A local company pushes “smart grid” technology 
The PECO rate caps are about to expire. Are you ready?
story by Samatha Wittchen
illustration by Michael Miller
there’s an elephant in the room. You might have overlooked him because it’s a big room—the entire Philadelphia region, in fact. That said, he’s also a big elephant—a big, electron-filled elephant.
Replacing your old appliances could save you some serious dough
by Samantha Wittchen
When it comes to energy hogs, large appliances are second only to your home’s major mechanical systems. According to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, appliances like refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines and dryers make up 13 percent of your annual energy bill. Upgrading your appliances to more efficient models is one of the easiest ways to shave some bucks off your monthly costs.
essay and illustration by Jacob Lambert
Green Metropolis:
Ready to be outraged? The devastation chronicled in Josh Fox’s documentary Gasland hits very close to home. Offered almost $100,000 dollars for drilling rights to his family’s land in northeast Pennsylvania, Fox sets off on a mission to discover how the extraction of natural gas affects local water supplies and residents’ health. The news isn’t good.
Sometimes i feel bad for corn. With the preponderance of industrial/monoculture-raised/processed corn products, the golden ears have become synonymous with the face of food evil. It’s like having a punk sibling whose bad deeds tarnish the whole family.
“Someone once said, ‘If you do what you like, you’ll never work a day in your life,’” muses Green Meadow Farm’s Glenn Brendle. “But the key is to make what you like pay the way. I liked to garden, but it wasn’t clear that I was going to be able make it work well enough to raise a family.”
by Tenaya Darlington,
madamefromage.blogspot.com
Pete demchur might be the only cheesemaker in America making extra sharp chevre. He produces an array of goat’s milk specialties from his long-established herd in Chester County, including kefir and yogurt, but the recipe for Shellbark’s Extra Sharp remains his best-kept secret.
When the heat hits, give your stove a break
recipes and photos by Marissa McClellan, foodinjars.com
Here in Philly, August is a notoriously steamy month. Temperatures hover in the 90s and the air is so thick with humidity that walking from one room to another can leave you dripping with sweat.
An under-the-radar Mt. Airy restaurant keeps it green—and tasty 
The Wetlands Institute releases baby turtles, cuteness ensues
by Bernard Brown
Take my word for it: Nothing is cuter than kindergartners with baby turtles. On June 15, a fellow herper (i.e. reptile and amphibian enthusiast) and I drove to Stone Harbor, NJ, to watch the Wetlands Institute release baby diamondback terrapins.
Nick Pine pushes solar power that goes beyond panels
by Lee Stabert
"Solar power” conjures images of high-tech, high-priced panels and carefully constructed rigs, but, as Nick Pine explains, the concept is actually much simpler—harnessing the sun’s heat can be cheap and easy, and an excellent replacement for fossil fuels.
The Issue: Disposing of your old fridge
Julie Lorch pedals along with notable members of Philly’s bicycle community on a route of their choice. They ride, they chat, she reports back.
My garden usually begins in December, when the first batch of seductive seed catalogs slip through the mail slot. I hide them in a special stack far from my husband’s rolling eyes. Once five or six varieties of direct-mailed garden goodness have been collected, I tear through them in one delightful binge.
Dr. Vandana Shiva changed my life. You could be next.
by Meenal Raval
I first heard of Dr. Vandana Shiva about nine years ago. At the time, I was burnt out from overwork, apathetic about the state of the world and just drifting through life. I received a postcard inviting me to a weekend-long technology and globalization teach-in organized by the International Forum on Globalization.
Mike Landers churns out tasty vegan sweets
by Dana Henry
Mike Landers, founder of North Port Fishington Cookie Factory, is part of a generation of vegan bakers rewriting your grandma’s recipes. Those who’ve tasted the chewy oatmeal-cashew-cranberry cookie, the gooey chocolate peanut butter-frosted brownie or the ever-fluffy cinnamon roll have been known to exclaim, “I can’t believe this is vegan.”
A local cleaning company is as green as its mascot
by Lee Stabert
After only a few minutes of conversation with Dos Funny Frogs’ Alex Suarez, it becomes clear that he has the mind of a scientist—discern a problem, research, test, solve. That enthusiasm for discovering a better (and greener) way to do things propels his business.
Unfortunately, the dream has come to an end. The West Philly Hybrid X Team (profiled in July’s Grid) has been eliminated from the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize Competition. Both the team’s cars failed to reach the mileage standards in the “knock out” round of tests.