/ news & events
Milk & Honey Opening
The Price is Right Urban Eco Electric energizes the Philadelphia solar market with free installation and affordable leasing options
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any homeowners want solar energy, but far too few can afford the upfront costs. How can this be overcome? One solution is leasing. The most prominent example of a successful leasing company is California-based SolarCity, which was partially funded by Elon Musk, PayPal founder and CEO of Tesla Motors. Philadelphia now has its own solar leasing contender: Urban Eco Electric. “Solar for the longest time has been a boutique thing for people that really are in love and can afford it,” says co-founder Christopher Johnston. “Now the economics have changed such that it’s a good deal financially.” The big selling point is that Urban Eco Electric installs solar panels free of charge. They further offer homeowners a 50 percent savings off of their current bill for the first two years of a 20-year agreement. For the remaining 18 years, rates would be frozen at current electricity rates, which could prove quite significant when rate caps are removed at the end of 2010 and prices are expected to spike. Johnston, a former derivatives trader, is very bullish about the Philly market. “In Philadelphia, we have gas heating and gas cooking, so our electricity usage is less and our air conditioning demands are less. We’re using less and with our shared walls in our rowhomes, we’re aiming to replace a person’s complete usage.” → Urban Eco Electric go-uee.com
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g r i d p h i l ly. c o m
october 2009
Mayor Nutter showed his support for local, healthy food by visiting the opening of West Philly’s Milk & Honey. The new market, which will have prepared foods, fresh produce and baked goods, will be sourcing from Lancaster Farm Fresh and directly from local farms. “We hope that Milk and Honey will contribute to making West Philly a self contained neighborhood,” says Annie Baum-Stein, who has started the food market with her husband Mauro Daigle, who rehabbed the building. Baum-Stein’s interest in sustainable food is longstanding. She’s had a food column for the Riverside News, and her mother started the Baum Forum, a New York nonprofit focused on food and agricultural issues. → Milk & Honey, Open seven days a week, 4435 Baltimore Ave., milkandhoneymarket.com
Local Hospitals Take Part in Balanced Menu Challenge Thomas Jefferson and Cooper University Hospitals recently joined an initiative to make their food services more healthy and sustainable. As proposed by Health Care Without Harm and supported locally by the Women’s Health & Environmental Network, they will be serving 20 percent less meat and more vegetables to their patients, staff and visitors as a step towards preventive care. → when.org and noharm.org
Greenable Joins Up With Greensaw Old City’s Greenable Green Building Supply & Design has joined forces with architectural salvage building firm Greensaw. Their new and improved location in Northern Liberties opens on October 3. The new Greenable/Greensaw union will offer on-site parking, expanded inventory, cleaning and homecare product filling stations, new showrooms and more. → Greenable, Reopening Oct. 3, Open Tuesday – Sunday, 820 N. 4th St., greenable.net, greensawdesign.com