350, Independence Mall and my 6-y.o. daughter

As we previewed earlier this week, today was International Climate Day of Action, including a synchronized global rally featuring photogenic human chains forming the number 350.   I was there. My daughter was there.  I brought my roommate too.  And it was rainy and miserable and inconvenient.

October 24 2009, is the International day for Climate Action

Climate change is the biggest challenge facing our world. On Oct. 24 stand up with thousand of people around the world and speak out to limit carbon dioxide to 350 parts per million. If you’re in Philly, meet me at Independence Hall: http://www.350philly.org.

Curious about why 350 parts of carbon dioxide per million?
See http://www.350.org/about/science

What is new at the 2009 GreenFest Philly?

In no particular order here is a short list of some of the new green offerings I noticed at the 2009 GreenFest Philly:

Phew… Philly Electric Wheels opens October 1st.

Earlier this year,  I was attracting your attention to a new generation of electric motor assisted Bicycles in the post titled “Emily’s Bike“.

This Fall, Philadelphia will have the first store in Pennsylvania selling electric bicycles and tricycles.

The store—PHILLY ELECTRIC WHEELS–is located in the “GREEN on GREENE” building in “Mt. Airy Village”.

GreenFest Philly is today: Sunday September 13th

The fourth Philly GreenFest is taking place today  Sunday September 13th from 11 am to 6 pm at 2nd and South Street in Philadelphia.

The Philly Green Fest offers “green” activities for the whole family:

“More Ass, Less Gas” – Live from the Philly Naked Bike Ride

Riding your bicycle is a totally Freeing Experience:

You can feel the wind blowing in your ears,
You can actually smell flowering trees,
You can feel insects flying into your forehead,
You can park anywhere,
You can go where most cars would never dare going
No gas to pay, no parking tickets,
You are out there, living life more fully.

The Philly Naked Bike Ride added another dimension
to the freedom of riding your bike: NAKED BICYCLING

Cherry Hill Has a Vision for a Sustainable 2020: Can they do it?

Sustainable Cherry Hill  (SCH) has a vision for the year 2020.  In a remarkable 3 day visioning retreat,  100 community members — there by invitation only — hammered out a vision for what actions need to be taken to develop a sustainable community by the year 2020.

Narberth Greens Develops Turnkey Energy Challenge: Is your community ready to turn the key?

Avi Loren Fox of Narberth Greens

PhillyEcoCity recently spoke with Temple environmental studies major Avi Loren Fox, who is amassing quite a resume as an environmental change agent in Narberth and beyond.  Avi  founded Narberth Greens (NG) which recently won the nonprofit award from the Lower Merion Environmental Advisory Council for its efforts in encouraging sustainable practices, including recycling, town cleanups, and home-grown vegetable trading.

Neighborhood Bike Works: The Hub of the Bicyle Culture

Find out what Neighborhood Bike Works and the “Bicycle Lifestyle” is all about right here >>>

This four minutes video was filmed and edited by Greendocs:
Julia Hoff, Bunker Seyfert,Heather Craig and Kathleen Monahan.

Read on…

The simple things the city can do to decrease its carbon footprint

It is amply clear that Michael Nutter, the Mayor of Philadelphia is committed to moving Philadelphia and its region to be more environmentally sustainable.

The City appointed a Director of Sustainability, Van Jones has been regularly consulting and talking with city and regional leaders and the convening of a cabinet level meeting promoting Green Jobs on February 27, all underscored Mayor Nutter’s commitment to moving to a Green Economy.

Great!!

What concerns me is the low level stuff, the little things that each of us can do in our every day life to reduce our carbon footprint.

The struggle to reduce our carbon footprint will be lost or won by millions of people all over the United States who decide to make very small changes to their daily life.