“Dirty Philly” proudly displays its grit

There’s a reason why some people call us “Filthadelphia.”  This month Philly was dubbed the second dirtiest city in America in Travel+Leisure’s annual roundup of the nation’s most unclean urban environments. 

What’s worse is that we’ve moved up two spots, ranking fourth place last year.  On top of all that, our “locals” ranked very near the bottom of the style category and being environmentally aware.  We slot in after party city New Orleans, which stole first, and smog-ridden Los Angeles, which took third. 

However, most tourists will tell you that the overall vibe they get from a city matters more than cleanliness.  There is definite character in dirt as well as a truer presentation of reality.  Ad exec Patrick Scullin explains that the smokers, graffiti, and litter in Baltimore is “just life going on.”