Green In Chestnut Hill

GRinCH presents Christmas TreeCycling!!

2011-11-30T21:44:00.002-05:00

GRinCH presents TreeCycling! Save your Christmas Tree from the nasty methane producing landfill and bring it to be chipped for mulch!

WHERE: Norwood Fontbonne on Sunset (off Gtown Ave)

WHEN: Sunday Jan. 8th

TIME: 9:30am and 12:30pm

OR Gabby's Garden on Chew Ave just off W. Mt Airy Ave 1pm-4pm

We have a volunteer opportunity! If you are interested in helping unload trees at the Chestnut Hill event please email chefamybeth@gmail.com

$5 donation requested. Enjoy the holidays!

no early drop offs please.

Volunteer opportunity!

2011-10-31T20:43:00.000-04:00

Weird Waste Day Volunteers Wanted! Are you available between 1 and 4 pm on Saturday, November 12th? Want to help your neighborhood and the environment? GRinCH is looking for volunteers to help with our next community electronics recycling event in Chestnut Hill. If you can help out for any amount of time during the event, we'd be delighted to see you and will even buy you pizza! Please let me know either in the comments or via direct message at chefamybeth@gmail.com if we can count on you to help out. Thanks!

2011-10-17T15:51:00.002-04:00

Weird Waste Day
Saturday, November 12, 1-4pm
Clean out for the Holidays!
Empty out your basement and garage of all those old electronic items you didn’t know what to do with. Bring your cpu’s, tv’s, printers, faxes, cell phones etc, on Nov. 12 and all will be responsibly reused or dismantled instead of being thrown in a landfill. This event is being organized by Green in Chestnut Hill (GRINCH).

What: Responsible Electronic Waste Recycling
When: Saturday November 12, 2011
Where: Parking Lot beside Valley Green Bank, 23 W. Highland Ave. Chestnut Hill, PA*
Time: 1 pm-4 pm Suggested donation: $5 to $20 (all proceeds benefit
GRinCH and are fully tax deductible)

List of accepted items:
Desktop Computing
desktops mini-towers laptops and handhelds notebooks tablets hard drives
Printers
laserjets deskjets thermal dot matrix line printers plotters paper trays
Peripherals
keyboards mice power supplies cables speakers external drives, etc.
Monitors
CRTs LCDs WYSE terminals, etc.
Office Equipment
copiers scanners fax machines typewriters
Audio/Video Equipment
tv's and displays vcr/dvd players projectors video and audio conferencing systems smart/electronic white boards
Mobile Devices
cellular phones, Blackberry/PDAs, pagers
Telecom Equipment
telephones switches PBX voice mail and VoIP systems voice stations
headsets
Storage Equipment
video tapes audio tapes CD's tape, hard, thumb flash and zip drives data backup systems
disk arrays SAN
Mainframes
mid-range and servers power conditioning/UPS systems cabinets, relay racks
Networking Equipment
hubs, cables, routers, switches, bridges
Household:
microwaves dehumidifiers air-conditioners vacuum cleaners metals- aluminum, steel, copper cameras
video games ipods, iphones, ipads
Parts
AC adapters memory motherboards network, sound and video cards CD/DVD drives
Healthcare Equipment
All non-biohazardous equipment: defibrillators EKG machines mobile carts/workstations patient monitors
Banking
currency and coin counters transaction drawers check encoders and scanners receipt printers
ATM machines
Point-of-Sale:
POS systems/registers barcode scanners receipt and barcode printers card readers
touch screen monitors

Incredible Art Exhibit! Check it out before it is gone on Oct. 11th!

2011-09-30T19:26:00.000-04:00

NEW TRAILS (www.newtrailsphila.org)
UPCOMING EVENTS

Main Gallery
8517 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia, Pa
Hours: Sat + Sun / 10-4pm

Philadelphia Open Studios Tour (POST)
Saturday + Sunday, October 1st + 2nd
10-6pm

We are proud to be a Community Partner for the 2011 Philadelphia Open Studios Tour (POST). For 12 years POST has brought communities together through the arts, arts appreciation and creative dialogue. Come out and visit the area and explore the works in the Wissahickon Park! Nearly every cultural venue in the Northwest is open and offering something wonderful, so come out! Many of the exhibiting "New Trails" artists will be in attendance.

Closing Reception
First Friday, October 7th
6-9pm

Join us as we celebrate the close of "New Trails" at the Main Gallery at 8517 Germantown Avenue. Drinks and light fare will be served. Many of the exhibiting "New Trails" artists will be in attendance. If you have not had a chance to visit the project yet, please attend! We would love to meet you!

Building with Strawbale

2011-09-09T19:48:00.002-04:00

*Building with Strawbale*

Sunday, September 11th
8:30 AM to 5:30 PM
cost: $80
Herbiary

7721 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19118

p: 215-247-2110 - maia@theapothecarygarden.com

Join green designer Sigi Koko to learn the art of strawbale building. Workshops are hands on so be prepared to learn, laugh, and get dirty!

During the workshops, we will be using rectangular bales of straw to in-fill around exterior walls of an existing structure, then plastering those strawbales with beautiful, durable clay plaster. All of the materials we will be using are local and completely non-toxic, and result in thick, super-insulating walls.

- Overview of strawbale construction, including recommendations for our climate
- Overview of clay plasters & how to test soil for clay content
- Demonstration of all construction methods
- Ample hands-on experience of all techniques
- Handouts on strawbale construction and clay plasters

Waste Not, Want Not

2011-08-29T18:11:00.000-04:00

WASTE WARRIORS: AN INDUSTRY EMERGES FROM PHILADELPHIA’S RECLAIMED GOODS Once again, we see why recycling isn’t just good for the planet - it's good for the local economy. All around the city, innovative folks are making a living by creating cool new products from things we used to toss into a giant hole. Check out this article, then go support these local companies who are doing the right thing and making a living at the same time.

Big Bellies for Chestnut Hill-the dream becomes reality

2011-06-25T14:29:00.004-04:00

The Chestnut Hill Community Association UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED Big Belly trash compactors and recycling units for Chestnut Hill Thursday night!! GRinCH is so excited and can't wait til they arrive!
We would like to thank the community -- GRinCH was able to demonstrate broad-based resident and business support for the Big Bellies--and that support made all the difference.
Also we would like to thank all of the citizens that attended the CHCA meeting Thursday night!
We are on our way to making Philadelphia America's Greenest City!!

Hillers want Big Belly Trash Compactors and Recycling!

2011-06-12T21:17:00.003-04:00

Support Solar Compactors and Recycling in Chestnut Hill!
GReenINChestnutHill (GRinCH) has been working with the City of Philadelphia to bring 15 Big Belly Solar Trash Compactors and recycling units to Chestnut Hill. It was approved last month by the Land Use Planning Zoning committee (LUPZ) and now needs a majority vote from the Chestnut Hill Community Association. GRinCH did the footwork to take the pulse of the community by collecting over 250 signatures in the 19118 zip code supporting the Big Bellies. The Big Bellies also have the support of over 35

longstanding and prominent businesses on The Hill including Weavers Way, Kilian Hardware, The Chestnut Hill Cheese Shop, Night Kitchen, Bredenbecks, Valley Green Bank, and many others.
Now GRinCH needs Chestnut Hill residents to come to the CHCA board meeting at the Chestnut Hill Library, 7 p.m., Thursday June 23 to show community support!

Weavers Way Electronic Recycling Event

2011-06-01T21:49:00.001-04:00

Electronics Recycling on Saturday, June 25

It's time for Spring cleaning!! Clear out your basement and garage of any unwanted electronics, knowing that they will be handled in a safe and ethical manner. Weavers Way Environment Committee and the Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting are co-sponsoring an electronics recycling collection on Saturday, June 25 from 10a.m. to 2 p.m. at 100 E. Mermaid Lane, in the parking lot at the Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting. While the event is free, voluntary donations will be encouraged (suggested donations range from $1 to $10 per item). Half of the donations received will go to the Weavers Way Environment Committee’s fund, which distributed small grants to community groups for environmental education and to projects that enhance the environment. The other half of the donations will fund Quaker-organized community gardens in the Fair Hill neighboorhood in north Philadelphia.

A wide variety of items will be accepted, including computers, printers, TVs, audio equipment, cameras, cell phones, DVD players, VCRs and microwaves. For a complete list of items that will be accepted, email weaverswayrecycling@yahoo.com.

Pennsylvania recently passed a law setting standards for recycling electronics in order to keep their toxic waste out of landfills. Materials Processing Corp. (MPC), exceeds the highest standards for electronics recycling. Along with various industry certifications, they are also certified by the nonprofit Basel Action Network as an e-Steward. MPC recently opened a state-of-the-art facility in northeast Philadelphia where they have hired 40 local employees. The company adheres to safe practices for recycling so that the environment and workers’ health are not compromised. MPC sees reuse as the highest form of recycling, so they recondition collected items when at all possible. They have a strict “no landfill” policy. None of the materials they collect are processed in developing countries, where unregulated electronics usually are sent.

There is no rain date planned, so the collection will happen on June 25th rain or shine. Please spread the word to your friends and neighbors!

More composting in Philly's Phuture?

2011-05-27T16:55:00.000-04:00

Waste Management Inc. has made a “strategic investment” in the Peninsula Compost Company, which owns and operates the Wilmington Organic Recycling Center (WORC), the largest composting facility in the eastern US.

WORC currently processes 250 to 300 tons per day of organic waste and is permitted to reach 600 tons per day. Waste Management, based in Houston, made the unspecified investment following its acquisition of a controlling interest in Garick LLC, a leading manufacturer and distributor of commercial and consumer organic gardening products. The investment in WORC will “accelerate the expansion of Waste Management's organics recycling services and development of value-added organic products in the mid-Atlantic states.”

“The market for composting services is growing as consumers are increasingly demanding alternatives to conventional fertilizers for lawn and garden care and municipalities and companies are seeking to increase the recycling of organic materials for beneficial use,” the company added.

WORC sits on 27 acres across from the Port of Wilmington, strategically located for waste haulers and generators from Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The location was formerly a brownfield site that was remediated prior to WORC construction. The $20 million facility was built in 2009 and began operations on Earth Day, 2010.

Porous Pavements for Philly!!

2011-05-27T16:49:00.002-04:00

One South Philadelphia street just got a little greener ― though you might not be able to tell just by looking at it.

The asphalt of the 800 block of South Percy Street appears as black as ever. But underneath the surface is a whole different story.

The Water and Streets departments are using it to pilot a new initiative to make Philadelphia's streets porous.

During a rain storm, water will seep through the asphalt ― rather than running into the nearest storm inlet and into the city's rivers ― and soak into a layer of stone. Over time, water will slowly soak from the stone into surrounding soil.

“This is a new green street ― notwithstanding its color,” Mayor Nutter said at a press conference Tuesday afternoon.

This is just one initiative of a 25-year plan that the Water Department has rolled out called Green City, Clean Waters, which aims at reducing stormwater runoff to meet federally mandated pollution targets.
http://www.nextgreatcity.com/content/south-philly-gets-street-will-drink-water

Big Bellies means recycling for Chestnut Hill!

2011-05-10T17:09:00.002-04:00

GRinCH is excited to announce that the LUPZ(Land Use Planning and Zoning) approved Big Belly solar compactors and recycling units for placement in Chestnut Hill!! GRinCH will be working with the City's recycling department as well as the Historical Society on this project over the next few months.
We also wish to thank the overwhelming support of Chestnut Hill residents and businesses! You helped make this happen!!

Poundage correction!

2011-04-19T16:02:00.001-04:00

WOW!!! We collected 10,287 pounds of Electronic Waste that will never see a landfill!! Amazing numbers even if there was no monsoon rain storm!! Thanks to all who participated. GRinCH's next Weird Waste Day will be in November!

Another success!

2011-04-17T23:58:00.003-04:00

Thanks to all who braved the crappy weather and came out for Weird Waste Day on Saturday. The rain did not stop us from collecting over 9,000 #s of electronics! The next GRinCH EWaste event will be in November!

Weird Waste Day April 16th sponsored by the Night Kitchen Bakery!

2011-04-15T13:55:00.000-04:00

Weird Waste Day is tomorrow 4/16 from 1-4pm RAIN OR SHINE!!
See you there!

Accepted EWaste for Weird Waste Day

2011-04-01T16:05:00.002-04:00

Here is a list of the EWaste that we will be taking at the next Weird Waste Day on Saturday April 16th!

Desktop Computing:
PCs including desktops, mini-towers, laptops and handhelds, notebooks, tablets, hard drives.
Healthcare Equipment:
All non-biohazardous equipment: defibrillators, EKG machines, mobile carts/workstations, patient monitors.
Banking:
Currency counters, coin counters, transaction drawers, check encoders, check scanners, receipt printers, ATM machines.
Point-of-Sale:
POS systems/registers, barcode scanners, receipt printers, barcode printers, card readers, touch screen monitors.
Parts:
AC adapters, memory, motherboards, network, sound and video cards, CD/DVD drives.
Printers:
Laserjet, deskjet, thermal, dot matrix, line printers, plotters, paper trays.
http://www.eforcecompliance.com/ewaste_accepted.html (1 of 3) [3/23/2010 10:27:38 AM]
:: eForce Compliance :: Accepted ewaste services provided by eForce Compliance, serving the metro-Philadelphia area.
Peripherals:
Keyboards, mice, power supplies, cables, speakers, external drives, etc.
Miscellaneous:
Laptop carry cases, modems, software, cables, cabinets, office furniture, cameras, KVM switches, generators.
Audio/Video Equipment:
TVs and displays, VCR/DVD players, projectors, video and audio conferencing systems, Smart/electronic white boards.
Monitors:
CRTs, LCDs, WYSE terminals, etc.
Data Center Equipment:
Mainframes, mid-range and servers, Power Conditioning/UPS systems, cabinets, relay racks.
Office Equipment:
Copiers, scanners, fax machines, typewriters.
Mobile Devices:
Cellular phones, Blackberry/PDAs, pagers.
Telecom Equipment:
Telephones, switches, PBX, voice mail and VoIP systems, voice stations, headsets.
http://www.eforcecompliance.com/ewaste_accepted.html (2 of 3) [3/23/2010 10:27:38 AM]
:: eForce Compliance :: Accepted ewaste services provided by eForce Compliance, serving the metro-Philadelphia area.
Storage Equipment:
SAN, tape drives, hard drives, zip drives, data backup systems, disk arrays, thumb/flash drives.
Networking Equipment:
Hubs, routers, switches, bridges.

EWaste recycling event April 16th!

2011-03-16T23:39:00.003-04:00

Weird Waste Day
Saturday, April 16th 1-4pm
Celebrate Earth Day!
Empty out your basement and garage of all those old electronic items you didn’t know what to do with. For 40¢ per pound, your cpu’s, tv’s, printers, faxes, cell phones etc, will be responsibly reused or dismantled instead of being thrown in a landfill. This event is being organized by Green in Chestnut Hill (GRINCH). For more information and a complete list of recyclables accepted visit www.greeninchestnuthill.blogspot.com.
What: Responsible Electronic Waste Recycling
When: Saturday April 16, 2011
Where: Parking Lot beside 23 W. Highland Ave. Chestnut Hill
Time: 1pm-4pm
Cost: 40¢ per lb. cash or check accepted $15 flat rate for air conditioners

RECYCLING IN CHESTNUT HILL!!

2011-03-03T17:31:00.004-05:00

Chestnut Hill's 1st Big Belly Solar Trash Compactor was installed in front of the Night Kitchen Bakery today!! GRINCH worked with the BID (Business Improvement District) The Chestnut Hill Community and Business Associations to make this happen as well as the city's street's department.
The City of Philadelphia has 15 more Big Bellies that can be placed on The Hill for pedestrian recycling and trash. Chestnut Hill would be joining other communities around the city such as Society Hill, Rittenhouse Square and Mt Airy that already have them.
The solar technology compacts up to 80#'s of trash before sending a message to trash trucks indicating pick up is needed. This reduces the number of times that the hulking, gas guzzling trash trucks need to empty trash bins. Given that trash trucks are stinky, cause traffic jams and get 3 MPG, less of them on the road is win-win!

TreeCycling results!

2011-01-21T11:46:00.000-05:00

Neighbors Chip In: Treecycling in Philadelphia!

PHILADELPHIA, PA -On Saturday January 8th and Sunday January 9th over 1700 trees were chipped across the city and used at local dog parks, community gardens and parks. More than 20 local civic and nonprofit organizations worked together this month to recycle Christmas trees. For the second year in a row, the City of Philadelphia did not recycle Christmas trees during trash pickup: trees left at the curb went into landfills. But, volunteer groups across the city, with sponsorship by Bartlett Tree Experts and Schectman Tree Care, took it upon themselves to recycle trees.

Chestnut Hill / Mt. Airy - Volunteers from Mt. Airy Business Association and Green in Chestnut Hill chipped 175 trees.

Fairmount - Friends of Eastern State Penitentiary Park chipped 320 trees.

Logan Square - Logan Square Neighbors Association chipped 50 trees.

Northern Liberties -Northern Liberties Neighbors Association chipped 227 trees.

South Philadelphia - Volunteers from Passyunk Square Civic Association, East Passyunk Crossing Civic, Queen Village Neighbors, Newbold Neighbors, and Lower Moyamensing Civic joined forces to chip 450 trees

Fishtown / Olde Richmond - Sustainable 19125, Fishtown Neighbors Association, East Kensington Neighbors and New Kensington CDC, and the Olde Richmond Civic Association chipped over 200 trees.

University City - Volunteers from University City District and UC Green chipped 275 trees in Clark Park.

Recycle Now!

2011-01-20T21:55:00.001-05:00

RECYCLENOW ACTIVIST TRAININGS

Help your neighborhood be clean and green! In partnership with RecycleBank, the company behind the Philadelphia Recycling Rewards program, RecycleNOW Philadelphia is now training community recycling activists to sign people up for the program so we can help more people recycle more material. You can help make a difference in your community by helping to sign-up your neighbors, co-workers, friends, family, church members, reading club, or anyone else!

Attend a Community Activist Training in your neighborhood where recycling experts will answer commonly asked questions, and provide you all the information and materials you need to help sign up others.

A Green Conundrum at Christmas

2011-01-03T12:03:00.001-05:00

I am a tree hugger and I have a real Christmas tree in my house. It didn’t occur to me that it might seem contradictory to some till my friend Peri called me out. She flipped when I told her we got a tree.

I thought she was offended because I am Jewish. Apparently it was my environmentalism that was in question. The truth is I never really thought about a fake tree versus a real one. My family had Christmas trees since I was a wee tot, and I love the pine smell and the warm and fuzzy feeling of Christmas — who doesn’t?

I explained that Christmas trees are raised on farms specifically for this purpose. When the holiday is over we will bring the tree to one of the city’s TreeCycling events. A number of neighborhood environmental groups all over the city are hosting TreeCycling events including GReenINChestnutHill (GRINCH).

Last year, residents of Mt Airy and Chestnut Hill brought over 150 trees, diverting them from landfills and turning them into mulch. An important goal of environmentalists is to reduce the amount of waste that goes into methane producing landfills. By taking your Christmas tree to a TreeCycling event in the city, the tree avoids the landfill and gas guzzling trash trucks.

GRINCH and the Mt Airy Business Assoc. are organizing this year’s TreeCycling event on Sunday Jan. 9th from 1-4pm at the corner of Mt Airy Ave and Chew Ave. For a $5 donation they will chip our tree (and your tree) which will be used for mulch. It’s like composting–win-win.

If I were a complete purist I would not get a tree at all. The truth is my very existence as a consuming human is not ideal for the health of the planet. So I am doing what I can, attempting to be thoughtful about my consumption, reduce my carbon footprint and consider future generations while enjoying the holidays. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

TreeCycling Event!!

2010-12-06T11:09:00.001-05:00

The Mt Airy Business Assoc. and GRINCH are holding a TreeCycling event on Sunday Jan. 9th from 1-4pm at Mt Airy and Chew Ave.
Residents can bring their naked Christmas tree to be mulched for $5!!
No landfill for these trees! They will be chipped for ground cover.

Energy Works and YOUR home!

2010-11-16T20:43:00.000-05:00

Last week, Mayor Michael Nutter and the Metropolitan Caucus joined together to announce their joint launch of EnergyWorks, a comprehensive energy efficiency program for home and business owners in the Greater Philadelphia region. The program offers professional energy analysis and design services, and brings together all available rebates, tax credits and low-interest loans to make energy saving projects affordable. EnergyWorks will help plan and finance the retrofit of thousands of homes and dozens of major commercial buildings across the region, and will help meet Philadelphia’s Greenworks goals of reducing energy consumption in buildings by 10 percent, making energy upgrades to 15 percent of buildings and creating green jobs.

Another successful Weird Waste Day!

2010-11-14T10:27:00.003-05:00

Thank you to all who came out for Weird Waste Day yesterday and brought electronics for responsible recycling! We surpassed the last event collection of 11,000 pounds!!
The electronics will be reused, refurbished and/or dismantled by EForce Compliance. This company is located right here in Philly and is committed to responsible recycling.
GRINCH toured their facilities and spoke with the owner/operators last year to observe their process.
GRINCH will continue to organize and run this event twice a year. We are thrilled that so many people participated and by doing so help to divert toxic metals from landfills and polluting our soil.

Weird Waste Day!

2010-10-26T21:21:00.003-04:00

Put Saturday November 13th on your calender for the next Weird Waste Day. GRINCH will be collecting your electronic waste for 40 cents p/pound from 1-4pm in the Valley Green Bank parking lot on Highland Ave. And now that GRINCH is an official non-profit your expense will be a tax deduction!

Here is a complete list of accepted items:
Desktop Computing:
PCs including desktops, mini-towers, laptops and handhelds, notebooks, tablets, hard drives.
Healthcare Equipment:
All non-biohazardous equipment: defibrillators, EKG machines, mobile carts/workstations, patient monitors.
Banking:
Currency counters, coin counters, transaction drawers, check encoders, check scanners, receipt printers, ATM machines.
Point-of-Sale:
POS systems/registers, barcode scanners, receipt printers, barcode printers, card readers, touch screen monitors.
Parts:
AC adapters, memory, motherboards, network, sound and video cards, CD/DVD drives.
Printers:
Laserjet, deskjet, thermal, dot matrix, line printers, plotters, paper trays.
Peripherals:
Keyboards, mice, power supplies, cables, speakers, external drives, etc.
Miscellaneous:
Laptop carry cases, modems, software, cables, cabinets, office furniture, cameras, KVM switches, generators.
Audio/Video Equipment:
TVs and displays, VCR/DVD players, projectors, video and audio conferencing systems, Smart/electronic white boards.
Monitors:
CRTs, LCDs, WYSE terminals, etc.
Data Center Equipment:
Mainframes, mid-range and servers, Power Conditioning/UPS systems, cabinets, relay racks.
Office Equipment:
Copiers, scanners, fax machines, typewriters.
Mobile Devices:
Cellular phones, Blackberry/PDAs, pagers.
Telecom Equipment:
Telephones, switches, PBX, voice mail and VoIP systems, voice stations, headsets.
Storage Equipment:
SAN, tape drives, hard drives, zip drives, data backup systems, disk arrays, thumb/flash drives.
Networking Equipment:
Hubs, routers, switches, bridges.

Solar Schools

2010-10-18T16:01:00.001-04:00

PHILADELPHIA SCHOOLS GO GREEN

From installing solar panels to purchasing clean energy, area schools are joining in on the effort to step up Philadelphia’s green status.

The Albert M. Greenfield School, located in Center City, recently became the first public school in Philadelphia to install a solar energy system on its roof. Greenfield’s roof hosts 26 solar panels, creating a system capable of producing an estimated 6,400 kilowatt hours (kWh) of clean energy each year. The solar system is just one phase of the “Greening Greenfield” sustainability program that the school is in the process of implementing.

Area universities are also embracing renewable energy. Drexel University recently announced a commitment to purchase enough wind power credits to account for 100 percent of the power consumed by the school. Drexel’s purchase makes the university one of the 50 largest purchasers of wind power in the nation.

And if that’s not enough, St. Joseph’s University was recently awarded a $1 million research grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to study switch grass and green roofs. St. Joe’s researchers will study how switch grass, a potential biofuel source, is affected by climate change. Their green roof study will evaluate stormwater retention, cooling ability, and other measures of effectiveness for green roofs in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

Energy Caps Community Forum

2010-09-27T23:50:00.003-04:00

GRINCH and the CHCA present:
Evening of Energy Caps forum
When: Thursday Sept. 30th
Time: 7-9pm
Where: The Hiram Lodge, ‎8425 Gtown Ave. next to El Quetzal.
Refreshments will be served! This event is free and open to the public.
The moderator will be Alex Mulcahy, publisher of GRID Magazine.
For more info contact Noreen Spota at 215-248-8810

GRINCH makes the CHCA's Black and White Gala a 'Zero Waste' event!

2010-09-19T12:53:00.001-04:00

One of the most important goals of GReenINChestnutHill (GRINCH) is to help individuals and businesses find ways to reduce waste. The mantra reduce, reuse and recycle consumes our waking thoughts! When the opportunity arose to assist the CHCA in making the Black and White Gala a 'Zero Waste' event, GRINCH seized the moment.
"Zero Waste?" you ask. According to Wikipedia 'Zero waste is a philosophy that encourages the redesign of resource life cycles so that all products are reused. Any trash sent to landfills is minimal.' The idea is to divert as much waste from landfills as possible, reducing the number of gas guzzling trash trucks on the road and methane gas emitted from landfills.
The bulk of the waste created at the B&W Gala or most parties for that matter, is the food and drink. The CHCA has been recycling glass and cans for years but food scraps, plates, cups, napkins and utensils go in the garbage. This year will be different.
GRINCH has sourced compostable plates, cups, napkins and utensils for the event and Philly Compost will pick it up at the end of the evening. It will all be turned into compost that will be used to enrich soil. It's win-win.
For more info about the B&W Gala visit Chestnuthill.org

GRINCH hosts an Evening of Energy Caps

2010-09-08T16:47:00.002-04:00

GReenINChestnutHill (GRINCH) and the Chestnut Hill Community Association (CHCA) are hosting an Evening of Energy Caps

Date: Thursday September 30th
Time: 7-9pm
Place: The Hiram Lodge 8425 Germantown Ave in Chestnut Hill.

Alex Mulcahy, founder and publisher of GRID Magazine, will be the moderator. Details on attached flier.
We will discuss the energy caps that will end in January and how to mitigate the increase in energy bills by making your home or business more energy efficient.
All are welcome.

For more information please call Noreen Spota 215-248-8810 or Amy Edelman 610-505-6282

Free Webinar on Going Solar in Philadelphia

2010-08-24T21:34:00.007-04:00

1BOG (1 Block Off the Grid) is sponsoring a free informational webinar.

Here are the details as provided by 1BOG:

Wednesday, August 25th from 7 to 8pm

"Community Solar Basics for Philadelphians."

Here's the registration link for this free webinar: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/243941114

What attendees will learn:

The basic steps of going solar
How to decide if solar is right for their home
The average amount Philadelphia households can save by going solar
How to make money through Pennsylvania's SREC program
Solar rebates available from the state & federal government
Newer, more attractive styles of solar panels
Answers to their specific questions
Homeowners can watch and listen to this webinar right from their home computer or laptop, so it's a really convenient way for them to learn about solar energy. This webinar is informational in nature only, not sales oriented. It's designed simply to help homeowners figure out whether solar is the right choice for them. There's even a way for them to send us questions live during the event!
Thanks for your time and for sharing this event around within your communities! If you have any questions about the webinar, just let me know.

Best,
Shannon Coulter

Shannon Coulter, Director of Community
One Block Off the Grid: The smart, new way to go solar
shannon@1bog.org | (415) 203-7151 | http://1bog.org

Locavore Banquet & Mini-Fest!

2010-08-14T23:31:00.003-04:00

Local Food & Local Fun

A TRANSITION TOWNS EVENT Celebrating Cheltenham’s growing capacity to produce and enjoy locally grown foods Commissioner Kathy Hampton is hosting this event on: Saturday, August 28th 5-8 PM Curtis Hall/Arboretum Greenwood Ave. & Church Rd. Wyncote, PA 19095 -- rain or shine

Food produced locally is kinder to our environment, healthier, helps us stay in touch with the people and the methods that are producing it, and strengthens our community bonds. PLEASE BRING A Potluck Dish to Share—ingredients grown within 100 miles of Cheltenham, your own reusable dishes, cups & utensils, a picnic blanket &/or chairs (only if the weather is comfortable)An instrument, song, story, local food skill, or other talent to share. Join us for an evening of good fun, good food, good music, good stories, good local food information and good neighbors!

More Information: www.transitioncheltenham.org

more to recycle!!

2010-08-12T22:28:00.002-04:00

Great news! Starting this month, Philadelphia residents can now recycle plastics numbered #1- #7. Put contains like yogurt cups, medicine bottles, squeeze bottles, take out containers, and bottles for shampoo and conditioner into your recycling bin. Still not sure exactly what can and cannot be recycled? Check out this list of acceptable recycling materials.

In addition to the convenience of no longer having to pick through your plastics, this change means you can recycle even more, and more recyclables in your bin means more rewards for you and your neighbors through Philadelphia’s Recycling Rewards program. If you haven’t already signed up, register today.

Recycling in Philly just got easier!!

2010-08-06T23:14:00.001-04:00

Did you know that you can now recycle ALL plastics #1 - #7 in the City of Philadelphia?

Check out a comprehensive list of what you can and can't recycle in the City of Philadelphia here.

http://www.recyclenowphiladelphia.org/
Spread the good word to friends, neighbors and co-workers!!

3 Reasons People Don't Go Green

2010-08-01T18:41:00.002-04:00

From SMARTERCONTEXT.COM

http://smartercontext.com/3-reasons-why-people-dont-go-green/

SHOCKING! In case you haven’t noticed, what people say and what people do are often very different.

Ok, so human nature is not new, but the Shelton Group’s Eco Pulse 2010 is. And its findings on the public’s view of the environment and green products are . . . surprising.

Like 65% of those surveyed wouldn’t give up their iPod to save the environment
Like packaging that uses the words “made with naturally biodegradable materials” works best
Like cosmetics that mentions the amount of energy used to make the product sells best
Like specifically stating “made with wind power” gets a better consumer response than “made with renewable energy”

Now, being a student of psychology and communication (otherwise known as education) – I like to think of this as a starting point. This is not a fixed opinion, but is open to persuasion.

But to persuade, you first have to understand your audience. What are their biases, their preferences, their viewpoint?

Here are three essential reasons people don’t go green:

1. Choosing what’s easy instead of the the big wins. To impact people’s decisions, it’s essential to realize: we are not wholly rational beings. Most of us will agree that the environment is something to protect, that it’s the “right thing to do”, but that doesn’t mean we will respond to a logical analysis of our home by installing an energy efficient furnace. We must connect emotionally first before convincing with reason.

To have a big impact on your own lifestyle, it is ESSENTIAL to identify the big wins. We are so subject to the emotional appeal of peer pressure and marketing that it’s hard not to choose what’s easy. But, as I outline in the Smarter Living Framework, the big wins must be emotionally meaningful to start to have an impact, let alone last for years. The only way to do this is to integrate sustainability with the life goals you already have.

Ask yourself, have you completed a personal Green 101 Course? Look at the right sidebar of this web page. Have you done the top 10 things listed there? Have you automated your house, so you minimize your impact without thinking about it?

2. Doing what’s right means a drop in the quality of their life. If you value showing your children how to do the right thing, if you value a healthy home, then consciously arranging your lifestyle to align with these does not mean a drop in your quality of life, it actually means an increase in it!

The quality of your life is improved when you are making conscious decisions on how to allocate and use your resources, like time and money.

3. Believing the price is not worth the value. If you think that your iPod provides more value than the environment, then you are not (yet) being convinced by the price/value argument you’re presented with right now. The iPod is valued because so many people that you know have it, because it’s easy to upload any music, because it’s easy to carry around, and because it’s beautiful. But deep down what makes an iPod so successful is because the value it really provides is freedom. Music while roaming freely. Freedom to choose the music. You can tell a lot about a person by the music they have on their iPod. The iPod signifies your identity, but gives you a platform of free choice on how to do it.

What value does living a green lifestyle provide?

How to be Truly Empowered

Truly empowered people know that they have limited resources and focus it on the things that matter. Beginners try to use tips on everything and make very little impact. In fact, using tips without a strategy actually sets you up for failure.

Where do you see yourself? Are you able to overcome what’s easy to make an important impact? What would your response be if your child asked you, “What are we doing to protect the environment?”

Before you go, leave your answer to the question above: “What value does living a green life provide?”

Keeping Current with Recycle Bank News

2010-07-25T20:05:00.013-04:00

One of the benefits of being active in environmental issues is the wonderfully engaged and interesting people I meet. I met Denise Diorio McVeigh of Recycle Bank at a Recycling Advisory meeting and she is a font of Recycle Bank passion and information.
I'm sure most Chestnut Hillians are not only aware that Recycle Bank is back and better than ever, but are active participants. Chestnut Hill does, after all, have one of the highest recycling rates in the City. Here is some pertinent information from Denise about how points are going to be awarded now that the roll-out introduction phase is complete.
"The Philadelphia Recycling Rewards Program was rolled out over the course of 6 months –- February to July 2010. We rolled out one sanitation area of the City a month starting with North Philadelphia. During this rollout period, we jump started people’s accounts by rewarding them 38 points a week for their recycling efforts. Members in each area will receive the 38 points per week for recycling for the first 6 months beginning the month we rolled their area out. For instance, if you live in the Logan section of the City we rolled your area out in March so you will continue receive 38 points a week until September. After that we will be using the real data so your points may vary depending on the tonnage."

Philadelphia Recycling Rewards roll-out schedule was as follows:

§ February 2010: North Philadelphia – Area 3
§ March 2010: Lower Northeast, Frankford and Logan Sections - Area 5
§ April 2010: West and Southwest Philadelphia – Area 1
§ May 2010: Center City and South Philadelphia – Area 2
§ June 2010: Northeast Philadelphia – Area 6
§ July 2010: Northwest Philadelphia – Area 4

How to Sign Up
· Residents may sign up online or over the phone
· Account is activated upon sign-up
· Start Recycling
· RecycleBank sends Welcome Kit via mail
· Includes instructions and Philadelphia Recycling Rewards Sticker

How You Earn Rewards
· Points earned each time resident participates (weekly recycling)
· 2 Points for recycling (for every pound recycled)
· 1 Point for trash reduced (for every pound less that is thrown out)
· Trash reduction points are rewarded monthly (not weekly like recycling)
· Points can be earned for eWaste

PA Horticultural Society needs you to make a call!

2010-07-13T09:47:00.000-04:00

Philadelphians instinctively know, and research shows, that a well cared for lot is better for communities than a neglected one. That's why Next Great City identified cleaning and greening vacant lots as one of our ten action recommendations for the city. And Philadelphia residents and business owners agree.

Next Great City coalition partner, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS), is a national leader in vacant land stabilization.

PHS's vacant land program has cleaned and greened thousands of vacant parcels in Philadelphia, creating well-managed open space for communities to enjoy and attracting private investment. But now, because of a significantly reduced city budget, $2.4 million in funding for PHS's vacant land program, which supports community revitalization and employs more than 300 people in full- and part-time green jobs, is on the chopping block.

While these are difficult times, cutting funding to this program will hurt neighborhoods and remove a vital tool for economic development.

Please contact Mayor Nutter today to urge him to continue his support for the valuable work PHS is doing to revitalize our city one vacant lot at a time. Don't delay, email the Mayor at Michael.Nutter@phila.gov or call the Mayor's Office at 215-686-2181.

Mayor's Office of Sustainability and Local Food

2010-07-05T18:53:00.003-04:00

Objective: Bring Local Food Within 10 Minutes of 75 Percent Of Residents. To advance Philadelphia toward achieving the Greenworks goals of locating local food within 10 minutes of 75 percent of residents, the City is using a multifaceted approach.

Watch this video about the City of Philadelphia's plans to promote and encourage Local Food!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxoaCjKtKLQ&NR=1

2010-06-28T12:24:00.002-04:00

A Mayor with vision wants you!

2010-06-28T12:24:00.001-04:00

Calling all sustainable foodies! Mayor Nutter is working to jumpstart the economy and create more equitable neighborhoods by advancing a more sustainable food system in Philadelphia. To implement his vision, Mayor Nutter is establishing a Food Policy Advisory Council to guide the city in meeting the goals outlined in Greenworks Philadelphia for improved accessibility to local, affordable and nutritious food.

Members of the council will represent diverse sectors of the food and agricultural industry, community group leaders interested in sustainable and fresh food systems, and members from related City departments. Community members interested in serving can submit a cover letter and resume to Patrick Morgan of the Department of Parks and Recreation by Monday, June 28. For questions, please call 215-683-3652.

Canoe Trip!

2010-06-21T13:53:00.002-04:00

This coming Sunday June 27th from 12-3, is the Natural Land Trust's Manumuskin Creek Canoe Trip! Participants will see black-banded sunfish—the most common fish in this naturally acidic pond—and other cool aquatic life. Ike's Seafood is next to the put-in point, and is now open for business, so there will be an opportunity to stop by after...wards for a bite. Water trips usually last between 2.5 and 4 hours.

Great nature activity for the family!

The best way to register is by emailing eisenhauer@natlands.org. For more information and to download the mandatory release form, click below.

Upcoming Events. Natural Lands Trust. Land conservation in greater Philadelphia, eastern Pennsylvani

www.natlands.org

Composting around the world (and Chestnut Hill)

2010-06-09T22:48:00.003-04:00

Last week I was in Guatemala visiting my soon to be adopted daughter. During my visit I experienced an earthquake, tropical storm and a nearby volcano erupted raining black sand all over Guatemala City--all in 4 days.
Needless to say, normal day to day goings on, slowed or just plain halted, including air travel. My flight out was grounded. So I did what any desperate tourist would do and hopped a bus to the next country. I got a flight from San Salvador, El Salvador after a 4 hour drive up and down mountains with very narrow windy roads. I tried to keep my eyes shut to stem the nausea and nearly missed the women carrying still feathered limp chickens, roosters roaming the road shoulders and horses sans cowboys.
But my absolute favorite part was not the Guatemalan sink hole to hell, the Pacaya Volcano's 5 mile lava spew or the mild earthquake that I actually felt. It was the composting trash can in the San Salvador airport. Located next to the recycling trash can was a composting can with colorful clear pictures of all the things that can be tossed in--banana peels, pizza crust, etc.
This developing nation with limited resources has made composting a priority in one of its busiest travel venues.
This prompted me to reflect on GRINCH's efforts in Chestnut Hill. Last July GRINCH hosted a composting seminar for Chestnut Hill business people and residents led by Philly Compost. At the time the only composters in the neighborhood that I knew of were Cosmic Catering and Earth Bread and Brewery.
Since last July several businesses have signed on with Philly Compost including The Wine Thief, The Chestnut Hill Farmer's Market, Night Kitchen Bakery, InFusion, Umbria, Jonathan's Best and Weavers Way Coop. Tavern on the Hill is slated to begin in July.
Progress.

Want new public green spaces?

2010-05-17T18:45:00.000-04:00

Concerned citizen? Planning geek? SimCity fanatic? Now’s your chance to help shape the future of Philadelphia. In addition to rewriting the City’s ancient zoning code, Philadelphia is looking to overhaul the city plan between now and spring 2011. As part of PHILADELPHIA2035, the comprehensive plan that will guide the City's growth for the next 25 years, the Philadelphia City Planning Commission is hosting a series of public meetings to hear your vision of Philadelphia in 2035, so find a meeting near you and make your voice heard.

If 25 years seems too far out in the future, think about how the city’s landscape could change in a mere five years. Green2015 is a project led by the Department of Parks and Recreation in coordination with Greenworks Philadelphia and the Philadelphia City Planning Commission to shape the Mayor's action plan to create 500 new acres of public green space throughout the city. Attend one of the civic engagement meetings conducted by the Department’s nonprofit partners, PennPraxis, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and the Penn Project for Civic Engagement, and share why green space is important to you and your community.

Never Own Anything Again, Thanks to Thingloop - Planet Green

2010-05-17T09:34:00.001-04:00

Never Own Anything Again, Thanks to Thingloop - Planet Green

Posted using ShareThis

May is National Bike Month!

2010-05-17T08:40:00.000-04:00

Visit www.bicyclecoalition.org for a complete list of this month's events. Great opportunities for those that are interested in starting to commute by bicycle and those that would like to connect with others.

Cool roofs are cool!

2010-05-12T22:10:00.000-04:00

City Council unanimously passed Councilman Kenney’s cool roof legislation, which will require all new construction in the City to use highly reflective roofing materials that meet or exceed Energy Star cool roof standards.

Cool roofs are good for the environment and easy on residents’ wallets. While installation costs for cool roofs are similar to those of traditional roofs, they also create significant energy and maintenance savings. Their reflectivity typically keep roofs 50 to 80 degrees cooler than black roofs on hot summer days. In turn, lower roof temperatures help residents save around 20 to 30 percent off their monthly energy bills, and extend the life of the roof.

Eco Alley rocked the Fest!

2010-05-09T00:13:00.003-04:00

GRINCH's brainchild Eco Alley, the Green Branch of this years Chestnut Hill Garden Fest, was a huge success. Festival goers were over heard saying it was their fav part of the fest despite 90 degree heat!
The beautiful bamboo entrance way was created by Green Earth Gardens and the signage was sponsored by Valley Green Bank.
Local sustainable businesses that set up "shop" for the day were Big Green Earth Store, Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, Urban Girls Produce, Philly Compost, GRID Magazine, Future Tech, Night Kitchen Bakery, Rodor Caps Jewelry, Why Not Bob Store, Philadelphia Recycling Rewards, Greener U, KO Angotti energy audits, Sardine Clothing, Philly Electric Wheels, Milkshake Crafts, EcoQuette, Philadelphia University, Happy Cat Farm and Organic Mechanic Soil Co.
Deirdre Vezirov-Kilkenny of Nature Yoga and Krista of Shakti Yoga in Jenkintown held kiddie yoga sessions which was super cute. Jason Fifield's band, Urban Drawl, laid down the NewGrass tunes for all ages.
Student recycling ambassadors from the Jenks School, Teenagers Inc., OMC and Norwood Fontbonne manned recycling stations. They helped people recycle the correct items, hauled it to Valley Green Bank and onto the colorful mural arts painted recycling truck.

Chestnut Hill Garden Festival

2010-04-22T19:18:00.003-04:00

Chestnut Hill's Home and Garden Festival is Sunday May 2nd from 11-5.
Stop by Eco Alley, the Green branch of the festival on West Highland Ave. organized by GRINCH!! Kiddie yoga, live music from Urban Drawl and 20 Green vendors!

For more information visit
http://www.chestnuthillpa.com/events/home-garden-festival/

Home Energy Efficiency Workshop at Big Blue Marble

2010-04-19T15:45:00.002-04:00

Tuesday, April 20, 7:00pm
Big Blue Marble Bookstore
551 Carpenter Lane
Philadelphia PA 19119

Greener U Presents: Home Energy Efficiency Workshop. During the Free workshop, Greener U Consulting (www.greeneruhub.com) will show you how to RATE your home's energy usage, and they will reveal the building structure issues that cause loss of heat and energy. The whole house strategy of a BPI home performance audit to address health, safety, durability, and energy efficiency will then be explained. Finally Greener U will explain the status of the "Cash for Caulkers" program and educate you on the existing rebate and financing options available through the utility companies, state, and federal. Please bring your gas, electric, and oil bills to the event! RSVP at 215-844-1870; space is limited to 20 people.

E Waste Success!

2010-04-10T22:52:00.003-04:00

GRINCH's second Weird Waste Day today collected 12,000 pounds (yes, 12 thousand) of electronic waste from about 180 participants! It was a huge success and a great day to empty the house of unwanted electronics. Again, we had many questions about the "next one" (possibly in the Summer!)
People were so thankful to us for organizing this event and we feel great doing it!
GRINCH would like to thank Noreen Spota of the Chestnut Hill Community Association, the hard working student volunteers from Teenagers Inc. and The Chestnut Hill Parking Foundation.

Earth Day Movie at Ambler Theater

2010-04-07T08:29:00.003-04:00

Earth Days: Special Sneak Preview

Earth Day is April 22nd, but we are kicking things off early with this special event co-sponsored by WHYY and Ambler Theater. Join us for this special sneak preview of Robert Stone's documentary EARTH DAYS which explores the birth of the environmental movement leading up to the first Earth Day. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion with local environmental professionals. Click here for more details about the event and our panelists.

EWaste event --Saturday April 10th!

2010-04-02T22:20:00.002-04:00

GRINCH's second Weird Waste Day is in one week! The event will take place on Saturday April 10th, 2010 from 1pm-4pm in the Valley Green Bank parking lot on West Highland Ave. in Chestnut Hill.
Residents and business people are encouraged to bring their electronic waste such as TV's, computers, cell phones and key boards that will be disposed of responsibly at a cost of 40 cents per pound. The electronics are then reused or recycled responsibly. Cash or checks will be accepted.
Any additional revenues will be used for future recycling events.
Here is a complete list of accepted items:
Desktop Computing:
PCs including desktops, mini-towers, laptops and handhelds, notebooks, tablets, hard drives.
Healthcare Equipment:
All non-biohazardous equipment: defibrillators, EKG machines, mobile carts/workstations, patient monitors.
Banking:
Currency counters, coin counters, transaction drawers, check encoders, check scanners, receipt printers, ATM machines.
Point-of-Sale:
POS systems/registers, barcode scanners, receipt printers, barcode printers, card readers, touch screen monitors.
Parts:
AC adapters, memory, motherboards, network, sound and video cards, CD/DVD drives.
Printers:
Laserjet, deskjet, thermal, dot matrix, line printers, plotters, paper trays.
Peripherals:
Keyboards, mice, power supplies, cables, speakers, external drives, etc.
Miscellaneous:
Laptop carry cases, modems, software, cables, cabinets, office furniture, cameras, KVM switches, generators.
Audio/Video Equipment:
TVs and displays, VCR/DVD players, projectors, video and audio conferencing systems, Smart/electronic white boards.
Monitors:
CRTs, LCDs, WYSE terminals, etc.
Data Center Equipment:
Mainframes, mid-range and servers, Power Conditioning/UPS systems, cabinets, relay racks.
Office Equipment:
Copiers, scanners, fax machines, typewriters.
Mobile Devices:
Cellular phones, Blackberry/PDAs, pagers.
Telecom Equipment:
Telephones, switches, PBX, voice mail and VoIP systems, voice stations, headsets.
Storage Equipment:
SAN, tape drives, hard drives, zip drives, data backup systems, disk arrays, thumb/flash drives.
Networking Equipment:
Hubs, routers, switches, bridges.

Weaver's Way in Chestnut Hill!!

2010-03-29T15:56:00.001-04:00

From GRID Magazine Blog:

Weaver’s Way can always be counted on to go above and beyond the call of duty. The 37-year-old community institution has a new location opening in Chestnut Hill this May which will feature a storm water management system…even though they don’t have to.

To put it as simply as possible, because the Chestnut Hill storefront is located on the highly protected Wissahickon Creek Watershed, the designers of the store had to meet with the Philadelphia City Planning Commission (PCPC) to see if a storm water management system was needed. The answer was no, due to the small impact the building would make on the site and surrounding area. However, over achievers and environmental super heroes that they are, Weaver’s Way decided they wanted to include stormwater management in the design of the new building anyway. By doing so they are helping to prevent stream erosion, pollution from sediments and flooding.

The Academy of Natural Sciences presents....

2010-03-29T12:05:00.001-04:00

The vast majority of agricultural, home, and native plants depend on insect pollinators. Native bees, including bumble bees, sweat bees, and leaf-cutting bees, are among the most important pollinators in our region—especially now that diseases have decimated domesticated honey bees.

Dr. Faith Kuehn, an entomologist with the Delaware Department of Agriculture, will provide tips on how to identify native bees and promote native bee conservation in your own garden. You will also make and take home a nest box for these important pollinators.

Dr. Kuehn has managed native bee surveys in Delaware’s vegetable production areas and has worked with farmers and landowners to implement pollinator conservation practices.

Saturday, April 10, 1:30–4:30 pm
$20/members; $30/non-members (admission included)
Space is limited to 25 participants. Call 215-299-1060 to register.

Philly, Clean Up Your Act!

2010-03-23T10:58:00.001-04:00

Welcome to the
2010 Philly Spring Cleanup

The City of Philadelphia is pleased to announce the 3rd Annual Philly Spring Cleanup to be held Saturday, April 10, 2010 (rain date, Saturday, April 17, 2010). This year’s Cleanup, entitled “Keep Up the Sweep Up,” will be the start of our sustained effort to eliminate and prevent litter and illegal dumping—permanently. Check out their website at www.phillycleanup.com/General/Home.asp?Section=Home.

Clean up your basement, attic and garage as well from 1pm-4pm, also on April 10th, by getting rid of all your electronic waste. Grinch is hosting it's second Weird Waste Day in Chestnut Hill, rain or shine, at the parking lot behind Valley Green Bank on W. Highland Ave. It will cost you 40 cents/pound to dispose of your electronics in a responsible fashion. Air conditioners are a flat $15. Check back here for a complete list of what can be recycled that day.

Urban Farm Plots available!

2010-03-22T17:26:00.000-04:00

Philadelphia's Office of Sustainability Farming at Manatawna

The City of Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation is issuing a Request for Information to identify farmers and farm institutions that may be interested in responding to a Request for Proposal for operating and managing small plot commercial, chemical–free farms at Manatawna Farm.

The pilot ...urban agriculture program offers farmers the opportunity to operate and manage sub-acre plots. The program aims to foster sustainable, urban agriculture businesses in Philadelphia and enhance the direct, locally grown market of produce for the citizens of Philadelphia.

For more information and to download forms, click on the link.See More

www.fairmountpark.org

Weird Waste Day

2010-03-22T12:31:00.000-04:00

GReenINChestnutHill aka GRINCH, a grassroots environmental organization in Chestnut Hill, is organizing its second Weird Waste Day. The event will take place on Saturday April 10th, 2010 from 1pm-4pm in the Valley Green Bank parking lot on West Highland Ave. in Chestnut Hill.
Residents and business people are encouraged to bring their electronic waste such as TV's, computers, cell phones and key boards that will be disposed of responsibly at a cost of 40 cents per pound. The electronics are then reused or recycled responsibly. Cash or checks will be accepted.
Any additional revenues will be used for future recycling events.

Dishing Dirt at WHYY

2010-03-16T11:30:00.004-04:00

"Dirt": The Movie

Wednesday March 24th, 2010
7:00PM (doors open 6:30 pm)
WHYY Civic Space, 150 N 6th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106

It’s under our feet and under our fingernails, but what is it? And how did it get there? Inspired by William Bryant Logan’s acclaimed book Dirt: The Ecstatic Skin of the Earth, find out how industrial farming, mining and urban development have led us toward cataclysmic droughts, starvation, floods and climate change. Dirt is a part of everything we eat, drink and breathe. Which is why we should stop treating it like, well…dirt.

www.whyy.org/memberexperience/

Sustainable Springfield's 2nd Session in it's 2010 Information Series: Consumer Choices

2010-03-15T09:38:00.000-04:00

Sustainable Springfield's 2nd Session in it's 2010 Information Series: Consumer Choices
10 Things You Can Do to Make a Difference
March 17, 2010
7:00-9:00 pm

Joseph Slapinsky will be our speaker. He will explain how simple consumer choices can make a big difference. Learn about 10 things you can do to help keep a healthy home, family, community and Earth.

Event Details
----------------------
What: Sustainable Springfields 2010 Information Series 2nd Program Consumer Choices
Who: Sustainable Springfield
When: Wed Mar 17, 2010, 7-9 pm EST
Where: Springfield Township Building
1510 Paper Mill Road Wyndmoor, PA 19038

Make Your Own BeeHive!!

2010-03-11T09:17:00.001-05:00

3/13, RAISE BEES START UP HIVE WORKSHOP. Green St & Carpenter Lane, West Mt. Airy. 2:30-6pm. $200 includes your Amish-made hive kit. Reservations required: muze@erols.com. Come with a hammer, leave with a hive.

GRINCH featured in GRID Magazine!

2010-03-10T21:46:00.002-05:00

GRID Magazine's April issue features an article about the birth of GRINCH. Check out the online version here or pick up a free issue at participating stores including The Night Kitchen Bakery.
http://www.gridphilly.com/digital-edition/

Fresh Food Visionary in Philadelphia

2010-03-10T19:38:00.002-05:00

Creating access to fresh food where there once was a "fresh food desert" in underserved neighborhoods in the city, Jeff Brown seems to have established a business model that is both sustainable and humane. It can be done!

www.philly.com/inquirer/world_us/83184742.html

From SBN

2010-03-10T10:30:00.001-05:00

Compost Matters
Sponsored by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance & Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
When: Friday, April 9th; 8:00AM - 3:00 PM
Where: International House, 3701 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19104
Fee: $30 includes lunch
RSVP: compostconference.eventbrite.com
Preregistration is required. No tickets will be sold at the door.

Compost Matters is a one-day conference that will look at the current state of composting in the Delaware Valley. With a focus on new developments in food-waste composting practices, the forum will bring together innovators, policy makers, and visionaries in the field, examining current barriers to food waste recovery, public policy issues, and successful models from the region and around the state.

Full agenda can be found at Pennsylvaniahorticulturalsociety.org

Speakers Include: Katherine Gajewski, Director of Sustainability, City of Philadelphia; Will Allen, Growing Power; Patti Olenick and Carl Hursh, PA Department of Environmental Protection; Nelson Widell, Peninsula Compost Group; Ned Foley, Two Particular Acres, and Marvin Dixon, Four Seasons Hotel; Maurice Sampson II, Niche Recycling, Inc.; Mark Highland, Organic Mechanics Potting Soil Mike Giuranna, US Environmental Protection Agency/Region III

Click on poster for larger Version

2010-03-09T12:08:00.001-05:00

Ambler Theater Presents "FRESH"

2010-03-08T07:59:00.001-05:00

If you are interested in learning about the local food movement, meeting the people who are bringing local foods to your table and seeing how you can join the growing number of people demanding good taste and healthy nutrients in their food, please join us at FRESH.

Event doors open at 6:30pm and the movie begins at 7:30pm with a discussion panel immediately following the movie.

FRESH offers a positive look at how farmers, thinkers and business people across America are re-inventing our food system to forge healthier, sustainable alternatives to agri-business. To help attendees learn more about where to obtain local food in our area, sponsors will be on hand before the movie with information about buying and using local food. Sponsors include Weaver's Way, a local food co-op; two local CSA's Hazon CSA at Kol Ami and Pennypack Farm; Lancaster Farm Fresh, a buying club that brings fresh food directly from the farmers to our area; FairFood, an organization dedicated to bringing locally grown food into the Philadelphia marketplace, PASA, the Pennsylvania Sustainable Agricultural Association that works to promote sustainability throughout PA; and Marc Brown-Gold, an award-winning local chef who will offer ideas on great ways to cook with local foods; and many other local organizations.

The movie will be followed by a panel of experts who will delve into the topics raised in the movie, answer questions, and offer insight on things that you can do to immediately make a difference. Panelists include chef Marc Brown-Gold; Ann Karlan, executive director of Fair Food; Amy Crystal from Lancaster Farm Fresh; Marilyn Anthony, PASA SE regional director; and our own Pennypack Farm farmers.

Tickets are $10.00 and can be purchased at www.amblertheater.org/pennypack or at the box office. High school students can purchase tickets half-price ($5.00) at the theater box office with student ID. The Ambler Theater is located at 108 E. Butler Ave , Ambler, PA 19002.

Event Details
----------------------
What: Movie: Fresh, Ambler Theatre, 7:30pm
Who: Wissahickon Growing Greener
Sustainable Springfield
When: Tue Mar 9, 2010, 7:30-9:30 pm EST
Where: Ambler Theatre

This is from www.transitiontown.org

2010-03-06T12:48:00.000-05:00

What is a Transition Town (or village / city / forest / island)?

Here's how it all appears to be evolving...

It all starts off when a small collection of motivated individuals within a community come together with a shared concern: how can our community respond to the challenges, and opportunities, of Peak Oil and Climate Change?

They begin by forming an initiating group and then adopt the Transition Model (explained here at length, and in bits here and here) with the intention of engaging a significant proportion of the people in their community to kick off a Transition Initiative.

A Transition Initiative is a community (lots of examples here) working together to look Peak Oil and Climate Change squarely in the eye and address this BIG question:

"for all those aspects of life that this community needs in order to sustain itself and thrive, how do we significantly increase resilience (to mitigate the effects of Peak Oil) and drastically reduce carbon emissions (to mitigate the effects of Climate Change)?"

After going through a comprehensive and creative process of:

awareness raising around peak oil, climate change and the need to undertake a community lead process to rebuild resilience and reduce carbon
connecting with existing groups in the community
building bridges to local government
connecting with other transition initiatives
forming groups to look at all the key areas of life (food, energy, transport, health, heart & soul, economics & livelihoods, etc)
kicking off projects aimed at building people's understanding of resilience and carbon issues and community engagement
eventually launching a community defined, community implemented "Energy Descent Action Plan" over a 15 to 20 year timescale

This results in a coordinated range of projects across all these areas of life that strives to rebuild the resilience we've lost as a result of cheap oil and reduce the community's carbon emissions drastically.

The community also recognises two crucial points:

that we used immense amounts of creativity, ingenuity and adaptability on the way up the energy upslope, and that there's no reason for us not to do the same on the downslope
if we collectively plan and act early enough there's every likelihood that we can create a way of living that's significantly more connected, more vibrant and more in touch with our environment than the oil-addicted treadmill that we find ourselves on today.

If you want to find out more, check out the other menu items on the left hand site of the page.

Final point

Just to weave the climate change and peak oil situations together...

Climate change makes this carbon reduction transition essential
Peak oil makes it inevitable
Transition initiatives make it feasible, viable and attractive (as far we can tell so far...)

Philly's Fab 4: Green Architecture in Philadelphia

2010-03-06T11:05:00.002-05:00

Who says that Philadelphia isn't first in anything? Green architecture is alive and well in the City of Brotherly Love, according to this Inky profile:

http://www.philly.com/philly/living/81906957.html

Green My Parents

2010-03-04T22:42:00.000-05:00

Sometimes,
kids can be the best change agents. We want to let you know about a new
initiative called Green My Parents. It enlists kids to lead their
families in measuring & reducing environmental impact at home & “challenge” their parents to share savings with kids. Food is a great place to start, of course. You can become a fan on Facebook, or learn more at their web site, http://www.greenmyparents.com/

Looking Ahead: compostable food packaging from sugar

2010-02-26T22:12:00.001-05:00

London researchers have come up with a new sugar-based polymer that they say could make food packaging and other disposable plastic items suitable for being composted at home along with the usual veggie peelings and other organic waste.

This would be huge. Right now, most "compostable" plastics have to be sent to industrial-size facilities. And they're often made from food crops such as corn, sugar beets and potatoes, creating ethical concerns in a world where many poor people go hungry and using food stocks for plastics might drive up prices.

The degradable polymer is made from sugars known as "lignocellulosic biomass," which come from fast-growing trees and grasses, or renewable biomass from agricultural or food waste, according to a press release from Imperial College London, where the team of engineering and physical sciences researchers are based.

Lead researcher Charlotte Williams says significant research is going into developing greener plastics -- not only for environmental reasons, but also because of economic and supply considerations. Around 7% of worldwide oil and gas resources are consumed in plastics manufacture, with worldwide production exceeding 150 million tons per year. Almost 99% of plastics are formed from fossil fuels, according to the press release.

For the plastic to be useful it had to be manufactured in large volumes and by produced in a low-energy, low-water process, Williams says. In contrast, the leading biorenewable plastic, polylactide, is formed in a high energy process requiring large volumes of water. In addition, when it reaches the end of its life polylactide must be degraded in a high-temperature industrial facility.

The new polymer's oxygen-rich sugars allow it to absorb water and degrade to harmless products – meaning it can be tossed on the home compost heap and used to feed the garden.

The Sierra Club writes about Philly Compost

2010-02-22T10:56:00.002-05:00

Philly Compost gets national press! The Night Kitchen Bakery, Earth Bread and Brewery and The Wine Thief are proud customers!

"Three days a week, M. Lee Meinicke, cofounder of Philly Compost, takes her truck on a circuit of Philadelphia restaurants, caterers, and markets, filling 20-gallon bins with plate scrapings, aging produce, chicken bones, food-stained napkins, and other discarded organic matter. The waste will be served up as dinner to Meinicke's stable of red wigglers and night crawlers, emerging on the other end as compost that she will sell for $15 per four-gallon bin. She turns straw into gold, and participating businesses help fight climate change: "What hooks them is the global-warming issue," she says."
Read the entire article at Sierraclub.org

GRID magazine has a new Blog!!

2010-02-18T14:35:00.002-05:00

GRID, Philadelphia's premier magazine on all things sustainable, has a new Blog! And it is as stylish and interesting as their free publication. Check it out:
The Griddle" is heating up! Check out Grid's spankin' new blog at www.gridphilly.com/griddle

SPIN Farming Method

2010-02-15T21:51:00.003-05:00

Make sure you save your appetite for the Gardening's new SPIN workshop at Mugshots. Roxanne Christensen co-author of the SPIN-Farming Method will offer tips for taking home gardening to the next level! Tuesday 2/23 in Fairmount 6:30pm-8:30pm.
http://bit.ly/9XapNm

Come hungry, and learn how you can take your home garden to the next level from the co-author of the revolutionary sub-acre SPIN-Farming method. Roxanne Christensen will show you how to achieve levels of productivity and professionalism that go far beyond current home gardening practices. You’ll see how the commercial techniques of the SPIN-Farming system can be transferred to your home garden to help you produce a steady and dependable supply of vegetables that have all the quality of farm-grown, and all the convenience of store-bought. You’ll learn the importance of creating a complete end-to-end food production system that emphasizes harvesting and distribution among family, friends or neighbors.

Join other pioneering food gardeners throughout Fairmount to see how you can use SPIN-Gardening make local food even more local by creating a continuum of healthy food production that encompasses the backyard garden, neighborhood community plot and sub-acre commercial farming. All it requires is a modest investment and a radically different approach to gardening!

Urban Ag Workshops

2010-02-08T12:39:00.000-05:00

GRINCH on Facebook

2010-02-06T12:52:00.001-05:00

Join the GRINCH (GReenINChestnutHill) Facebook Fan page for updates on events in your community!

Another WEIRD WASTE DAY!!

2010-02-06T12:37:00.002-05:00

Put Saturday April 10th on your calender for another GRINCH Weird Waste Day event! Bring your electronic waste like computers, cell phones, key boards etc. and GRINCH will dispose of it responsibly for 40 cents per pound. The money collected pays for the company that hauls it away, reuses it and recycles it responsibly.
When: Saturday April 10, 2010
Where: The West Highland Ave. parking lot next to Valley Green Bank in Chestnut Hill
Time: 1pm-4pm

Eco-Alley Flyer-click on flyer for larger version

2010-01-28T13:04:00.003-05:00

Eco Alley at this year's Garden Fest!!

2010-01-25T14:00:00.002-05:00

GRINCH is partnering with the Chestnut Hill Business Assoc. at this year's Garden Festival to create a Green block of vendors called Eco Alley!
The festival attracts 30,000 visitors.
When: Sunday May 2, 2010 (rain date May 16th)
Time: 11am-5pm
Where: Eco Alley will be the West side of Highland Ave.
Price: A 10 x 10 space is... $150.00 (tent and tables are not included)
Please call Peggy Miller at the CHBA if you are interested (215) 247-6696 or PMiller@chestnuthillpa.com

Conference on the state of composting in the Deleware Valley

2010-01-25T13:22:00.000-05:00

Compost Matters is a one-day conference taking place on February 10 that will look at the current state of composting in the Delaware Valley. With a focus on new developments in food-waste composting practices, the forum will bring together innovators, policy makers, and visionaries in the field, examining current barriers to food waste recovery, public policy issues, and successful models from the region and around the state.

Participants will learn about current opportunities for composting food waste and how to include food recovery efforts in their operations. Tours of local composting sites will be offered on Wednesday afternoon and Saturday morning, February 13. Learn more and register to attend here.

The Future of Hope Lodge is open for debate

2010-01-14T11:08:00.002-05:00

Public Meeting for Hope Lodge
There will be a public meeting to discuss the future of Hope Lodge on Wednesday January 20 at 7pm at the First Presbyterian Church, Bethlehem Pike and East Mill Road in Flourtown.
Hope Lodge was closed temporarily for public visitation last November 20 by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission due to the reduction in funding under the new state budget. The Friends of Hope Lodge plan to reopen the site on some basis in the spring, and also want to establish a sustainable operating plan for the site. We believe the key to the future of Hope Lodge will be making the entire 40-plus acre site a more valuable community resource. The Friends will present some ideas for creating a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) venture, as well as recreational and educational opportunities.

We want your input, your ideas, and your involvement. Please come to the meeting on January 20.

Event Details
------------------------------

------------
What: Public Meeting for Hope Lodge
Who: Sustainable Springfield
When: Wed Jan 20, 2010, 7-9 pm EST
Where: First Presbyterian Church
Bethlehem Pike and East Mill Road, Flourtown

Click on this link to learn more about Hope Lodge www.ushistory.org/Hope

What is GRINCH up to this year?

2010-01-13T12:59:00.003-05:00

2010 seems to be the year when "green" moves to the forefront of our social consciousness. I have received more emails about GRINCH in the last couple weeks than in all of 2009! Suddenly our group has doubled in size, still small but with growing enthusiasm and optimism. Many hands make light work and so with the addition of new members and their unique talents we are excited to begin a new year with lots to do.
GRINCH's main focus over the past year has been on recycling and that will continue this year as we attempt to transform the Jenks School playground into a student-involved recycling pilot program, adding recycling containers based on student assessments.
In the spring, GRINCH will be hosting a green corridor of the Garden Festival. We are in the process of vetting 30 potential vendors which will be situated on West Highland Ave.
Our primary goal since our inception has been to have pedestrian recycling on Germantown Ave. We are hoping that with cooperation from the CHCA and the CHBA that this will be a reality this year.
Following the success of both the Weird Waste Day in November and the Christmas tree recycling/mulching just this past week, GRINCH will be making these annual events. Our next Weird Waste Day is tentatively scheduled for April 10th to kick off Earth Day/Week/Month/Always.
So there's lots to do and if you would like to help with any or all of these efforts, we welcome you! Drop me an email at ecologic.chlocal@gmail.com to find out the location of our weekly meetings on Fridays at 10am.

Greening Your New Year

2010-01-11T21:40:00.005-05:00

While trying to decide on my first Eco-Logic article for 2010, I found it difficult to both re-cap the past year and impart lofty resolutions for this year in 1000 words or less. The Green revolution is exploding, which is so exciting and hopeful, this past year having so many "green" firsts for Chestnut Hill (See Amy's GRINCH year in review), yet simultaneously we are at the epicenter of a political, economic and environmental perfect storm. I felt that giving advice such as changing out your regular light bulbs with cfl's just didn't cut it. Although my article is about taking baby steps towards a greener lifestyle, I can't help but think that bigger measures are needed now. Perhaps it's time to bang our drum louder and with more enthusiasm. The following list is about community more than recycling or conscientious consumerism. Community is what will pull us through the coming decade, hopefully into a more environmentally aware green economy. So this is a reprint of the top 10 things to green your new year from my article in the Chestnut Hill Local....

1. Walk more. It’s free, great for your health and while you’re out you can shop and support the local economy.

2. Change from your big, national bank to a small independent bank, Valley Green Bank for example. Let’s put our money where our mouths are and get rid of some of the banks here. See this link on how to “Move Your Money” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Icqrx0OimSs&feature=player_embedded

3. Host or attend a local food potluck. “One of the best ways to learn what foods are in season and how to prepare them is to invite others to teach you.”-www.thedailygreen.com.

4. Get out in nature more. The University of Rochester in NY has found that nature actually makes us nicer. Other benefits include more rapid healing, stress reduction and improved mental performance and vitality. Join the Andorra Tree House, for one of their guided walks, or the Schuylkill Center by attending their ongoing nature classes and events.

5. Learn how to garden. Look for free classes in the Spring at Laurel Hill Gardens on planting, composting etc. Plant some herbs in a window or fruit trees in your yard.

6. Buy or fix up a bike and start riding. You can walk to Wissahickon Cyclery! Google “Philadelphia bicycle map” to help you find safe bike routes.

7. Meet a new neighbor. Increasing our connectivity to one another improves our social capital, making our community closer and stronger. If you’re a parent and new to the area check out www.germantownavenueparents.com for meet-up groups.

8. Take public transportation more. “Public transportation produces on average 95% less carbon monoxide, 90% less volatile organic compounds, and about 45% less carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide per passenger mile than if people were to travel by private auto.”-Transit Riders for Public Transportation.

9. Attend at least one CHCA meeting. Nothing changes unless we get involved to make change happen.

10. Think and re-think. How can you do what you do greener? For easy step by step help, check out www.eartheasy.com.

Very Successful Tree Recycling!

2010-01-11T11:31:00.003-05:00

These two women from Mt. Airy brought in their year old Christmas tree from their back yard, which will be replaced by this year's tree.
Thank you to all those who came out and made that extra effort to save 260 trees from a landfill.
GRINCH and MABA were able to cover the costs of the chipper with a small amount left over to go towards future recycling efforts! We all look forward to an even more successful event next year as we make this an annual event.

Urban Sustainability Forum: Building Safer Communities through Sustainable Land Use

2010-01-07T16:32:00.002-05:00

When: Thursday, January 28; Reception:6:00PM Program:6:30-8:00PM.
Where: The Academy of Natural Science 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Fee: Free
RSVP: safetyandlanduse.eventbrite.com

January's Urban Sustainability Forum will explore the intersection of safety and sustainable land use. Playgrounds, abandoned buildings, and well-maintained recreational parklands all variously impact individual and community safety across Philadelphia's neighborhoods. Even in statistically safe neighborhoods, vacant lots or homes, broken sidewalks, or poor lighting add the perception that those neighborhoods have higher crime rates, which results in disinvestment. The panelists will address the research associated with safety as it relates to land use and current efforts that are underway to green neighborhoods and enhance the quality of life.

Speakers Include:
Dr. Charles Branas, Associate Professor of Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania SOM
Nilda Ruiz, President & CEO, Asociación Puertorriqueños en Marcha
Moderator: J. Blaine Bonham, Jr., Executive Vice President, The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society

Make Your Own Cleaning Supplies

2010-01-06T15:52:00.004-05:00

Wissahickon Environmental Center

Natural Cleaning

Saturday

February 6

10:00 - 11:30am

Join us for this hands-on program where you'll make your own Eco-friendly household products. You'll learn to make a natural pest repellant, cleanser, drain cleaner and an air freshener that are easy on you, your wallet, and the environment. Your house will be sparkling clean like this one!

Please register in advance for this program.

Adults Only
$5.00

Programs provided by
Wissahickon Environmental Center

300 Northwestern Avenue

Philadelphia, PA 19118

215.685.9285

patricia.fries@phila.gov

GRINCH year in review

2010-01-05T21:15:00.001-05:00

GRINCH GreenINChestnutHill has been a group of tree hugging do-gooders for about a year now. And we are always looking for foot soldiers to help further our mission. So when Professor Fleming of Philadelphia University sent us one of his brightest grad students, we gleefully welcomed her to our weekly meetings.
She wanted to know what we were all about. We explained how we morphed from the Chestnut Hill Business Assoc. Green Committee to GRINCH, represented by business people and Chestnut Hill residents. The mission statement of GRINCH is to raise awareness of environmental issues with outreach programs and green initiatives as outlined on our Blog, GreenInChestnutHill.blogspot.com.
As we began to chronicle our achievements of the past year I realized we could generate a top 10 list. I always wanted to do a top 10 list! Starting with the most recent and looking back as 2009 comes to a close.....
#1 -Grinch, in partnership with the Mt Airy Business Association, will host a tree chipping event Sunday Jan. 11th from 10am-4pm. Bring your 2009 Christmas tree to Allen's Lane Art Center and we will turn it into mulch! No landfill!
#2 -With help from the Jenk's Home and School Assoc., Grinch organized a Weird Waste Day in November. Nearly 10,000 pounds of potentially hazardous Electronic-waste was collected for responsible recycling and reusing.
#3 -Members of Grinch toured the E-force Compliance facility to ensure that that the E-waste collection is dismantled by a responsible operation. (see Blog for report on our field trip)
#4 -Grinch organized two interactive recycling assemblies at the Jenks School for grades K-8 during America Recycles week. The kids loved it!
#5 -Grinch organized student recycling ambassadors for the Fall for the Arts Fest with sponsorship from many of Chestnut Hill's environmentally conscious businesses. Students schooled festival goers on Philadelphia's single stream recycling while collecting plastics, glass and aluminum.
#6 -Grinch organized a composting demo for businesses and residents held at Laurel Hill Gardens and hosted by PhillyCompost.com.
#7 -Kim Miller, President of the Mt Airy Business Assoc., and Grinch organized a trash and recycling seminar with panelists Maurice Sampson of Niche Recycling and City of Philadelphia Recycling Department.
#8 -Kim Miller, President of the Mt Airy Business Assoc., and Grinch organized an Intro to Sustainability seminar at Flying Fish led by Professor Rob Fleming.
#9 -Grinch organized a block of Green Vendors for the Garden Fest with signage sponsored by Valley Green Bank. Our student recycling ambassadors patrolled the fest, collecting recycling, as well.
#10 -Grinch created a blog for informative environmental info in your neighborhood and city. Become a follower!
And much more is planned for the New Year. From all of us at Grinch, happy holidays!

Tree recycling event press!

2010-01-04T16:58:00.002-05:00

Hill on the Avenue, a website dedicated to activities in and around Chestnut Hill, has written an article about the Mt Airy Business Association and GRINCH Christmas Tree Recycling event.
Read it here:
http://www.hillontheavenue.com/chip-trees-mulch-jan-10

Christmas tree recycling day!

2009-12-27T22:02:00.001-05:00

The Mt. Airy Business Association in partnership with GRINCH and the Allens Lane Art Center is sponsoring a Christmas Tree Recycling Day.

When: Sunday, January 10, 2010 from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Where: Allens Lane Art Center -- 601 Allens Lane, Philadelphia 19119

We are asking a $5.00 donation to help cover our costs.

Trees will be chipped into a pile which will then be available in the Spring as free mulch!

Why? Because it's the right thing to do. Trees are just like any other trash that gets sent to landfills and becomes pollution. By chipping the trees and re-using the mulch, you are helping to save our precious planet.

Please contact Kim Miller, executive director of the Mt. Airy Business Association at 215-242-0777 or kim@mtairybiz.com if you have any questions or if you would like to volunteer to help that day.

City of Philadelphia passes Green Building Legislation!

2009-12-14T13:52:00.001-05:00

Last week City Council voted unanimously to pass Bill No. 080025, green building legislation introduced by Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown. The bill requires large city-controlled construction projects that are primarily funded by city capital dollars to meet LEED-silver requirements. To emphasize energy efficiency, the bill requires that projects be designed and constructed to use at least 20% less energy than basic structures. The bill applies to capital projects undertaken by all departments and agencies across the city, including the airport.

This piece of legislation furthers the Next Great City recommendation that Philadelphia build energy-efficient, healthy city and school-district facilities. Next Great City testified before Council’s Committee on the Environment in support of the bill because it exemplifies the long-term vision that Philadelphia needs to make us the next great city with a sustainable future. We applaud City Council for taking this important step.

GRINCH tours Eforce Compliance

2009-12-10T10:18:00.003-05:00

Grinch tours Eforce to see where all that ewaste goes.
Eforce is located in S. Philadelphia on 3114 Grays Ferry Ave. They've been there for years, fixing up old electronic items and selling them in their retail location called Selectronics. But they've branched out and now they handle the dismantling and recycling of most electronic items, such as computers, televisions, healthcare equipment and many others that can be found on their website at www.eforcecompliance.com. Personally, I felt really good after our tour that all the ewaste we collected on our Weird Waste Day went to one of the only environmentally responsible e-waste recyclers in Philadelphia. Many of the other recyclers ship it out overseas to developing countries that do not have the environmental regulations that we have here, leading to public health hazards and toxic dumps that will be polluting their land for centuries. As Charlie said, "If they got overseas containers outside their facility, they are shipping the waste overseas." Another way to know if your waste is being handled environmentally is that if you're not paying to have it recycled, it's most probably not being recycled properly. It costs money to do it right.
Thanks to Charlie Nygard, Managing Director, for our very informative tour!

These are one of the component parts of CPU's. They are hand dismantled and sorted into large boxes and then sent to be recycled.

All this wiring will have the copper and other metals taken out of it for reuse. It takes one of Eforce's workers 7 to 10 minutes to take apart one CPU and sort the parts.

More Details about Philly RecycleBank plans

2009-12-08T23:03:00.005-05:00

You can find out more about the specifics of the new, and ultimately citywide, recycling program, and when it will be coming to your neighborhood. You can set up an account now even if your actual service won't begin for several months.

This link to the program's homepage is a good place to start. At least for the moment, RecycleBank is offering to automatically give you 100 points (I have no idea how much that's worth) when you open an account. I just went through the registration process, and as long as your address is in it's database, it seems pretty straightforward; and there were indeed 100 points in my account when I logged in. It seems smart to me to make a big publicity effort now, and to make it easy for people to get engaged early on in the process even if the direct benefits haven't yet started in your particular neighborhood. It will be wonderful if this program really works and makes a real difference in our behavior and significantly reduces the amount of trash currently going into landfills.

Recycle Bank returns to Philly!!

2009-12-07T10:57:00.002-05:00

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/home_top_stories/20091203_Phila__goes_into_recycling_overdrive.html

Sustainable Business tax credit in the works!

2009-11-30T20:05:00.000-05:00

Philadelphia City Council's Finance Committee recently approved an amendment to Bill No. 090119

introduced by Councilman Kenney to create tax incentives for certified sustainable businesses located in the City of Philadelphia

This legislation is well timed as it coincides with unprecedented investment in the green economy from the federal level, and supports the city’s goal to “Double the Number of Low- and High-Skill Green Jobs” it set for itself in Target 14 of Greenworks Philadelphia

. By creating a more supportive climate for green businesses in Philadelphia, the city is working to grow local businesses so they will be here to hire the graduates of all the new federally-funded training programs that will come online in 2010.

City Council is expected to vote on the amendment early this week. You can let them know that passing this legislation is important to you by emailing them today

GRINCH outreach at Jenks School for America Recycles Day!

2009-11-22T16:01:00.002-05:00

To highlight America Recycles Day, November 15th, GRINCH (GReenInChestnutHill) organized a Three R's assembly for students of the Jenks School in Chestnut Hill. Principal Mary Lynskey was excited about the outreach program and facilitated the assembly organization. GRINCH leaders Ann King-Musza and Jennifer Reed spoke to grades K-5 and 6-8 on Friday November 13th about the three R's of waste--Reducing, Reusing and Recycling. Ann and Jennifer showed the students videos explaining where most of our waste goes and how we can divert much of our garbage from landfills to new products. An Australian video focused on student's efforts, Down Under, to reduce their impact on global warming. They collect used cell phones to refurbish, plant veggie gardens and consume the veggies for afternoon snacks. They raise awareness about energy reduction around the school by turning off lights and computers when classrooms are not in use. After the videos, the Jenks students were eager to participate in a skit performed by Jen and Ann in which they needed to choose how to best dispose a variety of items. Jen held up items that may have been thrown away but instead diverted to boxes marked "donations", "electronics", "recycling". Students shouted out where they thought the TV and the used sweater ought to go. The participation and excitement nearly shook the building showing appreciation and an eagerness to participate in solving environmental challenges.

Photo credit- Alix Rabin

E-Waste Recycling

2009-11-17T17:46:00.004-05:00

http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/ghana804/video/video_index.html
Follow this url to see a disturbing video shown on FrontLine.

On the outskirts of Ghana's biggest city sits a smoldering wasteland, a slum carved into the banks of the Korle Lagoon, one of the most polluted bodies of water on earth. The locals call it Sodom and Gomorrah.

Correspondent Peter Klein and a group of graduate journalism students from the University of British Columbia have come here as part of a global investigation -- to track a shadowy industry.

“I'm trying to get some ownership labels,” Anane tells reporters. “I'm collecting them because you need them as evidence. You need to tell the world where these things are coming from. You have to prove it. Now, just look,” he says, pointing to an old computer with the label: “School District of Philadelphia.”

This is why we need E-Waste Recycling here, on a regular basis

Weird Waste Day

2009-11-16T23:13:00.002-05:00

GRINCH's huge WEIRD WASTE DAY success in Chestnut Hill last Saturday collected nearly 5 tons of E-Waste! People came from all over the city and suburbs including a couple from South Philly who came in their Philly Car Share car!
Proceeds will benefit The Jenks School and GRINCH.
IRN (Institutional Recycling Network) was hired to collect the electronics for responsible reuse and recycling. A big thanks to the Chestnut Hill Parking Foundation for use of the Highland Ave. parking lot!

NW Philly Community Cafe

2009-11-10T10:26:00.000-05:00

MARCHinG for Change, a Northwest Phila group that emerged from the Obama campaign, invites you to a NW Phila Community Cafe. This will be an opportunity to find out what’s going on, share information, and get involved. The Cafe will be held at the Sedgwick Theatre, 7137 Germantown Ave, on Sunday, November 15, from 2:30-5PM.

The format of the Café will be informal. First, help yourself to a cup of coffee or tea, chat with neighbors and browse through literature about what’s going on in the neighborhood. Then the program will start, consisting of repeating workshops on health care, city service and budget challenges, recycling, composting, weatherization, and public safety. A resource person will be present to present information and facilitate a discussion.

But the best thing will be rebuilding the great community and spirit of engagement that the Obama campaign brought out in so many of us. Let's renew our ties and refresh our vision at the first ever Northwest Phila Community Cafe on November 15.

For more information or to RSVP, please go to the Organizing for America Website: Community Cafe: Learn, Share, & Energize

2009-11-09T13:43:00.003-05:00

How Weird is your Waste?

2009-11-06T22:17:00.001-05:00

At 42 I am finally advanced enough in years to say "when I was a kid we didn't have cell phones or fax machines and we got on just fine!" As an adult, fully engaged in the 21st century, I cannot say that technology doesn't matter. My last business, a boxed lunch delivery service, relied on cell phones and faxed orders. My current business, The Night Kitchen, relies heavily on our website for information and pictures and email for inquiries.
I can also say with a curmudgeony voice " they don't make them like they used to!" Well there is a lot of truth to that. Replacing cell phones every year is now the norm. Upgrading technology on a regular basis is what the younger generation grew up on. My parent's 20 year black and white TV would never fly these days.
With all of this newly needed technology plus burgeoning populations comes lots of toxic waste. What do you do with that dead computer monitor, cell phone or TV? If you put it in the trash it will end up in a landfill and poison the soil or worse a trash heap in a developing country, poisoning their soil and water. Many of these electronics include heavy metals such as lead and mercury making them environmentally hazardous. How can we avoid the landfill?
Companies like Institutional Recycling Network (IRN), a local business, manage surplus for reuse. Things that we might otherwise throw away, are refurbished or reused in other products. They break the items down to reuse, right here in the good old US, creating American jobs.
Following the mantra Reduce, Reuse, Recycle is the best way to meet the challenges of waste. Trash reduction is always better than throwing something into a landfill. There is only so much space on the planet for landfills and they are living up to their name (filled).
To help combat this problem GReenINChestnutHill (GRINCH) and IRN have organized a Weird Waste Day Saturday November 14th from 1-4pm in the Valley Green Bank parking lot on W. Highland. Bring your computers, cell phones, and air conditioners. You pay 39cents per pound and IRN will recycle and reuse all of the dead technology you don't know what do with that is cluttering your basement and attic.
The proceeds will benefit GRINCH and The Jenks Home and School Association.
You declutter your home and feel good about it and your local school and environmental group benefit, too. Win-Win.

Complete list of what they will take:
Monitors- CRT, LCD, Plasma

PCs- Desktop, Laptop

Peripherals-Printers, Scanners

Accessories-Keyboards, Cables, Mice

Handhelds- Flash drives, Phones, PDAs

Equipment-TVs, Cameras, Stereos, Speakers

Flat rate charge of $15.00 for air conditioners (Freon!)

$1.40 for compact fluorescent light bulbs

$0.70 a linear foot for fluorescent lamps

Talk by Farmer Brown

2009-11-03T17:06:00.000-05:00

Weavers Way Co-op and Springside School Present Talk by Farmer Brown
Thursday, Nov. 5, 7:30 p.m

On Thursday, Nov. 5, Weavers Way Co-op and Springside School will be cosponsoring a talk on factory farms by Harold Brown, a.k.a. “Farmer Brown.” This event will take place at 7:30 p.m. at the U.S. Auditorium at Springside School, 8000 Cherokee Street, in Chestnut Hill. The event is free and open to anyone interested in this timely subject.
Brown’s website, www.FarmKind.org, is a resource for farmers who want to make the transition from animal based to plant based agriculture, for consumers to learn a different perspective on how food is produced, to help those who desire to reconnect with the land and become farmers, to support local food production, environmental and social justice issues, the rights of all living beings to be co-cohabitants of this planet, and how these things have everything to do with creating the peaceful world that all beings desire.

WEIRD WASTE DAY

2009-11-02T14:17:00.002-05:00

Weird Waste Day
Saturday, Nov. 14th 1-4pm
Celebrate America Recycles Day!!
Empty out your basement and garage of all those old
electronic items you didn’t know what to do with. For 39
cents per pound, your cpu’s, tv’s, printers, faxes, cell
phones etc, will be responsibly dismantled and disposed
of, instead of being thrown in a landfill. This event is being
organized by Green in Chestnut Hill (GRINCH) and the
Home School Assoc. Of Jenk’s Elementary School. For
more information visit

What: Responsible Electronic Waste Recycling
When: Nov 14, 2009
Where: Parking Lot beside 23 W. Highland Ave.
Chestnut Hill, PA
Time: 1 pm-4 pm
Cost: 39 cents per lb, cash or check accepted
$15 flat rate for air conditioners

WEIRD WASTE DAY

2009-11-02T12:43:00.003-05:00

Weird Waste Day
Saturday November 14th from 1-4pm
W. Highland St. Parking lot next to Valley Green Bank(next to old WAWA) in Chestnut Hill
Dispose of your electronic waste (computers, cell phones, tv's etc.) responsibly for 39 cents a pound.
More details to come in next week's Local!
This is a GreenInChestnutHill organized event.

Green In Chestnut Hill

GRinCH presents Christmas TreeCycling!!

GRinCH presents TreeCycling! Save your Christmas Tree from the nasty methane producing landfill and bring it to be chipped for mulch!

WHERE: Norwood Fontbonne on Sunset (off Gtown Ave)

WHEN: Sunday Jan. 8th

TIME: 9:30am and 12:30pm

OR Gabby's Garden on Chew Ave just off W. Mt Airy Ave 1pm-4pm

$5 donation requested. Enjoy the holidays!

Volunteer opportunity!

Incredible Art Exhibit! Check it out before it is gone on Oct. 11th!

*Building with Strawbale*

Waste Not, Want Not

Big Bellies for Chestnut Hill-the dream becomes reality

Hillers want Big Belly Trash Compactors and Recycling!

Weavers Way Electronic Recycling Event

More composting in Philly's Phuture?

Porous Pavements for Philly!!

Big Bellies means recycling for Chestnut Hill!

Poundage correction!

WOW!!! We collected 10,287 pounds of Electronic Waste that will never see a landfill!! Amazing numbers even if there was no monsoon rain storm!! Thanks to all who participated. GRinCH's next Weird Waste Day will be in November!

Another success!

Weird Waste Day April 16th sponsored by the Night Kitchen Bakery!

Accepted EWaste for Weird Waste Day

EWaste recycling event April 16th!

RECYCLING IN CHESTNUT HILL!!

TreeCycling results!

Recycle Now!

A Green Conundrum at Christmas

TreeCycling Event!!

The Mt Airy Business Assoc. and GRINCH are holding a TreeCycling event on Sunday Jan. 9th from 1-4pm at Mt Airy and Chew Ave.Residents can bring their naked Christmas tree to be mulched for $5!!No landfill for these trees! They will be chipped for ground cover.

Energy Works and YOUR home!

Another successful Weird Waste Day!

Weird Waste Day!

Put Saturday November 13th on your calender for the next Weird Waste Day. GRINCH will be collecting your electronic waste for 40 cents p/pound from 1-4pm in the Valley Green Bank parking lot on Highland Ave. And now that GRINCH is an official non-profit your expense will be a tax deduction!

Solar Schools

Energy Caps Community Forum

GRINCH makes the CHCA's Black and White Gala a 'Zero Waste' event!

GRINCH hosts an Evening of Energy Caps

Free Webinar on Going Solar in Philadelphia

Locavore Banquet & Mini-Fest!

Local Food & Local FunA TRANSITION TOWNS EVENT Celebrating Cheltenham’s growing capacity to produce and enjoy locally grown foods Commissioner Kathy Hampton is hosting this event on: Saturday, August 28th 5-8 PM Curtis Hall/Arboretum Greenwood Ave. & Church Rd. Wyncote, PA 19095 -- rain or shine

More Information: www.transitioncheltenham.org

more to recycle!!

Recycling in Philly just got easier!!

3 Reasons People Don't Go Green

From SMARTERCONTEXT.COM

http://smartercontext.com/3-reasons-why-people-dont-go-green/

SHOCKING! In case you haven’t noticed, what people say and what people do are often very different.

Here are three essential reasons people don’t go green:

How to be Truly Empowered

Keeping Current with Recycle Bank News

PA Horticultural Society needs you to make a call!

Mayor's Office of Sustainability and Local Food

A Mayor with vision wants you!

Canoe Trip!

Great nature activity for the family!

The best way to register is by emailing eisenhauer@natlands.org. For more information and to download the mandatory release form, click below.

Composting around the world (and Chestnut Hill)

Want new public green spaces?

Never Own Anything Again, Thanks to Thingloop - Planet Green

May is National Bike Month!

Cool roofs are cool!

Eco Alley rocked the Fest!

Chestnut Hill Garden Festival

Chestnut Hill's Home and Garden Festival is Sunday May 2nd from 11-5.Stop by Eco Alley, the Green branch of the festival on West Highland Ave. organized by GRINCH!! Kiddie yoga, live music from Urban Drawl and 20 Green vendors!

Home Energy Efficiency Workshop at Big Blue Marble

E Waste Success!

Earth Day Movie at Ambler Theater

EWaste event --Saturday April 10th!

Weaver's Way in Chestnut Hill!!

The Academy of Natural Sciences presents....

Philly, Clean Up Your Act!

Urban Farm Plots available!

Weird Waste Day

Dishing Dirt at WHYY

Sustainable Springfield's 2nd Session in it's 2010 Information Series: Consumer Choices

Make Your Own BeeHive!!

GRINCH featured in GRID Magazine!

Fresh Food Visionary in Philadelphia

From SBN

Building with Strawbale

The Mt Airy Business Assoc. and GRINCH are holding a TreeCycling event on Sunday Jan. 9th from 1-4pm at Mt Airy and Chew Ave.
Residents can bring their naked Christmas tree to be mulched for $5!!
No landfill for these trees! They will be chipped for ground cover.

Chestnut Hill's Home and Garden Festival is Sunday May 2nd from 11-5.
Stop by Eco Alley, the Green branch of the festival on West Highland Ave. organized by GRINCH!! Kiddie yoga, live music from Urban Drawl and 20 Green vendors!

Make sure you save your appetite for the Gardening's new SPIN workshop at Mugshots. Roxanne Christensen co-author of the SPIN-Farming Method will offer tips for taking home gardening to the next level! Tuesday 2/23 in Fairmount 6:30pm-8:30pm.
http://bit.ly/9XapNm