 4th St. Originating as a handmade jewelry line five years ago, Moon […]
Mt. Airy: The Long Legacy of a Green Revolutionary
Paul Glover is an accomplished author, city planner, urban environmentalist, university professor, public speaker and political activist. However, his many titles do not even begin to scratch the surface of his fascinating story. “Paul is a pioneer in his own right, coming here from Ithaca” said Chris Zelov, who is currently collaborating with Glover on creating […]
South Philadelphia: Delaware River Deepening, Port Expansion Creates Concerns
As the fifth largest seaport in the United States, the port of Philadelphia and its many active facilities along the Delaware River are key contributors to the city, region and nation’s economic growth. “The regional port contributes about $7.5 billion per year and 135,000 direct and indirect jobs,” said Dennis Rockford of The Maritime Exchange […]
West Oak Lane: Volunteers Want to Keep Up with the Sweep Up for Philly Spring Cleanup
Each spring, brooms, rakes and buckets of paint come alive as the neighborhoods across the city participate in citywide cleanup days. But what about the rest of the year? Vernon Smith and Carlton Williams, legislative assistants and community outreach liaisons to state Rep. Dwight Evans, who serves the West Oak Lane area, helped orchestrate the April […]
West Oak Lane: Planting Seeds For Youth to Help Clean Up Streets
On the corners of many streets in neighborhoods throughout the city, there is trash and other debris strewn around. Events like the annual city-wide spring cleanup day were created to help keep streets clean and also teach kids that they should be keeping their neighborhoods in the best conditions possible. For parents, having their children alongside them […]
East Oak Lane: Organization Makes Use Of Green — and It Isn’t Talking Money
East Oak Lane, William Penn’s first neighborhood, is often called a “Green Country Town” and if you’ve taken a trip to this area, you would understand why. Most of the neighborhood’s streets are lined with beautiful, large trees, some of which have been there for decades, others purposely planted by a group of people who call this […]
Strawberry Mansion: Shoe Drive Campaign Makes Environmental and Economic Impact
Irvin B. Shannon, executive director of the Harmonious Volunteer Center (HVC), walked into Wash-n-Dry Laundromat at 26th Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue on Wednesday, Dec. 2. He greeted the laundry attendant, opened the lid of a large trash bin, and reached his arm all the way to the bottom. This particular trash bin wasn’t […]