Sustainability is blooming

NOTE: This entry is cross-posted from Citizen Hunter.

Businesses are into it. Students too. Non-profits can't talk about it enough. Even government is getting in on it.

It affects where we live and work, what we eat, and how we play.

Is it the economy? Of course. Is it the environment? Naturally!  But more than that - it's sustainability.

If you don't know what it means to be sustainable, then the best advice I can offer you is to head over to the Flower Show on Monday, March 2nd, where the 12 finalists of the third-annual Philadelphia Sustainability Awards will be celebrated.

Conceived by the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, the Philadelphia Sustainability Awards honor the region's progress towards becoming the most sustainable city in America.

Selected from nearly 70 nominees by a group of sustainability experts, the 12 finalists are nationally recognized green builders, innovative farmers, visionary organizers, and renowned businesses.

And yes, they're all from the Philadelphia region.

According to the recent SustainLane City Rankings, Philadelphia ranks eighth among large cities, with high scores for commuter and metro transit and local food options.  To get to the top spot, Philadelphia needs more green buildings, better air quality and higher recycling rates.  The Philadelphia Sustainability Awards honor those who raise the bar in Philadelphia, and inspire others to do likewise and join the path to sustainability.

With the support of regional organizations including the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, PennFuture, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, The Reinvestment Fund, Delaware Valley Green Building Council and the City of Philadelphia's Mayor's Office of Sustainability, the awards have increased awareness of sustainability issues.

Finalists are role models who demonstrate how to achieve sustainability in areas such as business practices, home energy and water use, transportation and recreation.  Many finalists have products or services to help us in the region live more sustainably.

This year's finalists are a diverse and impressive group including: green builder Onion Flats, the Next Great City Coalition; Habitat for Humanity's LEED pilot program; PECO; Drexel Green; the Civic Vision for the Central Delaware; Bob Pierson for Farm to City; Energy Coordinating Agency; GREENandSAVE; Mill Creek Farm; the Philadelphia Eagles Go Green program; and the Schuylkill Banks Greenway.

I'll be there to see who takes home the honors.

You can go too! The event is free and open to the public.  Whether you're the sustainability guru in your office or didn't hear the word until today, you'll be inspired by the leaders and innovators in the region. You might even learn a thing or two!

Registration is required by visiting www.philadelphiasustainabilityawards.org. Details on the finalists can also be found there.