Grid Magazine October 2012 [#042]

Susta i n abl e Ph i l a d elp hi a

take one!

↘ inside: our special green building insert

october 2012 / issue 42 gridphilly . com

Where the Sidewalk Ends The current terminus of Lindbergh Boulevard in Eastwick

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Pumpkin Painting, workshops, & more!

Support & Lear

n about Greens

Birthday! ake" the pig's 1st Celebrate "Milksh

grow!

E I E I - YO. Visit a farm in the middle of Philly.

FREE! Join us Saturday, October 6, 2012, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Greensgrow Farms 2501 E. Cumberland St. Philadelphia, PA 19125

Join us for local food, fun activities, and contests!

• Gardening for Kids • Crafts • Organic Snacks • Farm-life Activities • Pet Adoptions

• Organic Gardening Workshops • Milkshake’s First Birthday Party • Subaru Coat Drive • Chili Cook-off Contest*

• Learn about Greensgrow’s CSA program** Sign up starts 10/1 **See the CSA table or greensgrow.org/csa for details.

Proud Partners:

*See greensgrow.org for contest rules and more information about the event.

Follow Subaru events on Twitter @subaru_usa and follow the 5th Annual Subaru Fall Festival at Greensgrow Farms, event hashtag #fallfest12

A Voice in the Wilderness did you know that eastwick is a 19-minute train ride from Market East? I didn’t until the day before this issue went to print. I was hoping to go there and walk around before I wrote these notes, but alas, the deadline schedule was too tight. Having seen some of the stunning pictures taken by Emily Wren and then looking at Google maps, I just can’t believe that an expanse of green space this size exists within city limits. I’m eager to go and see it for myself.

I’ll bet I’m not the only person in Philadelphia who was ignorant of this area, and, after reading more about it, will have their curiosity piqued enough to visit. The urge I feel to explore Eastwick makes me wonder: What’s the best use of this land? Historically, the knee-jerk reaction by some in the sustainability movement is to demonize developers, but I think that’s overly simplistic. There are some pros to Korman Residential’s plan to build apartments. The development will create short-term construction jobs, and promises some long-term jobs as well. The land’s proximity to public transportation makes it a good example of the urban planning ideal of transit-oriented development.

Yet, what’s the true value of 128 undeveloped acres in Philadelphia? It’s pretty unusual to have a tract of land that has been more or less ignored for at least 50 years. Its location next to the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge makes it even more intriguing. Is there something more creative, more imaginative that would actually be more valuable to Philadelphia than 51 additional apartment buildings? (I don’t think we have a shortage of housing stock. If we do, I’d love to have the City turn over the abandoned buildings I walk past on my daily commute to Korman or any other responsible developer.)

The plan that the Eastwick Friends & Neighbors Coalition are beginning to formulate has a lot of appeal. They’d like to make where they live a destination for hiking, canoeing, fishing and bird watching. They’d also like to see it used for educational purposes. Our city has a wonderfully unique opportunity to have a location for all these activities accessible by public transportation.

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publisher

Alex Mulcahy 215.625.9850 ext. 102 alex@gridphilly.com managing editor

Liz Pacheco liz@gridphilly.com art director

Jamie Leary jamie@gridphilly.com designer

Zachary Kutz zachary@gridphilly.com distribution

Jesse Kerns 215.625.9850 ext. 100 jesse@gridphilly.com copy editor

Andrew Bonazelli production artist

Lucas Hardison writers

Whether the development plans go through or not, one thing that must happen is for Eastwick residents to be included in the planning conversation in a meaningful way. Sixty years ago, residents there were the victims of the reckless use of eminent domain and the implementation of racist housing policies. They deserve to have a voice in determining their community’s future.

If you would like to get involved or learn more, visit eastwickfriends.wordpress.com

Shaun Brady Bernard Brown Tenaya Darlington Kristen Dowd Jaclyn Hardgrove Marisa McClellan Leah Troiano Char Vandermeer Samantha Wittchen photographers

Gene Smirnov Mike Watson Emily Wren Albert Yee illustrators

Zachary Kutz Melissa McFeeters alex j. mulcahy, Publisher alex@gridphilly.com

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Green living

Tub Scrub-A-Dub

A

s a kid, my Saturday-morning chores included cleaning the bathroom. Like most kids, I wasn’t a huge fan of any chores, but the bathroom was particularly difficult for me. Much to my parents’ displeasure, I cleaned as quickly as possible while holding my breath, dashing in and out of the room for gulps of fresh air. If I didn’t hold my breath, my nose was affected and my sense of smell was gone for a short time afterward.

Many years later, I have my own bathrooms to clean. But the cleaners haven’t changed all that much. When I started my research for a non-toxic cleaner, I wasn’t surprised to find that bathroom cleaners often contain some of

the harshest chemicals found in our household cleaning supplies. Chemicals such as chlorine bleach and ammonia (and many more) may clean well, but they can also damage our nervous and respiratory systems if inhaled. It’s no wonder many bathroom cleaners carry warning labels requiring use “in well ventilated areas,” which translates to: “Do not inhale the fumes.”

Often the toxicity doesn’t end with the cleaning job. All cleaning products leave residue behind. (If you can smell it, it’s still there.)

When you take that first hot, steamy shower, the residue mixes with the steam and becomes a vapor, which we breathe in while we lather up.

However, good hygiene is a must (especially in

Fume-free cleanser to make your bathroom sparkle by leah r. troiano the bathroom), so here’s a non-toxic alternative that will leave your bathroom clean, disinfected and smelling great. leah r. troiano, a certified cancer support educator, works with people who have cancer or would like to prevent cancer. Lowering toxicity is just one of many ways to get your body in cancer-fighting shape. For more information, visit CancerHealthandWellness.com or e-mail Leah@CancerHealthandWellness.com .

Cleaning on the Fly A down and not-so-dirty quick fix

How to

make Your own Bathroom cleaner You will need

1 ½ cup baking soda

¼ cup water

½ cup castile soap

10 drops of tea tree oil

20 drops of essential oil

white distilled vinegar

clean spray bottle

(if the castile soap does not have a fragrance)

directions

Oh no! Company is on their way, you’re running behind, and the bathroom is a mess.

Here’s a quick fix to freshen it up between cleanings.

Fill a spray bottle halfway with water and add white distilled vinegar almost to the top, leaving room for about 20 drops of your favorite essential oil. Then grab a towel.

One at a time, spray all areas you want to clean from top to bottom. Be sure to shake the bottle often. For me, it’s the mirror, sink, top ledge around the tub and the outside of the toilet. Then go back to the first fixture you sprayed and wipe it with the towel from top to bottom. The time in between spraying and wiping gives the vinegar and water a chance to loosen any gunk and begin to break it down.

This five-minute once-over is a great pick-me-up for the bathroom and leaves it sparkling clean and smelling great.

3 2

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1. In a glass bowl or recycled jar, add the baking soda, water, castile soap and tea tree oil. Then add essential oils, if needed. (For tough-toremove stains or soap scum, you can add an additional 1/2 cup of baking soda to the mixture.)

Mix well.

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2. Add the white vinegar to a clean spray bottle.

3. To use, spray the area to be cleaned with the white vinegar.

4. Apply the cleaning mixture to your scrub brush or sponge.

5. Scrub the surface you sprayed with vinegar in a circular motion. Rinse well. For grout stains, scoop the cleaning mixture onto the bristles of an old toothbrush and scrub.

With this and all new cleaners, always test an inconspicuous area before cleaning to ensure the product is safe to use.

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Green living

Ball of energy Replace dryer sheets with local handmade goods

Raising the Bar The snout-to-tail movement gets clean When Tandi Book started making soap as a hobby about eight years ago,

she was using common vegetable ingredients, like coconut and olive oils. But after meeting her husband, who worked on an organic farm that raised beef, she began experimenting with tallow, or beef oil. Animal fat in soap may seem unusual, but actually even the biggest soap brands, including Dial and Dove, use tallow, too, although not from sustainable farms. “As I got more into the local food thing,” says Book, “it just started to make more sense… You have a responsibility as an eater to try to use as much of the animal as [you] can.”

Initially, she rendered the tallow herself, but the three-day process was too labor-intensive. Now, Book uses tallow from a Lancaster County custom butcher who processes animals for small-scale farms. Only 30 to 40 percent of the oils in the tallow soap are from beef; the rest are coconut and olive oils.

This combination creates a conditioning and moisturizing bar that’s harder and lasts longer, explains Book, who also makes vegan and vegetarian soaps with vegetable oils and herbs from her garden. Her bath products and lip balm don’t use tallow, but her laundry soap is 100 percent tallow-based, and her new solid dishwashing soap uses a small amount as well.

Don’t have access to a clothes line? Try Bog Berry Dryer Balls when using your dryer.

Philadelphia’s Brooke Petry, an herbalist and former baker, makes these biodegradable dryer balls with wool from Lancaster County and an eco-friendly company in Maine. The handmade chemical-free dryer balls are designed so they won’t unravel. Adding a few to your dryer load reduces drying time, static and wrinkles. They come in a variety of colors and, as Wentworth suggests, can even double as toys for babies and pets.

Pick up a set at bogberrydryerballs.com , Petry’s Etsy etsy.com/shop/BogBerryHandicraft , jujuorganics, or at VIX Emporium (5009 Baltimore Ave.) and The Nesting House (606 Carpenter Ln.).

Tandi’s Naturals are sold in Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Farmers Market on Saturdays, Headhouse Farmers Market on Sundays, and online at tandisnaturals.com

They’re Getting There

SEPTA gets the gold from national transportation association SEPTA’s sustainability program recently received the “Gold Recognition

Level” award for its reductions in energy, waste and water use. The award, given by the American Public Transportation Association, is for public transit authorities that demonstrate the highest level of commitment to overall sustainability. SEPTA, which has the second-largest hybrid-electric fleet in the U.S, is only the fourth transit authority to receive the award. The others are: Intercity Transit (Olympia, WA), Sound Transit (Seattle, WA) and TransLink (Vancouver, BC).

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Our low-impact marathon Here’s one less excuse for not running a marathon. The Philadelphia Marathon (November 18) is one of the greenest races in the country and has an impressive sustainability plan.

Learn more at: philadelphiamarathon. com/about/green-initiatives , and then lace up!

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food

All in the Family

The many shades of winter squash

A

few years ago, at the end of the summer’s growing season, I decided to challenge myself to try a new kind of squash each week. I discovered that I loved the flavor and ease of roasted delicata.

I spent a full week cooking through a giant neck pumpstory and photos kin (they look like overgrown butternut squash). And by marisa I discovered that the more warts and bumps a pumpmcclellan kin has, the sweeter it will be. ¶ I made soups, quick breads, casseroles, stews and purées. I swapped out my family’s traditional Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole for one made with Kabocha squash and pumpkin. I created a salad that included cubes of roasted cheese pumpkin in place of croutons, and I ate dish after dish of roasted acorn squash puréed with grated ginger and a little cream. It was a delicious season and one that has continued to influence my winter kitchen. marisa mcclellan is a food writer, canning teacher and dedicated farmers market shopper who lives in Center City. Find more of her food (all cooked in her 80-square-foot kitchen) at her blog, foodinjars.com .

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Acorn Squash and Ginger Purée 3 pounds acorn squash 1/3 cup cream 1/4 cup brown sugar (optional) 1 1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F. Wash squashes to remove any dirt and cut them in half. Scrape out stringy seeds and arrange the halves, cut side up, on a rimmed cookie sheet.

Pour 1/2 cup of water in the pan to add moisture during cooking and place in the oven. Roast until squashes are fork tender, approximately 30 to 35 minutes.

When squash is tender, remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Using a soup spoon, scrape the flesh from the peel and heap into the bowl of a food processor. Add cream, brown sugar (if using), ginger, salt and pepper, and purée.

Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately.

Cheese Pumpkin, Caramelized Red Onion and Arugula Salad 2 2 8 3 1/2 2 2

pounds cheese pumpkin red onions cups baby arugula, washed and dried ounces pecorino romano cheese cup olive oil, divided Tbsp butter Tbsp balsamic vinegar Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F. Peel cheese pumpkin and discard the seedy, stringy interior. Chop flesh into small cubes. Place pumpkin on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add salt and pepper. Toss to coat and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until pumpkin is tender and the edges browned.

While the squash cooks, slice red onions into thin half-moons. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter. Add sliced onion to skillet and slowly cook for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring regularly, until the volume is greatly reduced and the onions are deep, dark brown.

Heap arugula in a large salad bowl. Top with the warm pumpkin cubes and the caramelized onions. Using a vegetable peeler, add thin bits of pecorino romano into the bowl. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and remaining olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and serve.

SEPTA

MAKES

FRUITFUL CONNECTIONS Farm-to-SEPTA

Get to that avalanche of apples by riding SEPTA to a farmers market near you. You’ll find fresh local produce, meats, and dairy on SEPTA’s special Farmers Market Map at www.septa.org/maps Kabocha Squash and Potato Casserole 2

pounds Kabocha squash, peeled and cubed 2 pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed 1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyere 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan 4 Tbsp butter 3 eggs, beaten 3-4 minced sage leaves 2 tsp kosher salt 1/2 tsp ground black pepper 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg

Heat a large pot of water.

When boiling, salt generously and cook the potatoes and squash until soft. While cooking, grate cheeses and toss to combine. Set aside a 1/2 cup to spread over the top of the casserole.

Drain the cooked squash and potatoes, reserving one cup of the cooking water.

Return potatoes and squash to pot and mash. If too dry, gradu-

ally add some of the reserved cooking water. Add butter and blended cheeses, and stir to combine.

Add minced sage, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Taste and adjust, if necessary. Stir in the beaten egg and scrape into a baking dish. Top with the remaining cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees until the top is browned and bubbling. Serve immediately. octo B E R 20 12

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Increase comfort.

Add value to your home.

Improve Your Community.

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I am very satisfied.”

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Over 1,000 homeowners are benefitting from EnergyWorks!

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food

Amram If you find yourself with a free weekend this fall, consider a day trip to Milford, N.J., home to Bobolink Dairy & Bakehouse. There you’ll meet Jonathan and Nina White, who make rustic farmstead cheese and bake loaves of incredible bread, like duck-fat ciabatta, in their wood-fired oven. Back in 2005, this farm made a splash when it was featured on Anthony Bourdain’s New Jersey episode of “No Reservations.” Since then, the Whites have purchased a new farm and moved from Vernon to Milford, where they operate a farm store, teach classes and frequent area farmers markets.

cheese of the month

Amram is a full-flavored round of grassy sweetness. It was the first cheese the Whites developed in 2003, after a trip to England turned them into cheese-nibbling fiends. David Amram, a jazz musician and the couple’s neighbor, began supplying them with milk, and the Whites fell in love with cheesemaking. Today, Amram (named after their music-playing neighbor) is one of a handful of cheeses the Whites produce, using unpasteurized milk from their own grass-fed line of “Bobolink Blacks,” a herd they have bred themselves.

On Saturday and Sunday afternoons, the Whites offer farm tours along with tastings of their breads and cheeses.

Reservations are required, as word has spread—making the Whites small-town celebrities. If you don’t make the tour, you can always pick up some cheese and a loaf of bread for a picnic along the banks of the Delaware. Add a growler of British pub ale from The Ship Inn in Milford, and you won’t believe you’re in Jersey.

–Tenaya Darlington, madamefromageblog.com

Bobolink Dairy & Bakehouse, 369 Stamets Rd., Milford, NJ, 908-8647277; cowsoutside.com

Jerky Boys

A convenience store staple gets a makeover Last Christmas, Mark Novasack was making beef jerky to give as gifts, and shared some with his friend Marcos Espinoza. Inspired, Espinoza pitched the idea to try making jerky with some familiar flavors, including Philadelphia cheesesteak (their “Original” flavor) and a Southwestern spiced with green chilies, cumin and cayenne. After testing recipes, the pair enlisted the help of brand strategist Daniel Olsovsky (Rival Bros and Pub & Kitchen) to conceptualize and develop the product.

Side Project Jerky, which Espinoza identifies as “extremely mom and pop,” sources meat from Rice’s Quality Meats at the Chestnut Hill Farmers Market, and the marinating and drying happens at a commercial kitchen in Wyndmoor. Ideally, Espinoza and Novasack want to contract with a place like Wyebrook Farm to ensure all the meat is local. “The problem is that we can get the meat—we just can’t cut the meat,” says Espinoza. “We

MADE IN PHILLY

don’t have a meat slicer; we need that butcher middle man at this point.”

Their current setup allows them to process six pounds of meat at a time, which yields three pounds of jerky. Each package is vacuum-sealed and hand-wrapped in reclaimed architectural and engineering drawings. Espinoza and Novasack are continuing to fine-tune their recipes, and for now, the jerky can only be bought online. Look for a future partnership with Art in the Age, and potential collaborations with local chefs, who would develop limited-release flavors. —Liz Pacheco Available in Original, Mongolian and Southwestern flavors, $8/2 oz. package; sideprojectjerky.com

Make your friends green.

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15

Don’t throw it all away!

The average person throws away 1600 pounds of garbage each year.

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Spotlighting innovative green design in the Delaware Valley

THE BARNES FOUNDATION

MORRIS ARBORETUM

LENFEST HALL

KARABOTS PAVILION

A City Transformed Philadelphia institutions embrace green building practices

dvgbc.o rg

n

BarberGale designing sustainable brands

610.705.3606 barbergale.com bcorporation.net/barbergale barbergale.prosite.com

BRAND DEVELOPMENT AND GRAPHIC DESIGN IMMERSED IN SUSTAINABILITY

GRAPHIC DESIGN FOR INTENTIONAL REUSE / FSC CHAIN OF CUSTODY PAPER AND PRINTING RIGHT-SIZED PRINT / HIGHEST PERCENTAGE POST CONSUMER FIBER REDUCED INK COVERAGE / ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT MESSAGING

was produced by Grid and published by Red Flag Media 1032 Arch St., Third Floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 Publisher Alex Mulcahy alex@gridphilly.com Managing Editor Liz Pacheco liz@gridphilly.com Art Director Jamie Leary jamie@gridphilly.com Designer Zachary Kutz zachary@gridphilly.com Writers Shaun Brady Kristen Dowd Samantha Wittchen

SoAK ITUP! Revitalizing urban neighborhoods through green stormwater infrastructure infill.cdesignc.org @InfillPhilly

HOW GREEN IS OUR REGION? MAYOR MICHAEL NUTTER has pledged to make Philadelphia the greenest city in America. His administration, led by the Office of Sustainability, is on its way to meeting this goal through its Greenworks Philadelphia plan. In the meantime, our entire region will have an opportunity to proudly display our sustainability work when DVGBC and the U.S. Green Building Council host Greenbuild 2013 next November. This annual conference will bring 30,000 green building advocates to Philadelphia who will be eager to see why our region is a leader in the field.

At DVGBC, we’re using the conference as a deadline for our 2013 Challenge Pledge. We’re asking regional businesses, educational institutions, government agencies and nonprofits to make a written pledge to sustainability. So far, we have more than 75 high-impact pledges across sectors—from the City of Philadelphia to the Philadelphia Zoo—and plan to get many more in the coming months. For some examples, see page 4.

We’ll also be using the conference to highlight our policy accomplishments and the role green building partnerships have played in our region. We’ll talk about how Philadelphia is the sixth city in the nation to pass energy benchmarking and disclosure legislation. This legislation requires commercial buildings of a certain size to track, measure and report energy and water use. DVGBC played an important role in this accomplishment and we’ll continue working with the City, Energy Efficient Buildings (EEB) Hub and others to help building owners implement this new law.

Greenbuild will give us a chance to demonstrate our work on green schools as well.

We’re using the U.S. Department of Education’s Green Ribbon Schools program to advocate for a holistic, three-pillared approach to creating green schools: achieving net-zero environmental impact; improving the health and performance of students and staff; and ensuring the

environmental and sustainability literacy of all graduates. This work includes training facility managers and students how to measure their buildings’ energy use by partnering with the Environmental Protection Agency and their Energy Star program, and developing a student-led conservation team pilot program with the School District of Philadelphia.

And, of course, we won’t just be talking about this work, we’ll also be showing it off with tours of the amazing building projects in our region so attendees have a chance to see this work firsthand.

We hope you’ll join us on the road to Greenbuild 2013. The journey begins this fall at our Annual Green Building Celebration, happening September 27 at the new (and soon-to-be LEED Platinum) Barnes Foundation. See you there!

Janet Milkman executive director delaware valley green building council

DELAWARE VALLEY GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL 2012 | GREENPRINT | 3

2013 CHALLENGE DVGBC PLEdge

WITH GREENBUILD 2013 approaching, the DVGBC has challenged its green building community and beyond to publicly declare their commitment to sustainability.

Some pledges are for initiatives already in place, others are new goals; all have a deadline of November 2013. Below are some examples of the more than 75 pledges already received.

To make your pledge, visit dvgbc.org/2013challenge

CERTAINTEED &

SAINT-GOBAIN WILL AVOID CONSUMING 10,000 GALLONS OF GAS BY REDUCING EMPLOYEE COMMUTING

PENNSYLVANIA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY WILL PLANT MORE THAN

2 5 0, 0 0 0 TREES ACROSS THE REGION

LAFAYETTE COLLEGE WILL IMPLEMENT A CLIMATE ACTION PLAN TO REDUCE ITS CARBON FOOTPRINT BY 20%

ADVANCED

ENVIRO SYSTEMS WILL HELP DIVERT 1,000 TONS OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE FROM LANDFILLS AND INCINERATORS TO COMPOSTING & RECYCLING ALTERNATIVES

1K

PHILADELPHIA

GREENSAW

DESIGN & BUILD

UNIVERSITY WILL GRADUATE MORE THAN

150 STUDENTS FROM ITS SUSTAINABLE DESIGN PROGRAM

CPM HOUSING

GROUP 295

WILL USE RECLAIMED OR SALVAGED MATERIALS IN

100

OF THEIR BUILDING PROJECTS

HABITAT FOR

HUMANITY WILL BUILD TO LEED SILVER STANDARDS ON ALL NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

URBAN

ECOFORMS WILL INSTALL 250,000 SQUARE FEET OF RETROFIT GREEN ROOFS

IN POSSE 2 WILL COMPLETE TWO NET-ZERO K–12 SCHOOLS

WILL DELIVER 296 UNITS OF GREEN, AFFORDABLE HOUSING

296 4 | GREENPRINT | DELAWARE VALLEY GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL 2012

ILLUSTRATION BY ZACHARY KUTZ

THE BEAUTY OF BEING IN BALANCE.

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DELAWARE VALLEY GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL 2012 | GREENPRINT | 5

hile the Barnes Foundation is best known for its and a senior associate with New York firm Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects. “The $150-million building on the Ben Franklin Parkway— ipê wood floor is there partially to warm the space up and its founding mission extended beyond the man-made make it feel more intimate, but it’s also an extremely hard wonders hanging on the walls to the natural beauty wood that’s very good for the kinds of activities that happen outside of them. The recent relocation has left most of the Barnes’ there. During the day there’s lots of groups passing into the horticultural program behind at its previous home in Merion, but collections gallery, and during the evening it hosts events, the new digs were designed and built using sustainable practices and the floor is developing a really nice patina as more fully in line with that original green vision. people walk on it and drop glasses on it.”

The design specified no- or “When we acquired this parcel of land, a porherringbone-patterned ipê wood floor reclaimed low-VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) products, tion of which was in Fairmount Park, we had a from the Coney Island boardwalks.

Forest Stewardship Council certified woods and “We very strongly believe in an aesthetic of recycled products. Ninety-eight percent of ponew mayor [Mayor Michael Nutter] who was promoting sustainable issues in both design and good design, not just an aesthetic of sustainable tentially reusable materials were reclaimed from construction,” says William McDowell, senior design,” says Philip Ryan, Barnes’ project manager the Youth Study Center, the juvenile detention building project director. “So, we did it to satisfy our obligations under our lease with the city, but it took on a life of its own... And we…think it resulted in a better building.”

In late August, the Barnes was awaiting confirmation of LEED Platinum certification—the highest rating granted by the U.S. Green Building Council. If granted, the museum would become the third museum in the country to achieve the rating. It was actually at the urging of the Delaware Valley Green Building Council (DVGBC) that the Barnes even sought LEED certification, explains McDowell.

“Early on, we felt that we were going to go ahead and do all these things anyway, but were debating whether or not it was worth it to formalize the process,” says McDowell. “The DVGBC convinced us that it was important for our project to be tracked officially both by them and by the national organization so that it becomes something that Philadelphia can promote itself with.”

Highlights of the Barnes’ sustainable design include a green roof on the L-shaped Pavilion building; a 40,000-gallon cistern that collects rainwater from that roof for landscape irrigation; 12,000 square feet of photovoltaic panels on the roof of the Light Canopy that provide eight percent of the building’s electricity; and a

W

priceless art collection—which now resides in a new

DELAWARE VALLEY GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL 2012 | GREENPRINT | 7

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center formerly on the Barnes site (asbestos and other toxins rendered certain elements of the 1950s-era building unusable).

Ryan credits the Barnes with “trying to weave the architectural process into their teaching about the collection in the building. We all look at these impressionist and post-impressionist paintings as very traditional, but the standards of current contemporary art at the time were incredibly avant-garde. Barnes was a very forward-looking individual and contemporary thinker in many ways.” The instructors and docents worked closely with the architecture team to see how sustainable design and architecture could — Philip Ryan, Barnes’ project manager be communicated to visitors. “I think that and senior associate with New York firm the Barnes is interested in setting an exTod Williams Billie Tsien Architects ample and weaving that into the narrative of education, says Ryan.”

The architects also worked closely with OLIN, Li described how the Barnes’ design also folthe project’s landscape architecture and urban lows the firm’s broader philosophy. “OLIN has design firm, which has offices in Philadelphia and been applying sustainable design principles since Los Angeles. The Barnes’ garden and terrace were the start of our practice. Our office’s tradition is planted with native and adapted plants to minito be sensitive to the environmental impact of what we do. We view sustainability as not only mize maintenance and water needs. The Barnes referring to the environment, but also to cultural, grounds in Merion were the primary inspiration, says Yue Li, an associate on OLIN’s project team. social and economic sustainability.”

Li cites the reaction of Henri Matisse, who creIn McDowell’s view, the use of sustainable ated the iconic mural “The Dance” for the Barnes design characterizes the Barnes’ aspiration to in Merion, when he first laid eyes on the original become one of the city’s major cultural instibuilding. Looking through its French windows, tutions. “The Barnes sees itself as a long-term Matisse said, “one sees only the lawn, only green institution on the Parkway,” he explains. “It will and flowers and bushes perhaps; one does not be a contributor to the arts community and an see the sky.” organization that wants to promote good and “We tried to recreate this scene of green lookresponsible design. We hope that we serve as ing out the main gallery windows,” says Li. “We a model and an encouragement for this effort to planted a lot of ground cover and densely planted continue.” shrubs that buffer the gallery from the urban traffic on the Parkway.”

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8 | GREENPRINT | DELAWARE VALLEY GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL 2012

We all look at these impressionist and post-impressionist paintings as very traditional, but the standards of current contemporary art at the time were incredibly avant-garde.”

THE GREEN

ROOM LOCAL HOTELS RISE TO THE CHALLENGE OF GREENBUILD

By Samantha Wittchen

WHEN Greenbuild, the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) annual conference and expo, comes to Philadelphia in 2013, it will attract more than 30,000 sustainably-minded folks to the region, all of whom will need a place to stay. But for Greenbuild attendees, a clean room and comfy bed won’t be enough—they’ll expect the hotels they patronize to uphold the same environmental standards they’ll be discussing at the conference.

One local hospitality group working to meet these standards is Hersha Hospitality. “There’s so much you can get done just by making simple operational changes,” says Bennett Thomas, vice president of finance and sustainability. Hersha has developed EarthView, a program that provides a standardized approach to sustainability that is executable across their portfolio of hotel brands—in Philadelphia they work with the Rittenhouse Hotel as well as Hyatt, Marriott, Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn hotels.

EarthView will prepare Hersha for Greenbuild, but more importantly, also makes good sense for their business. In addition to reducing carbon emissions, water use and waste production (all Greenbuild goals), EarthView could have significant financial benefits. “We have forecast to save $8 to $10 million from the baseline year from Phase I of the program,” says Thomas. Phase I includes offering recycling in all guest rooms, retrofitting incandescent bulbs to CFLs or LEDs and tracking energy usage through EPA’s Portfolio Manager program.

For other hoteliers, USGBC has developed a system to ensure that the conference’s discerning clientele finds their accommodations up to snuff.

“Because green building sits at the forefront of the environmental and economic opportunities before us,” says Kate Hurst, USGBC’s Greenbuild and events director, “it’s essential that we in the Greenbuild community take the lead in greening the field of conferences and events.”

And take the lead they have. USGBC has developed a Green Venue Selection Guide that includes a comprehensive environmental questionnaire for hotel and conference center operators to

evaluate their energy use and performance, water efficiency, purchasing practices, waste management, occupant health and comfort, and transportation. The questions touch on aspects of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standard that pertain to the hospitality industry, although USGBC doesn’t require a hotel to be LEED-certified in order to work with them.

Once the environmental practices of the hotel are established through the questionnaire, the USGBC develops a contract with the venue. Only contracted hotels will be listed as places to stay for Greenbuild. An audit process during the conference verifies that hotels are adhering to contract requirements. After every Greenbuild conference, USGBC puts together a comprehensive sustainability report on how well each hotel performed in achieving their greening goals.

USGBC hopes Greenbuild’s requirements will have a lasting affect, especially on Philadelphia’s older buildings. For the first time in Greenbuild history, the Host Committee—lead in Philadelphia

by DVGBC—will work with area hotel management to help them understand what steps would be required for their buildings to become LEEDcertified. Currently the only LEED-certified hotel in Philadelphia is the Hotel Palomar at 17th and Sansom Streets.

And, as sustainably-minded hospitality groups like Hersha become more prevalent, USGBC’s job is only getting easier, says Hurst. “The hospitality industry is changing and sustainability has been top of mind for a while now.” That’s good news for Greenbuild and Philadelphia.

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DELAWARE VALLEY GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL 2012 | GREENPRINT | 9

CULTURAL SHIFT PHILADELPHIA’S MAJOR INSTITUTIONS EMBRACE GREEN BUILDING PRACTICES

By Kristen Dowd

WALLS MADE FROM PLASTIC BOTTLES. Rainwater recycled to flush toilets. Electricity generated from the sun. Green building is on the rise across the nation, and institutions in the Philadelphia region are prime examples. While only some have official Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, all have a common mission: to reduce their carbon footprint and educate visitors about the benefits of sustainable design. Below are SIX institutions in and around the Philadelphia region leading this movement.

10 | GREENPRINT | DELAWARE VALLEY GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL 2012

MORRIS ARBORETUM THE MORRIS ARBORETUM Horticulture Center opened in 2010 as the hub for horticulture, public programming and facility staff. The 20,849-square-foot building in Chestnut Hill is LEED Platinum certified and received the 2012 American Architecture Award for top new projects in the country.

Designed to the highest green building standards, the Horticulture Center provides the space to manage the 167-acre property, while maintaining the Arboretum’s commitment to environmental stewardship and educating visitors about the importance of natural resource protection. The Center boasts geothermal wells, a green roof, solar energy, water cisterns and more.

Forty percent of the building materials were regionally sourced, recycled or salvaged, and the architecture takes full advantage of natural light.

As part of the University of Pennsylvania, the Horticulture Center is adding to an already robust portfolio of LEED buildings, which include the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine, Franklin Field Pavilion Sports Complex, the Music Building and, most recently, the Law School building on Sansom Street.

315 CHESTNUT ST.

PROGRESS: • Completed Fall 2008 LEARN MORE: • chemicalheritage.org

FEATURES: • Energy monitoring • Motion sensitive lighting • “Recycled Restroom”

PHILADELPHIA ZOO IN SPRING 2013, the Philadelphia Zoo will introduce its biggest green building achievement to date: the Hamilton Family Children’s Zoo & Faris Family Education Center. Slated for LEED certification, the building will have green roof cisterns to recycle water, geothermal heating, energy efficient strategies and a stormwater management plan, among other features.

The center will be joining an already impressive list of green building achievements at the Zoo—including geothermal wells at the McNeil Avian Center and Zoo Shop, and the Wetland at the Zoo, a manmade habitat around historic Bird Lake that received the 2012 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence. Along with green building, the Zoo has also worked to reduce its water consumption by half, and continues to implement sustainabilityminded policies in energy use, waste management, horticultural care and purchasing.

100 E. NORTHWESTERN AVE.

PROGRESS: • Completed Fall 2010 LEARN MORE: • morrisarboretum.org

FEATURES: • Geothermal wells • Green roof • Water cisterns • LEED Platinum certified

CHEMICAL HERITAGE FOUNDATION FOUNDED IN 1982 as a partnership of the University of Pennsylvania, the American Chemical Society and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the Chemical Heritage Foundation’s (CHF) mission is to foster an understanding of chemistry’s impact on society. But the $17 million green makeover at its Chestnut Street museum and conference center suggests that sustainability is also high on the CHF agenda.

The CHF building renovations, unveiled in October 2008, include the recycling of all demolition materials (a significant undertaking, largely because the building’s layers date back to at least 1912), energy monitoring, motion sensitive lighting and a “recycled restroom” on the second floor, featuring double-flush toilets, plastic bottle walls and soda can floors.

The organization includes sustainability in day-to-day work life, too, using exclusively recycled office paper and bathroom materials, and earth-friendly cleaning products. In 2002, energy control systems instituted at CHF reduced electricity usage by 65 percent. The largest green program at CHF is the Conference Center, which hosts 6,000 guests annually, but doesn’t use one-use paper products and plastic bottles. Instead, china, silverware and pitchers of water with glassware are used.

3400 W. GIRARD AVE.

PROGRESS: • Opening Spring 2013 LEARN MORE: • philadelphiazoo.org

FEATURES: • Green roof cisterns • Geothermal heating • Stormwater management plan • Slated for LEED certification

DELAWARE VALLEY GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL 2012 | GREENPRINT | 11

CURTIS INSTITUTE OF MUSIC CURTIS INSTITUTE OF MUSIC is one of the world’s leading conservatories. Founded in 1924, Curtis educates and trains musicians for careers as performing artists. Last fall, the Institute extended its Locust Street campus by opening the $65 million, LEED Gold certified Lenfest Hall.

“It seemed as natural to utilize LEED concepts in the building design as it did to consider the sophisticated acoustical elements,” said Elizabeth Warshawer, executive vice president. The state-of-the-art music education and student residence building uses an energy recovery ventilation unit to recover heat and moisture from exhausted air. The building’s overall water use was reduced by 40 percent thanks to a green roof stormwater retention system and low-flow water fixtures and showers.

“Curtis has a proud history, respects its heritage and maintains its traditions and historic buildings,” says Warshawer. “But Curtis also looks forward, respects the environment and wants to set the right example for our gifted young musicians and our entire school community.”

1 LINCOLN FINANCIAL FIELD WAY

PROGRESS: • To be completed in December 2012 LEARN MORE: • lincolnfinancialfield.com

FEATURES: • 14 micro wind turbines • 11,000 solar panels • 100 percent renewable energy for game days

1616 LOCUST ST.

PROGRESS: • Completed Fall 2011 LEARN MORE: • curtis.edu

LINCOLN FINANCIAL FIELD NINE YEARS AFTER launching their Go Green! campaign at Lincoln Financial Field, the Philadelphia Eagles are reaching another sustainability milestone: local clean energy. Through a partnership with New Jersey energy company NRG, 14 micro wind turbines and 11,000 solar panels will provide 100 percent of the energy needed for game days. Solar panels will be installed along 11th Street, the stadium’s south-facing façade and in the parking lot. The wind turbines will sit on the top of the stadium’s north and south sides. Aimed for completion in December 2012, the changes will make Lincoln Financial Field one of the greenest major sports facilities in the world.

These stadium renovations make sense for a team that’s been using environmentally friendly practices for nearly a decade. The Philadelphia Eagles headquarters and team facilities at the Novacare Complex are already outfitted with solar panels and green building elements.

Composting and recycling are also key at Lincoln Financial Field, where there is a 97 percent diversion of game day waste—meaning only three percent of those hot dog wrappers, soda cups and leftover French fries go to a landfill. Even the cooking grease gets new life at a biodiesel conversion facility.

“This is a chance to do the right thing,” says Rob Zeiger, senior vice president of communications. “It’s also a chance to show our fans how easy it is to make their lives greener than they were before.”

FRANKLIN INSTITUTE AFTER MORE THAN TWO DECADES without major renovations, the Franklin Institute officially broke ground in April on a new facility: the 53,000-square-foot Nicholas and Athena Karabots Pavilion. Slated for LEED Silver certification, the building features sustainable elements including a rain garden, recycled and local materials, water efficient landscaping and Forest Stewardship Council certified wood. This state-of-the-art addition will house the permanent exhibit, “Your Brain,” as well as an expanded education center, modern conference center and climate-controlled traveling exhibition gallery.

Construction is expected to be completed in 2013.

While this is the first LEED building for The Franklin Institute, the museum is no stranger to sustainability. As a gold member of the Greater Philadelphia Green Business Program, the Institute has adopted green business practices internally to reduce the museum’s overall impact on the environment. This includes green printing practices, eliminating bottled water and offering a car pool message board for employees who drive. Education is an important part of the museum’s sustainability practices as well, and their website provides resources and book recommendations for the public on leading a more sustainable lifestyle.

12 | GREENPRINT | DELAWARE VALLEY GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL 2012

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PROGRESS: • Opening 2013 LEARN MORE: • fi.edu

FEATURES: • Rain garden • Recycled and local materials • Water efficient landscaping • Slated for LEED Silver certification

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DELAWARE VALLEY GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL 2012 | GREENPRINT | 13

GLOSSARY A SHORT GUIDE TO THE BASICS OF GREEN BUILDING Building Envelope The boundary separating a building’s interior environment from its exterior. The envelope usually includes the roof, doors, windows, foundation and walls.

Carbon Footprint A calculation of total greenhouse gases produced from commercial, industrial and individual activities.

Coalition for an Energy Efficient Philadelphia (CEEP) A broad coalition of businesses, institutions, citizens and organizations working to achieve a higher degree of energy efficiency in all Philadelphia buildings to stimulate economic growth, create jobs, save money for residents and businesses, and increase sustainability in all neighborhoods.

Daylighting Designing a building with windows or other openings that take advantage of natural light.

Energy audit An inspection performed by a certified auditor to determine a home or building’s level of energy efficiency. The process involves detailed data collection and an engineering analysis, resulting in a written report with recommendations and a cost/ savings analysis.

Energy Efficient Buildings (EEB) Hub Established in February 2001 by the U.S. Department of Energy to advance energy science and engineering from research to commercial use. Located at the Navy Yard, the EEB Hub is tasked with improving energy efficiency in buildings and promoting regional economic growth and job creation. Its goal is to reduce energy use in Philadelphia’s commercial buildings 20 percent by 2020.

Energy Star An international standard for household appliances and buildings that perform at specified levels of energy efficiency. The certification was established in 1992 by the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy Greenbuild International Conference and Expo The world’s largest annual conference dedicated to green building.

Hosted by the U.S. Green Building Council, the conference features speakers, networking opportunities, industry showcases, LEED workshops and tours of the host city’s green buildings. Greenbuild 2013 will be in Philadelphia.

Green roof A rooftop covered with a vegetation growing system. This system is usually planted over a waterproofing membrane, drainage plane and water retention medium. Green roofs help control stormwater runoff, minimize urban water pollution and reduce surface temperatures, among other benefits.

Green wall/living wall Self-sufficient vertical gardens attached to the exterior or interior of a building. Rooted in a structural support attached to the actual wall, these systems can be used for air or water filtration.

Greywater system Wastewater from bathtubs, showers, sinks, washing machines and dishwashers that can be recycled for activities such as irrigation, toilets and exterior washing. These systems can be incorporated into plumbing, helping to seamlessly conserve water and save money.

Home Energy Rating System (HERS) A scoring system that provides a standardized evaluation of a home’s energy efficiency.

Established by the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET), HERS can be used on existing or new homes, and is based on an index of 100. Each one-point decrease in the HERS Index corresponds to a one percent reduction in energy consumption; a net zero energy home scores zero.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) A system for rating buildings designed, constructed and operated with sustainability as a top priority.

The comprehensive system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council in 1998, is based on prerequisites and points that take into consideration community resources and public transit, site characteristics, water and energy efficiency, materials, indoor environmental quality and innovation, among others. There are four levels of certification: certified, silver, gold and platinum (the highest).

LEED Accredited Professional (AP) An individual with advanced knowledge in

green building practices. The AP credential is achieved through a two-part exam; the second part allows individuals to specialize in a specific LEED Rating System: building design and construction, home, interior design and construction, neighborhood development, or operations and maintenance.

LEED Green Associate (GA) An individual who has demonstrated non-technical knowledge of green design, construction and operations.

Living Building Challenge A program launched and operated by the Cascadia Region Green Building Council that’s intended to go beyond LEED standards.

This certification program is for buildings, neighborhoods, renovations or nonconditioned spaces that meet advanced measurements of sustainability in seven performance areas: site, water, energy, health, materials, equity and beauty.

Low-Flow Fixture Plumbing fixtures that combine efficiency and high performance to save water without affecting performance.

Low-flow toilets, faucets and shower heads are available; many carry the Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense label.

Net Metering A policy that credits consumers who have installed a renewable energy source, such as wind turbines or solar panels, and produce excess energy.

Net-zero/carbon neutral Achieving netzero carbon emissions by balancing carbon released with an equal amount of sequestered, avoided or offset carbon.

Passive House Buildings that have extremely low energy needs. Passive houses consume less than a quarter of the energy required for a standard building.

U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) A nonprofit founded in 1993 that’s dedicated to sustainable building, design and construction. USGBC developed the LEED rating system in 1998.

Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Organic chemicals emitted as gas from certain solids or liquids. VOCs can have a harmful effect on air quality, and are widely found in paints, carpets and adhesives.

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) An international nonprofit that supports responsible management of the world’s forests. FSC sets standards for environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable forestry practices. As part of these standards, FSC certifies landowners and companies selling timber or forest products to ensure the forestry is consistent with their mission.

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from Terrence Johnson’s front steps is surprisingly beautiful. Across the street, towering trees, overgrown bushes and weeds create a vibrant, wild display. The area is one of few in Philadelphia practically untouched by development in the last few decades. ¶ Johnson’s home has been in his family since the 1930s. It sits on a spacious lot just north of 86th Street, only a few blocks from the Regional Rail’s Eastwick stop. Separated from Center City by the Schuylkill River, Eastwick is the southwestern-most neighborhood in Philadelphia located just south of Interstate-95 and the Philadelphia International Airport. Despite being near these major transportation hubs, the neighborhood has a decidedly rural feel. There are only a few other homes on the block, each with their own yard. And just a few streets over is the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge, the largest remaining freshwater tidal wetland in the state.

So, last April, Johnson was surprised to see surveyors in his neighborhood. The 128-acre area had been slated for redevelopment in the 1960s, yet had remained relatively untouched since.

But, as he soon learned, Korman Residential has maintained their 1961 development rights to the land, and has planned a new $102 million-project for the neighborhood: a 51-building complex with 722 rental apartments. The apartments would occupy 35 acres, while the remaining 93 would be returned to the City for the airport expansion.

While Korman representatives insist residents were notified prior to the surveying, many, like Johnson, say they weren’t made aware of the development plans. In the months following the surveyors’ visit, members of the Eastwick community have risen to action. With support from the Friends of Heinz Refuge, they’ve formed the Eastwick Friends & Neighbors Coalition, organizing meetings and creating a new vision for their neighborhood. They are advocating for the 128 acres to be preserved and added to the Refuge to help transform Eastwick into a green education community.

To the City, the land holds great economic, not educational, opportunity. More residents means an expanded tax base, and Korman estimates that the project would create 590 jobs, although 373 are in construction. But paving

Terrence Johnson sits on the front steps of his home in Eastwick.

over green space, especially one adjacent to the Refuge, could have serious environmental repercussions.

“This is not a ‘not in my backyard’ objection to the development,” says Amy Laura Cahn, an attorney with the Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia, which represents the Coalition.

“It’s ‘we want to plan the future of our community, and we want do it in a way that reflects the needs of our community and the needs of the environment and the reality of both.’”

The Meadows before the 1950s, Eastwick was a sparsely populated, semirural, working class community.

There were open fields, small farms and the occasional housing development; residents, many of which were immigrants, often referred to the area as “the Meadows.” “It was a wonderful community to grow up in,” recalls Johnson, whose family had moved there from Georgia. “You could walk down the street [and] smell fried chicken, Italian foods, kosher pickles. As a kid o cto b e r 20 12

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The southwestern-most neighborhood in Philadelphia, Eastwick is separated from downtown by the Schuylkill River, and located just south of I-95 and the Philadelphia International Airport.

35 acres Proposed development by Korman Residential

93 acres Remaining land to be returned to the City for potential airport expansion

john heinz n at i o n a l w i l d l i f e refuge

it was mind-blowing.” For the 1950s, it was an unusually racially integrated community as well.

The neighborhood, which is naturally marshy and prone to flooding, is also on the edge of the city—a location that resulted in fewer city-provided amenities, such as sewers. “[In the 1950s] we still had outhouses in our backyard. We had cesspools,” explains coalition member Pastor Darien Thomas, who was born and still lives in Eastwick.

In 1953, the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority announced a $78 million project to make Eastwick the largest urban renewal area in the country. The goals of the redevelopment were to expand the neighborhood’s population, provide jobs and—even though in reality it already existed—create a racially integrated community.

There would be industrial and commercial areas, and community and recreational facilities; essentially a “city within a city.” By 1961, Korman Residential had received development rights from the City and began implementing the plan.

There was one catch: people already lived where they wanted to develop. The City seized more than 2,000 acres under eminent domain and displaced some 10,000 residents.

“One day you’d see your friend’s family, the next day they’d be gone,” says Johnson. “It created ... a lot of tension in the neighborhood.”

Neighbors weren’t consulted on the plans and many attempted to stop the development, but were unsuccessful. After homes were built, the developers and the City relied on illegal systems to reach racial housing quotas. For example, white buyers were commonly given immediate move-in dates, while black buyers were told they had to wait a year for housing. Today, the population is predominately black.

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philadelphia interntional a i r p o rt

Acres of Possibility In the 1970s, part of Eastwick’s southern end, initially intended for industry and residences, was proposed as a site for I-95. Construction of homes continued, but by the early 1980s it had dropped off significantly. Land, like the 128 acres adjacent to Johnson’s home, which once had homes and businesses, was cleared, but never developed. Today, there is still evidence of the developers’ intentions. A few side roads off 86th Street are named and paved. There are electrical boxes and fire hydrants, yet the roads lead to culde-sacs of weeds and dumped tires.

In 2005, the City attempted to reclaim those 128 acres from Korman. A lawsuit followed and Korman successfully defended their development rights, which will expire in 2015. With this date approaching, Korman is eager to bring a new redevelopment project to the neighborhood. However, the land is currently zoned for single-family homes, not apartments. Korman is working with the district’s councilman, Kenyatta Johnson, to apply to City Council for rezoning. The bill was initially proposed on June 12, and included a second bill transferring the development rights of the 93 acres to the City for an airport expansion project. After an extensive hearing where more than 20 individuals spoke out against the project, the bill was denied. A rehearing is expected to happen in early October.

Many residents find the situation reminiscent of the earlier redevelopment initiative. “All of the displacement, [the] breaking up of a very vibrant and viable community, and the stress that it put on the people living there, it would happen again,” says Carol Simmons, an Eastwick resident and member of the Coalition.

For Cahn, the proposal raises the question of

why decades-old urban renewal principles are dictating development in 2012. “If the intent of the area is going to change [from single-family homes to apartments], then it should [not] happen with the 1957 planning principles that were used to develop the original plan. The proposed plan does not reflect current planning principles or public policy regarding, for example, early community engagement, sustainable development [and] stormwater management,” says Cahn. “Let’s talk about how we engage in planning in other neighborhoods. How does development happen elsewhere? Does a 50-year-old purchase agreement obviate the need to abide by our current planning principles or policy mandates?”

For Korman, the decision to rezone the land is solely economic. “The single family [home] market has been basically dry in this part of the city—and basically everywhere in the city,” explains Peter Kelsen, the attorney representing Korman. “[Development] can’t be done in the conventional, single-family configuration.

There’s just no economic basis for it and no real market for it.”

Korman first approached Councilman Johnson about their plan in February 2012. During the meeting, the Councilman recommended that the developers talk with the Refuge as well as residents about their intentions. “I think how the project probably got off to a bad start is there was some surveying … from the Korman group, which they have the right to do, technically, but some of the community folk got riled up and thought the project was a done deal,” says the Councilman. After that, he continues, there was misinformation on both sides.

Korman disagrees, and insists they’ve been transparent with the community. “[I]t is patently untrue that the residents were not courted,” says Kelsen. “We went to the designated individuals we were told had stakeholder status so that we could begin the informational process.”

When pressed, Kelsen wouldn’t name the specific stakeholders, although he claimed meetings were held as early as March. Residents cite their first meeting as April. Kelsen was equally evasive when City Council asked him during the zoning hearing for evidence of the meetings. In the

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Members of the Eastwick Friends & hearing transcript Councilplan has been proposed, but Neighbors Coalition: (left to right) woman Blondell Reynolds Kelsen assures that this is a Mariatu Kalokoh, Monique Holland, Brown asks for record of priority. For a development Debbie Beers and Carol Simmons Korman’s meetings with of this size, “the Water Dethe community, to which Kelsen responded: “I partment has stormwater regulations that kick could provide that. I don’t have it immediately in, and very specific engineering solutions need but within a few—within a few moments I could to be provided by the developer to make sure give you that.” Kelsen never provided the follow- there are no negative impacts of stormwater up information. in the area,” explains Gary Jastzrab, executive director at the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. The Water Department is also asking Korman’s Second Attempt residents to complete a survey that will help korman’s plan would build 722 apartments determine if flooding is related to city piping or and 1,034 parking spaces to accommodate up creek overflow. These problems will be further to 1,000 additional residents. Compared with discussed at a hearing with the Water Departother apartment complexes Korman has already ment on October 9. built in Eastwick, this one would occupy only Korman has completed traffic and economic 20 percent of the land, leaving room for green studies, but since the project is only in the respace. The development would be surrounded zoning phase, no official environmental impact by a buffer of trees, and there’s open space desig- assessments have been done. nated for a community garden and dog park. The apartments themselves will have a more modern, sustainable design that includes non-VOC An Alternative Plan paints, energy efficient appliances, and recycled the coalition has enlisted the help of 4Ward and renewable materials. Although the buffer Planning, a consulting company that considers will be made of native tree species—a solution social, environmental and fiscal interests in dediscussed with the Refuge—the apartments will velopment plans, to do their own environmental still share a backyard with current Eastwick res- and economic studies. The sustainable land use idents. Monique Holland lives with her father in planning firm is also helping residents formalize one of those homes. “Whatever happens,” she their vision for the 128 acres. says, “we would be boxed in.”

“The goal is to provide an option to City CounResidents are also concerned that the new de- cil to say, ‘Hey, Korman is one option right here velopment would exacerbate flooding problems on this land, [but] there is a lot more, greater, in the area. Eastwick is built on what the Federal bigger, broader things that can be done with the Emergency Management Agency identifies as a whole community of Eastwick,’” says Debbie 100-year floodplain. This means extreme floods Beer, secretary for the Coalition. “In our plan, have a one percent chance of occurring in any we’ll embrace Mayor Nutter’s pledge to make given year; Hurricanes Floyd and Irene both Philadelphia the greenest city in America.” caused massive flooding.

The Coalition’s position is bold. “The Korman Since Korman is still in the early planning Development proposal would compound the stages, no formal stormwater management injustice inflicted on the Eastwick community, 22

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opening a new chapter in the shameful history of mistreatment already suffered by the hands of the city,” reads their website.

The Coalition believes the 128 acres, if preserved, could make Eastwick an eco-tourist destination, providing visitors an urban-centric location for hiking, canoeing, fishing and bird watching. “If this area could be protected, this area has huge, huge potential for tourism,” says Gary Stolz, Refuge manager. Each year, the Refuge brings in approximately 140,000 visitors.

Stolz believes this number would increase, especially since the Regional Rail has a stop there.

The Refuge was created by the federal government in June 1972 to protect wetland that was proposed for I-95 construction. Located on the Atlantic Flyway, migratory birds use the Refuge as a stopover. The state-endangered, coastal plain leopard frog makes its home in the protected area. The tidal marsh offers flood protection, “filtering toxins and pollutants from our drinking water,” says Stolz. “This is a nursery ground for the Delaware Bay, supporting millions of fish, shrimp, crab and oysters...as well as multimillion [dollar] fishing and recreation industries. The water that flows from here [the Tinicum Marsh] into the Delaware Bay Estuary, is one of the richest ecosystems in the world. It’s a lifeline.”

Environmental education and wildlife-based recreation are important parts of the Refuge as well, and it’s this work that the Coalition feels could be expanded if the 128 acres are left untouched.

Stolz agrees. “It would be phenomenal to provide this benefit for the school kids of Philadelphia, where they could come by mass transit (saving limited school budgets) to the doorstep of their federal public lands,” he says. Stolz has already had several meetings with Korman and has taken the Councilman on a tour of the Refuge. If the development goes forward, there’s talk of adding a path from the train station through the apartment area to the adjacent Refuge. Meanwhile, the Coalition is moving forward with their plan. They’re working to use Pepper Middle School, which is scheduled to close in 2016, as a hub for environmental education.

And then there’s the additional 93 acres, which, if the second bill passes, will be returned to the City for expansion of the Airport. “It could be development associated with the Airport, it could be additional parking, it could be green space that the city maintains for the future,” says Jastzrab. “But there’s no specific reuse of that land being proposed at this time, at least to my knowledge, just for land banking.” Also under threat from the Airport is The Eastwick Community Garden, which has been in operation for more than 40 years. The garden is now in a yearto-year lease agreement with the City. The likely construction plan for the garden: a parking lot.

An Uncertain Future for the residents, there are still many unanswered questions. “We don’t understand the environmental impacts, we don’t understand the impact on flooding,” says Cahn. “We don’t know what Korman is going to dig up [during construction]. The whole area is filled with river dredge spoils or silt and cinder of unknown environmental quality. What’s going to be unearthed when that starts getting dug up and becoming runoff?”

Cahn’s questions haven’t gone unheard and both the Councilman and Korman have promised better communication in the future.

“There will be extensive community outreach,” says Kelsen, “but I’m not prepared to discuss that publicly at this point.”

For Councilman Johnson community involvement is important, but economics are as well. “I always take strongly into consideration the needs and concerns of the immediate communities,” he says. “However, with this particular project, the development will definitely expand our tax base.” Korman is proposing development that won’t require any additional assistance from the City, which makes it especially appealing and viable. “It’s not often you have an opportunity to do development projects in this particular economic climate,” says the Councilman. “It’s very rare.”

The projected economic impacts of the development are impressive. Korman has estimated more than $2 million will be collected in tax revenue. They claim to be interested in working with the community, and wants to address their development-related concerns through a community benefits agreement.

But in response to the Coalition’s vision, Kelsen is blunt. “With all due respect to my friends at the Coalition and to the Friends [of the Refuge] and residents who would like this to be permanent open space, they should work with the City of Philadelphia to find appropriate funding and compensate the developer for it,” he explains. However, Kelsen is suggesting an option that doesn’t seem to be on the table. “That’s not going to happen,” he says, “because no one is going to have the resources in today’s world to acquire this for additional Refuge space. It’s just the reality of the world.”

Despite this, the community isn’t backing down. “I believe that this area represents an incredible opportunity for this city,” says resident Terrence Johnson. “[The Councilman] doesn’t have a clue. He’s going to have a significant fight on his hands.”

F0r more information on the Coalition and upcoming hearings in October, visit

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With your food.

With people.

With Weavers Way.

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Weavers Way Mt. Airy now has a fresh, new look, one of the largest bulk departments in the region and a brand-new Wellness and Pet Care store, just “Across the Way.” Plus, we have all the great local and natural food you expect from Weavers Way. Chestnut Hill 8424 Germantown Ave.

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urban naturalist

by bernard brown

WAR OF THE WORMS

A garden’s friend, the forest’s enemy by bernard brown

W

orms are our friends, right?

We uncover these wriggly little annelids in the garden and we apologize—sorry to disturb you! Please, get back to work aerating our soil, cycling nutrients and depositing rich castings (poop) to fertilize our tomatoes. Maybe we’ve also seen worms after kicking aside leaf litter while we’re out hiking say, in the Wissahickon Valley, and we assume they must be helping trees just like they help our veggies.

We’re wrong.

“We’ve been taught earthworms are great, but not in our forests,” says Joanne Donohue, land restoration manager at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education. This may come as a shock to you (it did to me), but the earthworms we encounter in our woods are a destructive exotic invasive.

In a garden, we view soil as a thick layer of individual particles—tiny bits of weathered rock and decaying organic matter. We like it dark, rich and loose for our flowers and veggies to plunge their hungry roots into and suck up water and nutrients. Worms can play an important role in this sort of soil, keeping it from compacting and shedding castings that our plants can use.

In forests, however, soil is much more than mineral bits and compost. The stuff under the dead leaves and underbrush is a nearly-solid mass, and much of what binds it together is fungus. We tend to think of mushrooms when we think of fungi, but mushrooms, however tasty or beautiful, are just the fruiting bodies of much larger organisms. Forest soil fungi are networks (the record holder measured 2,200 acres and possibly 600 tons) of hyphae, thin filaments that—in a healthy Delaware Valley forest—do most of the work of turning dead plant matter into nutrients that living plants can use.

But that’s not the only way fungi support the forest. Certain fungi form symbiotic relationships with plants. Their hyphae grow into 24

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the roots, hooking the plants into the broader network and helping them pull in water and nutrients.

At least this is how it worked before we brought the worms. The nightcrawlers in our woods are an Asian species that, like so many other destructive transplants, found a habitat empty of enemies and full of opportunity. They gobble up protective leaf litter and rip through our native fungi. “You can go out without a shovel and pick up a handful of soil,” says Donohue.

“You shouldn’t be able to do that.”

Rain easily washes this loose soil away, stripping our forest hillsides and clogging our streams. Other effects are more subtle and pernicious. The worms shift the balance of decay from fungi to bacteria, making forest soil more acidic.

Our woodland plants have evolved to thrive in our fungi-dominated soil, meaning that as the worms advance, some wildflowers retreat, and trees can have a harder time getting established.

Even animals may be directly affected—in the

Midwest, invasive worms have even been linked to the decline of birds that nest in deep leaf litter.

So, what can we do about the worms? The Schuylkill Center has tested anti-worm measures in experimental plots, including scattering sulfur pellets and layering oak leaf litter. These were somewhat successful, but the worms moved back in once the experiments ended. Until we figure out how to get rid of worms, all we can do is limit their spread. If you go fishing with nightcrawlers, take them back home with you— don’t dump them in the forest when you’re done.

And when you’re planting trees and shrubs (particularly near the woods), make sure that worms don’t hitch a ride in the roots.

bernard brown is an amateur field herper, bureaucrat and founder of the PB&J Campaign (pbjcampaign.org ), a movement focused on the benefits of eating lower on the food chain.

Read about his forays into the natural world at phillyherping.blogspot.com . p hoto by M IK E WATSON

shoots

ladders

by char vandermeer

Get It Ripe For one last taste of summer, bag your green tomatoes by char vandermeer

S

ummer’s tapped. It’s over. Done. With any luck, crisp, cool autumn nights are working wonders on the radishes, kale, Swiss chard and brassicas that have taken over your garden. (If you haven’t planted your greens and radishes yet, put this magazine down and run to the greenhouse. Immediately. Buy some starts. Buy some radish seeds. Plant them. I promise you, growing kale and Swiss chard throughout November and December are surefire ways to stave off seasonal affective disorder.)

But easy, satisfying, fall gardening isn’t all you need to be thinking about in October. Let’s talk vegetable rescue.

If the late-summer doldrums hit you as hard as they do me, by the time October rolls around you’ve got some sad, straggly tomatoes and peppers hanging onto their wispy vines and forlorn branches. Still, the idea of pitching these plants seems positively sacrilegious.

Before yanking those tired tomato and pepper plants out of the ground, take a close look at what remains. If they’re decent-sized, healthylooking and disease-free, all’s not lost. You’ve worked hard for those green globes, so there’s no need to surrender them to the hoary frosts of October and suffer through a series of sad fried green tomato and stuffed green pepper dinners.

Believe it or not, with a little patience and a ripening banana, immature tomatoes and pep-

pers can ripen off the vine nearly as well as they do on the vine. Sure, you’ll sacrifice some texture and sweetness, but it’s better than tossing, frying or stuffing them, and a less-than-ideal homegrown tomato beats a supermarket tomato any day. For a couple dozen green tomatoes and peppers, take a cardboard box and line it with newspaper. If you have only a few of the unripened vegetables, a paper bag will do just as well.

Carefully remove the stems from the healthy tomatoes, and brush off any debris that could bruise, decay or pierce the skin. Gently place the produce in the bag or box; a single layer works best, as it encourages air circulation and reduces the risk of bruising. Then, add a ripening, justbarely-yellow banana. As the banana ripens, it will release ethylene, a naturally occurring gas that will speed up the ripening process. Stow your box or bag in a dark, climate-controlled closet or cupboard (tomatoes will ripen best when temperatures are between 65 and 75 degrees), and check on them every few days. If you see something moldy or funky, get rid of it—it’s not going to improve with age. Within a week or two, you’ll have a bunch of home-grown, homeripened tomatoes and peppers to enjoy.

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sep 12

EnergyWorks for Savvy Homeowners!

Meet energy efficient experts and qualified contractors to learn how a home energy assessment can achieve maximum comfort and savings. →→ Wed., Sept. 12, 7-8:30 pm, free, Chestnut Hill

Library, 8711 Germantown Ave. For more information, visit weaversway.coop

sep

Shade Gardening

Join the Master Gardeners of Camden County for a lecture by Greg Tepper on shade gardening. Tepper is a horticulturist at Mt. Cuba Center in northern Delaware.

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→→ Thurs., Sept. 13, 7-8:30 pm, $5, Camden County

Environmental Center, 1301 Park Blvd., Cherry Hill, NJ. Register by calling 856-216-7130 or e-mailing njgarden@camdencounty.com

sep

Terrarium Class

Enjoy a crafty start to your weekend with a terrarium building class hosted

by City Planter staff.

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→→ Fri., Sept. 14, $50, 6:30-8:30 pm, City Planter,

814 N. 4th St. For more information and to register, visit cityplanter.com/storefront/events

sep 15

Cradle of Birding: Wildlife & Conservation Festival

Spend the day at the Heinz Wildlife Refuge and enjoy nature workshops, birding, fly fishing, animal demonstrations, live music, guided hikes and much more. →→ Sat., Sept. 15, 7 am-3 pm, free, John Heinz National

Wildlife Refuge, 8601 Lindbergh Blvd. For more information, visit fws.gov/heinz

sep 15

5th Annual Lehigh Avenue Arts Festival

Visit this annual festival that supports Portside Art Center’s scholarship fund. Enjoy local talented artist and crafts vendors, food trucks, live music, interactive art projects, raffles and more. →→ Sat., Sept. 15, 12-8 pm, free, Lehigh Ave.

at Belgrade St. For more information, visit lehighavenueartsfestival.org

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sep

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From Roots to Re-Entry: Green Job Training Behind and Beyond Prison Walls

Learn about Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s Roots to Re-Entry job training program, which provides Philadelphia prison inmates with practical job training while fostering healthy green communities. →→ Thurs., Sept. 20, 6-8:30 pm, free

members/$5 nonmembers, The Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway. For more information and to register, visit usf_roots_reentry.

sep

network: Designing Green

Meet some of the people and organizations behind Philadelphia’s urban design and greening movements, and join conversations about the new parklets in the city. Held in conjunction with Park(ing) Day 2012.

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→→ Fri., Sept. 21, 6-8 pm, free, Moore College of Art

and Design, Race Street between 20th and The Parkway. For more information call 215-965-4027 or visit, thegalleriesatmoore.org

eventbrite.com

sep

sep

20

Slow Food Philly Seminar: Spirit Tasting

Hear from local artisanal distillery Philadelphia Distilling Company (Penn 1681 Vodka) about craft distillation and learn cocktail recipes to make at home.

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Flower Printing & Barkcloth Workshop

Textile designer and educator Kelly Cobb will teach Hapa-zome dyeing and Tapa cloth making—easy and spectacular methods of patterning and cloth creation from flower heads and tree branches. →→ Sat., Sept. 22, 12-2 pm, $20, Greensgrow Farm

→→ Thurs., Sept. 20, 7-9 pm, $20, The Restaurant

School at Walnut Hill College, 4100 Walnut St. For tickets, visit slowfoodphilly.org

sep

20

The Creative Eco-System: Re-viewing Sustainability

An interactive forum featuring community leaders, artists, urban planners and scholars who are exploring new modes of collaboration, community engagement and creative responses for at-risk communities ravaged by environmental depredations. Part of the “red, black & GREEN: a blues” performances during Philly Fringe week. →→ Thurs., Sept. 20, 5:30-6:30 pm, free (ticket

required), Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, 3680 Walnut St. For more information (including performance times) and tickets, visit annenbergcenter.org

Nursery, 2501 E. Cumberland St. For more information and to register, visit greensgrow.org

sep

PASA’s Bike Fresh, Bike Local

Support local farms with this bike ride through the Chester County farmland.

The ride (25, 50 or 75 miles) begins and ends at Victory Brewing, and includes free beer and a meal made from local food.

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→→ Sun., Sept. 23, 7 am-4 pm, $40-45, Victory

Brewing Company, 420 Acorn Ln., Downingtown.

To register, visit pasafarming.org/bikefresh

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sep

Fall Bird Seed and Native Plant Sale

Maysie’s FarmFest 2012

→→ Sat., Sept. 29, 9 am-2 pm (plant sale), 9 am-

→→ Sat., Sept. 29, 6-9 pm, $65, Cooking Spotlight,

4:30 pm (seed sale), Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, 8480 Hagy’s Mill Rd. For more information, visit schuylkillcenter.org

Take a morning walk through Laurel Hill, the first garden cemetery in the U.S. Learn the arboretum’s history, enjoy beautiful views, and identify birds and trees.

→→ Sat., Sept. 29 (rain date Sept. 30), 1-11 pm, $15 in

→→ Sat., Sept. 29, 10-11 am, $8 person/$6 students

sep

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Route 113, Phoenixville. To register, visit cookingspotlight.com

sep

Maysie’s Farm Conservation Center hosts their third annual FarmFest, featuring Philadelphia musicians, local food vendors, children’s activities, local artisans and more. A completely solar-powered event, producing only compostable and recyclable waste.

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Yellow Springs Farm Cooking Demos: Cooking with Goat Cheese

Enjoy four gourmet courses from Al and Catherine Renzi, chefs and owners of Yellow Springs Farm. The menu will feature their handmade fresh and aged goat cheeses. BYOB.

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Replenish your garden with native berry-producing trees and shrubs, and fall-blooming wildflowers, and stock up on quality bird seed and seed mixes. Special discounts for members and nonmembers.

Nature in the Necropolis

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Seed Saving Workshop & Exchange

Philly Seed Exchange will teach some seed-saving basics, such as pollination and seed identification. Includes a Q&A and seed exchange.

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→→ Sun., Sept. 30, 11-1 pm, free, Greensgrow Farms,

advance/$20 at the gate/free for children under 13, 15 St. Andrew’s Ln., Glenmoore. For tickets and more information, visit maysiesfarmfest.org

sep

Heirloom & Heritage Festival

2501 E. Cumberland St. Please RSVP to

or seniors, Laurel Hill Cemetery Gatehouse, 3822 Ridge Ave. Purchase tickets at the door, by calling 215-228-8200, or visiting thelaurelhillcemetery.org

sep

Whole Fish Cooking & Cleaning

Come celebrate the harvest at Hillside Farm with seasonal food, heritage breed animals, pie bake-off, hayrides, homestead demonstrations and an heirloom tomato contest.

Standard Tap Chef Carolynn Angle will discuss the basics of buying, cleaning and preparing whole fish. Proceeds support Greensgrow’s LIFE Program, a low-income CSA.

→→ Sat., Sept. 29, 11-4 pm, free, Hillside Farm,

→→ Sat., Sept. 29, 12-2 pm, $35, Greensgrow

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phillyseedexchange@gmail.com

oct

5th Annual Subaru Fall Festival at Greensgrow Farms 06 An annual celebration of fresh, local food, crafts and farm fun. This year’s highlights include a chili cookoff, preserving the harvest presentations, a craft bazaar and children’s activities. →→ Sat., Oct. 6, 11 am-4 pm, free, Greensgrow Farms,

111 Elwyn Rd., Media. For more information, visit greenerpartners.org/heirloom

2501 E. Cumberland St. For more information, visit

Community Kitchen at St. Michael’s Church, 2139 E. Cumberland St. For more information and to register, visit greensgrow.org

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Get to know the faces behind your food.

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e finest sustainably raised fruits and specialty vegetables available at Headhouse Farmers Market (Sundays 10-2) and at like-minded stores and restaurants throughout the city.

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Reviving Rubbish Confessions of a trash picker by jaclyn hardgrove

L

ast summer, i started snatching my neighbors’ trash. Paranoid of onlookers, I’d tip toe, concealed by darkness, up to the curb where my neighbors had so politely pushed their waste. I’d sneak around, quickly grabbing objects. But now, after a year of cultivating my own “junkthat-has-potential” sensibility, I’m less concerned with stealth, taking my time to choose carefully.

Philadelphians throw away approximately 800,000 tons of trash every year. It’s certainly out of sight, but our mounds of stuff must go somewhere. While stores like Uhuru Furniture

& Collectibles offer free pick-up of unwanted furniture, countless commodities still end up curbside on trash day. My own neighborhood is so bursting with stuff that our local thrift store

has “Free Bins” lining the sidewalk.

Collecting objects piecemeal has been a pleasant process for me because furnishing my third-floor apartment is like building a ship in a bottle—narrow, crooked stairs with bikes lining the entrance sometimes makes it difficult to lug groceries upstairs, let alone furniture.

Luckily, in a city like Philadelphia, there’s plenty of opportunity for salvageable items to be absorbed into new homes before the trash truck comes lumbering down the street.

My fascination with trash-picking came at an appropriate time—I was unemployed and had little to spend on furnishings. What I could afford was particle board and plastic, so finding wooden drawers with fine details floored me.

Glass, metal and wood had me smitten. I was determined to repurpose these objects, rescuing them from their imminent landfill deaths.

These goods offered me more than their material dividends. Often coated with dust, clearly neglected long ago by their former owners, these misfit objects gave me a chance to work with my hands—which was a welcome change from my many hours combing job boards (with nothing tangible to show for my efforts).

While it’s hard to pinpoint the initial moment when I climbed over the large black trash bags and plucked out my first TV tray or glass vase, Thursday nights soon became dedicated to this activity (the spoils were inconsistent, but all cherished). My resourcefulness seemed to kick into gear: three identical glass vases were transformed into hydroponic gardens; wooden drawers were converted into unconventional shelving (or sometimes pushed under other furniture for additional storage); four nearly-broken chairs became two decent chairs thanks to some allen wrenches. And then there are those objects that hang around, but still have no place: an old window pane, a lattice headboard, a bunch of baskets.

In this do-it-yourself age, customization is king. I get giddy (and acquisitive) when I scroll through design websites like Apartment Therapy. But patience has dropped unique end tables and plates on my doorstep (or nearly). There is a certain peace in collecting objects instead of buying things in abundance. Less continues to be more. jaclyn hardgrove lives in Queen Village, and loves cooking and reading in coffee shops. She recently graduated with her bachelors in writing and now works in Center City. She can be reached at jaclyn.hardgrove@gmail.com.

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