Posts tagged best management practices

GreenTreks documentary on Philly greening to air on WHYY Apr 26 & 29

Apr 11th

If you’ve been following us for any period of time, you know we’re stoked to be a part of Philadelphia’s transformation from down on our luck wannabes to nation leading innovators — and yesterday’s landmark agreement between the City and US EPA reinforces the fact that there’s much more to come.

You also probably know we’ve been documenting the exciting efforts of the Philadelphia Water Department to change our cityscape into a vision of green. Besides the dozen short videos that can be found on our Green City, Clean Waters Vimeo channel, we’ve put together a 30 minute PBS special that encapsulates brings this game changing program to life.

We’re thrilled to announce it’ll be airing in a couple of weeks!

Download the flyer and pass it around.

Post it on your Facebook page, send it out on Twitter, Pin it, email it to friends.

And be sure to tune in and watch!

best management practices, clean water, drinking water, green infrastructure, green living, rainwater, runoff, stormwater, stormwater management, stream health, sustainability, trees, water pollution, water quality

Kensington Green Street Unveiled

Mar 5th

Posted by barry in GreenTreks

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As noted in this post, City officials, community partners, and the Philadelphia Water Department celebrated the completion of the first in a series of stormwater-friendly GREEN STREETS last week. We were there to capture all the action and created a video snapshot featuring Water Commissioner Howard Neukrug, Deputy Mayor Mike DiBerardinis, New Kensington CDC Director Sandy Salzman, and some local residents.

Check it out — and visit Soak it Up, Philly! for a complete schedule of upcoming events.

Kensington Green Street from GreenTreks Network on Vimeo.

best management practices, clean water, drinking water, green infrastructure, green street, rainwater, stormwater, stormwater management, tree trenches, trees, water quality

Soak it Up, Philly!

Mar 2nd

Posted by barry in stormwater

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Unless you’ve been pulling a Rip van Winkle lately, you’ve heard it before: As part of its long-term commitment to improving the health of the City’s waterways, the Philadelphia Water Department is focusing a great deal of attention on a “greening” approach.

What you may not realize is just how many PWD “green infrastructure” projects are popping up all over the city. Or how they are having a truly transformative effect on the ‘hoods where they’re being put into place.

The first of a series of public events unveiling some of the projects (see Soak it Up, Philly) was held March 1 in Fishtown where Water Commissioner Howard Neukrug, Deputy Mayor for Environmental and Community Resources and Commissioner of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Mike DiBerardinis, New Kensington Community Development Corporation President Sandy Salzman, and other dignitaries were on hand to celebrate the completion of Philadelphia’s first stormwater-friendly GREEN STREET.

A green street restores some of our urban landscape’s natural function by capturing rain or snowmelt (stormwater runoff) and allowing it to soak into the soil instead of flowing directly into the City’s sewer system. This not only helps reduce pollution and prevents flooding, it brings a host of other benefits to a neighborhood, including beautification, cleaner air, and a renewed sense of community pride.

The Waterview Recreation Center in the East Falls neighborhood uses the same kind of stormwater tree trenches that were used in Fishtown. This video explains more about why rainwater runoff is a problem and how these “green tools” work:

Keeping Water On Site: Waterview Recreation Center from GreenTreks Network on Vimeo.

For everything you ever wanted to know about runoff and what’s being done about it, visit StormwaterPA.org.

For more videos about Philly’s exciting Green City, Clean Waters program, check out our Vimeo Channel.

And be sure to follow PWD’s Blog.

best management practices, clean water, Delaware river, drinking water, green infrastructure, rainwater, runoff, stormwater, stormwater management, sustainability, trees, water pollution, water quality

Home Greening Instills Sense of Pride, Community in Cobbs Creek Neighborhood

Nov 22nd

Posted by barry in GreenTreks

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Last week, the GreenTreks team was on hand at the Cobbs Creek Environmental Education Center for the first screening of our latest video, Green Homes. It was a special treat to reconnect with participants in the Darby Cobbs Watershed Partnership/Philadelphia Water Department supported project almost a year after we initially filmed.

True to the stormwater management theme, the weather was wet and dreary, but attendees spirits were not to be dampened. They loved the film — and to a person, they agreed that they’d participate in the project again if given the chance. In fact, when asked if they’d be so enthusiastic if asked to share in project costs (they were fortunate enough to be the pilot community, so the project was fully funded), the answer was a resounding YES!

Here’s the video that will have others scrambling to bring the Green Homes initiative to their own neighborhoods: