Greenworks Philadelphia, the plan to become the greenest city in the nation, is now one year old. June’s Urban Sustainability Forum featured three experts providing a review of exactly how successful that plan has been – PennFuture’s Director of Outreach Christine Knapp, Philadelphia’s Director of Sustainability Katherine Gajewski, and Adam Freed, deputy director of New York City Mayor’s Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability.

This podcast features PennFuture’s Philadelphia Outreach Intern Alyssa Tombler interviewing Gajewski and Freed. Gajewski discusses the plan's original goals, its successes, challenges, and continuing obstacles. Freed reports on the status of PlaNYC, New York City's sustainability plan, which is three years old.

Want to learn even more? See videos of the presentations (including Knapp’s) from PlanPhilly.

PennFuture works every day to make a difference for Pennsylvania’s environment and economy. Isn’t it time to join us and make a difference yourself? Go to our secure website to join PennFuture, and make sure you sign up for our publications. And remember, you can make sure you don't miss any podcasts by subscribing to them through iTunes.

Things are happening fast and furious here in Harrisburg as the legislature works towards a budget agreement.

And thanks to our supporters, we had a terrific week last week, with the adoption of two new regulations to protect our drinking water and our streams and rivers, and the House passage of new law to require computer and television manufacturers to arrange to have their products recycled.

This podcast features our President and CEO, Jan Jarrett, with an audio message to thank our supporters for their great work in helping achieve last week’s victories – and to talk about what to expect next.  We hope it will give you a feel of the work ahead – and how important your supporters are to continuing our winning streak.

So, hang on to your hat, it’s going to be a bumpy ride until the state budget is passed. We’ll be on the Hill 24/7, if necessary. And you’ll be hearing from us a lot, as we move our legislation to protect and promote Pennsylvania’s environment and economy. So please sign up for our alerts, and help us move forward – creating a just future when nature, communities and the economy thrive.

Sometimes the most mundane things can have the biggest impact on our lives. Take building codes and zoning. Please. (Ba da bum)

But seriously, folks. Building and zoning laws can mean the difference between life and death in earthquake and flood zones; between a peaceful or a hostile atmosphere in mixed use neighborhoods; and between energy efficient, non-toxic homes and businesses or wasteful and unhealthy buildings.

To reach its goal of making Philadelphia the greenest city in the nation, the Urban Sustainability Forum held its March meeting, Cracking the Code:  How 21st Century Building and Zoning Codes Will Make or Break Our Communities. This podcast features interviews by PennFuture’s Philadelphia outreach coordinator, Rachel Vassar, with Don Elliott, Senior Consultant, Clarion Associates, and Fran Burns, Commissioner, Department of Licenses and Inspections for the City of Philadelphia, who detail the zoning and building code changes that can help turn Philadelphia green.

PennFuture works every day to make a difference for Pennsylvania's environment and economy. Isn't it time to join us and make a difference yourself? Go to our secure website to join PennFuture, and make sure you sign up for our publications. And remember, you won’t miss any podcasts if you subscribe to them through iTunes.