When Mayor Michael A. Nutter took office in 2008, he pledged to make sustainability a priority during his administration. To make good on his commitment, he created a Mayor’s Office of Sustainability (MOS), which in turn established Greenworks Philadelphia, a comprehensive sustainability plan laying out 15 goals to make Philadelphia the greenest city in America by 2015. Greenworks includes targets in the areas of energy, environment, equity, economy, and engagement. Having explicit, short-term goals and strong support from the Mayor has encouraged collaboration among myriad city agencies and external partners, some with long histories of promoting sustainability, and some new to greening.

It’s an exciting time to be promoting sustainability in Philadelphia. We’re rewriting our zoning code and comprehensive plan, proposing new stormwater management systems, revitalizing our waterfronts, installing bicycle and pedestrian friendly infrastructure, and thinking critically about how to create publicly-accessible open space. Greenworks contains multiple goals that promote land reactivation such as providing more publicly accessible green space, promoting the green economy, generating alternative energy, and managing stormwater. During the first year and a half of implementation, the plan has spurred multiple projects demonstrating how brownfields can be integrated into sustainability planning efforts. ...

You need to register to view the rest of the article. Click here to subscribe.