Our city’s neighborhoods need your help! Mayor Kenney is dedicated to making Philadelphia one of the greenest cities in America, but it can’t be done without you. This Earth Day, go green(er) with these seven tips on how to make a bigger impact.
- Take 10 minutes to read Greenworks: A Vision for A Sustainable Philadelphia, our city’s roadmap to becoming the greenest city in the country. But wait, there’s more! Greenworks On The Ground, created by the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, offers eight checklists with key actions you can take to help the city get there.
- Attend Philadelphia’s first-ever Environmental Film Festival from April 21 to 23. Showcasing “thought-provoking, exceptional new shorts and features that entertain, inform, and inspire personal action,” you can see stunning visuals while learning more about sustainability topics such as climate change, water pollution and more.
- Talk with family and friends about the three Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle. What are the pros and cons of each R? Which R do you currently do the most? How could you focus more on reducing in the future?
- Peruse this engaging food waste guidebook by Lauren Todd, a Philadelphia-resident and Eastern University Master’s degree candidate. With 30 pages of jaw-dropping facts and original illustrations, you’re guaranteed to learn something interesting and new!
- Try walking, biking or taking public transportation to work. Using your car less often helps reduce carbon emissions, saves money and helps keep you more active. PRO TIP: Both SEPTA (the region’s public transportation provider) and Indego (Philadlephia’s bike share program) have very active, responsive social media accounts where you can contact them for updated travel schedules, quick tips, general feedback and more.
- Dry your clothes outside. Take advantage of beautiful spring weather and hang your clothes on an outdoor railing or chair to soak up the sunshine. PRO TIP: if you’re feeling crafty and want to make this a long-term tactic in your household, try this DIY clothing line indoors or outside on a deck with wooden railings.
- Volunteer during Love Your Park Week’s kick-off service day on May 13! Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and Fairmount Park Conservancy need 2,000 volunteers to beautify more than 80 parks and public spaces.
You are the force that can make change happen! Many of these ideas are meant to be educational yet fun and rewarding. While sometimes it’s hard to see the immediate impact of our efforts, remember that little by little, a little becomes a lot when we all contribute over time.
Happy Earth Day!
How are you celebrating Earth Day? Share your fun and impactful ideas below in the comments!
