Philadelphia working to be greenest by 2015

City is trying to cut its energy use while encouraging residents to do the same

The program to make Philadelphia the greenest big city in American has reached a milestone.

The first anniversary of Greenworks Philadelphia was celebrated in a North Philadelphia green space with a luncheon and entertainment for children. Mayor Nutter says the city’s sustainability initiative has created over 500 jobs and weatherized more than 550 homes among other things.

“Whether it’s tree tenders, the bicycle coalition teens for good and their work out in West Fairmount Park, a new farm out there, you know were increasingly bringing fresh food and vegetables to people throughout Philadelphia through farms and farmer’s markets.”

The mayor says work is not done, the city is giving agencies an energy budget so they can manage their own energy use in an effort to cut consumption by about a third. The goal is to make Philadelphia the greenest city in the country by 2015.