#philadelphiapa — Public Fediverse posts

Research - #RainBarrels and Other Household Stormwater Strategies Are Working — For Now.

May 5, 2026

Excerpt: " 'When we talk about #CircularEconomy, most people think about #recycling waste and materials. But the concept of circular economy also applies to water. Here we're talking about installing #rainwater #cisterns, reusing water from the sink to flush toilets and using water-efficient appliances. While those may seem like small steps at the individual level, we found that if they are widely adopted, they can have a significant collective impact,' said Fernanda Cruz Rios, PhD, an assistant professor in the College of Engineering, who was a co-author of the research. 'They help reduce demand on the municipal supply, and the energy needed to treat and distribute that water. But what we found was that these strategies offer a real double benefit. In areas like #PhiladelphiaPA and #CamdenME, that are particularly vulnerable due to their proximity to large bodies of water, we were able to see a meaningful reduction in flooding volumes when circular water strategies were adopted.'

"Despite the ongoing compliance efforts, the cities of Philadelphia and Camden have around 16 billion gallons of combined #sewer overflow, according to reports from their respective water utilities.

"Over the last two and a half decades, Camden has established a stormwater management plan, including decentralized strategies, an upgrade to #stormwater infrastructure and storm water management modeling. To understand the overall impact of these efforts, in hopes of applying findings to other vulnerable urban areas, the Drexel team created a computer model of stormwater movement using data from Cramer Hill, a neighborhood of Camden in the state’s 'coastal hazard zone' that is highly susceptible to tidal and storm-surge flooding.

"The researchers structured the model so that it could quantify the distinct effects of outdoor strategies (cisterns and rain barrels) and indoor strategies — efficient fixtures and reusing sink wash water (#greywater) for toilet flushing. It simulated and measured the effect of 16 different combinations of strategies, ranging from rain barrels of different sizes, to varying levels of adoption of water-efficient fixtures and greywater reuse.

"Each scenario was simulated using precipitation and tidal data from 2014 as a baseline and flooding measurements projected at locations across the neighborhood and at five stormwater outfall areas that contribute to combined sewer overflow discharges into the #DelawareRiver.

The results show that the combination of retrofitting homes with #WaterEfficientFixtures as well as installing rain barrels and practicing greywater reuse, when adopted by 75% of households, could reduce the volume of combined sewer overflows by as much as 11% and the volume of #floodwaters by up to 13%.

" 'This finding is an important and encouraging piece of information for municipalities that are facing similar challenges,' Marques said. 'Although broad adoption of these measures can be challenging to achieve, confirmation of its effectiveness may help to make the case.' "

Read more:
https://drexel.edu/news/archive/2026/May/decentralized-stormwater-management-coastal-urban-areas-combined-sewer

#SolarPunkSunday #ClimateChangeAdaptation #Graywater #StormwaterSeparation #StormwaterReduction #WaterCisterns #UrbanPlanning #WaterUse #WaterIsLife #ClimateChange

Judge Blocks National Parks From Removing ‘Negative’ Signs and Depictions of Slavery

https://web.brid.gy/r/https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/12/us/politics/judge-national-parks-trump.html

#PhiladelphiaPA -🌱 #EarthDay Party & #ToySwap! 🎉

A celebration of community & sustainability!

"Join us for Rutabaga’s Earth Day Toy Swap & Celebration—a fun-filled day of community, sustainability, and play.

📅 Date: April 25th, 1pm- 4pm
📍 Location: East Falls Presbyterian Church, 3800 Vaux St.
💚 Event Cost: FREE to ALL
🎟 Toy Swap Ticket: $25 per bag (Donate in advance & get $5 off!)

What to expect:
- Plant a seed with Dirt Baby Farm
- Earth Day Circle Time with Greene Towne Montessori
- Live music from the Blumbellies
- Rutabaga merch
- Tie Dying Station - Buy a shirt or Bring your own Item to Dye!
- (Mostly Native) #PlantSwap – Bring your seedlings or transplants to swap
-Rabbit #Recycling table. Bring your recyclables: #PlasticBags, #Electronics/Tech (handheld or small), #Cables, #cords, #wires, #Cork, #RubberBands, #BreadClips, and #TwistTies
- Games with East Falls Presbyterian Church
- Decorate Tree Cookies with The Miquon School


How the Toy Swap works

Donate (optional, but awesome).
- Drop off toys and goodies the week before the event at EFPC or Rutabaga Toy Library to get $5 off your bag.

Show up on Saturday.
- Check in at the door, grab your ticket, and get to “shopping” the swap.

Fill your bag.
- Browse toys, books, games, decor, and stocking stuffers for all ages and fill your bag to the brim.

Feel good.
- You’re keeping great stuff in circulation, skipping new manufacturing and extra waste, and supporting Rutabaga’s Scholarship Fund.


How to Donate

To help us set up thoughtfully, please drop off donations ahead of time (starting 4/20) rather than bringing them the day of the swap.

You can donate toys ahead of time in two ways:

Bin outside East Falls Presbyterian Church (by the entrance) @ 3800 Vaux Street, East Falls

At Rutabaga Toy Library during our open hours, listed here

We just ask that donations are:
✨ Clean
✨ In working condition
✨ With all important pieces

Basically, if it’s something you’d be happy to find at a swap, it’s perfect.


Volunteer & Get Early Access

We’d love some helping hands to make the swap magical.

- Friday: Sorting and setting up donated toys
- Saturday: Welcoming folks, keeping tables tidy, and supporting the flow of the event

As a thank you, volunteers get early access to shop the swap before doors open."

👉 Sign up to volunteer and FMI...
https://www.rutabagatoylibrary.com/earth-day

#SolarPunkSunday #EarthDay2026 #BuildingCommunity #Recycling

#PhiladelphiaPA - #RutabagaToyLibrary lets families sign out toys a month at a time

NPR | By Buffy Gorrilla
Published June 2, 2025

"The sharing economy comes for us all, including kids. Reporter Buffy Gorrilla takes us to Philadelphia in a paid library for toys that hopes to keep playthings out of the landfill."

https://www.mainepublic.org/2025-06-02/rutabaga-toy-library-lets-families-sign-out-toys-a-month-at-a-timex`

Welcome to Rutabaga Toy Library!

A #ZeroWaste solution for eco-conscious families.

Serving Philadelphia families with children ages 0-8.

Household membership costs:
Borrow only: $45 / month
Play and Borrow (includes use of Playspace): $65 / month

FMI:
https://www.rutabagatoylibrary.com/

#SolarPunkSunday #ToyRentals #ToyLibraries #PlaySpace #Philadelphia

How Trump Brought the Fight Over American History to Philadelphia

https://web.brid.gy/r/https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/05/arts/george-washington-slavery-trump-history.html

The Penny Dies at 232

https://web.brid.gy/r/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/12/business/penny-coin-legacy.html

#PhiladelphiaPA: ‘Beyond frustrating’: Sheriff’s Office problems prevent #LandBank from buying lots for #CommunityGardens, houses

Story by William Bender, Ryan W. Briggs, March 10, 2025

"Last May, City Council passed a routine bill that amended the Philadelphia Code in order to preserve the Land Bank’s ability to acquire tax-delinquent lots at sheriff sales.

"The bill was essentially a bit of legal housekeeping. It tightened up the city’s land-acquisition process in response to a recent U.S. Supreme Court case in Minnesota over a property forfeiture.

"The goal was simple: Enable the city’s Land Bank, a quasi-governmental agency, to protect 90 or so parcels of community gardens from development and continue with its overall mission of repurposing #vacant or blighted land into #AffordableHousing and other projects that benefit the public.

"The bill passed 17-0. Mayor Cherelle L. Parker — whose administration helped draft the legislation — promptly signed it into law in June 2024.

"Yet, nine months later, the Land Bank has yet to acquire the garden parcels at sheriff sale.

"In fact, it has been unable to purchase any properties through sheriff sale — for the last five years.

"The reason: a problem in Sheriff Rochelle Bilal’s office. Again."

Read more:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/beyond-frustrating-sheriff-s-office-problems-prevent-land-bank-from-buying-lots-for-community-gardens-houses/ar-AA1AB9qk
#ACAB #CommunityGardens #PublicBenefit

#PhiladelphiaPA

Yamakasi at PPK Philly

One last session w these guys!

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Community

This is the sort of thing that turns a ‘gym’ into the center of a community. Quick! …go get a laminated map and straight pins. Bonus points for color coding pin heads. @ppkphilly

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Tomorrow is going to be….

INSANE. Today is already off the chart @ppkphilly

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Ow

Stairs, plus Yamakasi equals…

Art du Déplacement

Gorgeous sunny weather at the Philly Art Museum w Yann, Stany and @parkourphilly

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Hello Philly!

Miguel and photobombed by Yann’s foot.

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