Yesterday in beautiful Sister Cities Park Mayor Nutter and his Office of Sustainability released the Greenworks Philadelphia Update and 2012 Progress Report. Halfway toward the goal of making Philadelphia the greenest city in America and here’s where we stand:
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8 of the 167 initiatives originally set forth in the plan have been completed; 110 more are underway
- Target 7, which speaks to diverting 70% of waste from landfill, has exceeded expectations. Residential curbside recycling rates have tripled.
- Target 9 which aimed to provide 75% of residents with a park or green space within 10 minutes of their home has also exceeded expectations. The Department of Parks & Recreation is now aiming to provide walkable access to such areas.
- Energy use in municipal buildings has decreased by 5%
- More than 200,000 residents have increased access to healthy, affordable food
- 482 miles of bike lanes have been implemented
Speaking at the event, Mayor Nutter expressed pride in the progress the city has made and hope that other cities will follow our lead to become cleaner and greener.
Katherine Gajewski, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability attributed the program’s success to the many government agencies and individuals who have embraced the plan.
Mayor Nutter also noted how a successful partnership between the city and PhillyCarShare has resulted in the nation’s largest publicly accessible fleet of American-made electric cars. With funding from the PA Department of Environmental Protection, the city helped PhillyCarShare add 20 Chevy Volts to its roster of vehicles used by 10,000 area members.
The full Greenworks Philadelphia Update and 2012 Progress Report can be found here.
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Mayoral Delight
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Marathon Farm
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Green2015 at ANS
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Green2015 Plan Report Released
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