An elf in an orchard
During the Yuletide season, it's nice to applaud folks who act like Santa's helpers at other times of the year. And here's a special thank you to Bruce Schimmel, who personally godfathered POP's eleventh orchard, at Woodford Mansion in Fairmount Park.
An elf in an orchard
We need to hear about these big-hearted givers not just because their good deeds are mostly unsung... but because their stories are an antidote to the commercialism that turns this season of giving into one big “shop-ortunity” (to quote that ubiquitous Marshall’s ad that makes me want to hurl a shoe at the TV).
So here’s a shout-out to the good folks at the Philadelphia Orchard Project, founded just last year by Paul Glover (whom you'll remember from GreenJobsPhilly), an organization that plants orchards around the city – in community gardens, school yards and other spaces in low-income neighborhoods.
And here’s a special thank you to Bruce Schimmel, who personally godfathered POP’s eleventh orchard, at Woodford Mansion in Fairmount Park.
In October, his $5,000 gift financed, among other things, the planting of 12 fruit trees and more than 50 berry bushes at Woodford, located just off 33rd and Dauphin.
The wonderful thing about the organic orchard is that it will be maintained and harvested by the community, including schoolkids, who’ll be trained by the folks at the East Park Revitalization Alliance (another unsung band of elves!).
"I love this idea of the city having ‘edible landscapes,'" says Bruce, founder of the Philadelphia City Paper (and one of my bosses when I worked there eons ago). "The concept is really catching on. I think it’s helping city people think about new ways of living sustainably."
Bruce wants to make sure I mention that the Woodford project wouldn't have happened without the cooperation of the Fairmount Park Commission, which owns Woodford, and the Naomi Wood Trust, which operates the mansion.
Fair enough. But there'd be nothing to cooperate for if Bruce hadn't so generously supported the project in the first place.
So here’s a candy cane and a big thank you to Bruce Schimmel, for being an Environmental Elf to the city.
The experts at Philadelphia's Energy Coordinating Agency answer your energy questions in our regular feature Stay Warm, Stay Green. Send in your question or questions to energy@phillynews.com.
Look for Jenice Armstrong to supply tips on green living as well as occasional columns on the subject of Green. She also blogs at Hey Jen.
Becky Batcha stays tuned for the here-and-now practical side of conservation, alternative energy, organic foods, etc. - stuff you can do at home now. Plus odds and ends.
Laurie Conrad recycles from her ever-growing e-mailbag to pass along the latest travel deals, fashion statements, household strategies, gadgets, cool local events and other nuggets of interest to those who appreciate a clean, green world.
Vance Lehmkuhl looks at topics like eco-conscious eating, public transportation and fuel-efficient driving from his perspective as a vegetarian, a daily SEPTA bus rider and a hybrid driver, as well as noting the occasional wacky trend or product. Contact Vance with your 'green' news.
Ronnie Polaneczky sees the green movement through the eyes of her 12-year-old daughter, who calls her on every scrap of paper or glass bottle that Ronnie neglects to toss into the house recycling bins. Ronnie will blog about new or unexpected ways to go green. She also blogs at So, What Happened Was...
Sandra Shea and the DN editorial board opine on any green-related legislation or policy. And we'll pass along some of the opeds on the subject that people send us.
Jonathan Takiff will be blogging mainly about consumer electronics - those things that we love to use and that suck too much energy. He'll spotlight green-conscious gizmos made in a responsible fashion, both in terms of materials used and the energy it takes to run them.
Signe Wilkinson draws the comic strip Family Tree, which follows the Tree family as they try to live green in the face of nattering neighbors, plastic-wrapped consumer products, and the primal teenage urge to spend vast quantities of money on hair care products of dubious organic quality.
In addition to these updates from our newsroom bloggers, watch for an occasional feature, Dumpster Diver Dispatches, from Philadelphia's original "green" community of artists, the Dumpster Divers. You'll learn about creative ways to reuse and recycle while you reduce, and about the artists who are making little masterpieces from what others throw out.
Sept. 17: A head start on cold season
Oct. 8: Help with fuel bills
Oct. 29: Last-minute ways to winterize
Nov. 19: Budgeting for the big bite
