🌎 Consider this for Earth Day | Morning Newsletter

We continue to warm up today with temperatures in the mid-60s, but expect some clouds.

Earth Day is tomorrow and for area environmental and advocacy groups, this marks the first time in two years they can host planned events. We curated this shortlist to consider.

And, in a rabid home-buying market, condos aren’t feeling the love from eager buyers. We dive into why.

Also, we have the dish (pun intended) on 33 new restaurants expected to open this summer.

Welcome to Thursday. 🌞

— Kerith Gabriel (@sprtswtr, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

For two years, most environmental groups, government agencies, and community groups either severely curtailed or stopped hosting in-person events for Earth Day.

That doesn’t mean people have forgotten the importance. Need proof? Look at what Penn students are doing to speak on the effects of fossil fuels and other environmental damage.

But you don’t have to be that vigilant (unless you want) to make a difference. We compiled a number of events that help you think about the way you treat the world.

Personally, I’m feeling these two:

🌎 Earth Day Festival at the Academy of Natural Sciences: The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University hosts a “wild night of science programming” sponsored by Aqua. The event includes conservation conversations as you sip a craft beer or snack on a locally-sourced treat. You’ll also meet Academy scientists as well as local sustainability experts and explore the stories of rare Academy specimens. (Pay as you wish, 4-8 p.m. Friday, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy., ansp.org)

🌎 Office of Sustainability’s Earth Day 2022 Event: The Philadelphia Office of Sustainability hosts an Earth Day event to celebrate the release of the latest edition of the Greenworks Review magazine at the Cherry Street Pier featuring storytelling, interactive activities, vendors, and more. Special guests include Mayor Jim Kenney. (Free, 5-7 p.m. Friday, 121 N. Columbus Blvd., eventbrite.com)

Our reporter Frank Kummer has this roundup of more Earth Day happenings. Make sure you’re in the know of what’s going on in and around Philly courtesy of our Philly’s Best tool. ✨

In what’s considered a frenzied housing market, condominium sales are lagging.

Their reemergence will depend on how comfortable buyers are with group living two years into the pandemic. In Philly, the median price of condos stayed flat from March 2021 to March 2022 at $340,000, according to the multiple listing service Bright MLS.

Condos in the city remained on the market for a median of 42 days. That’s down from 69 days in March 2021, but the metric lags the 17 days for the city’s housing market as a whole.

But according to a Drexel economist, condos are a “segmented set” of the housing market that behaves very differently than the overall market, with buyers generally not wanting the hassle that comes with maintaining a single-family house.

Our reporter Michaelle Bond guides us through the current situation and the type of buyers key to fueling a resurgence.

And if you’re in the market for a condo, we have a guide for that too.

This week, Philly singer-rapper-guitarist G. Love dropped a single off his latest album, Philadelphia Mississippi, called “Love From Philly.” This isn’t the first time G. Love, born Garrett Dutton, released a song showing love for the city. Remember “I-76”? Today’s question: What year did G. Love and Special Sauce release “I-76”? Take a guess and find the answer below.

a. 1995

b. 1996

c. 1997

d. 1998

🧠 Remembering: The Philly DJ responsible for making so many of us fall in love with Frank Sinatra.

😷 Sharing: The funny perspective this Philadelphian shared about coronavirus masking rules.

💼 Wondering: As more workers begin a return to the office, how are some coping with social anxiety?

Molding minds in this part of Philly.

TINEY RUSTY VICI

Think you know? Send your guess our way at morningnewsletter@inquirer.com. We’ll give a shoutout to a reader at random who answers correctly. Today’s shoutout goes to Carol Basile of Center City, who correctly guessed ROCK ALLEN as Tuesday’s answer.

Have a great day, everyone. Catch you tomorrow. ✌️