Philadelphia, PA (May 16, 2022) All neighborhoods in Philadelphia deserve green space. Climate change is here and it is having a disproportionate and serious impact on disadvantaged urban neighborhoods. That is not acceptable. Lack of resilience in such neighborhoods against the health and welfare threats of climate change must not be allowed to continue. While much of the harm is caused by climate change – the harm is also due to long time neglect due to institutional and systemic racism. Communities in Southwest Philadelphia, North Philadelphia and the lower Northeast deserve as much greenspace as Chestnut Hill and Lower Merion.
The former Philadelphia refinery represents 1,400 acres of transformative potential that could improve public health, provide local recreational amenities, and increase the city’s ability to manage stormwater and the rising Schuylkill river. Many city leaders and government officials simply assumed that the site would continue as a refinery or other heavy industrial use because of extreme soil contamination caused by 160 years of fossil fuel activity. That kind of short-term thinking is short-sighted and would have harmed the health and quality of nearby neighbors and frankly the greater Philadelphia region for generations to come.
Directly across the river from the former refinery, the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) is removing contaminated soil from previous industrial activity in order to extend existing recreational trails at Bartram’s Garden. That is a good step forward. We need more greenspace in the city and I applaud PIDC’s current effort to expand riverfront access along the Schuylkill.
Hilco, the new owner of the former refinery, should follow this lead and develop accessible, safe public greenspace at the former refinery site.
There is a theory among some planners that low income neighborhoods should limit their greening in order to prevent gentrification. That is not acceptable, it is not fair and simply ignores past racism. The City of Philadelphia has an obligation to protect local residents from the gentrification that often accompanies infrastructure investments in parks and trails.
Local residents are rightly concerned that expanded public amenities could accelerate already rising rents and property taxes. All Philadelphians deserve access to well-maintained, safe, and accessible greenspace without risking being displaced from their homes by income disparities. Increasing greenspace is a key strategy in mitigating the impacts of climate change such as flooding and urban extreme heat. Many studies have clearly established that greenspace improves positive mental and physical health. It is discouraging, but understandable, to see local residents feeling that they have to oppose the increased development of recreational infrastructure and other greenspace out of fear that it will raise their cost of living and ultimately displace them from their homes and communities. These fears are real, and must be addressed. In order to prevent development from increasing property taxes and rent in historically underserved communities of color, there are several necessary city policies and programs that can be enacted, and in some cases reopened or expanded.
Residents are currently witnessing property tax and rent increases caused by new development, while new property owners are protected by the 10-year new construction property tax abatement. Although ending the tax abatement was discussed in City Council, it remains in effect with 2022 applications subject to a gradual increase of property taxes over 10 years. This program began in 2000 and was intended to be a temporary stimulus for new construction. Over twenty years later this supposedly temporary tax incentive is still in effect. Approximately half of the property tax collected in Philadelphia is intended for the Philadelphia School District.
The City offers a Homestead Exemption available to all property owners that could reduce the taxable cost to a home owner by $45,000, potentially saving homeowners $629 in annual property taxes. Considering the much larger funds currently being lost to the property tax abatement, this program needs to be expanded. The current deadline to apply for the homestead exemption is September 13th, 2022. Apply now! This is also the early deadline for applications to the City’s Senior Citizen Tax Freeze Program. We need these programs to be expanded to target lower income households and residents also need more outreach staff to help navigate the application process.
The city has thankfully reopened Philly First Home, a previously closed program to assist first time home buyers. The program offers $10,000 grants to help new homeowners with down payments or closing costs. Reopening this program is likely the single most impactful effort the City could undertake to support residents attempting to build intergenerational wealth and establish anchors in their communities.
Philadelphia also has no current policy regulating rent increases while New York City and San Francisco have both administered successful rent control campaigns for decades. Landlords are still able to raise rent in these cities, it is simply limited to 5-10% of current rent. This is commonsense economic policy that gives renters confidence they will be able to stay in their homes, while also allowing landlords to account for inflation. Currently, new property owners have an extremely clear timeline when property taxes will be collected. Renters should be entitled to a similar assurance.
On top of existing economic pressures for current residents and tax breaks for new property owners, the City often does not enforce its own open space standards, making public parks and trails all the more necessary. Unfortunately, many Philadelphia neighborhoods in need of expanded greenspace are under immense pressure from housing developers who routinely request zoning appeals to avoid the city’s minimal 20-25% open space requirements for multifamily housing developments. Lack of greenspace puts increased pressure on aging homes during flooding events and further increases the difficulty of Philadelphia residents to stay in their often deteriorating homes.
The City of Philadelphia has acknowledged the existential threat of climate change, but has been slower to adopt economic policies that will protect residents as infrastructure updates and increased public amenities raise property taxes. The need for expanded parks and trails in this time of extreme weather cannot be understated. These public health and quality of life improvements must be accompanied by just economic policy that does not favor new property owners at the expense of existing residents.
For more information contact Russell Zerbo at rzerbo@cleanair.org
Philadelphia’s largest environmental festival powered by solar energy to feature free bike valet, over 100 sustainable exhibitors and organic food and drink offerings
(August 23, 2017) PHILADELPHIA, PA – Clean Air Council announced today that the organization’s 2017 Greenfest Philly presented by Toyota Hybrids will be held on Sunday, Sept. 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For the first time ever, the event will be held at Bainbridge Green on Bainbridge Street between Third and Fifth Streets. The festival will bring together more than 100 environmentally-friendly businesses and organizations in a festive outdoor marketplace. The popular day-long event attracts more than 15,000 socially conscious and engaged consumers. Greenfest will feature live music from popular local bands, MOM’s Organic Market Kids’ Corner with eco-friendly crafts and activities, a bike valet sponsored by Philadelphia Insurance Companies, Toyota Hybrids’ ride and drive experience, organic food and drinks, a beer garden, handmade goods, and innovative green businesses and products – with the whole event being powered by solar panels presented by The Energy Co-op. A celebration of local sustainability efforts, Greenfest Philly will provide ways to take action to protect clean air, support environmental advocacy, and much more.
“As we celebrate the Clean Air Council’s 50th anniversary, Greenfest Philly remains one of our most important and exciting events, as it brings together tens of thousands of socially conscious consumers and businesses who support the fight to protect the environment at this most critical of times,” said Joseph Otis Minott, Esq., Executive Director. “Greenfest offers a brilliant opportunity for people throughout the region to exchange sustainable products, services, recipes and tips – all while enjoying a Sunday with their families in one of downtown Philadelphia’s most beautiful green spaces.”
New Festival Additions for 2017
The Clean Air Council’s Greenfest Philly event will feature a number of new and exciting activities for Philadelphians of all ages, all designed to help festival goers make more environmentally conscious choices and live more sustainable lifestyles. The new additions include:
Environmental Film Festival: Attendees will be treated to a free sneak peek of films from Philadelphia’s Environmental Film festival and expert commentary from the Film Festival’s founders.
Green Facts Everywhere You Look: Guests should also keep an eye out for Clean Air Council volunteers who will be strolling around with giant thought bubbles displaying compelling environmental facts and information.
Other Greenfest festivities this year include free yoga classes, succulent arrangement classes and vegan cooking demos. What’s more, there will be dining, shopping, samples and resources from an exciting group of environmentally conscious vendors and the event’s amazing sponsors. Guests can also test drive the all-new hydrogen fuel cell powered Toyota Mirai.
“Toyota and the Tri-State Toyota Dealers are very proud to be the Presenting Sponsor a 2nd year in a row for the 12th annual Greentfest Philly. With Toyota’s ongoing commitment to the development of vehicles that help reduce carbon emissions and as a leader in the alternative fuel segment, we are thrilled to once again support the Clean Air Council and this year’s Greenfest,” said Paul Muller, President of the Tri-State Toyota Dealers Association. “Toyota is committed to helping play a role in delivering cleaner air and environmental sustainability to our customers. With a portfolio of eight Toyota hybrid models plus the addition of our fuel cell vehicle the Mirai, we are the leader in alternative mobility and have a large selection of both hybrid sedans and SUV models to fit our customers’ diversified needs. The newest edition to our hybrid line-up, the Prius Prime, will be on site for event goers to check out in this year’s Toyota Hybrid display. We also plan to bring a ride-and-drive and provide the ability for event goers to take a test drive in one of our hybrid models in addition to our FCV, the 2017 Mirai. The Mirai with a range of over 300 miles per tank and emissions that consist only of water vapor, Mirai is leading the world toward a more sustainable fuel cell vehicle. ”
This year’s Greenfest will be a zero-waste event and will prioritize accessibility for all attendees. Philadelphia Insurance Companies will provide valet bike parking for all cyclists to make it easy for attendees to get to Greenfest sustainably. Clean Air Council is dedicated to creating an event that gives the entire city of Philadelphia the chance to celebrate healthy living, interact with some of the city’s most environmentally friendly companies and support Clean Air Council’s ongoing mission to protect everyone’s right to breathe clean air.
For more information contact the Special Events Team at 215-567-4004 or events@cleanair.org.
About Clean Air Council’s Methane Education Program
Clean Air Council uses celebrated events like the Greenfest Philly to support and increase awareness and advocacy for a broad range of environmental and public health initiatives. Recently, Clean Air Council has focused a targeted campaign of research, public education and advocacy calling for state and federal regulations to curb methane pollution. Methane leaks can exacerbate respiratory diseases (such as asthma) and lead to lung and heart disease, even cancer. Despite public support for rules limiting current and future methane leaks, there are few laws on the books putting such safeguards in place.
About Clean Air Council
Clean Air Council is a member- supported, non-profit environmental organization dedicated to protecting everyone’s right to breathe clean air. For more information about Clean Air Council, visit www.cleanair.org.
GoPhillyGo.org, the free online mapping site for the greater Philadelphia area from Clean Air Council, has now released a mobile version for use on all mobile devices. Designed to make getting around without a car both easy and fun, the power of GoPhillyGo’s mapping technology will now be available on the go. You’ll be able to take the ultimate trip-planning tool for biking, walking and public transit with you—anywhere you go, any time you need it.
Developed with state-of-the-art open-source mapping technology from Philadelphia-based geospatial technology firm Azavea, GoPhillyGo makes it easy to plan a route through multimodal methods — combining biking, walking, and public transportation within one trip — to go anywhere within the greater Philadelphia area, its surrounding counties, and even into New Jersey without the use of a car. It provides details on pedestrian and bike routes and, on the bike segment of your trip, you can prioritize routes that are faster, flatter, or safer.
“Using GoPhillyGo on your mobile phone is a very exciting advancement for the website,” says Joe Minott, Executive Director of the Clean Air Council. “Obviously that is how so many people are accessing transportation information today, and I’m excited that planning non-car trips just became easier for people in Southeastern Pennsylvania. GoPhillyGo users can now explore some of the region’s most interesting nature-oriented destinations and quickly plan how they’ll get there on bike, foot, public transportation, or any combination.”
The new version of the website comes equipped with mobile functionality, a new look and sleek features, including drag-and-drop locations. Different modes of transport in your route now show up in different colors.
“Incorporating Indego bike share is the other big advancement we are excited about,” explains Nick Rogers, Transportation Program Director for the Clean Air Council. “This really makes planning trips with bike share much easier, and encourages people to use Indego as a transportation mode and not just a recreation activity.” Point-to-point Indego directions, dock locations, and bike availability are now included in the map, helping you get around by bike, even if you don’t own one.
“As a Philadelphia company dedicated to a positive civic and social impact, Azavea is thrilled to partner with the Clean Air Council to promote walking, biking, and riding public transit to our local institutions, parks, and other natural resources,” says Robert Cheetham of Azavea. “Now that GoPhillyGo has gone mobile, anyone in Philadelphia can easily explore the variety of destinations accessible to them. As a company full of bike enthusiasts, we are especially excited about the inclusion of Indego bike share locations into GoPhillyGo biking directions.”
Now, with GoPhillyGo mobile, you can get out of your house and just go. Covering five counties—including Philadelphia—and parts of New Jersey, the new mobile site allows you to plan ahead and take your route with you, change your plans on the fly, or figure it out as you go for a truly spontaneous adventure. Confidently explore Philadelphia; no car needed.
GoPhillyGo.org. Your destination ahead. Your map to getting there.
Clean Air Council is a member-supported, nonprofit environmental organization dedicated to protecting everyone’s right to breathe clean air. The Council has over 8,000 members and works in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey on public education, community advocacy, and legal oversight and enforcement of environmental laws.
The Council’s first large special event was the Run for Clean Air in 1981. Since then, the Run has grown into Philadelphia’s largest Earth Day event and we’ve added more events like Greenfest Philly and Dine Out for the Environment. Tens of thousands of people attend these events annually. The recent Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia and the Rio Olympics have shined a spotlight on the resources needed to produce large events and their potential for waste. After years of trial and error, the Council has developed some easy and cost-effective ways to reduce the impact of events. These common sense practices can even be scaled down and used in homes and offices.
Ban the Bottle
More than 60 million plastic bottles end up in landfills and incinerators every day. Because of their convenience and low cost, many events – especially athletic events – rely on 16 oz and 24 oz bottles of water to keep attendees hydrated. For over a decade, the Council has “banned the bottle” and used large jugs of water with compostable cups. In 2014 the Council went a step further, partnering with MOM’s Organic Market who donated over 50 5-gallon BPA free reusable water jugs. The Council fills them up for each event at a local MOM’s store. Water for the Run for Clean Air is poured into compostable cups and water for Greenfest Philly is distributed through “Water Bottle Refill Stations” in the form of on-site coolers. This practice keeps attendees healthy and hydrated while sending no waste to the landfill.
Compost and Recycle
On average, Americans recycle and compost about 34% of their waste – with the rest still going to landfills and incinerators. The Council’s events provide easy to find and use recycling and composting bins – and sort the waste after the event to make sure less than 20% is landfilled or incinerated. Making sure event goers understand which materials go in each bin reduces confusion and makes people more likely to recycle and compost.
Get off the Grid
Solar isn’t just for roofs. Many equipment companies now offer the option of solar powered generators. Solar-powered generators provide reliable power wherever it’s needed. Consolidated Solar provides solar energy for Clean Air Council events. Solar is also silent and emissions free! Nothing kills an event vibe like a gas-powered generator noisily spewing fumes into the air. Solar generators create visual interest and can be a fun attraction placed in the center of the event.
Source Responsibly
From shirts to bottles, to bags, events give away thousands of items. Invest in items made from recycled materials and manufactured in the USA. Our event shirts are made from post-industrial cottons and post-consumer polyester, saving millions of gallons of water, petroleum, agrochemicals and CO2 emissions. Plus, people love to know that their shirt used to be a plastic bottle!
Promote Carpools, Clean Vehicles, Bikes, and Public Transit
A truly green event starts before the attendees arrive. The Council encourages biking and makes cyclists feel like VIP at every event with a free bicycle valet. Sponsored by Philadelphia Insurance Companies, the valet takes the hassle and worry out of bike parking at our events. Another great option is to encourage attendees to take public transportation. Choose an event space that is easily accessible by public transit and provide information about nearby public transit routes. Parking in Philadelphia is often expensive and limited, so event attendees are encouraged to carpool when public transit and biking aren’t options. Provide VIP carpool spaces and parking for hybrid and plug-in vehicles.
For more tips and tricks, read Part 2 next week.
Clean Air Council’s 11th Annual Greenfest Philly presented by Toyota Hybrids returns to Headhouse Square (2nd and South Streets) on Sunday, September 11, 2016 from 10:00am to 4:00pm. The tri-state region’s largest environmental festival is bigger than ever with live music, vegan and vegetarian cooking demos, group bike rides, free adult and kids’ yoga, an outdoor beer garden, organic food and drinks, hybrid vehicle test drives, handmade and green shopping, MOM’s Organic Market Kids’ Corner, a twenty-five foot rock wall, and even edible bugs.
The festival celebrates sustainability and educates festival-goers on fun and easy ways to be greener. Here are 5 easy steps to take that make a big impact on the planet.
Recycle. The energy saved from one recycled aluminum can will power your TV for 3 hours of binge-watching![1]
Participants race to sort trash, compost, and recycling for SCA‘s Trash Dash game at Greenfest.
Bring your own bag. Americans use and throw away 100 billion plastic bags every year, which requires 12 million barrels of oil per year to manufacture…enough to power all U.S. traffic for 35 hours! [2]
Clean Air Council staff member, Steve Ross, wears the “Bag Monster” costume made from over 250 plastic bags. The costume illustrates how many bags the average American uses and discards each year.
Buy organic. Organic farms produce 40% less greenhouse gasses and are 45% more efficient than conventional farms. [3]
MOM’s Organic Market gives out free organic produce and snacks at Greenfest.
Drive a Hybrid. Thanks to Toyota hybrid drivers all around the world, an estimated 58 million tons of CO2 emissions have been prevented from entering the atmosphere. [4]
Test drive an all new Toyota Hybrid at Greenfest.
Purchase renewable energy. Global warming emissions from electricity production could be reduced by approximately 81 percent by generating 80 percent of the country’s electricity from renewable sources by 2050. [5]
Greenfest Philly is 100% solar powered.
Mother Nature thanks you.
References:
[1] http://www.greeninbklyn.com/639/what-to-do-or-ten-green-facts/
[2] https://www.nrdc.org/media/2008/080109
[3] http://rodaleinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Fact-Sheet.pdf
[4] http://www.toyota.com/usa/environment/
[5] http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-energy/public-benefits-of-renewable.html
