Idea: Philadelphia Green Pages
This is a Wikidelphia idea page in which Paul Glover proposes a Philadelphia Green Pages:
Our city already has several prominent green networking sources: Grid, Green Jobs Philly, Sustainable Business Network, Academy of Natural Sciences, PHENND, GPEN.org, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, Farm to City, Volk Libre, the Food Guide, and more.
Of these, only SBN provides a categorized catalog. Green Jobs Philly has a single page which is not regularly updated. Grid and Green Jobs Philly provide categorized sections issue by issue. GPEN has an alphabetical list of environmental groups.
There is not yet a categorized green catalog which sets specific green standards, allows green businesses and nonprofit organizations to enter current information free into a moderated keyword-sortable list, then welcomes the general public to browse these entries.
The availability of such a service, print and online, would accelerate participation in existing groups and stimulate new initiatives.
Subject Matter
Here’s what I propose:
Print and online (searchable, sortable) directory comprising three prime divisions: For-profit, Non-profit, Government.
Food, Fuel, Housing, Health, Transportation, Education, Clothing, Recycling & Composting, Finance, Water, Air. Each of these would be introduced with a 200-word summary of possibilities.
The list would be moderated to admit local solution-oriented groups and programs inviting specific local action. It would not include mere crisis-oriented bad-news groups and media. It would not include mere general advocacy groups. They must invite participation in distinct actions.
Specifically preferring solutions which:
- Transfer authority to grassroots groups to lower the costs of living, using environmental technologies.
- Decrease dependence on fossil fuels and nuclear power.
- Decrease waste of water and contamination of air.
- Provide effective alternatives to automobiles.
- Provide nonprofit holistic health services.
- Expand regional food self-sufficiency.
- Expand reliance on regional upcycled materials.
- Expand local manufacture of durable essential goods.
- Promote mutual aid.
- Release local creativity to accomplish the above.
- Provide backing for community credits and neighborhood currencies.
Purposes
- Stimulate action.
- Cross pollinate.
- Expand regional capability.
- Serve as resource for jobseekers, entrepreneurs, organizers, volunteers, interns, funders.
Information Fields
- Name of group or initiative.
- Logo.
- Website.
- Email(s).
- Facebook, Twitter, YouTube channel and other social media.
- Phone.
- Contact person 1, contact person 2.
- Year started.
- Purpose (1,000 characters).
- Specific actions public can take.
- Internships.
- Staff size.
- Budget.
- Tax-deductible?
- Donate, Paypal.
- Proposals and new groups forming: (invite people to fill holes where not already listed).
Idea Contact
Paul Glover
(215) 805-8330
paulglover.org