From major progress towards a clean energy vision to new projects and initiatives at the neighborhood level, Philadelphia is committed to ensuring that its communities are sustainable for today and tomorrow. Greenworks, Philadelphia’s plan for sustainability, includes eight visions that guide our work towards a resilient, equitable, and green city. Check out some of our 2018 highlights to learn how the City is advancing towards sustainability in 2019!

Vision 1: Accessible food and drinking water

• Thanks to new legislation, it’s now easier for business owners to sell fresh fruits and vegetables outside of their stores. Store owners will not need a special license and can keep their shelves outside overnight, on any street in Philadelphia.
• Through the Hydrate Philly program, 22 new hydration stations were installed at 15 playgrounds and recreation centers.

Vision 2: Healthy outdoor and indoor air

• Air Management Services installed street-level monitoring stations at 54 locations. The stations monitor NOX, SO2, and PM2.5 among other pollutants.
• The Office of Sustainability launched anti-idling training for City fleets.

Vision 3: Clean and efficient energy

• Mayor Kenney signed a bill to enable the City to enter into a Power Purchase Agreement to buy solar power. The project is key to meeting the goal of sourcing 100 percent of the City’s electricity from renewable sources by 2030.
• The City adopted new building codes to drive energy-efficiency improvements in new construction.

Vision 4: Climate-prepared and carbon-neutral communities

• A number of City departments joined community partners in Hunting Park to kick off the Beat the Heat project, a first-of-its-kind pilot program to help residents cope with summer heat and prepare their communities for climate change.
• Philadelphia was named one of the winners of the Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge, bringing technical assistance and other support to bolster local climate action.

Vision 5: Quality natural resources

• Residents were able to access a variety of new and upgraded public spaces, such as The Rail Park and the East Fairmount Park Reservoir which reopened as the Strawberry Mansion Discovery Center.
• Parks and Recreation and its partners maintained and planted more than 7,500 trees.
• The Philadelphia Water Department added more than 2,700 new stormwater management features, and launched the world’s first city-owned fresh water mussel hatchery to help restore the urban ecosystem.

Vision 6: Accessible, affordable, and safe transportation

• The Office of Transportation, Infrastructure and Sustainability released Connect: Philadelphia’s Strategic Transportation Plan, which outlines how the City, SEPTA, and its partners will work to make our streets safer and friendlier to bicyclists, pedestrians, and other low-carbon commuters, and promote transit use.
• The Indego bike-share system announced that it will double the current system to more than 250 stations, adding stations in another 15 square miles of the city.

Vision 7: Zero Waste

• Guided by the City’s Litter Index, the City and its community partners are developing neighborhood specific plans to support communities most burdened by issues of litter and illegal dumping.
• The Community Compost Design Competition resulted in two new designs that will continue to be tested as options for urban composting in Philadelphia.

Vision 8: Engaged students, stewards, and workers

• The City adopted legislation establishing an environmental justice advisory commission. The commission will provide guidance on where adverse health and environmental conditions are affecting minority and low-income residents.
• The Philadelphia Energy Authority received a $1.25 million grant from the U.S Department of Energy to grow its solar job training program.

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