The Borough of Media has many natural treasures and conservation programs including open spaces, parks, rain gardens and food composting. In today’s world, it’s important for municipalities to actively conserve and protect natural resources to ensure they are available for current residents and visitors and more importantly, for future generations. Media Borough is fortunate to have a great group of active enthusiasts who work diligently to protect and conserve our natural resources. They are the Media Borough Environmental Advisory Council and they are busy!
The Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) started meeting in 2004 and was officially formed as a borough group in 2006. The current council members are Walt Cressler (Chairperson), Brian Taussig-Lux, Greg Krykewycz, Adeline Ciannella, Brendan O’Riordan, Scott Wittman, Maggie Dunn and Amy Johnson (Borough Council Liaison). Sari Steuber of Transition Town Media works closely with them on projects that involve both groups. The members bring with them some of the best expertise in their industries including an Earth and Environmental Sciences PhD, process engineering work, FEMA experience in planning for disasters and transportation planning experience. All are committed to advising Media Borough Council and Committees, and educating the citizens of the Borough of Media, on matters that affect the quality of the environment, including those relating to the protection, conservation, management, promotion, and use of natural resources located within the Borough.
Some of the initiatives of the EAC are evident throughout Media. In the past few years, the EAC has initiated numerous programs that benefit residents and visitors alike. The Bicycle Plan was drafted, presented to Borough Council and approved in December of 2016. The plan was formed based on residents feedback from a survey in 2015. In the spring of 2018, sharrows were placed on streets indicating safer roads to ride in Media Borough. The Economic Development Strategy Plan for Media Borough recommends other improvements that would lead to safer biking in Media and both Council and the EAC are looking at ways to implement these improvements. In conjunction with borough administration, Delaware County is studying the feasibility of a connector path from Glen Providence Park to Smedley Park. This would allow for biking and other activities across the entire borough! Visit the Media News Blog for more information on the Bike Plan and the Economic Development Strategy Plan.
Other transportation and land use initiatives that the Environmental Advisory Council is currently working on include a pocket park at 5th and Broomall, a Veterans Square Garden Park, an electric vehicle charging station near the Media Firehouse, a new and larger bike rack at Plum and State Streets, and work on traffic improvements to Baltimore Pike, State Street and Providence Road.
You’re probably thinking Media Borough’s EAC is a pretty busy group by now! But they do more! In addition to transportation and land use initiatives, the EAC also has been working on a Stormwater Master Plan that looks at the borough as a whole in an effort to reduce stormwater damage using green infrastructure, pipes and inlets, tree trenches, rain gardens and bioretention bump outs. More information on stormwater projects planned for the borough can be found on the Media Borough News Blog.
Energy conservation and clean energy is also an important part of the work that the EAC does for the borough. In the past few years, the EAC recommended that Council get an energy audit of all municipal buildings. As a result, the Borough has installed programmable thermostats, LED lighting, motion sensors for lighting, new garage lights and is in the process of converting all the street lights in the borough to new LED lights with assistance from the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. These energy conservation measures alone have saved the borough a substantial amount in energy costs since they have been implemented. The Media Borough Administration Building has an Energy Star Rating of 91! (Note – do we have energy savings numbers to add here? – LR) Work on lighting standards for the borough and zoning regulations to limit light pollution are other projects the EAC is evaluating as well.
In 2010 Media Borough received the PA Clean Energy Governor’s Award for solar energy initiatives including adding solar panels to 9 borough buildings. Transition Town Media launched a “Solarize Greater Media” campaign for 43 homeowners to add solar panels. The solar panels have resulted in huge energy savings for the residents who participated.
Have you seen the yellow food compost buckets on your neighbors curb? This is one of the many project the EAC has spearheaded to encourage recycling and proper waste disposal. The Food Compost Pilot Program currently has 100 residents who are participating. The program encourages participants to place their food waste in the yellow bucket for curbside pick up. Currently there is a waitlist for this program. In addition to food composting, the Environmental Advisory Council has advocated for the dog waste stations and public recycling bins. Please remember to use the public recycling bins along State Street and throughout the borough as you visit the downtown area and do not throw trash in the recycling bins. Recycling bins within the borough are being re-labeled for easy identification.
Join us on September 29th for Media Open Streets!
The Media Environmental Advisory Council (EAC), Transition Town Media, Media Arts Council, the Bicycle Coalition of Philadelphia, Friends of Glen Providence Park, and other great partners have teamed up to bring residents of Media and our neighboring towns a fun, family-friendly new event that’s sure to be an annual tradition—Media Open Streets!
On Saturday, September 29, 2018, from 9am to 2pm, Jackson St. from Providence Road to 3rd St., 3rd St. from Jackson to West St., down West to State St., and State St. to Glen Providence Park will be closed. Residents, visitors, friends and family are invited to come out and play in the streets! Anything non-motorized is allowed—bicycles, strollers, wheelchairs, skateboards, roller skates, or just your own two feet! There will be food, vendor and information tables, fun activities, and music along the way, around Borough Hall (3rd & Jackson Sts.), and at Glen Providence Park. Media Theatre will put on a short performance at the Park as well!
Come and experience the fun of strolling or biking the streets of Media without cars—it’s healthy fun for the whole family! Check out this video to see what it might look like.