November 26, 2012 by greenworksphila

Mayor Nutter to Lead Trade Mission to China, Promote Investment in Philadelphia

Trip to focus on sustainability, arts/culture, health care, education & economic development

November 26, 2012 – Mayor Michael A. Nutter will visit China this week to promote opportunities for investment in Philadelphia, strengthen relationships between key Philadelphia institutions and their Chinese counterparts, and continue to promote Philadelphia as a growing international city. He will also take part in a two-day conference on urban sustainability – Cities of the Future – organized by the Paulson Institute, chaired by former U.S. Treasury Secretary Paulson. Mayor Nutter was invited to participate in the conference in his role as one of America’s leading sustainability mayors and President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors by Secretary Paulson.

“China presents huge investment and export opportunities for Philadelphia and I intend to be very aggressive in promoting our city and attracting new investment, all of which ultimately leads to more job opportunities for Philadelphians,” said Mayor Michael A. Nutter. “My message for this trip is that Philadelphia – increasingly recognized as an international leader on sustainability, healthcare, education and the creative economy – is ripe for investment and open for business.”

Mayor Nutter will begin his official visit with a two-day visit to Tianjin, a Chinese hub for clean energy technology and a Sister City of Philadelphia since 1980. During the visit, Mayor Nutter will meet with Tianjin Mayor Huang Xingguo to sign a new agreement of cooperation and partnership between the two cities. He will also visit the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area Eco-Center, a nationally-directed economic development zone focused on technological innovation and commercialization of low-carbon products and services.

From Tianjin, Mayor Nutter and the Philadelphia delegation will travel to Beijing for the Paulson Institute’s Cities of the Future conference on issues of urban sustainability and the growth of cities. During the conference Mayor Nutter will participate in a discussion with Acting Mayor of Beijing Wang Anshun around mayors as drivers of change on sustainability and will share some of the successes and challenges experienced by Philadelphia during the implementation of Greenworks Philadelphia.

While in Beijing, Mayor Nutter and Philadelphia International Airport CEO Mark Gale will also meet with senior executives from Air China to continue discussions around potential opportunities for a direct non-stop service between China and Philadelphia. Philadelphia is currently the largest metropolitan area in the United States without nonstop service to Asia. Increasing nonstop flights to international destinations is a key priority for Philadelphia’s future growth and attractiveness to foreign investment. Mayor Nutter was also invited by U.S. Ambassador to China Gary Locke to address the Ambassador’s Investment Forum where the Mayor will promote Philadelphia and highlight opportunities for investment in the region.

Joining Mayor Nutter on the visit to China will be representatives of leading Philadelphia institutions who will be using the opportunity provided by the Mayor’s visit to deepen their relationships with partners in China and announce new partnership opportunities to promote Philadelphia in this growing market. Participants in this trade mission include the Philadelphia Orchestra, Drexel University, Fox Chase Cancer Center, the law firm of White and Williams, and the China Partnership of Greater Philadelphia, each of which has developed relationships with institutions in Philadelphia’s Sister City. Mayor Nutter will also be joined from the City of Philadelphia by First Deputy Chief of Staff Suzanne Biemiller, Senior Deputy Director of Commerce Duane Bumb (who will arrive in advance of the delegation to address a pharmaceutical investors conference in Beijing), Philadelphia International Airport CEO Mark Gale, and President and CEO of the International Visitors Council of Philadelphia Nancy Gilboy, who administers the City’s Sister City Program. The delegation will return to Philadelphia Thursday December 6, 2012.

Mayor Nutter announced in a February speech to the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce that he intended to be aggressive in attracting international investment and promoting Philadelphia on the global stage. The mission to China is the first in what is expected to be a number of international trade missions to expand export opportunities for Philadelphia organizations and attract new investment to the city.

November 16, 2012 by greenworksphila

City Of Philadelphia Encourages Applications for Green Infrastructure Competition

Deadline Approaching for National Design Competition Highlighting Green Infrastructure $10,000 Top Prize for Innovative and Creative Designs for Philadelphia and Other Cities

November 16, 2012 – The Philadelphia Water Department, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Community Design Collaborative have partnered to launch a national, interdisciplinary design competition promoting the creative and innovative use of green stormwater infrastructure in Philadelphia and other cities. The design competition is part of Infill Philadelphia: Soak it Up!—a design initiative exploring how green stormwater infrastructure can revitalize urban neighborhoods.

Design teams must register by Friday, November 30, 2012. Nine finalists will be selected to present at an awards event at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University next year. A jury will select one winning design for each of the three sites. The three winning competition teams will each receive a cash prize of $10,000.

Interdisciplinary teams of architects, landscape architects, engineers and other professionals will be challenged to develop new models for green stormwater infrastructure, focusing on one of three sites in Philadelphia:

Warehouse Watershed: A warehouse and a city-owned vacant lot that offer possibilities for public-private partnerships and the revitalization of a high-vacancy, mixed-use residential/industrial district.
Retail Retrofit: A retail strip center that has the potential to play a more central role in the surrounding neighborhood through improved walkability, pop-up space for community events and access to river recreation.
Greening the Grid: An historic neighborhood with an engaged community and a dense network of streets, alleys, roofs and open space that offers possibilities for an array of small-scale interventions.

Green stormwater infrastructure is crucial to the implementation of Green City, Clean Waters, the City’s innovative, environmentally-sustainable, 25-year plan to protect and enhance local waterways primarily through the use of green stormwater infrastructure. “As we evolve Philadelphia into America’s most sustainable and green city, the opportunities ahead will be limited only by the confines of our imaginations and the extent of our determination,” says Howard Neukrug, Commissioner of the Philadelphia Water Department.

“Our partnership with Philadelphia represents the EPA’s firm commitment to encourage, support, and assist municipalities that adopt green infrastructure to improve both water quality and the sustainability of their communities,” says EPA Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin.

Beth Miller, Executive Director of the Community Design Collaborative, adds, “This design competition will get everyone thinking about the broader community benefits of green stormwater infrastructure. We look forward to seeing the results.”

A Competition Packet with full details about the competition is available online at http://infill.cdesignc.org.

November 15, 2012 by greenworksphila

City Of Philadelphia to Celebrate America Recycles Day on November 15

November 14, 2012 – Mayor Michael A. Nutter announced that the City of Philadelphia’s official America Recycles Day celebration will be on Thursday, November 15 at various city locations. America Recycles Day, a Keep America Beautiful program, is the nation’s only community-driven national awareness initiative dedicated to promoting and celebrating recycling in the United States.

“Recycling is a cornerstone of my commitment to making Philadelphia the greenest city in the U.S., and it’s one of the easiest things we can do every day to help conserve natural resources, save energy, create green jobs,” said Mayor Nutter. “Participating in America Recycles Day in Philadelphia is the best way to celebrate the progress Philadelphia has made in recent years through City initiatives and programs”

Recycling in Philadelphia has made significant strides during the past few years, with more than 120,000 tons of recyclables collected through the City’s curbside recycling program in fiscal year 2012 (July 2011 – June 2012) – an increase of 137% over totals from just five years ago. According to the City’s Recycling Office and Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, Philadelphia’s recycling efforts helped reduce greenhouse gas the equivalent of nearly 1.5 million tons of carbon dioxide during 2011.

“The program changes the Streets Department implemented starting a few years ago, including the switch to ‘single-stream’ and weekly pickup, have not only helped boost program participation, but also increase operational efficiencies,” said Commissioner Clarena Tolson. “Philadelphia’s ever-evolving recycling efforts are forging our way to become the greenest city in America.”

Philadelphia’s recycling efforts do not stop at residential curbside pickup. In FY12, approximately 2,000 tons of other recyclables including leaves, brush, and electronics were also collected either at curbside, at the City’s sanitation convenience centers or at special electronics and household hazardous waste collection events.

Other notable recycling and waste reduction opportunities that were initiated during the past year include:

Distribution of more than 2,000 recycling bins to residents during the council district’s recycling days;
Addition of beverage cartons and drink boxes to the curbside recycling program through a partnership with the U.S. Carton Council;
Increased opportunities to recycle in public places through the City’s Big Belly recycling containers; and
Partnership with the Philadelphia Water Department and Insinkerator, Inc. to assess benefits of using in-sink disposal units for food waste in two Philadelphia neighborhoods.

Since the inception of America Recycles Day in 1997, communities across the country have organized events in November to promote recycling awareness, commitment and action. Last year during America Recycles Day, some 2 million people took part in more than 2,000 events across the nation.

The America Recycles Day events set to take place in Philadelphia on November 15 include:

John B. Kelly Elementary School America Recycles Day Celebration

Location: 5116 Pulaski Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19144

Date: Nov. 15, 2012

Time: 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

Event Description: Recognition of recycling effort among 2^nd graders and remarks by Streets Department Commissioner Clarena I. W, Tolson

America Recycles Day Celebration

Location: Liacouras Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19122