Grid Magazine November 2010

Sustainable Philadelphia

take one!

found food

Pawpaw season is upon us

hot wheels

Bike share software from a local company

SQUARE DEAL

South Philly’s new Mom & Pop tile shop

nov 2010 / issue 20 gridphilly.com

Honor Roll

A new (green) public school has a lot to teach

* Part of our 16-page green building special insert!

↘ inside: our special green building insert!

Compost =

Recycling 2.0 When sent to a landfill, food scraps break down and produce methane,

a greenhouse gas 72 times more potent than carbon dioxide in its global warming strength.

Recovering food waste and converting it into compost lowers our carbon footprint, creates rich, fertile soil, and supports the local economy.

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Business owners: call 215.520.2406 for a customized quote

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www.bennettcompost.com | 215.520.2406

philamuseum.org

From one to many Cittadellarte

The exhibition is made possible by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage through the Philadelphia Exhibitions Initiative, and by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts and The Kathleen C. and John J. F. Sherrerd Fund for Exhibitions.

Additional support is provided by illycaffè and the Circoli di Michelangelo Pistoletto, groups of generous galleries and individuals.

Venere degli stracci (Venus of the Rags), 1967, by Michelangelo Pistoletto (Cittadellarte-Fondazione Pistoletto, Biella, Italy) Š Michelangelo Pistoletto

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publisher

Moving On Up

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fever has gripped Red Flag Media. All of a sudden, we’re having the seven-year itch with our office space. Could it have been triggered by visiting the inspiring buildings profiled in Grid’s “Greenprint” insert (created in partnership with the Delaware Valley Green Building Council)? Absolutely. Walking down the sunlit hallways of Johnson and Johnson’s labs, or looking out at lush rain gardens from Germantown Friends School’s new science building changes you. It fills you with awe.

Honestly, I didn’t know a work space could be like that.

Returning to our own office left us feeling a bit glum. When Red Flag Media—publishers of Grid and two other monthly magazines—moved here in 2003, the space was completely open. A blank slate. We needed two private offices, but, in retrospect, the walls we built inhibit sunlight and block airflow, creating multiple climates—some of them quite harsh—in different sections. Maybe someone should have hired an architect.

Still, I have deep affection for this space.

When five of us moved from Wilkes-Barre to the big city, we had a luxurious 2,200 square feet to grow into. And now, with a staff of part-timers and interns that can number as high as 14 or 15, we have. It still doesn’t feel too crowded—except for the single bathroom, which always seems to have its door closed. (On occasion, I’ve opted to take a walk to the public restrooms at the Reading Terminal Market.)

Did I mention the Reading Terminal Market?

We are practically next door to it. A bonanza of food options, including our beloved Fair Food Farmstand, reside a mere two-minute walk away.

My heart breaks at the thought of being far from it. Plus, the office’s proximity to metal shows at the Trocadero and General Tso’s “Chicken” at Kingdom of Vegetarians led one of our editors to call it “the greatest block on Earth.” Despite that, he moved to Virginia a few years ago.

But it’s okay that he relocated, because we’re also right next door to Market East Station. As the monthly deadline for his publication approaches, he arrives by train. In fact, everyone who works here either walks, bikes or rides the rails to work. What a luxury.

Obviously, there are a lot of reasons to stay.

We could take down those walls, install a new bathroom, do some remodeling and spruce the place up. But here’s the deal-breaker: We don’t 4

g r i d p h i l ly. c o m

Alex Mulcahy 215.625.9850 ext. 102 alex@gridphilly.com ad sales

Claire Connelly 215.625.9850 ext. 100 claire@gridphilly.com managing editor

Lee Stabert lee@gridphilly.com contributing editor

Ariela Rose ariela@gridphilly.com art director

Jamie Leary jamie@gridphilly.com designer

Melissa McFeeters distribution

Claire Connelly 215.625.9850 ext. 100 claire@gridphilly.com copy editors

Andrew Bonazelli Patty Moran production artist

Lucas Hardison interns

Mark Syvertson Sam Watson writers

own the building, and our landlord isn’t interested in making improvements. Investing in someone else’s property—no matter how lovely the final results—seems like folly. Plus, we’re on a month-to-month lease, and have no recourse if the building is sold.

So, the quest to find a new home for Red Flag Media—and Grid—begins. For the time being, renting seems like the way to go, but if the right property at the right price suddenly emerged, well, maybe we’d take the plunge. In the meantime, we’ll be making our list of needs and wants, scouring Craigslist, remembering all the inspiring places we’ve seen and dreaming of the next space that we’ll call home.

Bernard Brown Marilyn S. D’Angelo Tenaya Darlington Jacob Lambert Julie Lorch Marisa McClellan Natalie Hope McDonald Ariela Rose Lee Stabert Mark Syvertson Monica Weymouth Samantha Wittchen Char Vandermeer photographers

Nikolai Fox Nick Scobel David Schrott illustrators

J.P. Flexner Kirsten Harper published by

Alex Mulcahy, Publisher alex@gridphilly.com

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Red Flag Media 1032 Arch Street, 3rd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 215.625.9850 g r i d p h i l ly . c o m

cove r phot o by b a r r y h a l ki n

Swim Fan

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hanks so much for the Dispatch you printed in the September issue of Grid (“The River Wild”).

Five years ago, I lived for a while in Heidelberg, Germany, and was able to swim in natural waters pretty often. Heidelberg is a beautiful town, and the local forest terrain and waterways there feel just like home to a native Pennsylvanian. Heidelberg is on a river called the Neckar, which always reminded me of the Schuylkill.

While I was there, we swam in the Neckar many times—jumping (illegally) off the Alte Brucke, and swimming (legally) from a beach that the city set up for sunbathers and swimmers. At the beach, they had a wooden dock that went out into the river a bit, which allowed you to get easily into the water. Then, when you got out of the water, they had outdoor public showers so you could rinse off. The showers were real simple, just cold water, but it was all set up in a clean Euro/Ikea sort of way.

At the time, it never occurred to me that we could do something similar in Philadelphia. Please do whatever you can to keep this issue in the spotlight. I’ll be certain to try some Schuykill swimming myself. —drew meschter

People in Glass Houses

Dispatch: The River wild, September 2010

Whole Lotta Love

I have a very good tip for your readers re: “View Point” (Energy Column: Windows, October 2010).

I discovered serendipitously how to block heat from east-facing windows in the summer (I’m in South Philly, so no trees anywhere) and remove the block to absorb heat in winter.

Mylar sheets for coating windows (max reflection), intended to be permanent, can be applied without the use of adhesive and easily removed in the fall. The same sheet can then be reapplied the following spring. —a. ehrich

energy column: Windows, october 2010

A kind note to tell you how much I appreciate the contribution you are making—and have been making—to our community since issue one. This publication is truly unparalleled and an amazing resource for gardeners, food lovers and conscientious Philadelphians everywhere! A recent transplant from D.C. (and a Maryland master gardener), it makes me proud to live in a city where this type of publication is possible. And, I must add, your reputation seems to be widespread: I was sitting at Café L’Aube this weekend, ready to devour a savory crepe and the latest Grid, when a passerby noticed my reading material and became excited that the new issue was finally out. I felt the same way and proceeded to savor every page, and every bite!

Thank you again. I will continue to save every issue I’m lucky enough to get my hands on!

—alana zerbe Send letters or tips to feedback@gridphilly.com Read back issues online at www.gridphilly.com

Issue no 18, September 2010 SUSTAINABLE PHILADELPHIA

take one!

DRINK UP

A local duo tackles the water crisis SEPTEMBER 2010 ISSUE NO. 18

SACKED!

Back to school lunch recipes

THIS WOMAN’S WORK Greensgrow Farm’s Mary Seton Corboy has energy—and anecdotes— to spare

D.I.Y. HOME WEATHERIZING GUIDE INSIDE SEPTEMB ER 20 10

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retraction

Recycling Challenge: Textiles

There was an error in September’s Recycling Challenge, which offered tips for textiles. Although they still accept textiles from high-volume providers like the Salvation Army, Dumont Export Corporation in Southwest Philadelphia no longer accepts worn-out textiles from individuals. So, what do you do with those tired cheetah-print sheets?

Meenal Raval of Philly Compost points out that biodegradable textiles made from natural fibers like cotton, linen, silk

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and wool are compostable. Make sure to check the tag before throwing that polyester leisure suit on the compost heap.

Planet Aid (planetaid.org), the organization whose ubiquitous yellow boxes are all over Philadelphia, accepts all kinds of textiles. Reusable items are picked out for sale at affordable prices in the developing world, and the rest get baled and sold on the international rag market. They’ll even take your old shoes. Proceeds go towards teacher training, small-scale farming, child aid and community development, vocational training and the fight against HIV and AIDS in developing countries.

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OH, LOOK. IT’S A HYBRID. With over 200 SEPTA hybrid buses on the road and more on the way, you’ve probably already spotted one. Keep a look out for the green hybrid decal. It’s our way of saying that you’re in the presence of a lean, green SEPTA machine.

SEPTA.org

ers ow Gr ow tt kn tha rs oce Gr cel ebrate all tha is ava ilab le loc ally Visit these markets today and enjoy ...

handmade chocolates, Farmstand cheeses, Farm Fresh eggs, Just-Picked Produce, artisan breads, much more! so and ts local specialities, Pastured Meats and Dairy, Diet-Friendly Produc

900 North 4th st., Phila, Pa 19123 215-625-6611 | almanacmarket.com

1618 e. Passyunk ave., Phila, Pa 19148 215-465-1411 | greenaislegrocery.com

reading terminal Market, Phila, Pa 19107 215-627-2029 | fairfoodphilly.org

4425 baltimore ave., Phila, Pa 19104 215-387-MilK | milkandhoneymarket.com

2521 christian st., Phila, Pa 19146 215-259-toGo | healthybitestogo.com

1610 south st., Phila, Pa 19146 215-545-3924 | pumpkinphilly.com

e these stores aND briNG this aD For Summerpteicmial!!! visit 10% oF your eNtire Purchase!!

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News

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b u s i n e ss

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r e c yc l i n g

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Food and more

Brake Dance Viridity teams up with SEPTA on an innovative energy project by lee stabert

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iridity Energy, local pioneers of smart grid technology (featured in Grid’s August Energy Issue), have announced an exciting partnership with SEPTA. The city’s trains already employ regenerative breaking, generating electricity when they come to a stop. Until now, a large portion of that energy was wasted—it could only be transferred if another train happened to be accessing the station at the same time. Viridity will install a storage device at a substation in Kensington, and their software will enable the battery to capture and distribute that energy.

“That’s electricity they won’t need to pull down from PECO,” explains Viridity’s Laurie Actman. “They can also sell it back into the wholesale market. That will fulfill two goals: save them energy and generate revenue.” The partnership recently received a $900,000 grant from the 2010 Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority (PEDA) program.

“As a company, we’ve opened up a new market—making the power infrastructure of transit systems a resource into the grid,” says Actman. “That has all kinds of wonderful benefits, especially because it helps transit systems, which are themselves sustainability assets for cities and regions.”

Viridity’s other flagship project, Drexel’s microgrid, went live in July. It has already

Fair Play

The Philadelphia Center for Architecture and the Ed Bacon Foundation have launched their Fifth Annual Ed Bacon Student Competition.

Students are This year’s theme—“Designing for the Fair of asked to envision the Future”—asks local and international college a fair of the future students to transport themselves to the year 2026, designing a venue for the World’s Fair celebration, held on the occasion of America’s 250th birthday. The student submissions will be judged on creativity, vision and the effectiveness of their solution for utilizing a vacant site in an underused section of South Philadelphia. Those with the winning designs will split $6,000 in prize money and attend an awards ceremony at the Philadelphia Center for Architecture on December 7. The competition reimagines the vision of Edmund Bacon himself, whose dream of a 1976 World’s Fair was never realized.

November 2 is the deadline for receipt of competition submissions; the awards ceremony will be held on December 7, edbacon.org

illustr at io n by J. P. Fl e xner

helped the university reduce energy expenses by 15-20 percent in participating buildings. And, by selling excess capacity back to the grid at a premium price, they’ve helped the school create an entirely new revenue stream—during five weeks of summer, the three smart grid-enabled buildings generated about $10,000. ■ viridityenergy.com

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Sunny Days The Bourse goes solar

The Bourse at Independence Mall recently installed a 43-kilowatt solar array on its roof, becoming one of the first historic buildings in the city to employ photovoltaics. Due to the Bourse’s landmark status, there were concerns about preserving the integrity of the structure. SolarDock, a green energy company from Wilmington, DE, installed the panels in non-permanent brackets, mounting them at a 25 degree angle (as opposed to the standard 10), taking maximum advantage of the sunlight in the heart of Old City.

For more on the project, visit discoverthebourse.blogspot.com

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/ local business

Potato Head

An online favorite opens its first storefront in Manayunk by lee stabert

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hree Potato Four’s new retail space on Shurs Lane feels a bit like a macro version of their beautiful, deliberately-chosen salvaged items and antiques. A former wool mill that’s over 100 years old, the converted space (once used as a dye room), has taken on myriad other incarnations in the last few decades, including a furniture repair shop, a dog collar factory and, according to Three Potato Four co-owner Stu Eli, host to a couple of raves in the ’80s. Most recently, it was an event space.

“When we got the place, it was battleship gray,” recalls Eli who, along with his business partner (and wife) Janet Morales, reinvigorated the rustic spirit of the old building, removing a prefab office, adding salvaged wood to the walls, and installing a platform and counter inspired by classic general stores. The soaring ceilings and industrial grandeur are a perfect showcase for Three Potato Four’s diverse inventory of furniture, home wares, signage and other eclectic unearthed treasures.

The business started three years ago when Eli and Morales moved to Virginia from New York City, where they had both worked in the graphic design industry. They decided to start their own business and went through a series of ideas.

“First it was going to be a stationery store,” explains Eli. “Then we were going to do a hamburger stand.” When they eventually settled on stationery and home wares—sold online to start— they discussed a plan to distinguish themselves.

“What makes one store different from another?” asks Eli. “You could open a shop, and you have the same catalogs to choose from that I do.”

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So, they added antiques to their selection, and within the first six months, that segment had become 90 percent of their business. The website developed a devoted following, and the couple decided to open a brick-and-mortar store. “We wanted to get out from behind our computers,” explains Eli, “sell some bigger pieces and expand the customer base.” Plus, they hoped to get the inventory out of their home. Though they don’t have roots in the region, the couple eventually settled on Philadelphia, moving to the area in July.

Three Potato Four’s continued growth can be attributed to Eli and Morales’ astute eye—their objects convey an aesthetic that’s hard to pin down, but undeniably stylish and soulful. The pair goes shopping at least twice a week, combing the East Coast for items that intrigue them.

Many of their objects incorporate vintage lettering, type and graphics. They also have a particular affection for signage, a holdover from their graphic design days. Eli notes his particular interest in old public school, library and science artifacts. Their inventory also includes a fair share of industrial relics, old general store items

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and unique handmade pieces.

On a recent visit, standouts included a German beer hall table—perfect for a patio or even a breakfast nook—a gaming wheel crafted from an old bike tire, factory ladders from Bethlehem Steel, a mail-sorting cabinet (complete with town labels) and a vintage educational chart featuring a giant crayfish.

“Look at something and it makes you smile— that’s good enough for me,” says Eli when asked about what objects make the cut. “We might not know a deep level of history on some of these items, but we know a good amount. And the most important thing to us is just that we like it.” ■

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Three Potato Four, 376 Shurs Ln., Building A, 12 – 7 p.m. Fri. & Sat., and by appointment, threepotatofourshop.com

Site Plan

CommonSpace makes meeting up a breeze

The Sustainable Business Network, William Penn Foundation, NPower and Azavea have collaborated to create CommonSpace, an interactive map that solves the weekend conundrum of meeting friends in a spot convenient to all parties. Still in the preview stage, the map suggests a central area, accessible by foot, bike or public transportation in a specified travel time. Once your group is on equal footing, use the search tab to find a restaurant, bar, art gallery or shopping area to suit your style. commonspace.us

Spread the Wealth Better Butter reinvents a childhood favorite by lee stabert

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fter graduating from NYU’s Stern School of Business, Marina Levtov took a job with IBM. Her first client was a tobacco company. “My first day of work, I walked onto the site and people are smoking, in the office,” she recalls. “Their IDs worked in vending machines—you were allotted one pack a day.” For Levtov, a healthy living advocate who was already experimenting with producing all-natural foods, the atmosphere was not a great fit, but it did serve as strong motivation to launch her own business.

The result is Better Butter, a line of rich, healthy spreads. “At home, I was diluting my peanut butter with bananas and pumpkin,” says Levtov. “My boyfriend joked that I should sell it.”

Levtov produces Better Butter at Greensgrow Farms’ new community kitchen in Kensington, using local ingredients whenever possible. Peanuts come from Philadelphia’s Nuts to You and honey from Two Gander Farm in Oley. Her jars are made in Lancaster County.

There are currently two Better Butter flavors: Honey Nut Banana, made with dry-roasted peanuts, banana, honey and sea salt, and Nutty Chocolate Chip, comprised of peanuts, pumpkin, agave nectar, cocoa and chocolate chips. The spreads have half the calories of other nut-based spreads, and taste delicious whether baked into cookies, stirred into yogurt or simply smeared onto crusty bread. ■

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Better Butter, mybetterbutter.com, available at Almanac Market, Green Aisle Grocery, Milk & Honey Market, Pumpkin Market, Swarthmore Co-op, Healthy Balance (Lebanon, NJ) and Brian’s Wine & Liquor Emporium (Piscataway, NJ)

Universal Appeal

Food for All Market hopes to become a haven for sensitive eaters Mt. Airy’s Food for All Market, a café and artisanal grocery opened in early October and catering to those with food sensitivities, was originally inspired by owner Amy Kunkle’s three small children—they all suffer from food allergies.

Landisdale Farm and Lancaster Farm Fresh Co-op supply the produce and meats. Grab and go items are made by allergy-aware businesses such as Sweet Freedom Bakery, the Greenwood Kitchen and Sweet Christine’s.

The store’s look was inspired by old-fashioned general stores, but with a sustainable twist.

Tables are made from salvaged windows, lights from recycled mason jars and the counter from a consignment shop buffet.

“I really want to emphasize that it’s for everyone, not just people with food allergies,” says Kunkle of the market. “Why would you not want food made from scratch?” —Ariela Rose 7127 Germantown Ave., 267-297-7122, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. Tues. – Sun., foodforallmarket.com

Night Watch

A beloved Chestnut Hill Bakery expands Night Kitchen Bakery, a Germantown Avenue staple dedicated to producing delicious cakes and pastries in an environmentally responsible manner, is expanding.

Certified by the Green Restaurant Association, Night Kitchen buys local ingredients, maintains a garden for herbs and vegetables, employs a comprehensive recycling program and composts all their food waste. They also make efforts to reduce their water and energy consumption, and don’t use plastic bags or Styrofoam. So, when owners Amy Edelman and John Milliard decided to extend their current space into the adjacent building, they chose a local contractor who shared their dedication to sustainability. “We chose the Stock Group because they specialize in using reclaimed materials,” explains Edelman. The makeover will utilize reclaimed tables, countertops, hardwood floors and an old farmhouse sink. The Stock Group will also be installing LED lights and using only non-VOC paints.

The addition will triple the Night Kitchen’s existing seating area and the new cake decorating space will be visible from the sidewalk, turning the Chestnut Hill bakery into a live version of Cake Boss or Ace of Cakes. —Mark Syverston Night Kitchen Bakery, 7725 Germantown Ave., 215-248-9235, nightkitchenbakery.com

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Into the Woods

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Manayunk Timber reclaims the city’s hroughout Philadelphia, crumbling factories industrial past, one beam at a time

recall a faded past. But in the wooden beams that once held them up—century-old timber taken from vanished virgin forests—Steve Ebner sees beauty, opportunity and a chance at renewal. “You can’t get better than this,” he says, gesturing toward the massive stacks of reclaimed wood that make up the stock of his business, Manayunk Timber, Inc. For 25 years, Ebner has been refashioning those beams into boards for use in new construction—a career that has quietly extended the memory of our city’s departed industry. ¶ “I just love cuttin’ them, man,” says Ebner of the 19th-century girders. Ebullient in a Stetson, checked shirt, blue jeans and boots, the 57-year-old Northeast Philly native exudes a deep devotion to his work. “I can go back in time, just for a second,” he says of sawing —Steve Ebner through each beam.

I just love cuttin’ them, man. I can go back in time, just for a second.

by jacob lambert

And on his lot, tucked away in a gravelly corner of Manayunk, there is plenty of history: Current inventory includes logs from a paper mill along Frankford Creek, as well as supports from an evaporator plant at 17th and Clearfield and a canvas factory at 4th and Brown. Prior to the buildings’ demolition, Ebner bids on their steel-strong wood—a process he describes as “competitive.” If he wins, the beams are trucked here, where they’re methodically stacked with a forklift. Then it’s usually only a matter of “days or weeks” until orders come from builders and contractors, hoping to use his freshly hewn antique planks in everything from cabinets to counters to flooring.

Ebner got his start in 1981 as a carpenter, and his mentor, Ben Brown, passed along an enthusiasm for wood that the years have done little to diminish. “A light bulb [went] off,” he says of the moment when occupation merged with passion. “I got addicted to wood, and that was it.” Ebner supplements his habit by turning windblown trees into boards and mulch—every scrap reused—and crafting furniture from cypress, cedar and redwood, gleaned from the long-gone Schmidt’s brewery.

But whatever the product, the materials and the process are what drive him. “Wood is more beautiful when you think about it,” he says. “It’s the greatest renewable resource.” Holding out three fingers, he ticks off a quick list of precious items: “Wood, diamonds, gold—I don’t know… it could go one, two, three.” ■

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Manayunk Timber, Inc., Umbria St. and Parker Ave., 215-483-7399, manayunktimber.com 10

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phot os by N i ko l a i Fo x

by char vandermeer

Roll the Credits

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igh. It’s that time of the year again— days are on the wane and winter is on its way. As much as I’d like to replace the contents of each container with a promising crop of hearty root vegetables, the Earth’s revolutions (and my neighbor’s bathroom addition) shelter my little blue roofdeck from most of the sun’s beneficial winter rays.

So while parsnips, carrots, radishes, kale and romanesco enjoy what’s left of the spotlight, a dozen other pots are ready for hibernation.

In all likelihood, one of the first questions you’ll ask yourself is, “Do I really need to dump all this wonderful and expensive potting soil into the trash?” If you want to get garden geeks going, just ask them whether or not you can reuse potting soil.

The answers will range from a resounding “absolutely” to “absolutely not.” This gardener responds decisively: “Well, maybe. Probably. It depends.”

So, here’s the Shoots scoop: If your veggies suffered from disease (we’re not talking about nutrient deficiencies here, but old-fashioned fungi and bacterial issues), then fuhgedaboudit and ditch the dirt. If you’re uncomfortable dumping it in the nearest public park under the cover of darkness, find out the identity of your local park-tender and ask if they’d mind a donation.

The soil will be fine for the neighborhood petunias—just make sure you don’t contaminate a vegetable garden with your refuse.

If you were blessed with a healthy crop this year and don’t feel moved to sterilize your soil,

then remove all evidence of the previous tenant from the soil (dead leaves, root balls, root clusters and drainage material), pour a few kettles of boiling water over the mess (with any luck, it’ll kill any bugs that may be lingering), drain and dry.

Overachievers can also sterilize their used soil. Put it into deep baking pans, spreading evenly to a depth of four to five inches. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees and allow your dirt to bake for 30 minutes. You can also microwave the soil until it reaches the desired temperature. Make sure the soil doesn’t exceed 200 degrees; high heat produces toxins, rendering it useless. Allow the dirt to cool completely.

Dump the dried dirt into a big trash bin. When spring arrives, enrich your recycled soil with an equal quantity of fresh soil and generous servings of organic matter, such as compost or worm castings.

Now, haul those containers inside (especially those pretty terra cotta and ceramic Cashed planters; they’ll burst if we Make sure to have another winter like last move terra year’s), rinse out as much dirt cotta and ceramic pots as possible and soak them in inside for a 10 percent bleach solution winter for 30 minutes. If you’re not too keen on bleach, you can scrub them with hot, soapy water and hope for the best.

After that, it’s just a matter of crossing your fingers and waiting for the first seed catalogues to appear in your mailbox. ■

KOA

energy audits interior design

KOAngotti.com

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Efficiency -andAppearance nove mb e r 20 10

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/ local business

A husband and wife team offer beautiful, resilient tile by ariela rose

ason Ferraro was born to lay tile.

His grandfather taught his father and two uncles the trade; then they taught him.

When Jason met and married Tiffany, a former interior designer, their overlapping skills inspired an idea. The result is Earthstone Tile Works, a boutique tile shop in South Philadelphia specializing in responsibly-made, long-lasting tile.

The Ferraros’ business is a combination of Tiffany’s design expertise and Jason’s 12-year experience as a local tile installer.

The 300-square-foot storefront opened in June. Tiffany, along with the couple’s baby Sylvie, spends her days at the shop, meeting with clients to discuss tile options and aesthetics. Jason does the majority of his work in the field, working with his hands, just the way his grandfather did.

“It’s a good marriage because Tiffany has design experience; she went to art school,” says Jason. “So, for her to be in the shop, having her design sensibility and an eye for color that I don’t have, is a good pairing.”

The couple’s collaboration ensures that no detail is overlooked, especially when selecting their inventory. Every piece is handpicked using criteria that includes handmade, locally- or domestically-manufactured and incorporation of recycled content. The result is a wide selection of sustainably-produced tile, featuring favorites like 90 percent recycled glass tile, or sleek slate tiles crafted by a small business in upstate New York.

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“It’s really cool to get to know all the tile manufacturers personally,” says Jason, motioning to a mosaic tile in a variety of intricate shapes and pastel colors.

“That tile on the wall, a husband and wife made it all by hand.”

“It’s made one hour away,” adds Tiffany. “The only electricity they use is their kiln and the light in their garage.”

All of Earthstone’s tile is displayed on in-house-produced concept boards covering the shop’s far wall. Customers can walk into the store, point to a concept board and say, “That’s what I want.”

While many only purchase the tiles, others employ Earthstone for their entire design and installation process.

“You don’t have to have us do every-

thing,” says Tiffany, “but I feel like it’s better for the customer because we can come from all ends and make it a really smooth project from beginning to end.”

Earthstone specializes in products with a long lifespan. Once, while out on a walk, Tiffany discovered the remains of a demolished home—all that remained of the building was a tile foyer constructed in 1890. The same tile is now for sale in the shop.

“That’s the thing that’s really cool about tile,” says Jason. “If it’s properly installed, it can last generations.”

1224 Tasker St., 267-251-8274, noon – 6 p.m. Wed. – Fri., noon – 5 p.m. Sat., earthstonetileworks.com phot os by David Sc h ro tt

/ urban naturalist

Crawl Space

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When it comes to salamanders, slime is no deterrent by bernard brown, phillyherping.blogspot.com

ut for a herping expedition along Cobbs Creek with a group of children from West Philadelphia’s Lea School, I was hoping for snakes. After all, snakes are the most glamorous, gross-out find from a grade-school perspective, and I wanted to look like the expert “snake man” Dr. Vivienne—co-guide and community volunteer—had promised the kids.

Unfortunately, the weather was not cooperating. The sky was cloudy, the air damp and chilly. The snakes were sensibly sleeping underground, holding out for the sun. All we found was salamanders.

My mind distracted by perceived failure, it took me a few minutes to notice the excited “oohs” and “ahs.” Never mind snakes—rolling logs to find the cute, glimmering red-backed salamanders was awesome enough.

I swear they’re cute. A little slimy? Sure.

Bug-eating, nocturnal creepy crawlies that live in the moist spaces under rocks and logs? Also true. But then there’s those big black eyes and the cartoonishly round faces. And they sparkle, literally, with itty bitty silver speckles sprinkled all over their red-brown backs and grey flanks.

About half of them are solid gray under all that glitter, the ‘lead’ backs.

If you had enough of the searing weather this summer, the city’s several million red-backed

pho to by n ic k sc o bel

salamanders agreed with you. They generally retreat to cooler strata while we sweat it out on the surface, and then come back up to the forest floor from fall through spring.

As the leaves turn and crisp air takes back the night, the red-backs are packing on the milligrams (adults are three to four inches long) and getting ready for a season of romance and excitement. Of course salamander romance looks pretty alien to us—biting and chin rubbing followed by an undulating dance in which the male places a little packet of sperm on the ground for the female to pick up as she grooves on behind him.

Almost every rock and log in the woods hides a salamander sleeping off the night’s mayhem, but you can also find them in back yards and

I swear they’re cute.

A little slimy? Sure.

Bug-eating, nocturnal creepy crawlies that live in the moist spaces under rocks and logs? Also true. gardens (the shadier the better). My wife and I once found one on a chilly November day under a rock at the base of the Art Museum, right next to the multi-use trail.

Be gentle with the little guys. Our hands are warm enough to give them heat stroke after few minutes, and their skin (which they use to exchange CO2 for oxygen; they have no lungs) absorbs the chemicals in bug spray or lotions.

Always put the home rock or log back down and then let the salamander go; it’ll find its way back underneath and avoid a tragic smooshing. ■

nove m b e r 20 10

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/ technology

Wheel House A local start-up uses carbon credits to revolutionize bike share programs by marilyn s. d’angelo

E

ver since its first iteration in the 1960s, bike sharing has been a bit of an idealistic campaign. It sounds great, sure. But in reality, bike sharing systems often lead to underutilized, vandalized and stolen bikes—keeping overhead high and program initiation low. Now, one local company is using innovative software to change the economics of this sought-after city asset. ¶ Recent advances in technology have already made bike sharing much more realistic—GPS tracking, cell phone unlocking mechanisms and credit card payment systems are now as simple as remembering the combination to a Masterlock. And yet, with the exception of a few choice U.S. cities (Washington, DC, Denver, Minneapolis and South Beach in Miami), the systems have still been slow to take off.

Overhead remains the essential issue—a tough sell to city officials in lean times—but CityRyde, a Philadelphia start-up, has developed a software program that should help bike share companies turn a profit. The key lies in monetizing the amount of carbon offset by the bikes—literally putting a price tag on going green.

The entrepreneurs behind this green-makesgreen software are CityRyde co-founders Timothy Ericson and Jason Meinzer. After a semester abroad in London, the Drexel grads returned to the States with a plan. “We wanted to make bike share proliferate worldwide,” recalls Meinzer.

In 2007, the duo launched CityRyde. For the next year, the team worked on raising investment capital and attempted to develop its own hardware. But, with a struggling economy and other systems already available, CityRyde eventually

transitioned to consulting. Ericson and Meinzer remade themselves as the go-to authorities on bike sharing for a country in dire need of such a resource.

This year, CityRyde finished the first of two branded software packages, dubbed CityRyde Spark. This universal program was the first offthe-shelf software for managing bike share systems.

The software can be applied to any pre-existing bike share hardware (which includes the bikes and current technology systems). It’s now in use at the University of Chicago and the University of Colorado. By year’s end, it will be launched at four other universities, and in 2011, the technology comes to Boulder County, CO. Next up is City Ryde’s Inspire, a program built on top of Spark’s universal technology. This is the software that proves bike sharing is displacing a carbon-emitting ride.

“Our software produces As cities across the country continue to look reports, runs the algointo alternative modes of transportation and rithms, verifies, certifies and monetizes carbon Philadelphia vies for its “Greenest City in offsets,” said Meinzer. “It America” title, software like this could make or is the only software that break the city’s ultimate decision on bike sharing. claims to do this for sus14

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tainable transport projects like bike sharing.”

These carbon offset credits are then sold as commodities on the open carbon offset market, the world’s fastest growing commodities market. As with any publicly traded commodity (soy beans, coffee, gold), the price is based on supply and demand. Large corporations—including giants like Google—purchase these credits, offsetting their emissions for the year. Carbon offset credits come with different values depending on where they were gleaned. Because of the human health benefits associated with bike riding, bike share credits are ranked at the top of the value scale.

According to the Gold Standard, a Swiss nonprofit organization that operates a certification program for carbon credits, “offsets by themselves do not lead to a net reduction in global emissions, although they can prevent the rate of emissions from increasing.”

CityRyde’s Inspire is currently in its beta testing stage. The next step is to bridge the $350,000 financial gap and bring the product into alpha testing stages, and then to its final enterprisegrade product stage.

As cities across the country continue to look into alternative modes of transportation and Philadelphia vies for its “Greenest City in America” title, software like this could make or break the city’s ultimate decision on bike sharing.

Philadelphia has been looking into launching a program since 2007. After years of studies, an official report has just been released showing that bike sharing could be feasible in our fair city—there is talk of a 2011-2012 launch. On the day that happens, the program will be able to look locally for software. ■

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cityryde.com

Money Matters

PHILADELPHIA UNIVERSITY

Philadelphia is flush with recovery dollars, but where is it going? by natalie hope mcdonald

I

f Philadelphia hopes to become one of the greenest cities in America, now is the time. Thanks to two multi-million dollar grants from the federal government (distributed as part of President Obama’s Recovery Act), Philly is embarking on initiatives that will create green jobs, address energy concerns and offer sustainable solutions to some of the city’s longtime problems. The mayor’s office recently published Stimulus at Work in Philadelphia: The Mayor’s Quarterly Update, detailing the goals of the Recovery Act and how funding is being distributed.

According to Katherine Gajewski, Director of Sustainability for the City of Philadelphia, the money is mostly being used to help fund Greenworks, a citywide sustainability plan. Local businesses are receiving loans for energy-efficient projects, solar energy is being used to power garbage receptacles and a waste water treatment plant, and traffic lights are being replaced with LED signals, which could save the city upwards of $1 million per year on electricity costs. PECO has agreed to match the $3 million in funds allotted for the new lights. The bulbs will be swapped out before the end of the year.

The city has taken a strategic approach in selecting recovery projects, ensuring strong alignment with Greenworks’ goals. “The city has been awarded a total of $41.5 million in sustainablespecific grants,” explains Maari Porter, Deputy Budget Director for Recovery. The city was also awarded a $15.8 million weatherization grant; more than 50 small businesses have already received rebates.

“These dollars are critical funds the city wouldn’t have had without the Recovery Act,” says Porter. “The city has been able to invest in local businesses and support energy-efficient technologies that are saving businesses, residents and the city money through reduced energy bills. We’re also creating good jobs through the weatherization of homes and energy audits of commercial buildings.”

“This came at a really critical time,” adds Gajewski. “We already had a sustainability plan in place and had identified initiatives. It provided a critical launching pad for us to get Greenworks up and running.”

Earlier this summer, a portion of the funds was used to install bike racks on former parking meter posts around town, making life easier for those who choose biking over driving. It was a great opportunity to reuse existing infrastructure in a more effective way.

The city is also expanding the Big Belly program and companion solar-powered recycling receptacles in commercial corridors, as well as installing large solar panels at the city’s Southwest water treatment plan. “Our water department is an energy-intensive operation,” says Gajewski. “This is the first project for us that will hopefully encourage the water department to extend solar power, decreasing electricity use and saving taxpayers money.”

The whole idea, admits Gajewski, is to start making investments in clean energy. “If we can start getting these projects up and going,” she says, “it can help justify future projects down the road.” ■

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Stimulus at Work in Philadelphia: The Mayor’s Quarterly Update is available online at phila.gov/recovery

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solar panels at a Philadelphia Water Department facility LED traffic signal replacements new bike racks additional BigBelly Solar Compactors loans for retrofits of city, residential and commercial buildings assist Fairmount Park in moving toward a sustainable ecosystem

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$68.4 million nove mb e r 20 10

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/ bike culture

S

tep one: Place local food activists, cycling enthusiasts and the rolling hills of Chester County into a pot. Two: Add a cup of glorious weather. Three: Sprinkle spandex to taste. Four: Bike 50 miles; immediately scarf lunch, turn in drink ticket for a Victory brew and voila! Bike Fresh Bike Local leaves you wondering if life could get any better.

This year marked the third annual ride, a fundraiser for PASA (Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture) and a celebration of local food and bicycling. On September 26, over 650 cyclists gathered to tackle 25, 50 or 75-mile loops, winding through quiet roads and serene farmland. Grid’s Managing Editor, Lee Stabert, joined me for the 50-mile option.

Before the ride, we caught up with Marilyn Anthony, Southeast Regional Director of PASA and one of the ride organizers. Three years ago, Anthony dreamed of an event “that would engage the non-farming community, and put them in touch with beautiful farmland and foods from those farms, and with the work that PASA does to keep family farming in our region.” She mentioned her idea to two longtime local foods activists, Chef Royer Smith and Victory Brewing’s Bill Covaleski. As luck would have it, both were also bike lovers. The idea took off, with more and more cyclists saddling up every year.

by Julie Lorch Of course, it makes perfect sense that Smith and Covaleski are avid cyclists—eating locally connects us to each other and to the earth, as does riding a bicycle. We become aware of the seasons, and are offered the opportunity to t the he route deepen our relationship with the natural world. Sometimes, we switch on the ability to be State Game 23 Lands humbled by sensory experiences. If lucky, we are moved.

The ride was magical. The ad Ro e ac rn Warwick Fu route started at Victory Brewing in Downingtown, picked up Struble Trail and headed CHESTER 76 towards French Creek State Park on Bicycle Route L. We 401 cut through Chester County and passed Springton Manor 282 Farm before returning to the 100 brewery.

There was little traffic, but Glenmoore we did pass tons of crickets, farm animals, spectacular open spaces and little white 76 arrows marking the turns—no Marsh Creek cue sheet fumbling required.

State Park And the roads! They were so 82 well-paved they made Spruce and Pine feel like a couple of dodgy double tracks. It’s true 322 282 that cyclists experience the world differently from drivers. We breathe more deeply and feel the texture of the road 30 jangle our bodies; we see the DOWNINGTOWN

…

bIKE FRESH BIKE LOCAL

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sky and ridgelines unencumbered. Chester County, it turns out, is heaven.

In keeping with PASA’s overall mission, food is at the center of Bike Fresh Bike Local. Returning to Victory after 55 miles of riding (yup, we missed a turn on the most wellmarked route in history), we hobbled to the beer truck and pounded barbeque sandwiches made with local pork, slathered in slaw.

The ride lasted a luxurious five hours—we downed the delicious meal in around three minutes. ■

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For more on PASA’s events and initiatives, visit pasafarming.org.

Spotlighting innovative green design in the Delaware Valley

Germantown Friends School

Girl Scouts science lodge

springfield green

johnson & johnson

kensington high school

Top of the Class : green schools as teaching tools Home Spun : residences that tread lightly Work Space : companies and organizations go green w w w. dvgb c . org

from the executive director Did you know that kids learn better when there’s more daylight and fresh air in the classroom? Or that patients heal faster when they have green views? We’re beginning to understand the myriad ways our surroundings affect our well-being. Designing buildings with those considerations—and environmental sensitivity—in mind is the next logical step. In this issue, you’ll learn about some of the leaders in green building and how they are making our offices, hospitals, schools and community buildings safer, healthier, and more conducive to learning and working.

The Delaware Valley Green Building Council (DVGBC) is a growing community of 1,000 members and hundreds of businesses, governments and nonprofits working together to promote sustainable building practices.

DVGBC focuses on buildings because people spend 90 percent of their time inside and the building industry is the largest contributor to many of our most pressing environmental issues: fossil-fuel energy use, global climate change, land and water pollution, and poor air quality. By addressing how we build, reuse, fit out, light, heat and cool our buildings—not to mention how we treat construction waste—we can improve our environment, inside and out.

When it comes to construction and design, every choice we make has an impact on the environment, from a building’s orientation, to the type of HVAC system chosen, to the kind of paints used on walls and carpets on floors. The U.S. Green Building Council, DVGBC’s parent organization, has worked for over 10 years to develop and continually improve the voluntary LEED rating system, helping people build and retrofit healthier buildings. DVGBC trains professionals in LEED and other green building practices.

We are educators and advocates for good building policies at the state and local level. And we are always looking forward: Whether it’s the latest solar hot water technology, building information systems, cool roofs, geothermal wells or green cleaning products, DVGBC members aim to continually push the envelope of design, materials and systems.

If you’d like to learn more about our work, please visit our website at dvgbc.org, come to one of our events, become a member or join one of our committees or branches in the Lehigh Valley, Philadelphia, Bucks and Montgomery Counties, or the State of Delaware. Be a part of the green building solution!

Janet Milkman executive director delaware valley green building council

when cost

The Fr ank lin ins TiTuTe 222 norTh 20 Th s Tree T Phil adelPhia , Pa 19103 Thursday, ocTober 21, 2010 6 : 30 Pm – 9 : 00 Pm aT The door regis Tr aTion aF Ter ocTober 1 dVgbc members $100 non-members $150 student members $ 60 student non-members $70

ANNUAL GREEN BUILDING CELEBRATION

Honor your commitment to a better world by attending the Annual Green Building Celebration — the biggest event of the year — and grow both professionally and intellectually!

Network with over 400 professionals committed to transforming Green Building in the Delaware Valley.

REGISTER NOW!

For registration and sponsorship opportunities hT TP: // dVgbc.org/ eVenT/annual-green-building-celebraTion

event sponsors

Thank you to our leadership reception & event sponsors:

leadership reception sponsors

where

2 | GREENPRINT | DELAWARE VALLEY GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL 2010

cover photo credits: germantown friends school and kensington high school for the creative and performing arts by barry halkin; johnson & johnson by don pearse

DELAWARE VALLEY GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL

LEED by Example Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) was launched as a pilot program in August 1998 by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). They hoped to create a nationwide system for defining “green buildings.” The preliminary research committee, featuring a diverse group of green-minded building professionals, set out to establish a system for rating buildings that are designed, constructed and operated with environmental sustainability as a top priority. In March 2000, the LEED Green Building Rating System Version 2.0 was released, followed by Version 2.1 in 2001, Version 2.2 in 2005 and, most

Despite the diverse design and construction strategies of each rating system, the focus of every project aspiring for LEED certification is on five categories of environmental and human health:

Grid offers you an easy guide to a complex certification process by ariela rose recently, Version 3 in April 2009.

Due to advances in sustainable technologies and building practices, LEED is constantly expanding and evolving—up-to-date information is posted on the USGBC’s website. The program has also grown to include rating systems for specific types of building projects, including new construction and major renovation; existing buildings; schools

and homes; commercial interiors; neighborhood development and healthcare facilities. The program is open to buildings of all shapes and sizes, and achieving LEED certification verifies that a project satisfies top green-building standards, including energy conservation, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, indoor environmental quality and protection of natural resources.

sustainable sites (26 possible points) Have protecting natural land and building using existing infrastructure been incorporated as important parts of the design, construction or renovation process?

water efficiency (10 possible points) Are water conservation efforts being made in the building facilities?

energy & atmosphere (35 possible points) Are the building’s systems efficient enough to reduce energy use and maintenance issues?

materials & resources (14 possible points) Are recycling and waste properly disposed of during the construction and operation of the building?

indoor environmental quality (15 possible points) Is the atmosphere inside the building pleasant and healthy for those who occupy it?

Two other categories also exist that may award projects up to 10 bonus points (in addition to the 100 points available from the five categories above):

Point values ranging from one to five are awarded throughout a project’s life cycle as specific prerequisites are met for each category, ultimately adding up to award a building one of four certifications:

Find Out More!

DVGBC One Penn Center 1617 JFK Blvd, Suite 999 Philadelphia, PA 19103

innovation in design (6 possible points) Does the project go above and beyond the existing LEED prerequisites and credits, or reach an innovative environmental achievement not included in the current LEED system?

regional priority

(4 possible points) Are the project’s achievements applicable to the environmental issues specific in its geographic location?

certified

gold

40 – 49 points

60 – 79 points

silver

platinum

50 – 59 points

80+ points

As part of LEED Version 3, the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) is now in charge of administering certification. Those interested in LEED certification should first register on the GBCI’s website (gbci.org). For more information about LEED, visit usgbc.org.

office: 215.399.5790 fax: 215.564.1719 www.dvgbc.org DELAWARE VALLEY GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL 2010 | GREENPRINT | 3

dvgbc leadership

award winner

School District of Philadelphia



Learning Curve The school district’s new green building is a stunner by lee stabert Just steps from the Berks stop on the Market-Frankford line is the Philadelphia School District’s new showpiece: Kensington High School for the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA), a soon-to-be LEED Platinum-certified, state-of-the-art facility. The building is a tremendous accomplishment, not just for what it represents but for how it feels. To step into this school is to understand the deep interconnection between the human brain and its environment. Surrounded by the dynamic greens of native grasses and flooded with natural light, how could you not want to learn?

The construction was a collaboration between AP Construction and Bustleton Services Incorporated. The design was also a partnership effort between SMP Architects and SRK Architects, a Latino-owned business with roots in the community. This was a turn-key project, meaning it was handled by private developers and then bought by the school district for a pre-set amount (in this case, $44 million). That enabled the work to be accomplished quite quickly, though there was still plenty of input from the future buyer.

The site was a former brownfield, so the first step was exhaustive environmental remediation.

Another issue was the proximity to the train. This was solved through extensive sound insulation

and creative mapping—classrooms in the back, gym in the front.

One of the most striking things about Kensington CAPA is the abundance of green space. “A lot of urban sites are challenged when it comes to green space,” says SMP architect Jane Rath.

“The property was actually zoned to be built from property line to property line. We just said, ‘No, we want to maximize green.’ Now, over 50 percent of the site is green.” This includes front and back gardens sown with native plants and a series of green roofs, many of them visible from the second floor corridors.

The school also boasts the district’s first geothermal heating and cooling system—it was a

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tough sell. New equipment means additional training for employees and a shift from decades of upkeeping boilers and chillers. It also means high upfront costs. SMP pushed hard, assuring the district that it could be done within the framework of their agreed-upon price tag.

Kensington CAPA’s building engineer, Mike McGinley, proudly showed off his compact utility room. In a space the size of an average bedroom, there were graywater tanks (replenished by a rainwater cistern) that feed the urinals and toilets, as well as the tank for the geothermal system. The actual wells are under the sports field.

Despite the initial skepticism, the geothermal system has been a hit. The saved space was a boon for the architects, and employees mentioned that it had been downright chilly in the building during the height of summer. McGinley, who had to learn the new system, has been impressed with its cleanliness and efficiency. “The only oil we get is for the backup generator—that’s 50 gallons,” he explains. “And we only use that about once a year. At the old Kensington, in the winter, every other week we were pulling in 7,000 to 8,000 gallons of oil.”

On a broader note, McGinley commented on the lack of vandalism in the new space: “We haven’t had a half-hour of vandalism work to do,” he says. “That is unbelievable.”

Kensington CAPA is just a piece of the district’s efforts to institute systemic change—not an easy task in an organization that has often fallen victim to inertia. They’re currently in the process of hiring a full-time sustainability director and retrofitting older schools, and have two other green projects to showcase (Kensington’s Willard Elementary School is on track for LEED Silver and the under-construction West Philadelphia High School is aiming for LEED Gold). “In a big district, it’s not an easy task,” says Leigh Clark from the district’s Office of Capital Programs. “We have over 270 schools. People need to understand that

photos by barry halkin

The only oil we get is for the backup generator ❝ that’s 50 gallons. And we only use that about once a year.

At the old Kensington, in the winter, every other week we were pulling in 7,000 to 8,000 gallons of oil. mike mcginley kensington capa’s building engineer buildings designed in our program can be green buildings, that it isn’t a hardship.” [ ↗ ] Walking through Kensington CAPA, it can feel like an argument that’s already been won.

Solar light tubes flood the second floor hallways with a warm glow (even on the cloudy day of our visit); despite the dry weather, the myriad seedlings on the green roofs are slowly taking root; the music rooms are majestic; the art studios

Science Fair

SMP Architects was also involved in the design of Germantown Friends School’s LEED Gold-certified science building. This project featured a particular emphasis on stormwater management.

“There are three major components to the system,” explains SMP’s David Ade. “First off, there are two levels of green roofs—a traditional seeded green roof, at the highest level, and then a lower level green roof that the students planted with native grasses and perennials.” Other strategies include a courtyard landscaped with a series of rain gardens and two above-ground cisterns that hold non-potable water used in the building’s

❞

are spacious and sunny; and the temperature is a comfortable 72 degrees.

“All students deserve to go to a great place to learn, and if the building is part of it, so be it,” says Rath. “Schools should be healthy, bright, inspiring spaces. According to what I heard at the school last week, truancy has been eliminated.

They’re really happy to be there and proud of the building.”

Germantown Friends School’s science building is also a teaching tool by lee stabert toilets (potable water use has been reduced by has been reduced by 42 percent; six percent of 54 percent over a typical baseline design). The the building’s energy use is offset by the solar cisterns also function as a striking visual element, arrays; and 100 percent of the regularly occupied situated prominently space is lit by sunlight.

“The building is a teachnear the entrance to the courtyard. ing tool in itself,” explains Ade. The building also “We want the students to reboasts three photovolally understand what’s going taic solar rigs on the on. There’s a building monitor91% of the construction waste roof, and a geothermal ing system; they can log in on a was diverted from landfill. heating and cooling touchscreen in the lobby or on the school’s website, and look at system. Energy usage 70% of the wood is from FSCthe real-time performance of the certified sources. building.”

21% of the Gen Nelson, head of GFS’s building materials science department, has nothing were locally but positive things to say about sourced (based her new work environment. The on overall project space is larger, but it’s also more material cost). flexible and conducive to the task-based learning the school 15% of the building materials encourages—the physics teachare of recycled er was especially excited about content (based the exposed structural beams, on overall project perfect for hanging pulleys and material cost). weights during labs.

“I’m sitting in my office, look5% of the building ing through a glass wall out into materials were a garden,” says Nelson. “I feel from rapidly like I’m outside when I’m inside. renewable The ceilings are high; it’s open. It resources (based feels like a space in which serion overall project ous work can get done, but it’s material cost). not a stressful space.”

Material matters

To check out the building’s monitoring system, visit buildingdashboard.com/clients/germantown

DELAWARE VALLEY GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL 2010 | GREENPRINT | 5

Houses on the Hill

A historic neighborhood welcomes a new look by lee stabert

Chestnut Hill instantly conjures images of stone homes and old growth trees. It’s a neighborhood brimming with historic flair—and its residents often exhibit an intransigence to match. But George Woodward Co., owner and landlord of over 200 of those charming residences, recently took a bold step in a new direction. ¶ On the corner of Germantown and Springfield Avenues, they’ve built four rental units (in the form of two twins) with a decidedly modern look, and the green credentials to match: Upon completion, “Springfield Green” was certified LEED Platinum.

Re:Vision Architecture, a Manayunk-based design firm, was chosen to tackle this ambitious project, Woodward’s first new construction development in many years. Though the goal was contemporary housing, they were still inspired

by Chestnut’s Hill’s signature aesthetic. “The philosophy was to tie the units in with the materials of the neighborhood,” explains project designer Jean Pierre Brokken. “But we also wanted to give them a refreshing look.”

This was done with stone at the base, stucco (a material used in nearby homes that also enabled Re:Vision to get the walls’ R-rating, an insulation indicator, up to 30) and covered front porches that echo the look of nearby Benezet Street.

The roof has an R-rating of 60—the overall emphasis on insulation and passive design strategies has resulted in a 47 percent energy savings compared to a typical home. The homes are heated and cooled using 275-foot geothermal standingwells. “During construction, the four units were heated for $25 a month,” says Brokken. The lot had existing stormwater issues (it once hosted a small playground), and through the use of rainbarrels and sustainable landscape design incorporating native plants, 90 percent of stormwater is now treated onsite. Lastly, the four-bedroom units are incredibly space-efficient, coming in at under 2,000 square feet.

The most impressive thing about these green

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features (and the LEED Platinum rating) is that they were established in the context of rental units. “It is an interesting choice, and it’s unusual, because the costs are really high,” says Woodward President Tansy Foster. “But that’s what we do—we offer homes for rent. And this is something new in our portfolio. Our owners have always been very concerned about sustainable building, and so that’s why we wanted to do something appropriate to the times that we live in.”

Despite the high costs of building green— including the expensive geothermal systems— Woodward decided that the long-term investment was appealing. The benefits were visible immediately. “They were extremely easy to rent,” says Foster. “Three were rented—and two leases signed—before we could even show them. Chestnut Hill is full of older properties, which are gorgeous. But there are certainly a lot of people who like a more compact, energy-efficient home.”

For more on Re:Vision, visit revisionarch.com; for more on George Woodward Co., visit georgewoodwardco.com

Reclamation Nation

With an emphasis on salvage, Greensaw pioneers a Slow Build philosophy by lee stabert Often lost in the shuffle of cutting-edge technology and innovative techniques is the fact that the greenest buildings are those you don’t build. Reuse and renovation are essential elements of environmentally-sensitive construction. The world is full of viable materials, requiring only the vision to see their value.

Greensaw Design & Build has cultivated a business on that particular skill, spotlighting salvaged and reclaimed materials in all their work. Owner Brendan Jones is currently completing a renovation that exemplifies this approach and aesthetic—a home at 8th and Federal reimagined as the first “Slow Build” project. The South Philly rowhouse has been transformed, and the eye is drawn to myriad examples of exquisite work: an old Dietz & Watson freezer door (bought for $50) rejuvenated as an entryway to the basement, a patch of vintage wallpaper visible through a window in the wall, tile from the Divine Lorraine Hotel given new life in a bright, airy bathroom and a backyard garden (installed by Grace Wicks of Graceful Gardens) blooming with chilies, kale and bamboo.

“The idea of Slow Build is using reclaimed materials and implementing them in a way that’s going to last 200 years instead of 50,” explains Jones.

“We also focus on providing jobs and labor. Making something that lasts and using materials that you don’t get a second chance on calls for a high level of craftsmanship.” Green systems and finishes are also essential—the house features top-of-the-line, energy-efficient appliances (with the washer and dryer being the exception; they were “salvaged” from Jones’ aunt’s house), radiant floors and a dual-flush toilet from Greenable.

Most of the elements that now comprise this stunning home were destined for a landfill—a forceful testament to Greensaw’s philosophy. The company’s other current projects include a Society Hill home and a mixed-use space on Girard Avenue, planned as Pennsylvania’s first LEED Platinum renovation project. “Both my parents were journalists,” explains Jones. “I was always brought up with stories. The coolest thing about this is that every little piece has a story, and it just beats going to the Home Depot and grabbing a bunch of material. Everything has so much history. We even get the framing from struck movie sets.”

For more on Greensaw Design & Build, visit greensawdesign.com

Breathing Room Indoor air quality consultants work on the space between the walls by ariela rose The safety and health of a building is often determined by the soundness of the structure— walls that are well-insulated, sturdy floors and a roof that doesn’t leak. What happens inside the walls can be overlooked. Healthy Spaces, a Delaware Valley-based company, specializes in helping Pennsylvanians understand that the conditions inside a building are just as important as the exterior.

Founders Jim and Theresa Quigley suffered

from health problems caused by indoor environmental conditions for nearly 12 years. Realizing that information about these issues was not readily available to the public, the couple launched Healthy Spaces. The Quigleys assist clients with a variety of ailments, including ADHD, autism, cancer, building “illness” and a general feeling of not being well. The company evaluates a client’s home or office in an effort to understand the root cause of these issues.

“It is always based on the client or occupant’s needs,” says Jim, “but it usually revolves around one or more common issues—biological contaminants like mold or bacteria; common chemical contaminants like formaldehyde and pesticides; and particulates like metals, dust, lead, mercury and arsenic.”

Information on the space is gleaned via a

phone conversation, home visit and completed questionnaire. If necessary, the work may also include lab testing of specific indoor quality elements. Healthy Spaces will also assist aspiring home owners as they embark on buying or building, recommending healthier green materials, paint, furnishings and construction practices.

“Consumers should trust their senses and instincts,” says Quigley. “If a building smells, or if they just don’t feel right while in the home, either get it evaluated before buying or move on to the next home. One trick is to notice how they feel after they leave the home; do they have a runny nose, a sore throat, itchy eyes, a headache?”

For more information, visit healthyspaces.com or contact info@healthyspaces.com, 215-233-1852

DELAWARE VALLEY GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL 2010 | GREENPRINT | 7

Sun Spots

Johnson and Johnson finds a dual use for solar panels by mark syvertson

Solar panels offer extensive advantages, but they also demand a great deal of space. A local facility has found a way to take advantage of that design conundrum. Last year, a subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson, Centocor, unveiled a “Solar Grove” in the parking lot of their headquarters in Horsham. ¶ This “solar tree” installation is comprised of eight columns supporting 70 photovoltaic panels each; the rigs also provide shade for about 62 parking spaces. Each of the columns will eventually serve as a charging station for plug-in electric vehicles (when they become readily available to the public). Together with the solar panels already installed on their roof, Centocor has about 1,000 panels in place, capable of producing as much as 12 percent of their yearly energy consumption, or about 250,000 kilowatt hours per year.

The $1.5 million price tag was offset by a The building was certified LEED Gold. $670,000 Pennsylvania Energy Development Au“We looked at all aspects of the building’s opthority (PEDA) grant, and Centocor hopes to save eration in the context of how researchers would about $35,000 per year on energy costs. They will use the equipment and what could be done to also generate about $60,000 per year in billable maintain a safe environment while achieving energy that will flow back into the power grid. building efficiency and decreased energy conThis is only one of the steps Johnson and Johnsumption,” says John Perrigue, Senior Manager son has taken as part of their Healthy Planet of Worldwide Engineering. The facility was de2010 initiative. In 2009, they consolidated signed with open laboratory environments two research facilities into one highly and furnished with energy-saving fume dvgbc efficient building in Spring House, PA. leadership

award winner

hoods that sense a scientist’s presence. They hope to eventually adopt these technologies company-wide.

When you walk into the facility, the most striking feature is the way it utilizes natural light.

The offices and collaborative spaces along the perimeter of the building have massive windows, allowing sunlight to flow directly into the interior of the structure. This reduces the need for artificial lighting and produces an amiable glow in an otherwise aseptic environment.

The company’s future plans include a 4-megawatt solar array in Titusville, NJ, set to be the largest of its kind in the state and the largest at any Johnson and Johnson plant worldwide. Composed of about 13,500 photovoltaic panels, the installation will track the sun’s movement from east to west and is expected to provide around 70 percent of the site’s current energy demands.

Johnson and Johnson hopes to complete this installation by the end of the year.

For more information, visit jnj.com.

Johnson & Johnson



1000 Centocor has about 1,000 photovoltaic panels in place, capable of producing as

much as 12 percent of their yearly energy consumption, or about 250,000 kilowatts hours per year.

8 | GREENPRINT | DELAWARE VALLEY GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL 2010

Doctor’s Orders

Christiana Care treats patients with an eye towards the environment by ariela rose

Girl Power

Chesapeake Bay Girl Scouts lead and learn in an innovative science lodge by ariela rose dvgbc leadership The name Girl Scouts is synonymous with camping and cookies. But the organization has a broader mission— winner they’ve been committed to community service, leader ship for girls and environmental protection since 1912.

So, it comes as no surprise that when the Girl Scouts of Girl Scouts Chesapeake Bay Council (GSCBC) dreamt up a science of the lodge that would embody the organization’s core values, Chesapeake they chose to create a building that was innovative, eduBay Council cational and green.

The Lynne W. Williams Science and Technology Lodge, named for the former president of GSCBC’s board of directors (also the project’s leader), is the first LEED Platinum Certified building in Delaware. Opened in April 2009, the center is situated on the GSCBC’s 43-acre camp property in Hockessin, about 30 miles southwest of Philadelphia. The lodge is both a learning facility for girls and a community space that hosts meetings, events and retreats.

“We want this to be a really user-friendly facility that will also teach environmental innovations, ideas and sensitivity to people who visit it,” says Liz Farrell, the Council’s Communications and Advocacy Manager.

The translation of the lodge from dream to reality was made possible by a collaboration between Re:Vision Architecture and Delaware-based SC&A Construction, Inc. The facility is outfitted with over two dozen sustainable technology features, including “smart lighting” technology that regulates interior lights based on ambient sunlight; 75 square feet of solar thermal panels on the building’s roof; faucets, showers and dual flush toilets that cut water use by 40 percent; and a weather bug that tracks up-to-the-minute environmental conditions.

Signage throughout the lodge thoroughly outlines the space’s features, ensuring that every visitor leaves the lodge with newfound knowledge.

Chesapeake Bay Girl Scouts also have the opportunity to engage in outdoor environmental, biology, astronomy and chemistry classes, taught by female engineers and scientists from nearby DuPont.

“It does have a lot of ‘wow factor’ innovations that the girls get really excited about,” says Farrell. “It makes learning really fun. Something that might seem a bit dry or boring to some people—like science or engineering— becomes an adventure.”

award

One of the largest healthcare providers in the country, Delaware-based Christiana Care Health Systems (and its two hospitals) rely heavily on natural resources to assist patients on a day-to-day basis. Robert Mulrooney, Vice President of Facilities and Services at Christiana, has worked to lessen the environmental impact of the daily operations unique to the healthcare industry.

The results have piqued the interest of major environmental agencies, including the EPA and Practice Greenhealth, and earned Mulrooney a Leadership Award from the Delaware Valley Green Building Council.

In his previous role at Christiana Care, Mulrooney was Director of Facilities Engineering. He instituted many progressive changes in the buildings, including lighting upgrades, energy-efficient air conditioning equipment and new roofs. Now his influence has spread even further.

The Christiana Care RECYCLES program was one of the first efforts implemented under the corporation’s Environmental Stewardship Program, established in 2005. The combined reuse efforts at each hospital have resulted in a 16 percent recycling rate.

“We’ve certainly done the traditional cardboard, paper, glass and plastic bottles,” says Mulrooney. “We’ve also expanded into other things like alcohol, items that we use a lot of in the lab—light bulbs, rechargeable batteries—and all of our electronics get recycled.”

On January 1, 2010, the corporation signed a nine-year agreement with the Locust Ridge Wind Power Farm in central Pennsylvania to purchase 40 percent of its electricity from wind turbines. The hospitals are also working on a program to reduce water use by 20 million gallons per year with the help of H2O Applied Technologies, a utility usage consulting company.

“We’re certainly not at an endpoint,” says Mulrooney. “We’re accelerating our progress and we still have a ways to go with the things we want to do with our new hospitals.”

For more information visit christianacare.org

dvgbc leadership

award winner 

Christiana Care

40 Christiana Care signed a nine-year

agreement with the Locust Ridge Wind Farm in central Pennsylvania to purchase 40 percent of its electricity from wind turbines.

For more information visit cbgsc.org

DELAWARE VALLEY GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL 2010 | GREENPRINT | 9

Trash into Treasure

Revolution Recovery offers another option for C&D waste by lee stabert The construction industry is one of the world’s most wasteful. In the U.S., 3.2 pounds of buildingrelated materials are generated per person, per day. According to the most recent EPA report (2003), construction and demolition waste (or C&D waste as it’s known in the biz) accounts for 170 million tons of our waste generation. Fifty-two percent of these materials end up in landfills.

Revolution Recovery is trying to change all that. Founded by high school friends Jon Wybar and Avi Golen, the company specializes in sorting and recycling large-scale waste—you won’t find a lot of bottles and cans at their facility on Milner Street. What you will find is endless piles of drywall, steel, plastic, wood, concrete and cardboard, all destined for a landfill before arriving

here. The loads arrive on trucks; the materials are then sorted, baled and sold on the recycling commodities market.

The pair’s goal is twofold: become a are all going to want indoor plumbing—right now zero-waste facility and create local jobs. Since starting in a small yard in Southwest Philly, with they don’t have it—and where is all that copper just their four hands and two employees, Revolugoing to come from?” tion Recovery has grown to employ over 30 local Their team also takes the time to segregate workers. prized old-growth wood beams, setting them The key to their business is competing with aside for architectural salvage and furniture makthe dump—making it just as expensive to throw ers. And they’ve launched RAIR (Recycled Artist these materials away as it is to recycle them. in Residence), an on-site program for artists. Par“When you take a load to the public dump, and ticipants find their materials right outside in the they sweep the whole thing into the landfill, it’s yard. They have plenty to choose from. upsetting,” says Wybar. “But, if it’s X amount of dollars to take your load to a dump, and the same Revolution Recovery, 7333 Milnor St., 215-333X amount to recycle it—and you don’t have to 6505; for more on RAIR, visit rairphilly.org do anything differently—which would you choose?” *see Richard S. Burns (4300 Revolution Recovery is currently in the process of installing a state-of-the-art also Rising Sun Ave., 215-324-6377, sorting system; it will make them one of burnscompany.net) is open to the public and the most sophisticated facilities in the charges $80/ton (with a $40 minimum) to recycle your C&D waste. If your needs are country. “It’s all about finding markets for these materials,” explains Golen. “Evextensive, they’ll drop off and pick up a dumpster erything we’re talking about is a finite re(for a fee, of course). source. The middle class in India and China

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10 | GREENPRINT | DELAWARE VALLEY GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL 2010

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* For more fall DVGBC events, visit dvgbc.org/event

10 Manayunk Green Homes Tour 09 See two residential locations boasting green features such as reclaimed lumber and masonry, dual flush toilets, tankless hot water heaters, high-efficiency dual zoned HVAC systems, vegetative green roofs and geothermal heat and solar energy. →→ October 9, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., $20 members; $25 non-members; $10 students/professionals in transition, Sheldon Crossing, 4709 Sheldon St.

10 Buy Green, Get Clean: 11 Green Purchasing and Cleaning for Schools Hear from experts and meet vendors who will help you create healthier learning environments in your district.

The program is hosted by the Delaware County Intermediate Unit and sponsored by Philip Rosenau, Sustainable Program Management and Multi-Clean. →→ October 11, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., $1 members; $20 non-members; $10 college students; free for K-12 students and teachers, Delaware County Intermediate Unit, 200 Yale Ave. Morton

LEED EXAM PREP Workshops are approved for 7 GBCI CMP Hours for current LEED Accredited Professionals and Green Associates. dvgbc.org/LEED-prep

10 O+M 251: Understanding 26 the LEED Rating Systems Participants will gain a solid understanding of the core concepts and strategies behind a successful green building project. Early registration ends October 19. →→ October 26, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., early registration fees: $325 national member; $390 non-member; late registration fees: $355 national member; $440 non-member, Center Square Building, 1500 Market St., Lower Mezzanine

10 BD+C 251: Understanding 28 the LEED Rating Systems Gain a solid understanding of the core concepts and strategies of the following LEED rating systems: New Construction and Major Renovations (NC); Core and Shell (CS); and Schools. Early registration ends October 21. →→ October 28, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., early registration fees: $325 national member; $390 non-member; late registration fees: $355 national member; $440 nonmember, EPA Region 3 Regional Office, 1650 Arch St.

10 1111 DVGBC Green Associate 26 0209 Exam Study Group This study group will be led by local expert LEED APs. Participants will discuss the ins and outs of the exam topics, review actual LEED projects, gain access to additional study tools and methods, and answer practice exam questions. The event is sponsored and hosted by Bala Consulting Engineers. →→ October 26, November 2 and 9, 5:30 - 8:30 p.m., DVGBC members $229; non-members $279, Bala Consulting Engineers, 443 S. Gulph Rd., King of Prussia

12 | GREENPRINT | DELAWARE VALLEY GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL 2010

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/ energy

Foam Party Insulation is a must if you’re looking to save money and energy

A

by samantha wittchen

ccording to the U.S. Department of Energy, heating and cooling costs account for 50 to 70 percent of the energy used in a typical American home. In most homes—especially in the older housing stock so prevalent in Philadelphia—inadequate insulation is a leading cause of wasted energy. EnergyStar estimates that you can save up to 20 percent by insulating and air sealing.

Even if you’re sold on insulation, there’s a catch: It’s difficult to insulate an existing house, especially one with walls made of plaster applied directly to brick (typical in older rowhomes). In newer homes, drywall is typically applied to wood studs, and this creates a cavity to fill with insulation. Plaster and brick don’t allow for this, but that doesn’t mean you should give up.

The attic should be your first priority. As your mother always told you in winter: Don’t go outside without a hat! Heat generally rises in a house, so good insulation in your attic keeps heat in during the winter, and has the added benefit of keeping out the heat that beats down on your roof during hotter months. Most homeowners have some sort of access to their attic—whether it’s through a pull-down staircase or a ceiling hatch—so it’s relatively easy to install insulation up there.

Other targets for insulation include exterior walls, floors over an unheated space (like a crawlspace) and ductwork and pipes through an unheated or uncooled space.

So, let’s talk about R-values and types of insulation. Resistance to heat flow is described in terms of insulation’s thermal resistance, represented by what is commonly known as an “R-value.” The higher the R-value, the less heat flows through the insulation. For Philadelphia’s climate zone, EnergyStar recommends R-38 for wall insulation and somewhere between R-38 and R-60 for attics. For your attic, that equates to about 12 to 15 inches of insulation. If you’re going to insulate a floor, try to achieve somewhere between R-25 and R-30.

There are numerous insulation options out there, but unless you’re undergoing a renovation and replacing exterior siding or building new interior walls that have a cavity, your main options are blown-in cellulose insulation, blown-in fiberglass insulation or spray-foam insulation.

Sorry, those cotton candy-esque batts you get at Home Depot aren’t an option. They’re virtually impossible to install in an existing house, and 18

g r i d p h i l ly. c o m

even in a new house, they’re difficult to install in a way that creates a good air barrier.

For blown-in insulation, you have two main choices—cellulose and fiberglass. Cellulose insulation is made of recycled wood fiber (primarily newsprint) and is available dry or in a wet spray. Dry cellulose is applied using a blowing machine, which you can rent at most big home improvement stores. If you go with a wet spray, you should hire an experienced installer. One of the early problems with cellulose insulation was that it settled over time, reducing the R-value, but those problems have been largely solved with newer technologies.

Fiberglass insulation is made from molten glass spun into fibers and typically contains 20 to 30 percent recycled content. Whereas cellulose insulation has virtually no carbon footprint, fiberglass insulation’s footprint is pretty high.

Fiberglass is also an inferior air barrier, so if you have any air movement through your walls, forget achieving the R-value that’s advertised. Fiberglass is generally rated at R-3 to R-4 per inch.

Spray foam also comes in two types—opencell or closed-cell. Closed-cell (sometimes called “two-pound,” referring to the density) has a much higher R-value per inch—somewhere between 5.8 and 6.8—but it’s made from fossil fuels and is much more damaging to the environment. Open-cell (or “half-pound”) is either polyurethane or soy-based, and its R-values clock in at around 3.6 per inch. Spray foam is probably your most expensive option, and it needs to be installed by an expert.

The bottom line: The more temperate fall and spring months are the best time to insulate your house so you’re ready for the heating or cooling season. Additionally, the federal government is offering a 30 percent tax credit (up to $1,500) on the purchase price (excluding the installation costs) of insulation installed in 2010. So, whether it’s blown in or sprayed on, there’s no time like the present to insulate! ■

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19

/foraging

Pawpaw Paradise Foraging for fall’s bounty

I

by lee stabert

’ve watched enough Survivor to know that building a fire is hard. Or at least it should be. But then I witnessed Casey Spacht start one in less than a minute—a couple quick strokes with a string bow and some delicate blowing was all it took for the carefully prepared tinder to explode into flames.

The wood was from a pawpaw tree, bearers of our main target for my second round of foraging in Lancaster County. The spring morel hunting trip had been so successful that I was looking forward to seeing what this new season could offer. Spacht, director of Lancaster Farm Fresh Co-op and wild foods guru, was again my guide.

On that April expedition, Spacht had pointed out the plum-colored pawpaw flowers, and promised that when the weather turned cool we could march through the forest like kings, plucking fruit left and right—discarding that which did not please us. Crouched on the forest floor, hoping to spot the slightest glimmer of that telltale morel texture, the idea seemed impossible.

But then on a hot day in September, within two minutes of entering the woods, I stepped on my first pawpaw. Shortly after, an oblong green orb about the size of a baseball almost fell on my head. He was right—they were everywhere.

Spacht plucked a “Susquehanna Banana” from the ground and cut it lengthwise, exposing the soft yellow flesh. He took one half for himself and passed the other 20

g r i d p h i l ly. c o m

november 201 0

Casey Spacht

my way. It was time for my first bite. With [left] spearheads a texture similar to bananas, but a tartness our pawpaw mission; the fruit and complexity lacking in so many commercial fruits, the pawpaw was downright is ubiquitous this time of year delicious. And spitting the large black seeds as we walked among the trees was an added boon.

As my basket filled with fruit—many of them found on the forest floor, others shaken down from branches heavy with their burden—Spacht expounded on some other fall treasures: nuts, roots (this is the time of year when all of a plant’s energy and goodness heads south) and autumn berries, including the bright red gems of the spice tree.

In addition to combing the forest for pawpaws and other edible treats, Spacht had something else planned—the aforementioned fire. He wanted to show me the multiple uses of the pawpaw tree; the wood is an ideal texture for generating flame-starting friction.

He had also brought along a cache of hickory nuts, a small pot, some spring water from his property and a small jar of homemade maple syrup. (Spacht taps trees whenever he sees them; it takes 15 gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrup.) He asked me to help with the nuts, pulling two perfectly shaped stones from his bag of wonders. While he prepped the fire, I sat cracking nuts, indulging my inner Neanderthal and exposing the walnut-like flesh.

Spacht is a maestro—it took less than 20 seconds of work

Crushed hickory nuts are boiled and combined with maple syrup to produce a hot, tasty hot beverage. Far Right: a burdock plant is useful for its roots and leaves

with a makeshift bow to produce an ember. Then it was simply a matter of transplanting the tiny coal to a nest of dried grass, leaves and dryer lint (recycling!). With a transfixing tenderness, Spacht coaxed the flame to life, gently blowing onto the precious bundle until he was engulfed in smoke and the tinder was a rage of orange licks. The fire was moved to a prepared pyramid of sticks, and the pot of hickory nuts (covered with water) went on the heat.

Boiling the nuts causes the shells to sink and the meat to rise to the top. The liquid takes on their rich, earthy flavor, and with the addition of the maple syrup, it became a cold weather beverage that put hot cocoa to shame.

Walking back to my car, I surveyed my bounty: a plethora of pawpaws, burdock root (I’ve been advised to slice and sauté;

Pawpaw Bread 2 cups of organic all-purpose flour (preferably from Daisy Organics) 1 ½ tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. baking soda cup Earth Balance margarine* (or butter) ¾ cup maple sugar (brown sugar also works) 1 cup of pawpaw pulp 3 tbsp. nut milk 1 tsp. organic vanilla extract

optional: 1/2 cup chopped hickory nuts, black walnuts, butternuts or acorn meal

Grease a loaf tin and preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Sift and set aside the dry ingredients.

Cream together the margarine and sugar. Add in the flour mixture, stir in the pawpaw pulp and then the nuts (if using). Bake for 30 minutes, or until done.

Spacht nabbed the leaves to make a salve for burns), a large chicken-of-the-woods mushroom (a beautiful pinkish shelf fungus), sassafras root (for making tea) and a large handful of chestnuts.

When I was in elementary school, there was a large chestnut tree near our playground. We would collect the urchin-like orbs, carefully prying them open to expose the pristine brown nuts inside. These treasures became trophies—rubbed between palms and stowed away in desks. I don’t think we ever thought about the fact that this was food, that snacks could come directly from a tree and not just the lunch line display.

I plan on roasting my chestnuts with a little sea salt. Maybe I’ll even serve them with some pawpaw pudding—an idea I have germinating in my head. ■

+

For footage of Casey Spacht’s fire-starting skills, visit gridphilly.com; he writes about his personal foraging efforts at lancasterfarmacy.blogspot.com.

recipe file Putting those pawpaws to use Curried Pawpaw Slaw 1 cup plain coconut milk yogurt 1 tsp. of light vinegar (white or apple cider) 2 tbsp. vegetable oil 1 tbsp. mild curry paste or powder ½ cup pawpaw pulp (plus the pulp from one more pawpaw) ¾ tsp. salt 1 small head of organic napa cabbage (from your local farmer) 2 purple carrots, grated 1 small red onion, diced 1 small pineapple (canned is fine) cup toasted hickory nuts or cashews Chopped fresh organic cilantro and/or mint

Pawpaw Lassi Cook oil and curry paste/ powder over low heat, stirring for a few minutes or until you can smell the awesome curry aroma.

Transfer to bowl and let cool. Stir in the yogurt, vinegar, diced onion, half cup of pawpaw pulp and salt. Set aside.

Thinly slice or grate napa cabbage and chop up the pineapple; place in a large bowl. Combine with the pawpaw pulp. Stir in the grated carrots. Add curry dressing and toss to coat. Let sit overnight or up to eight hours in the refrigerator. Garnish with cilantro/mint and/or nuts.

nove mb e r 20 10

1 cup of mashed pawpaw pulp ½ cup plain yogurt (soy yogurt also works) ½ cup of hickory milk, rice milk or other nut milk 2 tbsp. of maple syrup A few spicebush berries (seeds removed)

Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth; adjust milk to achieve desired thickness. Kick back and enjoy this awesome drink made from pure wildness. *Spacht is a vegan; the recipes can be adjusted to accommodate any diet.

g r i d p h i l ly. c o m

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/recipes

Soup’s On

Three soup recipes perfect for fall photos and recipes by marisa mcclellan, foodinjars.com

M

y mother is a true believer in soup. Her biggest pot comes out at the first hint of fall and remains on the stove until the last wisp of chill leaves the air the following spring. Her specialty is chicken soup (she is a Jewish mother, after all), but she is also fluent in lentils, beef stew, creamy squash and all varieties of cruciferous vegetable. Some of my coziest childhood memories involve bowls of her soup, a few crackers and a glass of milk. To this day, it’s a meal that instantly erases anxieties and soothes frayed nerves.

I am joyous that the cool weather has returned, inspring me to pull out my own big blue soup pot and start stewing. As an adult, my appreciation for soup has done nothing but increase. Most soups can be endlessly expanded, so there’s always enough for friends or lunch the next day.

And the flavor just gets better after a night in the fridge. Lastly, most are dead easy.

When I make soup at home, my recipes usually fall into one of two categories: big, brothy

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and full of chopped vegetables, with just a bit of meat to tie things together, or pureed and mostly vegetable-based. My recipes today follow suit.

The sausage and escarole soup is hearty and able to satisfy any resident meat eaters. This cheesy cauliflower soup will thrill kids (particularly if you don’t tell them it’s full of vegetables). And the carrot peanut butter soup is perfect for the vegans in the crowd.

november 201 0

Sausage and Escarole Soup 1 tbsp. olive oil 2 leeks, well-washed and chopped into thin half-moons 3 carrots, diced 3 ribs of celery, diced 1 onion, finely chopped 1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary 1 pound bulk sausage (I used the fennel sausage from Meadow Run Farm) 2 quarts chicken stock or water 2 cans navy beans, drained 1 head escarole, well-washed and finely chopped 2 tsp. kosher salt ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil until it shimmers. Add leeks, carrots, celery, onion and rosemary, and brown for seven to eight minutes. When the vegetables are golden, push them to the edges of the pot, creating a well in the center. Drop the sausage into that center well and break it up with a wooden spatula as it cooks.

Once the sausage is brown and has been stirred into the vegetables, add your liquid.

Bring to a simmer and let cook for approximately 15 minutes, giving the vegetables a chance to soften and flavor the broth. Ten minutes prior to serving, add beans and escarole. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve when the greens are fully wilted.

Cauliflower Soup Soup Base:

1 1 2 1 1 ½ 2 7-8 2

large head cauliflower, roughly chopped large carrot, diced leeks, well-washed and sliced tbsp. butter tbsp. olive oil cup white wine quarts chicken (or vegetable) stock grinds of black pepper tsp. kosher salt

White Sauce:

3 tbsp. butter 3 heaping tbsp. flour 3 cups milk 1 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese 1 8-oz. block of cream cheese 1 tsp. kosher salt ¼ tsp. grated nutmeg 3-4 grinds black pepper

In a large soup pot, sauté the chopped cauliflower, carrots and leeks in butter and olive oil. Allow them to soften and brown for seven to eight minutes over fairly high heat. When the bottom of the pan begins to brown, deglaze the pan with the white wine (if you don’t want to use white wine, feel free to skip it and head straight to the stock). Use a flat wooden spatula to scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pot. Add the chicken stock, reduce the heat to medium, apply a lid and allow the veggies to simmer for approximately 10 minutes (the larger your veggie chunks, the longer you’ll want them to simmer).

In a medium saucepan, begin the white sauce by melting the butter over medium-high heat.

Sprinkle the flour over the butter and use a whisk to work it together. Let it brown up a bit.

When it begins to develop a nice toasted color, pour in a couple of tablespoons of milk and whisk to incorporate. Add the milk bit by bit, whisking to incorporate after each pour, until all

the milk is worked in (if you pour in all the milk at once, you’ll get lumps).

You should now have a white sauce of moderate thickness. Add your grated cheese and stir until melted. Now add the cubed cream cheese.

(I realize this is sort of a lowbrow addition, but believe me, it works.) Finally, add the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Once the sauce is smooth, turn the heat down to its lowest setting and return your attention to the pot of veggies.

By this point, your cauliflower, carrots and leeks should be pretty soft. Now it’s time to puree.

I like to use an immersion blender because you don’t have to dirty another vessel and it doesn’t make the soup too smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a countertop blender, food processor or food mill. But take care when using a blender or food processor—work in small batches and use a folded kitchen towel to cover the lid and prevent splatter.

Once the soup is smooth-ish, pour in the cheesy sauce. Carefully stir to incorporate it. Taste and adjust seasonings. Unless you used a salty cheese, it will probably need a bit more salt.

Carrot Peanut Butter Soup This dish was inspired by the carrot soup recipe in the original edition of the Moosewood Cookbook. Why they changed the recipe in the revised edition, I’ll never know.

2 tbsp. olive oil 1 large yellow onion, chopped 2 pounds of carrots, washed and sliced into chunky circles 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper ¼ cup of chunky natural peanut butter 1 quart chicken or vegetable stock 2 tsp. kosher salt 6-7 grinds of pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the onions and carrots and sauté until golden. Add garlic and cayenne pepper. Stir to integrate. Add peanut butter and work into the veggies. Add the stock, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the carrots are tender.

The easiest way to puree this soup is to use an immersion blender. However, if you don’t have one, puree the soup in a blender in small batches.

Add salt and pepper to taste. ■

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23

/buy local Tomme de

Cheese Linden Dale, of the Linden Dale Farm Month by tenaya darlington,

W

madamefromage.blogspot.com

hen I stopped by Andrew

Mellinger’s stand at the Rittenhouse Farmers’ Market, he was sold out of his goat Tomme. Fortunately he still had toothpick samples, and it was so good that I convinced him to sell me his display wheel. “Let it ripen on your counter for a couple weeks,” he told me.

I did as instructed, and when I finally cut into it, I was once again blown away by the beautiful ivory paste and the sweet, nutty notes of this rustic wonder from Ronks, PA. If it weren’t for the label—which features a LaMancha wearing a monocle—I might have forgotten this was a goat cheese. There’s no goaty tang; not even a hint.

Mellinger started making his Tomme this summer after his son Abe, 21, returned from a cheese apprenticeship in southern France. “He brought home this recipe, and we started experimenting,” explains Mellinger. “We’re real pleased with how it’s aging.” All six of his children are involved in the operation, from marketing to

raising the kids. The land they farm has been in the family for seven generations.

“When I grew up, this was a raw-milk dairy,” says Mellinger. “We had cows, but I switched to goats because they’re seasonal. Now all of our milk goes into cheesemaking.”

The Mellingers make small-batch chevre, goat mozzarella and an aged pyramid-shaped cheese they call “Dalencay,” after Valencay, the famous French goat cone rolled in ash. Mellinger pas-

teurizes his young cheeses, but a raw Tomme de Linden Dale is in the works—it’s aging right now and should be available at the Rittenhouse Square Farmers’ Market through fall. Keep an eye out for this up-and-comer; it’s worth buying a whole wheel.

Linden Dale Farm, 127 Herr Rd., Ronks, PA, 717687-8008, mellingers2@msn.com

Taproot Farm Taproot Farm has only been in business for one year, but We do a lot of Japanese turnips and radishes.

farmer George Brittenburg has been growing much longer than that. While attending college in Pittsburgh, he was an impassioned advocate for urban agriculture and community garden projects. “For me, the local food movement became very important,” he says. “This farm was a dream we’d had for a long time.”

The Bethlehem, PA, native had actually been itching for a more rural life for a while, but his wife—a New York City native—was resistant.

“We traveled a lot in the years we were in Pittsburgh,” he recalls. “We spent almost two years in Guatemala, mostly in the countryside. When we moved back to the United States, it didn’t feel right to be in the city anymore, for both of us.” So, they headed back east, settling in Berks County, close to Brittenburg’s family.

The farm grows a wide variety of produce and is home to a flock of pastured chickens, moved every other day onto fresh pasture sown with cover crop.

“Basically, I like to grow what I think is delicious,” says Brittenburg. “Something our customers really like is our spicy salad mix, a custom blend of baby Asian and mustard greens.

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The other thing that has gone really well is our continuous supply of different roots—we had carrots and beets throughout the summer.”

Brittenburg’s grandparents and greatgrandparents on mother’s side were farmers.

“I feel most at home outdoors,” he explains.

“I’ve always been passionate about understanding my immediate environment. I like to watch the birds migrate, and notice the trees and the weather patterns. Farming, you’re always out there. Even in the winter.

And then you’re part of the circle as well. You plant a couple seeds, and it’s work that grows beyond your power.”

Taproot Farm, 66 Kemmerer Rd., Shoemakersville, 610-926-1134, taprootfarm@gmail. com, growtaproots.com Taproot Farm offers a CSA in their region; they also sell at the Chestnut Hill Farmers’ Market (Saturdays) and the South St. and E. Passyunk Farmers’ Market (Tuesdays); Fair Food Farmstand carries their produce, and will soon stock Taproot’s eggs.

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oct

09

oct

Weaver’s Way and Awbury Arboretum Northwest FarmFest

14

Posters for the People Opening Celebration

This second annual event honors a successful urban farm by celebrating the hard work of the farmers, the support of the community and the bounty of the harvest. Enjoy the Germantown Friends School a cappella group, pumpkin painting, hay rides, farm tours and prepared food from Weaver’s Way Co-op. Plus, try your hand in the local business raffle.

Posters for the People is teaming up with Penn State University to exhibit nearly 300 posters. Join the curators and authors of the exhibit at the opening celebration and view the images that look at the 75-year history of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal and the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The exhibit will run through December 31, 2010.

→→ October 9, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.,

→→ October 14, 6 – 8 p.m., The Conference

Weavers Way Farm in Awbury Arboretum, 1101 E. Washington Ln., for more information, contact Janice Lion at 267-456-1001 or visit weaversway.coop

oct

09

PSU Master Gardener Second Saturday Fall Wreath Workshop

Center Building, Penn State Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies, 30 E. Swedesford Rd., Malvern, to register, visit sgps.psu.edu/posters-people

oct 13

UPenn Master of Environmental Studies Fall Lecture Series

Celebrate the changing of the seasons with Doris Stahl, Penn State Philadelphia Horticulture Educator. She’s been making wreaths and other floral crafts with plants from her gardens for many years. Participants will make fall wreaths out of dried, natural materials. Bring dried seed pods, peppers or other materials from your garden to personalize your wreath.

These public programs focus on current environmental issues, and are hosted by Yvette Bordeaux, Director of Professional Master’s Programs in Earth and Environmental Science.

October 13: The Gulf Oil Spill; What Now? November 9: The Islands of Plastic in the Ocean.

December 9: Fracking the Marcellus Shale.

→→ October 9, 9:30 – 11 a.m., $25, Fairmount

→→ October 13, November 9 & December 9, 5:30

Park Horticultural Center, N. Horticultural and Montgomery Drs., to register, call 215-4712200 x 100, philadelphia.extension.psu.edu

– 7 p.m., University of Pennsylvania, Ben Franklin Room, Houston Hall, 3417 Spruce St., for information, visit sas.upenn.edu

oct 14

Baltimore Avenue “Encore” Dollar Stroll

A dollar can take you far, especially at this event. Participating businesses—stretching from 42nd to 50th Streets—will offer strollers a variety of items and activities for just one dollar each. Items include ice cream, samosas, cupcakes, tofu skewers, yoga lessons and pet toys. Milk & Honey, Satellite Café, Mariposa Food Co-op and VIX Emporium are among the participants. →→ October 14, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m., Baltimore Ave.

(42nd – 50th Sts.), universitycity.org

oct 10

Global Work Party Day Climate Action Parade

oct 14

Philadelphians generate around 700,000 tons of trash each year that, if recycled, could save the city as much as $17 million. This forum will teach you about the city’s efforts to increase recycling and reduce waste. Hear from RecycleBank and a local company involved in discarded construction and demolition waste.

→→ October 10, noon – 5 p.m.,

→→ October 14, 6 – 8:30 p.m., Academy of Natu-

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15

2010 Urban Watersheds Revitalization Conference

This annual event, hosted by the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) and its partners, explores current watershed-related themes relevant to Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs. This year’s theme, “Green City, Clean Waters,” will cover topics such as PWD’s Future Green Programs and stormwater projects tackled by local schools and businesses. →→ October 15, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., $30, University

of Pennsylvania Houston Hall in the Bodek Lounge, 34th and Spruce Sts., to register, visit phillywatersheds.org

oct 16

Fair Food Farm Tour: Cherry Grove and Griggstown Farms

Enjoy a countryside excursion at Cherry Grove Farm, as farmer Kelly Harding introduces you to his various breeds of grass-fed cows, lambs and pigs. Next, head over to Griggstown Quail Farm to call on flocks of poultry, including chickens, pheasants, geese and heritage turkeys.

The tour also includes a scrumptious lunch catered by Chef Gary Giberson of Sustainable Fare and Princeton’s own Bent Spoon ice cream. →→ October 16, 10:45 a.m., $20, begins at

Urban Sustainability Forum: Trash to Treasure

On 10/10/10, 350.org is organizing a Global Work Day to address global warming. Here in Philadelphia, VolkLibre: Indie Action Network has organized a parade. Activities include workshops on climate action, a public rally, parades/marches from four directions to City Hall and a screening of the documentary Fresh.

15th and Cherry Sts., for information call 856-337-0091 or visit volklibre.org

oct

ral Sciences, 19th St. and Benjamin Franklin Pkwy., to reserve your spot, visit phillywastetreasures.eventbrite.com, ansp.org

november 201 0

Cherry Grove Farm, 3200 Lawrenceville Rd., Princeton, ends at Griggstown Quail Farm, 986 Canal Rd., Princeton, fairfoodphilly.org

oct 16

PA East Coast Greenway Alliance Fundraising Bike Tour

This is your chance to bike the future East Coast Greenway route, riding from Trenton to Philadelphia along the Delaware. The guided tour will leave from 30th Street Station on the 8:30 a.m. train to Trenton. From there, bikers will travel south back towards the city, taking in scenic sites such as Neshaminy State Park and the Glen Foerd Estate.

→→ October 16, 8:15 a.m. – 4 p.m., $50, limited

to 40 riders, register at greenway.org, for information, email rthomas@ campbellthomas.com or call 215-985-4354

oct 21

DVGBC Annual Green Building Celebration

The Franklin Institute is hosting DVGBC’s biggest event of the year. This is a great opportunity to meet and mingle with over 400 likeminded folks in the environmental industry. It’s also your chance to check out the Institute’s new “Changing Earth” exhibit. The night culminates with recognition of those honored with DVGBC’s 2010 Leadership Awards. →→ October 21, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., the Franklin

Institute, 222 North 20th St., for information or to register, visit dvgbc.org/event/annualgreen-building-celebration

oct

23

City Planter: It’s a Tea Party

Warm up to fall with City Planter and the Random Tea Room through this free lesson on tea and herbal infusions. The program will showcase herbs that can be grown indoors and dried for tea, and guests will have the chance to concoct their own tea creations. →→ October 23, 11 a.m. – noon, City Planter, 814

N. 4th St., to register, email info@cityplanter.com or call 215-627-6169, cityplanter.com

oct

24

Women Inspiring a New Future Symposium

The Transition Network is sponsoring this opportunity to come together with other women and be inspired to create an environmentally-sustainable, spiritually-fulfilling and socially-just human presence on the planet. →→ October 24, 1 – 5 p.m., $10, Mishkan Shalom,

Shurs Ln. and Freeland Ave., Roxborough, register at awakeningthedreamer.org, for information, contact Lynne Iser at lpiser@ aol.com or 215-843-4933

oct

27

National Security and Global Competitiveness: Lockheed Martin in the Clean Energy Sector

Dr. Greg Caplan will provide an overview of Lockheed Martin’s work in the clean energy market, covering a range of topics from energy-efficiency programs to space-based climate monitoring applications. →→ October 27, noon - 1:30 p.m., UPenn’s Caro-

lyn Hoff Lynch Auditorium, Chemistry Building, 34th and Spruce Sts., for information, call 215-573-3164 or email ies_penn@sas. upenn.edu, sas.upenn.edu/earth/ies

nov 10

Bartram’s Gardens Homeschooler Days: Seed Collectors

Kids ages 5-13 are invited to enjoy this engaging morning of hands-on learning. Another in a series of Homeschooler Days (held on the second Wednesday of every month), this activity will have children exploring America’s oldest living botanical garden in search of the fascinating packages trees create for their seeds. Dissection, drawing and observation will teach participants about the anatomy of seeds and the many ways they can travel. →→ November 10, 10 a.m. – noon, $10 per child;

$2 per each additional sibling; $8 for members; free with Bartram member’s Program Pass, Bartram’s Garden, 54th St. and Lindbergh Blvd., to register, email lgale@bartramsgarden.org, bartramsgarden.org

nov 10

Morris Arboretum: Talks on People, Plants and Place

Part of Morris Arboretum’s “Connections Beyond Our Garden” lecture series, this talk will be led by Gene Dilks, Chair of the Concourse Lake Restoration Project for Zone V, Garden Club of America (GCA). Dilks will speak on the GCA’s plan to revitalize Concourse lake in celebration of the organization’s 100th birthday in 2013. →→ November 10, 2 p.m., $18 members; $20

non-members, Morris Arboretum Widener Visitor Center, 100 E. Northwestern Ave., to register, call 215-247-5777 x 125 or email education@morrisarboretum.org, morrisarboretum.org

nov Nov 11 14

→→ November 11–14, $15 general admission;

$20 two-day passes; $5 children under 12, Pennsylvania Convention Center, 12th and Arch Sts., purchase tickets at the door or call 215-684-7930 for advanced purchase, pmacraftshow.org

nov Nov 12 15

Wise Traditions 2010

This international conference, sponsored by the Weston A. Price Foundation, a nutrition education nonprofit, will be held this fall in King of Prussia.

This year’s theme is “The Politics of Food,” and the program will feature speakers including Dr. Will Winter, Sally Fallon Morell, Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, Dr. Nicholas Gonzalez and Dr. Bruce Rind. →→ November 12–15, Valley Forge Convention

Plaza, 1200 1st Ave., King of Prussia, to register, call 304-724-3006, westonaprice.org

nov 13

PSU Master Gardener Second Saturday: What’s the Buzz about Bees?

Philadelphia-based beekeeper Don Shump will discuss the art of raising bees in rural gardens and on urban rooftops. Attendees will learn the basics of beekeeping, how bees affect our gardens and daily lives, and what can be done to stem the tide of Colony Collapse Disorder. →→ November 13, 9:30 – 11 a.m., $25,

34th Annual Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show

Presented by the Craft Show Committee and the Women’s Committee of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, this premier exhibition and sale includes 195 of the best craft artists in the United States, selected from more

oct

than 1,300 applicants. The work will be available for viewing and purchase at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

Fairmount Park Horticultural Center, N. Horticultural and Montgomery Dr., philadelphia.extension.psu.edu

Philadelphia Bike Expo

Holy bikes! This year’s Philadelphia Bike Expo, presented by Bilenky Cycle Works and the BCGP, is two days of utter bike bliss. Over three dozen exhibitors, selling bikes, bags, socks, helmets and more, will be there. Plus, listen in on panels like “Finding the One” about selecting the right bike, and seminars such as “Yoga for Cyclists.” There will even be a bike fashion show.

30 31

→→ October 30–31, 23rd St. Armory,

22 S. 23rd St., philabikeexpo.com

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29

Pet Smart by monica weymouth

E

ven for cats, Oscar and Stella are offensive creatures.

When not plotting how to bat my glasses off the table at the most precise and destructive angle, they are busy sleeping away the day on the darkest pile of clean laundry available or treating flies to the slowest deaths their tiny paws can deliver. ¶ Thankfully, these paws don’t have opposable thumbs. But even so, when my husband and I gave our own diets a makeover last year as part of a larger effort to tread more lightly, I feared the cats would be a problem.

I feared correctly.

Although we added most fish to the list of animals we don’t eat, Oscar and Stella continue to demand—loudly, menacingly, around 6:30 a.m.—Friskies Seafood Sensations. No other brand, no other variety will do. I’m not entirely sure about the “ocean fish,” but I’m comfortable assuming that there is nothing sustainable or humane involved in the harvesting of this mix’s tuna, salmon and crab.

Adding insult to injury, our cats also refuse to use any of the recycled or natural litters available.

It’s Fresh Step, or they’re not interested in using the box. And, to be fair, I’m not really interested in a basement at the mercy of litter made from newspaper shreds and “seafood sensations.”

At least our shih tzu is less demanding. (In fact, Murphy thinks Fresh Step-covered “repurposed” Friskies make a great snack.) He’ll happily eat his way through whatever dog food promises to be better for the Earth and his health that week. As for the occasional Beggin’ Strip, well, he’s only a dog, and those things smell pretty good when you haven’t had bacon 30

g r i d p h i l ly. c o m

in a couple years.

Murph has his diva shih tzu moments, but he doesn’t care what you use to clean up after him.

Better known for its curbs full of Arctic Splash containers, Fishtown is also a hot spot for all types of discarded plastic bags. I’ve found they work just as well as the cutesy ones we used to buy for a decidedly uncute task.

Ultimately, like the other areas of our lives, I was happy to accept that our quest to be more sustainable pet owners would be full of small wins and clumsy setbacks, of happy accidents and the occasional wasteful experiment. But I thought it would be different with the squirrels.

I wanted to win with the squirrels.

I figured that my daily offering of peanuts—a gesture to make up for the inhospitable concrete slab my house’s previous owners laid down in the backyard—couldn’t really hurt anything.

They were organically grown, the plastic bag had a spot reserved in the afterlife and, behind a screen, Oscar and Stella could safely get in touch with their inner murderers. It was brief, perfect harmony on Thompson Street.

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Ultimately, like the other areas of our lives, I was happy to accept that our quest to be more sustainable pet owners would be full of small wins and clumsy setbacks, of happy accidents and the occasional wasteful experiment.

Then one evening, our neighbors invited us over for a summer cookout starring some ingredients from their container garden. It was delicious, and may have been more so if obese squirrels didn’t keep digging up their tomatoes to bury peanuts. What weirdos, our neighbors wondered, would be feeding the squirrels peanuts?

The same weirdo who sniffs, with a little sadness, the Beggin’ Strips. ■

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