Last year, 300 folks across North America turned in their car keys for a month as part of the 2008 Zipcar Low-Car Diet. And, in addition to cutting congestion, they also walked 85% more, biked 136% more and decreased their miles driven by 71%. Pretty impressive, eh? Starting July 15, a new crop of participants from all Zipcar cities worldwide* will begin the 2009 Low-Car Diet: one full month of living [...]
This post was originally posted on Eco-Libris blog on June 21.
The added value of going green is constantly growing. According to a survey conducted lately, 46% of consumers say they would shop at a retailer more if it was environmentally friendly. Another study of Mintel shows 62% of customers choose a restaurant based on their commitment to the environment.
At the meeting we unveiled our new interactive map highlighting more than 1,200 companies in coal country, the rust belt and other manufacturing regions. These companies all stand to benefit from the demand for clean energy technologies created by a cap on global warming pollution.
The producers of Go Green Expo have planned 4 expos across the country for this year. The first one already took place in LA back in Janurary. The next expo is planned for March 13-15 in Philadelphia.
What’s the expo all about? Here’s what the event’s website has to say:
A truly unique event from the ground up, Go Green Expo will change not only the public’s perception of environmentalism but also how events like this are produced and managed. Inviting companies large and small to showcase what they are doing to reduce their respective carbon footprint, consumers will have hands on experiences with “eco-friendly” alternatives to current everyday products and services.
Even the event itself is environmentally friendly utilizing a ZERO Carbon footprint approach to event production. Biodegradable trash bags, eco-friendly printing, table coverings, recycled signs, compostable sponsor banners and more. Event waste will be separated and sorted to ensure the least amount of refuse going to the landfills. Staff travel and a portion of every ticket that is purchased will be carbon offset.
As of January 16, Philadelphia’s metered parking rates went up substantially-in some places, double-and drivers are not surprisingly peeved. Higher parking rates, along with higher fees for violations are intended to decrease downtown congestion and increase Philadelphia Parking Authority revenues.
In theory, the extra money will in turn be used to improve city schools and assuage the city’s financial woes, though many seem skeptical. The PPA has long been viewed publicly as a profligate city agency, corrupted by patronage and wasted resources; in fact, the agency doubled its staff and its revenue over the past five years and only once has their surplus revenue benefited other ailing initiatives. Moreover, while the agency does provide money for the city’s school district, the PPA is a state agency and most of the surplus money will likely head to Harrisburg.
What started out as a single event in NYC last year, the Go Green Expo has bloomed into a 4-city extravaganza, kicking off at the LA Convention Center this weekend, January 23-25. In addition to over 200 booths of eco-friendly goods and services, the Expo features:
Though a handful of pedicabs have been pedaling around Philadelphia for several years, the group’s attempt last year to break into Center City Philadelphia met more than a little resistance.Chariots of Philly has been shuttling passengers around Manayunk since 2003, following a larger urban trend toward the environmentally friendly alternative to taxis and horse drawn carriages but the project’s been stalled by an outdated lack of regulation.
Philadelphia’s South Street Bridge carried its last passenger on Monday morning, at least for the next two years. The decrepit structure, built in 1923, was declared “structurally insufficient” over twenty years ago, but has continued in operation under a close eye of weekly safety tests and vehicle weight restrictions.
The collapse of a bridge in Minneapolis last year heightened concerns about the integrity of our nation’s infrastructure. Chunks of concrete have fallen from the South Street Bridge into the river and onto the highway below, and the bridge was not expected to survive the winter months. The South Street bridge connects several residential neighborhoods in Center City and South Philadelphia with the University of Pennsylvania (the largest private employer in the city) and two major hospitals.
On Sunday, September 7, Philadelphians and those from surrounding communities (including me) will be celebrating all things green at GreenFest Philly. The festival coordinators expect about 20,000 people and their reusable water bottles to descend upon the Headhouse Square section of the city located on Second Street between Lombard and South Streets.
>> Read the rest of this post at Sustainablog.org
On Sunday, September 7, Philadelphians and those from surrounding communities (including me) will be celebrating all things green at GreenFest Philly. The festival coordinators expect about 20,000 people and their reusable water bottles to descend upon the Headhouse Square section of the city located on Second Street between Lombard and South Streets.
The theme for this year’s festival is water quality. There will be a Water Quality Symposium where speakers will cover topics such as Residential Water Use and What’s Happening In Your River? (that would be the Delaware River for those unfamiliar with the region). There will also be several short films at the EcoFilm Forum that will cover water topics.
While water is the theme of this year’s festival there will be much more going on. 200 exhibitors will display their green causes/services/merchandise. There will be plenty of kids activities and even a Sweet Green Organic Pastry/Dessert Contest. Oh, YUM! And much, much more.
Over at Green Building Elements, Philip Proefrock’s post Showing the Green Building Process highlights a Philadelphia couple’s blog, Building Green on Montrose. Archtitects Christopher & Emily Stromberg are renovating a South Philly row home, and they document their progress on the blog. I live outside Philadelphia, and I’m always excited when hear about another great green endeavor going on in the city.
What got me most excited about the project that the Stromberg’s are working on is that they are setting up the roof of the row home to be able to accommodate a green roof. Green roofs in a city environment have enormous environmental benefits. They do things like lower the temperature around the building, improve the air quality in the area, help with water retention and create urban wildlife habitats.
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