Green Philly

Climate change is the greatest challenge of our lifetime. In order to overcome it, we need to make solutions easy, local, and relevant to everyday people.  

Green Philly is a media company making sustainability local, accessible, and affordable. Our mission is to connect people to eco-solutions in the greater Philadelphia region, while also facilitating the local sustainability community’s growth.

Make Green Philly your go-to sustainability hub, learning about local changemakers making a difference, ethical businesses, and where to recycle odd objects in our Where Can I Wednesday column. Check our community events calendar, job board and City Rising podcast on iTunes.

Green Philly hosts events throughout the year including panel discussions, educational flash talks, and SustainPHL in August, Philly’s annual sustainability awards ceremony and celebration.

How it Began

Co-Founder Julie Hancher began her career in marketing at a local publishing company. In 2008, one of her coworkers told her that the company was secretly throwing the recycling bin contents into the trash cans.

The unveiling of “Recyclegate 2008” was shocking, and lead to a lightbulb moment.

Sustainability seemed difficult, hard and expensive – and it was 2008! Things should be easier.

Companies should be required to recycle, and make decisions with the planet in mind.

Lastly, when we can educate and empower an individual to make small changes, they’ll become invested in an achievable, sustainable future.

Green Philly was born from frustrations and expectations that we – Philadelphia, young adults, and community – could simply do better.

Despite its humble beginnings as a blog in 2008, Green Philly has evolved into a robust media organization with a website, social media, events, and podcast.

We value local journalism as a pillar of democracy. Green Philly works collaboratively in the local journalism ecosystem, as a Broke In Philly partner, and has participated in the Delaware River Watershed Reporting Collective, Covering Climate Now, and Civic Story.

Sustainability shouldn’t be hard.

The Team That Makes it Happen…

Julie is a frequent speaker and sustainability expert and has appeared on WHYY Radio Times, Philly Weekly, Travel & Leisure and more. During her tenure at Green Philly, her initiatives have resulted in plastic bag legislation, connected readers to careers, and increased the security of the Schuylkill River Trail.

She graduated from Pennsylvania State University and completed a Climate Change Science, Communication and Action certificate from Cornell University. When she’s not behind a computer, you can find Julie hiking, biking, creating art and recipes, or traveling.