Schedule

The 2020 Virtual Greenfest is from September 12 through 27.

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Saturday September 12

10:00AM
Welcome to Greenfest!
Get a sneak peak at what this year’s Virtual Greenfest will hold. Hear all the exciting details directly from the Clean Air Council staff that worked to create this unique event.
Watch on the Greenfest Philly Facebook page

12:00PM
Premier of ‘On Air with Clean Air Council’ podcast
Clean Air Council unveils its new podcast with the history of the Clean Air Council, its mission and advocacy focus, as well as its past wins and current policy priorities. You’ll also hear more details about the upcoming Greenfest Philly.
(Listen now on our Greenfest Recap page. Also available on Spotify, Apple Music, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Player FM, Pocket Casts, and RadioPublic)

Sunday September 13

3:00PM
Nearly Carbon-Neutral Conference Keynote – Clean Energy and Health with Dr. Tee Guidotti
Dr. Tee Guidotti, Former Chair of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, George Washington University opens up the Nearly Carbon-Neutral Conference with a Keynote discussing clean energy and health. Includes an introduction from Richard Johnson of Physicians for Social Responsibility. Nearly Carbon-Neutral Conference is a virtual conference brought to you by Physicians for Social Responsibility and Earth Quaker Action Team. By registering here, you will be able to participate in a Q&A with the presenters via online comments throughout the conference from September 14 – 28. More info on the Nearly Carbon-Neutral Conference here
Watch on the Greenfest Philly Facebook page, direct link here

Monday September 14

11:00AM
Vegan Cooking Demo with Joseph Solar of The Greyhound Cafe
Greenfest veteran chef Joseph Solar cooks up a new crop of vegan goodies from his menu at The Greyhound Cafe in Malvern, PA.
Watch on the Greenfest Philly Facebook page or on Youtube

5:30PM
The Energy Co-op’s RNG Webinar with Clean Air Council
Concerned about drilling and fracking? Join The Energy Co-op and Clean Air Council for a webinar on an alternative – Renewable Natural Gas (RNG)! RNG is comprised primarily of methane that forms naturally from the decomposition of organic waste in landfills and other waste treatment facilities. It’s often flared, reducing it to CO2 and wasting the energy content of its methane component. However, RNG can also be used like conventional natural gas—but without any drilling or fracking.
Rewatch on our Festival Recap Page

Tuesday September 15

11:30AM
Pollinators and Pesticides
Ecologist Christine Urbanowicz teaches about how awesome bees are and what families can do to help bees and other pollinators. The half-hour webinar will include family-friendly trivia and games, how to get “beescape” scores for your home, and information on citizen science pollinator projects you can do even during a pandemic. Christine is a field ecologist and spatial analyst who studies the effects of environmental change on plants, pollinators, and species interactions. She has taught and conducted research around the world, from Greenland to Tasmania.
Rewatch on our Festival Recap Page

6:00PM
My Antarctic expedition to study ice sheet melt and the effects on sea level rise
Global sea level has been rising over the past century and it is projected to keep rising in the future. But exactly how much and how fast? The key to answering this question lies under Thwaites Glacier and its ice shelf in West Antarctica. Atsuhiro Muto of Temple University will share stories from his five-week expedition on Thwaites Glacier last winter.

Atsuhiro Muto is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Science at Temple University. He uses geophysical techniques such as active-source seismology and measurements of subtle changes in Earth’s gravity field to image what’s underneath ice sheets and glaciers and how they influence the rate of ice flow from land to ocean. His work has taken him to many corners of the Antarctic and Greenland Ice Sheets over the past decade. He has a Ph.D. in Physical Geography from the University of Colorado, Boulder and M.S. and B.S. in Geosciences from Chiba University in Japan.
Rewatch on our Festival Recap Page

Wednesday September 16

6:00PM
‘The Story of Plastic’ Virtual Documentary screening
The Story of Plastic is a new documentary that sheds light on the global plastic crisis—and the innovative leaders fighting against single-use plastic creation and towards sustainable solutions. There will be a Q&A after the screening with the filmmaker.

Thursday September 17

1:00PM
Getting a Handle on Local Environmental Hazards
Clean Air Council’s Russell Zerbo will discuss environmental hazards in the City of Philadelphia, how to check on your neighborhood and, most importantly, how to improve quality-of-life in your area. Clean Air Council can help you get involved with local government while doing simple things in and around your home to promote and protect public health. Clean Air Council will also discuss state and federal greenhouse gas policy as Pennsylvania considers adopting its first ever standard for methane leakage from existing oil and gas facilities while the federal government attempts to rollback methane leakage standards. Russell Zerbo has been an advocate at Clean Air Council since 2012. He helps residents make environmental complaints and participate in public decision-makings in Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey.
Rewatch on our Festival Recap Page

6:00PM
Trash Academy’s Plastic Bag ‘Implosion’ – No Such Thing as Free Bags
Trash Academy, a project of Mural Arts Philadelphia’s Restored Spaces Initiative, embraces the values of environmental justice, believing that those who are most impacted by environmental challenges are the ones who must be at the forefront of crafting solutions. TA uses art and creativity as a vehicle to change both our communities and how they are perceived, while complicating the issue of trash. The ‘implosion’ is a unique and fascinating research method for exploring hidden connections and complexities, developing concrete, situated knowledge, and helping us to understand the world as it is rather than as it is perceived. Trash Academy’s plastic bag implosion visualizes the way in which plastic bags “live” in the world around us, and the world “lives” in plastic bags.
Rewatch on our Festival Recap Page

Friday September 18

11:00AM
Ask an Environmental Lawyer
Ask Clean Air Council lawyers your most burning questions about the legality of destroying our environment in this AMA format live stream.
Participate live on the Greenfest Philly Facebook page

5:30PM
Park In A Truck
Park In A Truck harnesses the hidden asset of many low-income neighborhoods: vacant lots and other unused land. While these terms conjure images of weeds, trash and danger—spaces to be avoided rather than embraced—with imagination, under-utilized land is a precious resource. So, we call these places “open space opportunities.” Our mission is to build community-operated green networks, established through low-cost, fast-turnaround open-space renovations that improve environmental, social and physical health. Park in a Truck (PiaT) brings nature back into everyday life by linking adjacent lots to create networks of green. No one should ever be far from a safe, high-quality green space.
Rewatch on our Festival Recap Page

Saturday September 19

1:00PM
How We Are Connected to Our Water
Uncover your connection to water in your world: you drink it, you use it, you make it dirty. How does this all fit together? Philadelphia Water Department educator Dottie Baumgarten will show short video clips that make the connection between you and your water world. Learn about watersheds, the drinking water process and the sewage treatment process. Interactive activities and a Q&A with water expert Dottie Baumgarten.
Rewatch on our Festival Recap Page

8:00PM
Live local music Powered by Community Energy
• Caiola is the solo project of Jordan Caiola, frontman of Mo Lowda & the Humble. His debut album is set to be released October 2nd, containing elements of contemporary folk, indie rock, & Steve Harvey’s pristine mustache.
• Petite Sketches is a brief unfolding of fleeting musical events often accompanying short lyrical statements.
• The Dawn Drapes make thoughtful indie pop music with a psychedelic tinge. Inspired by melody, harmony, and groove driven rhythm.
Watch on the Greenfest Philly Facebook page (Or here on Youtube)

Monday September 21

1:00PM
Pesticide Free Public Parks – One Solution for Two Issues: Environmental Justice and the Climate Crisis
The use of toxic pesticides as a land management strategy on public land poses unnecessary health and environmental hazards. Land management choices should not endanger the health and well-being of our residents. Pesticides diminish the soil’s capacity to draw down carbon from the atmosphere and undermines the resiliency of canopy trees and understory vegetation. This webinar will review the health and environmental impacts of toxic pesticides, the inadequacy of regulation and look at how organic land management can help Philadelphia protect public health and the environment, meet land management goals and address the challenges of the climate crisis.
Rewatch on our Festival Recap Page

6:00PM
LIVING AIR CONDITIONING: A Conversation about Living Walls, Vertical Forests, Meadow Roofs and other Plant-based Systems to Draw-down Carbon and Beat the Heat
Climate scientists predict that within 30 years, Philadelphia could spend as many as 74 days a year above 90ºF. In July 2020 alone, the city had 21 days at or above 90ºF. (Inquirer 7/3/20). We can all work together to cool our city with biophilic urbanist solutions, using the only truly ‘green’ air conditioning available: trees and plants. Join us for a conversation on how we can collectively and individually contribute to making a healthier more livable city.
Rewatch on our Festival Recap Page

Tuesday September 22

12:00PM
Sustainable Commuting Lunch & Learn
Clean Air Council’s Transportation Department shows what sustainable commuting benefits exist out there and how to encourage your staff to walk, bike, train, bus, or carpool to work, including Cycle September (happening right now!) and the Council’s GoPhillyGo trip planner.
Rewatch on our Festival Recap Page

6:00PM
Urban Riding Basics with the Bicycle Coalition
Join the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia for the 2020 Green Fest Urban Riding Basics virtual class that will empower you and give you the knowledge you need to ride confidently in the city. This Urban Riding Basic workshop portrays bicycle commuting for what it is: a fun, healthy, affordable, convenient, environmentally-friendly, and easy way to get around the city. Through this class, you will learn bicycle laws and rules of the road, tips and tricks for riding safety through the city, local resources for cycling, and how to connect to the larger bicycle community
Rewatch on our Festival Recap Page

7:00PM
Pollution Threats to the Delaware River Watershed
Clean Air Council’s Clean Air Council’s Eve Miari & Jack Byerly will explore pollution threats to the watershed, including natural gas infrastructure and other industrial activities, agriculture and land development. The Delaware River Watershed spans four states, provides drinking water for 15 million people, and supports a vast array of recreational activities. From stormwater runoff to pipeline spills, come learn about the many ways our watershed is impacted and what steps you can take to help preserve swimmable, fishable, drinkable waters for generations to come.
Rewatch on our Festival Recap Page

8:00PM
Live local music Powered by Community Energy
Into The Syberverse
Born out of a global lockdown, Kirby Sybert, of Into the Syberverse, creates beats, loops, grooves, and joy to bring the world some love. You can join in with him as he streams from parts unknown by calling 1-888-910-5362. He’ll chat with you and create a totally new, spontaneous song for you and the world in that moment!   “It’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen before” – Kirby’s Mom
Watch on the Greenfest Philly Facebook page

Wednesday September 23

11:00AM
Cutting Carbon Pollution: Pennsylvania Plans to Participate in RGGI
Clean Air Council’s Robert Routh holds a conversation about emissions trading programs, Pennsylvania’s efforts to link to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, and how to curb climate pollution in a major fossil fuel state.
Rewatch on our Festival Recap Page

5:30PM
The Power of Cooperatives in Renewable Energy
Did you know The Energy Co-op was founded by Weavers Way in 1979? It was an effort made during the height of the Oil Crisis to help Philadelphians heat their homes affordably by purchasing as a group. In 1998, it became clear that there was a new energy crisis to address, so they became the first supplier of renewable electricity in Pennsylvania. Today, they are still the only local nonprofit energy supplier in southeastern Pennsylvania and one of the few that only sells 100% renewable electricity. Meryl Sands from The Energy Co-op will bring us new insight about the energy industry, renewable energy, and how the cooperative model allows for innovation in this sector.
Rewatch on our Festival Recap Page

Thursday September 24

6:00PM
Trash Academy’s Toilet Paper ‘Implosion’ – Charmin Webinar: Don’t Flush Our Future!
Trash Academy, a project of Mural Arts Philadelphia’s Restored Spaces Initiative, embraces the values of environmental justice, believing that those who are most impacted by environmental challenges are the ones who must be at the forefront of crafting solutions. TA uses art and creativity as a vehicle to change both our communities and how they are perceived, while complicating the issue of trash. The ‘implosion’ is a unique and fascinating research method for exploring hidden connections and complexities, developing concrete, situated knowledge, and helping us to understand the world as it is rather than as it is perceived. In response to COVID-related panic buying,Trash Academy’s Charmin toilet paper implosion visualizes the way in which toilet paper “lives” in the world around us, and the world “lives” in toilet paper.
Rewatch on our Festival Recap Page

Friday September 25

11:00AM
Solar Development – How to get to Zero Carbon Energy Production with Community Energy
Brent Alderfer of Community Energy discusses the current state of solar in Pennsylvania and looks to the future to show how solar energy can work to meet climate change and break us of our fossil fuel dependence. Community Energy has over 20 years of leadership in clean energy and decarbonization efforts and has worked to develop over 1,700 megawatts of solar and wind generation.
Rewatch on our Festival Recap Page

1:00PM
Feet First Philly’s Pedestrian Advocacy Guide – A guide connecting residents and community groups to city resources
The purpose of this guide is to make Philadelphia residents and community organizations aware of the pedestrian safety resources that exist, and how to access them, primarily through the City of Philadelphia. Use this guide to identify different problems that may make sidewalks and streets dangerous for pedestrians and find ways to address those problems. There are many issues that make pedestrians feel unsafe traveling on city sidewalks and streets. In this guide you will find information about sidewalks, road conditions, parking, driver behavior, and quality of life issues that impact pedestrians.
Rewatch on our Festival Recap Page

Saturday September 26

11:00AM
Urban Agriculture and the Environment: Impacts on Marginalized Communities
This session will explore the environmental impacts of urban agriculture and the intersectionality with low income communities. We will look at how community gardens and urban farms mitigate the environmental problems faced in the city and the many ways in which community members and the environment mutually benefit from urban farming. Andrea Vettori, MSN, CRNP, is founder and executive director of Sanctuary Farm Phila, an urban farm in North Philadelphia whose mission is to improve the health and well-being of individuals living with food insecurity through gardening.
Participate live on the Greenfest Philly Facebook page

8:00PM
Live local music Powered by Community Energy
• Barney Cortez is a Philadelphia singer-songwriter/producer who makes alternative pop music. His music has been called an impressive mix of Dylanesque lyricism, Prince balladry, and the urgency of Frank Black’s rock ‘n roll.
• Minka is a band from Philadelphia with sole mission to make you move.
Rewatch on our Festival Recap Page

Sunday September 27

12:00PM
Toyota Hybrids Virtual Ride and Drive
Toyota Hybrids gives us a virtual tour of their newest hybrid vehicles while talking about the environmental benefits of the newest hybrid technology. Take a test ride from the comfort and safety of your home…followed by a Q&A with a Toyota Hybrid expert.
Participate live on the Greenfest Philly Facebook page

7:00PM
Green Quizzo with Johnny Goodtimes
How well do you know sustainability facts, environmental policy, and green trivia? Find out how you stack up in our first ever Virtual Green Quizzo. It’s free to play and 50% of the tips go to Clean Air Council to help support our work.

You can rewatch past Virtual Greenfest presentations on our Recap Page here