Getting Started
Document Actions
Philadelphia Hitting Sustainability Stride in Mid-2011
by Adrienne DeAngelo
Philadelphia skyline
In 2009, Mayor Michael Nutter set an ambitious goal of making Philadelphia the greenest city in America within six years. The plan, called Greenworks Philadelphia, sets 15 goals that the city hopes to reach by 2015. Since the Mayor's announcement, ICLEI has been following Philadelphia's innovations and sharing its successes with our network of local governments.
By 2010, the city had already made significant inroads, many of them the result of innovative public-private partnerships. Now, almost two years into the plan, the accomplishments keep coming.
Philly Going Solar
Just last month, local and federal officials celebrated the completion of a new municipal solar PV installation -- the city's first -- at the Philadelphia Water Department’s (PWD) Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant. The PWD installed a ground-mounted 250kW solar photovoltaic system that covers more than an acre of previously unused land. The treatment plant will use all of the solar power generated on-site, and PWD owns the Solar Renewable Energy Credits.
Partnerships
The project was completed as a result
of Philadelphia’s partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE)
Solar America Cities program.
Diverting Waste
In March 2011, a total of 12,574 volunteers participated in cleaning and greening projects across Philadelphia at the 4th Annual Philly Spring Cleanup.This year’s cleanup included 252 projects, the most ever registered for a Philly Spring Cleanup. Volunteers removed more than a million pounds of trash.
PartnershipsDow, Target and Waste Management were the lead sponsors of the cleanup, with additional support from RecycleBank, Covanta, Republic Services, Inc., Big Belly Solar and a variety of city partners.
Providing Park Resources
In March, construction began on a three-quarter acre green space to be called Hawthorne Park. Low-energy lights, a variety of plantings and water reduction measures will be included in the park’s design, which is the first new park development since the City’s plan to add 500 acres of green space to communities across Philadelphia.
Partnerships
The $2.2 million project will be funded with a $1.1 million grant from
the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources,
$300,000 in City capital funding, a $300,000 grant from the Pennsylvania
Department of Community and Economic Development grant, $250,000 from
The Pew Charitable Trusts through the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
(PHS) and $250,000 from The William Penn Foundation through PHS.
More News & Kudos
- In April, Mayor Nutter signed two bills designed to increase the city's sustainability and protect park land. The first bill permits the use of sustainable materials, such as pervious pavement, for sidewalk paving. The second bill prohibits the transfer or conversion of
outdoor public park and recreation land to other
uses or to third parties unless certain procedures and requirements are
met.
- The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) released a study that recognizes Philadelphia as a “Smarter City” for its implementation of innovative transportation policies and practices.
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ranked Philadelphia 14th
in its 2010 list of U.S. cities with the most ENERGY STAR certified
buildings.
The impressive achievements of Greenworks Philadelphia shows what can happen when you set big goals. The 2011 Greenworks Philadelphia Progress Report is expected to be released at the end of May.
