Julie Hancher is author and co-founder of Green Philly Blog, aiming to educate locals to greener choices, choose local eco-friendly businesses and visit green events. Her eco-friendly blog has been nominated on the Philly Hot List in the 2010 Best Local Blogger category.
As the city of Brotherly LOVE, Philadelphia has a lot to offer to those who want to experience the city. Want to incorporate some eco-friendly themes into your dates? Whether you’re on a first date or fiftieth, there’s plenty of ways to green your dating life.
Before you even go on the date, you’ll have to assemble your wardrobe. Dress to impress with some eco-friendly threads off Arcadia Boutique’s rack. You’ll definitely find clothes appropriate for anything from casual movie dates to formal galas or weddings. Need a new haircut? Try Juju Salon & Organics for natural hair therapy.
For the traditional first date dinner, dine on some local, organic cuisine. Cut out those extra emissions from eating meat by chowing down at Horizon’s fine vegan restaurant. Executive Chef Rich Landau creates dishes that won’t have anyone missing meat. Try to avoid restaurant chains and instead dine with hometown foodies such as Lolita, Vetri, Bindi, Tria or Supper that use local suppliers & farms wherever possible.
Looking for a quick lunch? Maoz Vegetarian has delicious choices to top falafel pitas & other quick treats. If your date is a carnivore, Pita Pit’s healthy & fast and is certified from the Green Restaurant Association. Many restaurants like Pumpkin use locally sourced food wherever possible – check Philly Homegrown’s website for a complete list.
Want to meet someone for drinks? With local breweries such as Victory Brewing, Yards, Philadelphia Brewing Company, Nodding Head and more, you can find some eco-friendly local brews that won’t travel too far from brewery to the tap.
Have an interest in sports? Good news – Catch the Phillies at Citizen’s Bank Park. Their Red Goes Green campaign offset their carbon footprint, inserted recycling bins and green cleaning products. Prefer to watch some football? The Eagles’ Go Green campaign has made great strides to watch the games at the Linc.
If you want to get physical, rent or ride a bike and hit one of Philly’s bike trails. From the Schuylkill bike trails, Manayunk, Valley Forge – there’s TONS of choices in the city limits. Don’t own a bike? Rent one from Fairmount Park. Another alternative is to plant a community garden – Philadelphia boasts more than 500 to choose from!
This fall, don’t miss Philly’s largest environmental event at Green Fest Philly on September 12th. Between live music, local produce, vegetarian food, composting, recycling & contests, you’ll learn new ways to turn green.
Enjoy the nice weather outside by bringing some organic cheese & local wine to a picnic. Between outdoor concerts at Rittenhouse Square, many areas of Fairmount Park, or with the LOVE statue in view of JFK Plaza, you can’t go wrong. For the eats, remember to pack your goods in reusable containers like plastic or glass Tupperware. You can find many local choices of cheese and snacks from one of Philly’s many Farmers Markets. Pick up something sweet from the Night Kitchen Bakery’s sustainable efforts or John & Kira’s Chocolates for dessert.
Take local transit, bike or walk over to one of Philly’s outdoor movie locales! Northern Liberties’ Liberty Lands, the Delaware River Waterfront, and Schuylkill Banks all show films free of charge for you & your beau.
Want some different entertainment? Support local artist and visit the Philadelphia Live Arts Festival (Philly Fringe) for unique acts like comedy, improv, film, dance, theatre or visual art.
For an early morning togetherness, visit local brunchers like Honey’s Sit & Eat, who use local and organic foods wherever possible.
Whether you’re dining, dressing, biking or being entertained, Philadelphia has limitless options to stay local during your dates to keep those carbon emissions down. Be creative and enjoy the possibilities!
-Julie, Green Philly Blog
