"I can't do but so much," said a deflated Dixon, looking around at the empty chairs.
In a movement whose followers historically have been white and wealthier, environmentalism has been slow to catch on in inner cities, where some residents are more concerned about dodging bullets and feeding their families than recycling plastic bottles.
But because cities typically shoulder the biggest burden of environmental problems, politicians on every level have been trying to change that.
Last spring, President Obama appointed California environmentalist Van Jones as a White House adviser for green jobs, enterprise and innovation. Jones vowed to "green the ghetto" and convince thugs to "put down that handgun and pick up a caulk gun."
And in Philly, Mayor Nutter in April launched Greenworks Philadelphia, a set of 15 targets to make the city more environmentally sustainable.
City Council also considered banning plastic bags but caved last month to pressure from supermarkets and industry groups. And Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown has introduced bills that would require city-funded building projects to be green and create a bid preference in city contracts for environmentally friendly businesses. Public hearings are planned this fall.
Despite the bigwigs' bluster, such talk often doesn't resonate in the city's grittier neighborhoods.
"Most people think environmentalists focus on pretty places, polar bears and owls, issues that most people who don't have money don't care about," said Al Huang, a New York-based environmental-justice attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council.
