About

About the Guide

We all know the importance of relocalizing. But how? Here’s our guide to Relocalization Made Easy.

Based on the January 2012 issue of GRID Magazine , we began asking…Is it locally made? Is it made from sustainable materials? Can it be purchased from a locally owned business? Is it awesome? i.e. does it follow the BUD principle of Beautiful, Useful & Durable? Then we need to make it easy for people to find the item.

Our city already has several prominent green networking sources: Grid Magazine, Green Jobs Philly, Sustainable Business Network (SBN), Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia Higher Education Network for Neighborhood Development (PHENND), Greater Philadelphia Environmental Network (GPEN), Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS), Farm to City, Volk Libre, the annual Philadelphia Local 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 submit current information free into a moderated list, then opens up the list for browsing by the general public.

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. We specifically prefer 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;
* provide backing for community credits and neighborhood currencies;
* release local creativity to accomplish the above.

The availability of such a service, print and online, would accelerate participation in existing groups, stimulate new initiatives, cross pollinate various efforts, expand our regional capability, and serve as a resource for jobseekers, entrepreneurs, organizers, volunteers, interns. Thus: the Philly Eco Guide.

Reference, Regional

Farms in Bucks County from buckscounty.org | Visitors | Farms
Health section built from an issue of Creating Community magazine | creatingcommunity.net
Bike shops & advocacy groups brought in from book Where to Bike Philadelphia | wheretobikeguides.com/books/philadelphia
Back issues of GRID magazine | a free monthly magazine towards a sustainable Philadelphia | gridphilly.com
Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia’s Business Directory | sbnphiladelphia.org/membership/member_directory
freeonlinewebdirectory’s categories also seem to have nothing to do with our effort | freeonlinewebdirectory.com
dexknows had categories and philadelphia neighborhoods | dexknows.com
MyGreenPages | unsure who created this local guide or why – reviewed categories & merged into our guide | mygreenpages.com/philadelphia
Yellow Pages categories seem to have no relationship to this effort – see categories | yellow pages
The Resources section was populated from Transition Town Media | transitionmedia.memberlodge.com
The Green Pages, a 2011 project of Transition Cheltenham was merged into this guide | markis.com/tc/greenpgs.html
The Green Business Directory, a 2005 project of the Mt Airy Greening Net was merged into this guide | mtairygreening.net/greendir.html

References from around the US

The Post Carbon Institute’s Relocalization Network, How to Develop a Community Relocalization Directory
The Sustainable Business Network of Massachusetts has developed a Local Green Guide; Greater Boston’s premier online consumer and business-to-business directory for businesses that are locally owned and make being green a part of their business operations and practices. | SBN Mass localgreenguide.org
Rocky Mountain Growers Directory | localsustainability.net/2011/04/new-online-directory has these categories for Food: Farm Products, Farmers Markets, Community Gardens, Gardening Services, Farm & Garden Supplies, Grocers & Co-ops, Health & Beauty, Insurance, Restaurants with printable directory here: localsustainability.net/2009_RMGD_web.pdf
Co-op America, now Green America has their national Green Pages | greenpages.org
Salt Lake City’s Guide to a sustainable city | slcgov.com/slcgreen