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"Green Living"
Bike to Work Day was last week, but that doesn’t mean it’s too late to start biking now! Bike commuting not only leads to a healthier lifestyle – it reduces carbon emissions that contribute to global warming. Plus, as the number one bike commuting city, employers and employees alike should encourage more folk to bike Philly.
Here are 6 tips for Philly bike commuting in the fourth-best bicycling city in the country:
Although there’s many passionate workers out there, companies aren’t always in line with environmental goals.
Mark Tercek, President & CEO of the Nature Conservancy is coming to the Free Library tomorrow to discuss his book Nature’s Fortune: How Business & Society Thrive by Investing in Nature. One of the chapters highlights Philadelphia as the poster child of “Green Infrastructure”, and how the city’s Green Cities Clean Waters storm water management is using natural systems instead of engineered ‘grey’ solutions.
Catch Mark at the Free Library of Philadelphia tomorrow (May 22) at noon it’s a free event that doesn’t require tickets.
Want to enter to win a FREE copy of Nature’s Fortune? Leave a comment below (and make sure to like us on Facebook) and you’ll be entered to win! Contest ends EOD Friday 5/24.
We chatted with author Mark Tercek about Nature’s Fortune, “grey-green” companies and when the environment struck a chord with him. (Read the Q&A and enter to win a FREE copy of his book, after the jump!)
Composting. We all hear about how great it is and that we should do it. But what is compost exactly and what are the benefits that make it worthwhile?
Composting 101
Composting is organic matter that has been decomposed and can be used as fertilizer. Many gardeners are beginning to use it, but why?
Here are five benefits of composting:
Where Does Our Food Come From, Really?
Do you ever grab a (reusable) cup of Starbucks and wonder about the lives of the farmers who harvested the coffee beans that make your caffeine fix possible? Have you ever taken a bite of a banana and pondered a typical Costa Rican banana farmers day to day work that allows Americans to enjoy this oh so versatile fruit?
It’s okay if the answer is no. In Kelsey Timmerman’s latest book Where Am I Eating: An Adventure Through the Global Food Economy he addresses these issues and more.
We talk a lot about organic food, the local food movement, avoiding GMOs and farm to table dining these days. I often feel optimistic that our country is making strides towards an environment in which we can identify where what’s on our plates came from. But the reality is America imports twice as much food now then it did ten years ago.
Kelsey Timmerman calls himself a curious person who began to wonder about where the food he ate to fuel his life came from.
Ah, spring produce is finally here! I don’t know about you guys but I’ve had about all the apples, pears and winter citrus I can handle for a while. It’s time for some variety.
When it comes to the best of spring produce here’s what to choose, how to pick the best of the best and a few seasonal recipes to boot:
So when you think of Houston, Texas the image of an environmentally city may not be what you envision. And, well you’d be correct. It’s true Houston is well known for big hair, big houses and big oil; Plus in my experience residents don’t walk anywhere (one exception may be across the popular Galleria mall) and recycling bins in public areas are somewhat scarce.
But enough Houston criticizing – for today 
While visiting the city recently I found a restaurant gem I had to share. Haven restaurant is all about seasonal fare and inventive dishes. The atmosphere is polished yet earthy and formal enough for a special occasion but not too stuffy for a slightly boozy brunch. Plus, it’s a green certified restaurant.
Haven’s produce, herbs, and honey are grown and harvested from their organic garden located on the property.
Why we’re not ‘green’
One of the biggest complaints about sustainability is how we have to cut back. Stop standing under the faucet and limit yourself to a 5 minute shower. Reduce your energy consumption. Don’t buy as much.
“The sustainability movement will never completely catch on,” a friend recently said to me. “Consumerism drives America.”
William McDonough & Michael Braungart, authors of the Upcycle: Beyond Sustainability- Designing for Abundance would disagree.
Let’s go back to those steaming, hot showers. Although I love the environmentalist in me, I also love me some hot, steamy showers on a cold day. But what if we could filter and reuse that water, so I could stand under the faucet until my skin was wrinkly? Instead of worrying about how many fossil fuels the filter process would take, that South Philly wind could power the process.
This type of thinking is how The Upcycle challenges you to reconsider sustainability. (Find out more about the Upcycle, released today, after the jump!)
Gasland Part II will make its World Premier at the famous Tribeca Film Festival in NYC on April 21st.
The much-anticipated sequel to the ground-breaking and controversial Gasland will likely frame more heated debates from both fracking supporters and adversaries.
Pennsylvania was and is among the states where fracking is a major concern. Gasland and Gasland Part II filmaker Josh Fox has said that 60-65% of PA land is being turned over to gas companies for exploration and drilling.
Truth: I always thought that the concept of a juice cleanse was a bit of a gimmick and I wanted no part. My thinking was what’s 3 or 5 days of juice going to do for me? I try to focus on long-term, big picture health and eschew trends and fad diets.
Plus, I love to eat… I really, really love food and the ritual of meals. I’m the type of person who begins thinking about lunch promptly after finishing breakfast. Spend upwards of $150-200 only to feel hungry and deprived? No chewing? Blah, I can’t drink ALL my meals. Nope, no thank you.
Though I’ve been on the fresh juice bandwagon for some time my habit was to incorporate them into my diet in moderation I spent a good amount of time in New York and the abundance of juice bars quickly turned me on to a healthy habit. And when time allows I make juice at home.
But here’s where I started to realize I might want to take a cleanse for a test spin… Besides being an environmental blogger I also work as a Sports Performance trainer. Over the past few months more & more clients began to inquire about the pros and cons of a juice cleanse. My instinct was to tell them to avoid extremes and focus on healthy eating and exercise! But, I realized I couldn’t provide a fully formed opinion without trying one myself.
So I decided to try the 3-day Suja juice cleanse. There are a lot of juice options out there these days but Suja appealed to me for a few reasons.
Read on for the deets!
Let’s face it: People in my life generally know about my sustainability addiction within a few days. It’s hard not to mention a project I’m working on, blogging about or the latest ‘eco’ event. I even laid out the extent of 5 of my dirty green habits for the world to see.
Although people proudly inform me of their green habits and reusable bag usage, they also use me as their not-so-green confidant. I’ve heard “I used a plastic water bottle. Will you still be my friend?” more than a few times…
It’s impossible to be completely green and you often have to pick the greenest solutions for you. For example, you may live in the suburbs where there isn’t a train station in sight and choose a hybrid as a compromise.
There’s more un-green secrets we all keep locked up. Here’s 5 of my guilty-green conscious secrets straight from the closet:
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