This week’s podcast of Philadelphia’s Urban Sustainability Forum, held on February 19, answers the question, “Is sustainability just for good times?

With Philadelphia facing historic budget shortfalls (just like every other municipality), the forum shows how sustainability can be a solution, not an expense. Reducing energy use, developing new sources of clean energy, and creating green jobs are key components of the City of Brotherly Love’s plan to grow the economy while increasing sustainability.

Our guest interviewer, Leanne Krueger-Braneky, Executive Director of the Sustainability Business Network of Greater Philadelphia, interviews the experts from the forum – PennFuture’s director of outreach Christine Knapp, Philadelphia Deputy Mayor Rina Cutler, City Finance Officer Rob Dubow, and banker Frank Baldassare of E3 Bank.

Philadelphia is serious about growing green jobs. The city was the site of Vice President Joe Biden’s first meeting of the Middle Class Task Force, with green jobs as the prime focus, on February 27. Earlier in the day, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation announced more than $1.3 million in grants to the City of Philadelphia, Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia, and Energy Coordinating Agency (ECA). ECA will get the biggest portion, about $900,000, to turn the second floor of a former textile factory in Kensington into a school to teach skills for green jobs.

This week's podcast features a wide-ranging conversation between PennFuture's staff attorney specializing in farming issues, Kimberly Snell-Zarcone, and Amy Leber of Shared Earth Farm in Mechanicsburg. Amy explains how CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) work, and how using this method to buy a share of a farm’s products creates a bond between farmers and families. She also discusses the journey from "what is this and what am I supposed to do with it” to foodie-dom, where shareowners are delighted to discover the new tastes and new (and sometimes old) foods available during different growing seasons. They also discuss the real connections CSAs and buying local campaigns make between the farmers and families - especially kids – that help keep organic farmers succeeding.

This discussion took place during last weekend’s Farming for the Future Conference 2009 in State College, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA). This phenomenal conference, held every year, is a veritable potpourri of workshops, major speakers, art, music and, of course, food. All meals at the conference come from sustainably, organically, and regionally raised foods from over 50 PASA members and friends.

You, too, can join this good food movement; and find a local organic farm or join a CSA here.