Environment & Outdoors
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Meet Willow, the Brewerytown Pup Named Newest Face of Philadelphia’s Fight Against Dog Waste
Philadelphia has named Willow, a one-year-old canine from Brewerytown, the winner of this year’s competition to be the new “spokesdog” to help raise awareness about the harm regarding dog waste, writes Isabella Darcy for the Delaware Currents. The competition is hosted by the Philadelphia Water Department and the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, with the…
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Celebrating World Green Roof Day: A Look at PECO’s Iconic Green Roof in Center City
Atop PECO’s headquarters in Center City lies an unexpected oasis that’s helping to shape a greener future for our region. Spanning more than 45,000 square feet, the PECO Green Roof is one of the largest of its kind on an existing building in Pennsylvania — and it’s doing more than just beautifying the skyline. It’s…
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Washington Post: Philadelphia Has An Uneven Tree Distribution
Philadelphia enjoys a decent amount of tree cover on average, but the distribution is uneven, with some neighborhoods far leafier than others, writes Niko Kommenda for The Washington Post. Overall, the city boasts 31.1 percent tree cover — an increase of 1.9 percent over the past five years — but still falls short of similar…
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Philadelphia’s Navy Yard Earns Gold Star in Sustainable Development for Walkable Streets, Energy Efficiency
Philadelphia’s Navy Yard redevelopment has won a gold star, thanks to its energy-efficient, sustainable, and walkable design, writes Sophia Schmidt for WHYY. About a quarter of the former naval shipyard received the LEED Gold for Neighborhood Development certification. According to developers, it is the largest project nationwide to receive the designation. “Philadelphia deserves to be…
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Spotted Lanternfly Season Returns, Watch for Egg Masses to Destroy
Spring has arrived, bringing spotted lanternfly season, which will once again threatens plant and fruit gardens, along with trees and farms across the state, writes Damon C. Williams for the Bucks County Courier Times. Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has issued another spotted lanternfly quarantine alert for several counties, including Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia.…
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Philadelphia Spring Temperatures Are Rising Faster Than Most of Region, New Analysis Finds
With March 20 marking the first day of spring, a new analysis has found that Philadelphia spring temperatures are rising faster than the suburban areas and much of the nation, write Andrew Freedman and Mike D’Onofrio for AXIOS Philadelphia. Climate Central, a nonprofit climate research and communications organization, produced an analysis of average spring temperatures…
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West Philly Tool Library Rents Portable Induction Cooktops So You Can Try Cutting-Edge Technology Before Buying
The West Philly Tool Library is offering households the chance to test out portable induction cooktops before committing to a purchase with two new portable rentals, writes Sophia Schmidt for WHYY. “You’re not going to go out and buy a huge [induction] stove to replace your current cooking setup, just to try it out and…
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Delaware River Crowned Pennsylvania’s River of the Year After Receiving Most Votes from Public
The Delaware River has earned Pennsylvania’s 2025 River of the Year title, securing the most votes in a public competition, according to a staff report from the River Reporter. The results were announced by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Pennsylvania Organization for Waterways and Rivers on February 13. “The Delaware River…
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Northeast Philly Plane Crash Has Had Some Major Environmental Impacts on the Neighborhood
The Jan. 31 medical jet crash in Northeast Philadelphia that killed seven and injured several others also had some major environmental impacts on the neighborhood, write Sophia Schmidt and Susan Phillips for WHYY. The crash resulted in a three-alarm fire that burned for two hours, along with several cars, and homes. The fire also briefly…
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West Grove Landfill Partners with French Energy Company to Turn Waste Into Renewable Natural Gas
The Southeastern Chester County Refuse Authority has teamed up with the French company Waga Energy to convert degraded landfill waste into renewable natural gas, writes Zoë Read for the WHYY. The aim is to reduce methane emissions while also being able to heat over 4,000 homes. The West Grove authority serves around 105,000 Chester County…
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Nearly Century-Old Church Camp Preserved Forever Along French Creek
Camp Innabah, a nearly century-old church camp in northern Chester County, has been preserved from development and will partially open to the public following a $1.6 million deal closed earlier this week, writes Frank Kummer for The Philadelphia Inquirer. The conservation agreement for the heavily wooded, 130-acre site along French Creek was agreed between the…
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Phoenxville Steps Away from Single-Use Plastic as it Moves Plastic Bag Ban into Effect
Phoenixville’s plastic bag ban went into effect on Jan. 1, following numerous townships in the area in an effort to reduce environmental impact and promote sustainability, writes Justin Heinze for Patch. This measure addresses significant environmental issues, including greenhouse gas emissions, litter, and threats to wildlife. Plastic production, predicted to surpass coal in carbon emissions…
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Philadelphia Native Kristen Bowman Kavanagh Is DRBC’s New Executive Director
After five years as deputy director, Kristen Bowman Kavanagh stepped into her new role as executive director of the Delaware River Basin Commission on December 1, writes Meg McGuire for the Delaware Currents. A Philadelphia native, Kavanagh describes the DRBC as the hub of a wheel, with Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and the…
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Penn Medicine Program Combats Philly’s Health Disparities By Planting Trees
In 2022, Penn Medicine established a new program to leverage the healing power of nature in promoting health and safety in eight West and Southwest Philadelphia communities, writes Christina Hernandez Sherwood for Penn Today. The program, called Deeply Rooted, was built on insights from the research of executive director and associate vice president for Health…
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Waste Management’s New $40M Philadelphia Plant Boosts Recycling Efficiency for City, Surrounding Region
Waste Management’s new 57,860-square-foot Philadelphia Recycling Facility will be able to handle all of the city’s and part of surrounding suburban counties’ recycling needs, writes Frank Kummer for The Philadelphia Inquirer. The modern plant relies on optical sorters that are powered by artificial intelligence. These help separate waste into appropriate categories. Both the automation addition…
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23 Acres Preserved Forever in East Coventry Township
French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust has completed a voluntary conservation agreement with Noel and Janae Billingsley, which ensures the permanent protection of their historic 23-acre farmstead in East Coventry Township. This property has been in their family for three generations. “This easement ensures that our land will be preserved for generations to come, protecting…
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Lower Makefield Voters Say Yes to Open Space Funding
On a ballot question Tuesday, Lower Makefield Township residents voted by a two-to-one margin on spending $15 million to preserve open space in the town, writes Jeff Bohen for the Lower Bucks Source. The ballot question asked voters to approve funding for “the preservation of environmental areas and open space for passive recreational purposes and…
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Record Drought Poses Significant Threat to Philadelphia Region’s Trees
The record drought in the Philadelphia region is posing a significant threat to the health of local trees already off schedule with their leaf drop, writes Justin Udo for KYW Newsradio. “The way things have been going, trees have been holding their leaves a lot longer into the season, so seeing them drop in October…
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