Links
If you would like us to add your organization's URL to this page, or if you
have a site you would like to recommend, please contact: leanne at sbnphiladelphia.org
Info on Local Sustainability Issues
Green Philly Web Log | www.greenphilly.info
Philadelphia: America's Hometown Weblog | http://americashometown.blogspot.com
Recycling and Reuse
Recycling Services | www.recyclingservices.org
A comprehensive recycling center in Pottstown
Use it Again PA | www.useitagainpa.org
Philly Freecycle | http://groups.yahoo.com/group/phillyfreecycle
An online space for free givin' & gettin' stuff!
Restore | www.re-store-online.com
ReStore, an architectural salvage clearing house, was opened with a
commitment to respect the resources of the environment by prolonging the
life of usable materials. ReStore, in Philadelphia, PA., offers
architectural salvage, deconstruction services as well as design
consultations.
MACREDO | www.libertynet.org/macredo
The Mid-Atlantic Consortium of Recycling and Economic Development Officials
(MACREDO) is an organization of recycling and economic development interests
of the states of Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia,
and the District of Columbia. The organization's mission is to identify,
promote, and implement projects and programs that enhance recycling and
economic development opportunities on a regional basis.
The Simple Life | www.simplelife.com
This company promotes the use of tree-free, recycled and certified paper.
See their book.
Sustainable Food Systems
Fair Food | www.whitedogcafefoundation.org
Farm to City | www.farmtocity.org/splash.asp
PA Association for Sustainable Agriculture | www.pasafarming.org
Urban Nutrition Initiative | www.urbannutrition.org
The Food Trust | www.thefoodtrust.org
Food Routes | www.foodroutes.org
Green Building
Delaware Valley Green Building Council | www.dvgbc.org
United States Green Building Council | www.usgbc.org
World Green Building Council | www.worldgbc.org
The American Institute of Architects | www.aia.org
The American Institute of Architects is the voice of the architecture
profession.
Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) | www.rmi.org
Responsible Consumerism
Buy Local PA | www.buylocalpa.org
I Buy Different | www.ibuydifferent.org
Resource to teach kids about where products come from
Responsible Shopper | www.responsibleshopper.org
Co-op America | www.coopamerica.org
This 20-year-old nonprofit promotes socially and environmentally
responsible business, publishes the national green pages, www.greenpages.org
and promotes socially responsible investing through www.socialinvest.org
(SVN member).
Council on Economic Priorities | www.cep.org
CEP is a non-profit research organization that analyzes the social and
environmental records of organizations to help concerned consumers make
informed choices.
Ecodirectory | www.ecodirectory.com
Fair Trade
Transfairusa |
www.transfairusa.org
Buy fair trade coffee, chocolate and other imports which support local
communities elsewhere
Equal Exchange | www.equalexchange.com
An award-winning fair trade coffee company dedicated to trading with small
scale coffee farmers in Latin America, Africa and Asia.
Fairtrade Federation | www.fairtradefederation.org
GlobalExchange | www.globalexchange.com
This fair trade and human rights organization promotes the use of coffees
for which growers have been paid a fair price, emphasizing village
cooperatives and small farmers.
Urban Greening
Pennsylvania Horticultural Society | www.pennsylvaniahorticulturalsociety.org
Philadelphia City Parks Association | www.cityparksphila.org
Mount Airy Greening Network | http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mtairygreening
MAGNET is an all-volunteer group of local residents who have been meeting
for the past year to discuss our visions for making Mt Airy a vibrant,
livable, walkable urban eco-community!
Free Schuylkill River Park | www.freetheriverpark.org
After 30 years of promises, many false starts, delays and contract
disputes, Philadelphia's Schuylkill River Park Trail is finally taking
shape. A new paved recreation path is now operational, connecting Center
City with Kelly Drive and West River Drive; lighting is installed and
landscaping is planned for the coming year.
Local Environmental Conservation
Brandywine Conservancy | www.brandywineconservancy.org
Natural Lands Trust | www.natlands.org
Preserving the Delaware Valley's special natural places for more than fifty
years.
Penn Environment | www.pennenvironment.org
To overcome the opposition of powerful special interests, PennEnvironment
relies on independent research and tough-minded advocacy.
Clean Air Council | www.cleanair.org
Clean Air Council is a member- supported, non-profit environmental
organization dedicated to protecting everyone's right to breathe clean air.
The Council works through public education, community advocacy, and
government oversight to ensure enforcement of environmental laws.
The Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF) | www.celdf.org
Provides free and affordable legal services to grassroots, community-based
groups and local governments working to protect their quality of life and
natural environment through building sustainable communities. CELDF is
helping townships across Pennsylvania craft anti-corporate farming
ordinances to help preserve family farms.
National and International Environmental Conservation
World Resources Institute | www.wri.org
The World Resources Institute is recognized for its depth in research and
writing aimed at protecting and enhancing the environment. Recent
publications include works focused on improving the management of
environmental issues by the private sector
Spirituality and the Environment
Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life | www.coejl.org
The Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life brings the moral passion
of Jewishtradition and social action to environmental stewardship.
GreenFaith | www.greenfaith.org
GreenFaith is an interfaith environmental coalition which seeks to educate,
advocate and mobilize the New Jersey faith community on behalf of
environmental stewardship and justice. GreenFaith is a registered
not-for-profit 501(C)3 corporation in New Jersey and is governed by a board
of trustees.
Bioneers | www.bioneers.org
This nonprofit organization connects environmental advocates, scientists,
practitioners of green living, and those with a spiritual experience of the
environment.
International Symposium on Spirituality and Business | http://www.babson.edu/chapel
Babson College's annual three-day meeting brings business and spiritual
leaders together with participants in facilitated working groups, most
recently including leaders from Southwest Airlines, Malden Mills and
Timberland.
Transportation
The Pennsylvania Transit Coalition | www.patransit.org
The Pennsylvania Transit Coalition (PTC) is a statewide coalition of
individuals and groups that seeks to improve public transit in Pennsylvania.
Our immediate goal is to secure the dedicated, predictable funding from the
state of Pennsylvania public transit needs
Philly Carshare | www.phillycarshare.org
Car sharing is a transportation service that makes vehicles available to
people on a per-use basis. Think of it as a neighborhood-based time-share
that allows you to use vehicles when you want to, and pay for only how much
you drive. Car sharing provides a way to dramatically reduce the number of
cars in an urban area and is a practical way to support your neighborhood
and protect the natural environment.
The Bicycle Coalition | www.bicyclecoalition.org
Promoting the bicycle as an environmentally friendly, healthy, and
economical form of transportation and recreation through advocacy and
education.
SEPTA | www.septa.org
Delaware Valley Association of Rail Passengers | www.dvarp.org
Alternative Energy
The Energy Cooperative | www.theenergy.coop
Energy Coordinating Agency | www.ecasavesenergy.org
The Philadelphia Million Solar Roofs Community Partnership | www.phillysolar.org
A collaborative of local organizations, businesses, and government agencies
committed to helping the five county region of Southeastern Pennsylvania
contribute over 500 new solar energy installations by 2010.
Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future (Penn Future) | www.pennfuture.org
Advocating for clean energy in the Keystone State.
Alternative Fuels
Clean Cities | www.phillycleancities.org
Clean Cities is a nationwide program to promote the economic and
environmental benefits of alternatives to gasoline and diesel fuel.
Philadelphia Fry-o-Diesel | www.fryodiesel.com
Philadelphia Fry-o-Diesel is a Pennsylvania corporation dedicated to the
production of renewable, cleaner burning fuel from waste grease. Check back
as we build our website and find out what we're doing to improve air and
water quality in the Philadelphia area.
Green Technology
Natural Capitalism | www.natcap.org
The web site for the recent seminal book by Hawken, Lovins and Lovins,
Natural Capitalism. The site offers excerpts from the book, a calendar of
sustainability-related events, and commentary on the book.
Urban Renewal and New Urbanism
Local Initiatives Support Corporation | www.lisc.org
LISC provides grants, loans and equity investments to CDCs for neighborhood
redevelopment. When LISC begins a new program, National LISC matches
locally-raised funds and gives that much more to the community for
renovation. The CDC then designates the funds to a variety of projects that
will best suit the neighborhood, and the renovation begins.
Design Advocacy Group | www.designadvocacy.org
Produces weekly City Space column in back of City Paper, holds monthly
meetings on design issues in the city.
Reading Viaduct Project | www.readingviaduct.org
We are a non-profit organization dedicated to the reuse of the Reading
Viaduct, an elevated rail structure in Philadelphia, PA.
Philly Green Map | www.phillygreenmap.org
Philly Green Map, as part of the Green Map System, is teaming up with the
University of the Arts to research and map Philadelphia's environmental and
cultural triumphs, challenges, and potential successes. A collaborative
effort between the Multimedia and Industrial Design departments is taking
steps toward collecting location data from Philadelphia's Center & South
City neighborhoods, creating a map for locals, tourists, and
environmentalists alike to utilize and share.
Green Map System | www.greenmap.org
Green Map System is a global eco-cultural movement, energized by local
knowledge, action and responsibility.
The National Main Street Center of the National Trust for Historic
Preservation | www.mainstreet.org
The nation's clearinghouse for information, technical assistance, research
and advocacy on preservation-based commercial district revitalization.
Community Investing
The Reinvestment Fund | www.trfund.com
A Philadelphia-based regional community development financial institution
that uses capital and technical expertise to build wealth and create
economic opportunity for low wealth communities and low- and moderate-income
individuals. The Fund accomplishes its mission through financial support of
affordable housing, community service organizations, small businesses,
workforce development programs and energy conservation projects.
Murex Investments | www.murexinvests.com
Investing Sustainably
Investors' Circle | www.investorscircle.net
Started a decade ago to provide a meeting place and information-sharing
forum for socially conscious investors, this group is expanding its
activities, and membership, for sustainable investing (SVN member).
Calvert Group | www.calvertgroup.com
The home for Calvert Group's family of socially responsible mutual
funds.
Co-op America | www.coopamerica.org
This 20-year-old nonprofit promotes socially and environmentally
responsible business, publishes the national green pages, www.greenpages.org
and promotes socially responsible investing through www.socialinvest.org
(SVN member).
Economic Reform
Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities | www.TrueMajority.org
This flashy and playful web site presents the organization's views on
moving 15% of Pentagon-related tax money to such state and local priorities
as education and health care.
Responsible Wealth | www.responsiblewealth.org
This is a national network of businesspeople, investors and affluent
Americans concerned about deepening economic inequality who are working for
widespread prosperity. They focus on tax fairness, corporate responsibility,
and living wages.
Global Sustainability
David Korten's The People-Centered Development Forum | www.pcdf.org/Living_Economies/I_Intro.htm
"Living Economies: Toward a World that Works for All" is David Korten's
extended essay describing failings of the modern, corporate-based worldwide
economic system and how that system can be changed to provide a "living
economy" for all.
Bioneers | www.bioneers.org
This nonprofit organization connects environmental advocates, scientists,
practitioners of green living, and those with a spiritual experience of the
environment.
Engineers for a Sustainable World | www.esustainableworld.org
A nonprofit organization with a network of more than 3000 professionals and
students working to reduce poverty and improve global sustainability.
Corporate Social Responsibility
CERES | www.ceres.org
With its origin in the Valdez Principles, CERES is a unique blend of
socially responsible investors, including religious community investors,
environmentalists and Fortune 1000 companies who agree to try to improve
their environmental performance AND tell the public annually how they are
doing.
Social Venture Network (SVN) | www.svn.org
Started by socially concerned entrepreneurs and investors in the late
1980's, SVN brings together entrepreneurs, investors, environmentalists and
social activists to promote new ways to make our economic system benefit the
natural environment and people, particularly those in need.
Self-Reliance and Independent Business Organizations
BALLE | www.livingeconomies.org
BALLE is currently an alliance of over 20 independently operated local
business networks located throughout North America.
The National Center for Economic and Security Alternatives | www.ncesa.org
An independent, politically progressive, nonprofit institute providing
research, education and consultation on innovative solutions to problems
facing America and the global political-economy. Since its establishment in
1977, the National Center has undertaken research and policy development
projects for foundations, federal agencies, state governments and
nongovernmental organizations.
Sustainable Communities Network | www.sustainable.org
Helping to build sustainable, livable economies and communities
Ashoka | www.ashoka.org
Ashoka seeks to develop the profession of social entrepreneurship around
the world. It invests in extraordinary individuals with unprecedented ideas
for change in theri communities. Visit the web site to read about many of
the 1,100 Ashoka Fellows from 41 countries.
Association for Enterprise | www.microenterpriseworks.org
The Association for Enterprise Opportunity has launched an initiative
entitled Buy ME (Micro Enterprise) that is linking microentrepreneurs and
microenterprise development programs to a national marketing campaign as
well as strengthening local marketing efforts. A microenterprise is a
self-started, very small business that is embedded in the community.
Institute for Local Self-Reliance | www.ilsr.org
New Rules | www.newrules.org
Info on policies local communities have implemented to regain economic
power.
AMIBA | www.amiba.net
An IBA is a coalition of local independent businesses, community
organizations and community members--your friends and neighbors--united to
support community.
Social Entrepreneurship Alliance | www.se-alliance.org
A membership organization leading the creation of a social enterprise
movement. We mobilize communities of nonprofit organizations and funders to
advance earned income strategies.
Schumacher Society | www.smallisbeautiful.org
Named after the author of Small Is Beautiful: Economics As If People
Mattered, an educational non-profit organization founded in 1980. Its
programs demonstrate that both social and environmental sustainability can
be achieved by applying the values of human-scale communities and respect
for the natural environment to economic issues.
Maine Business for Social Responsibility | www.mebsr.org
Since 1993 Maine's BSR has sought to promote business practices which
positively impact employees, the environment, and communities. The web site
presents an events list, links to related web sites, to job listings, and
white papers on key issues.
Vermont Business for Social Responsibility | www.vbsr.org
The organization's mission is to foster a business ethic in Vermont that
recognizes the opportunity and responsibility of the business community to
set a high standard for protecting the natural, human, and economic
environments of our citizens. The website provides a livable jobs toolkit,
sample business practices, a newsletter, a green tax primer, and links to
the web sites of its members and others.
Local Alchemy | www.local-alchemy.net
A UK organization, Local Alchemy brings people together residents,
businesses, organizations and public agencies to understand what is really
going on, or going wrong, in the local economy and helps find ways to change
it. The results are magic: new and growing businesses, better access to
business support, and more jobs for local people.
Local First Campaigns
Links to several ongoing campaigns throughout North America: www.livingeconomies.org/localfirst
Economic Impact Studies on Locally-owned versus Publicly-owned Businesses
Overview: http://www.newrules.org/retail/econimpact.html
Austin: http://www.newrules.org/retail/econimpact.html
Maine: http://www.newrules.org/retail/midcoaststudy.pdf
Chicago: http://www.civiceconomics.com/Andersonville/
Vermont Study that showed how cash is leaving their economy: http://www.vtlivablewage.org/jobgapstudy.html
Sprawl/Land Use
Sprawlbusters | www.sprawl-busters.com
An International Clearinghouse on Big Box Anti-Sprawl information.
Sprawlwatch | www.sprawlwatch.org
A Clearinghouse full of information on best land use practices.
Community & Environmental Defense Services | www.CEDS.org
A nationwide network of attorneys, environmental scientists, traffic
engineers, planners, political strategists, fund-raisers, and other
professionals allied to help people defend their community and environment
from the impact of poorly planned land development activities. Find their
excellent publication, How to Win Land Development Issues, available as a
free download.
Local Currencies
Time Dollars | www.timedollar.org
Time Banks USA's mission is to build local economies and communities that
reward decency, caring and a passion for justice.
Ithaca Hours | www.ithacahours.org
Local currency is money with a geographic boundary around it. Ithaca HOURS
can be used within a 20 mile radius of downtown Ithaca (a bit beyond the
borders of Tompkins County). This regional boundary helps keep wealth
recirculating within our community.
Sustainability in Academia
Bainbridge Island Graduate School | www.bgiedu.org
School for International Training | www.sit.edu
SIT's Master of Science in Organizational Management gives practitioners
theoretical and practical competencies, as well as a thorough understanding
of cultural, organizational, and economic contexts in management.
Eastern Universtiy Campolo School for Social Change
The Campolo School exists to prepare Christian change agents compassionate
professionals and activist scholars to use their professions and their lives
to assist and empower urban communities around the world to transform
themselves economically, socially, politically, and spiritually.
Presidio College | www.presidioworldcollege.org
Based in San Francisco,Presidio World College, an affiliate of Alliant
International University, offers a distinctive, leading-edge MBA in
Sustainable Management.
Wharton Net Impact | www.whartonnetimpact.org
Wharton Net Impact facilitates MBA students' contribution to innovation at
the cusp of business and society. We promote social impact careers and raise
awareness of critical issues among the MBA community.
Net Impact National | www.netimpact.org
Net Impact is a powerful and influential network of close to 10,000 MBA
students and professionals committed to using the power of business to
create a better world. Through education, career resources, events, and
access to an international network, Net Impact helps members to utilize
their business skills for positive social change.
Models of Sustainability
Sustainable Sweden Association | www.sustainablesweden.org
Sustainable Sweden is a non-profit and a non-governmental organization. Our
main objective is to exchange and spread "know-how" in the field of
sustainable development. This organization operates tours of a network of
eco-municipalities throughout Sweden.
Intervale Foundation | www.intervale.org
The Intervale is a community that develops land and farm-based enterprise
to generate economic and social opportunities while protecting natural
resources.
Livable Jobs
The Livable Jobs Toolkit | www.vbsr.org/pdf/Toolkit.pdf
The toolkit is a workbook to help businesses create a work/life-friendly
workplace, offer an attractive package of combined wages, benefits, and
workplace practices and remain profitable at the same time.
National News on Sustainable Business
Corporate Social Responsibility News Wire | www.CSRwire.com
The leading source of corporate responsibility and sustainability, press
releases, reports and news
Green at Work Magazine | www.greenatworkmag.com
A compelling, contemporary publication dedicated to telling the stories of
ecological pioneers, products and systems that are driving an important
change in corporate and bureaucratic America.
Greenbiz | www.greenbiz.com
An online resource for Responsible Businesses. Subscribe to their
newsletter, the Green Buz!
Independent Media
YES! A Journal of Positive Futures | www.yesmagazine.org
This is the flagship publication of the Positive Futures Network. PFN is a
nonprofit organization which describes itself as dedicated to supporting
people's active engagement in creating a more just, sustainable, and
compassionate world.
Utne Magazine | www.utne.com
Founded in 1984 by Eric Utne, UTNE READER reprints articles from over 2,000
alternative media sources bringing the latest ideas and trends, including
arts and culture, the environment, society and money.
Independent Media Center | www.phillyimc.org
Scribe | www.scribe.org
A Philadelphia-based non-profit organization, was founded in 1982 as a
place where people could work together and gain skills in media making.
Scribe Video Center seeks to explore, develop and advance the use of video
as an artistic medium and as a tool for progressive social change. "Scribe"
is a metaphor for the use of video as a modern medium to record significant
contemporary concerns and events.
In Business Magazine | www.jgpress.com
The publishers describe their 20-year-old journal of readable case studies
on small, sustainable businesses as dedicated to helping innovative
individuals grow sustainable enterprises and put smart growth strategies
into real world practice. The companion magazine, Biocycle focuses on the
composting business.
Arts and Culture
The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance | www.philaculture.org
Supporting local arts and culture in Philly
The Center For Emerging Visual Artists | www.cfeva.org
The Center For Emerging Visual Artists, formerly Creative Artists Network,
was founded in 1984 by Bebe Benoliel to encourage the career development of
emerging visual artists. Since then, the organization has worked steadily
harder to provide the support essential to talented individuals building
careers in the visual arts. The Center dedicates itself to making art
careers viable for those who choose them, helping emerging artists reach
their audiences, and promoting interest and understanding of emerging visual
art among citizens of the community
Reversing Global Corporatization, Promoting Community Empowerment and Democracy
ReclaimDemocracy | www.ReclaimDemocracy.org
Actively works to restore democratic authority over corporations, revoke
the power of money to control government and civic society, and revive
democracy in the US. Their website is a terrific resource for illuminating
and eliminating the root causes of top-of-the-news problems and
issues.
Program on Corporations, Law and Democracy (POCLAD) | www.poclad.org
The pre-eminent research group on corporate, labor and legal histories,
rethinking organizing strategies and shedding light on democracy
movements.
New Economics Foundation | www.neweconomics.org
NEF works with all sections of society in the UK and internationally -
civil society, government, individuals, businesses and academia - to create
more understanding and strategies for change.
Trade Associations Doing Notable Work to Help Independent Businesses
American Booksellers Association | www.bookweb.org
The national trade association for our nation's wonderful independent
booksellers--Independent Bookstores for Independent Minds.
Booksense | www.Booksense.com
Looking for a book on the web? You don't have to compromise your
convictions! Visit booksense.com for a great alternative that supports
community-based bookstores when you don't have one in your hometown! Their
services include gift certificates good at over 1000 participating
independent stores.
Abebooks | Abebooks.com
Your search for that hard-to-find or out-of-print book might end with
abebooks.com, a service that searches the nation's independent bookstores
for your request.
American Specialty Toy Retailing Association | www.astratoy.org
The national trade association for independent toy stores and manufacturers
of those unique, creative, well-made toys we all love. Use ASTRA's toy store
finder to locate a unique toy store near you!
Association of Retail Travel Agents | www.artaonline.com
The largest nonprofit association in North America that represents
independent travel agents.
Independent Community Banks of America | www.ibaa.org
The only national trade association dedicated to community banks --
aggregating their political power, providing industry information and
training, and providing products and services.
Carpet One | www.carpetone.com
An excellent resource for locating a local, independent carpet store near
you.
Independent Grocers Association (IGA) | www.iga.com
Find an independent grocer committed to community near you!
National Cooperative Grocers Association (NCGA) | www.ncga.coop
Identifies, develops and implements effective strategies for
coordination and collaboration between regional Cooperative Grocers
Associations.
National Coop Business Association (NCBA) | www.ncba.coop
An association serving all types of cooperative business. You can find a
cooperative business or find out how to start one--all in one place.
Find a Co-op | www.cooperativegrocer.coop
If you want to find a co-op grocery near you or on your travels, do your
search at the Cooperative Grocer Online. The site also provides useful links
for folks in the co-op grocery business.
Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America | www.independentagent.com
The nation's oldest and largest independent agent and association. Use the
site to find an independent agent.
The Utility Connection | www.utilityconnection.com
Provides a search tool for publicly-owned natural gas and electricity
providers nationwide.