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Events

Invitation - Capitol Hill Summit

As related follow-up to the recent Transit-Oriented Development symposium, please consider attending the upcoming Revitalizing Cities Summit being held in D.C., on the hill, February 11-12. This is a remarkable opportunity to represent the Pittsburgh region's commitment to revitalizing our existing communities as an express strategy for regional sustainability. The Summit's focus will be on a new agenda for transportation, housing, water, workforce and economic development, and green jobs all linked to promoting sustainable development.

To facilitate a Southwestern PA delegation and defray costs, motor coach transportation to and from is being offered at $50.00 payable to Sustainable Pittsburgh on-line at www.sustainablepittsburgh.org. To reserve your seat, email lbutler@sustainablepittsburgh.org by Monday, January 26.

Presented by Northeast-Midwest Institute together with the Brookings Institution, Smart Growth America, and PolicyLink, the Summit venues are Union Station and the Cannon Office Building. This proximity and an agenda featuring access to many of the nation's leaders, provides a not-to-miss opportunity to reach the new Congress and administration.

There is no fee to attend the Summit (includes program, reception and two lunches). Summit pre-registration per the links below is required. Attendees are on their own for overnight accommodations in D.C., with the Hotel Liaison holding a block of rooms at $239.

The bus will depart from the Regional Enterprise Tower on Wed. Feb. 11 at 6:00 am. returning on Thurs. Feb. 12 at approx. 9:30 pm.

To register for the Summit, send name, address, and email address to glewis@nemw.org or call 202-464-4005. More information is found at: http://www.nemw.org/ROC_Summit.htm

Resources

SP facilitating transportation to DC - Capitol Hill Summit

Revitalizing Older Cities
A free summit on Capitol Hill
February 11-12, 2009
Washington DC
Reserve your spot on the motor coach by Monday, January 26!
Details below.

As related follow-up to the Transit-Oriented Development symposium convened last week, please consider attending the upcoming Revitalizing Cities Summit. This is a remarkable opportunity to represent the Pittsburgh region's commitment to revitalizing our existing communities as an express strategy for regional sustainability. The Summit's focus will be on a new agenda for transportation, housing, water, workforce and economic development, and green jobs all linked to promoting sustainable development.

To facilitate a Southwestern PA delegation and defray costs, motor coach transportation to and from is being offered at $50.00 payable to Sustainable Pittsburgh on-line at www.sustainablepittsburgh.org. To reserve your seat, email lbutler@sustainablepittsburgh.org by Monday, January 26.

Presented by Northeast-Midwest Institute together with the Brookings Institution, Smart Growth America, and PolicyLink, the Summit venues are Union Station and the Cannon Office Building. This proximity and an agenda featuring access to many of the nation's leaders, provides a not-to-miss opportunity to reach the new Congress and administration.

There is no fee to attend the Summit (includes program, reception and two lunches). Summit pre-registration per the links below is required. Attendees are on their own for overnight accommodations in D.C., with the Hotel Liaison holding a block of rooms at $239.

The bus will depart from the Regional Enterprise Tower on Wed. Feb. 11 at 6:00 am. returning on Thurs. Feb. 12 at approx. 9:30 pm.

To register for the Summit, send name, address, and email address to glewis@nemw.org or call 202-464-4005. More information is found at: http://www.nemw.org/ROC_Summit.htm

Public Informational Meeting re: EPA Consent Decree and Sewer Overflows

SOUTH/WEST
Friday, January 23
10:00 am - 11:00 am
Holiday Inn - Green Tree, 401 Holiday Dr. 15220

NORTH
Thursday, January 29
10:00 am - 11:00 am
Holiday Inn - McKnight, 4859 McKnight Rd. 15237

EAST
Thursday, February 5
10:00 am - 11:30 am
Holiday Inn - Monroeville, 2750 Mosside Blvd. 15146

No RSVP necessary. For more information, contact the ALCOSAN Public Relations Department at 412-734-8733.

Generosity: What’s at Stake?

Tuesday, January 27
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Room 4130, Wesley W. Posvar Hall, University of Pittsburgh
RSVP: Johnson Institute for Responsible Leadership at ethics@gspia.pitt.edu or 412-648-1336

This Inaugural Lecture of GSPIA’s Philanthropy Forum, in collaboration with the Johnson Institute for Responsible Leadership and the Innovation Clinic, features Richard Gunderman, Professor of Philanthropy and author of a new book that explores the humanistic meaning of philanthropy. Dr. Gunderman is a Professor of Radiology, Pediatrics, Medical Education, Philosophy, Liberal Arts, and Philanthropy at Indiana University, where he also serves as Vice Chair of Radiology. He is a Fellow of the Tobias Center for Leadership Excellence and serves on the Boards of Governors of the Kinsey Institute and the Institute for Advanced Study. He is the author of over 220 scholarly articles and has published five books. His most recent books are We Make a Life By What We Give and Leadership in Healthcare.

Enhancing effectiveness of nonprofit organizations in PGH

Thursday, February 5
1:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Point Park University, University Center, GRW Theater
RSVP to Amy Thomas at thomasa@pghfdn.org (accepting RSVPs by e-mail only.)
Please note in your RSVP whether you are planning to attend a workshop and, if so, which one. Each workshop is limited to 50 participants so please RSVP soon so that you can get your top choice.
Conference Agenda

This event explores emerging issues and cutting edge methodologies for enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of nonprofit organizations in Pittsburgh. The results of the Forbes Funds study “The Nonprofit Sector: An Economic and Community Asset” will be released and additional research and best practices will be highlighted through a series of workshops presented by nonprofit organizations. Click here to view workshop descriptions.

8th Annual Seminar for Minority, Women and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises

"Promoting Success"
Thursday, February 5
8:00 am - 1:00 pm; Registration at 7:30 am
IBEW Conference Center, 5 Hot Metal Street, South Side
Free to attend; hot buffet breakfast provided
Limited free parking is available at the parking lot adjacent to the IBEW Hall and in Garages 1 and 4. Free parking is available on a first come first served basis.
Contact: Rhonda Sears at rsears1@pghboe.net.

The Keynote Speaker is Dr. Alex Johnson, President, Community College of Allegheny County and he will be addressing the planned K. Leroy Irvis Science Building and the CCAC free tuition to unemployed county residents who are seeking retraining and an upgrade of skills to help them quickly re-enter the work force. Also, 30 exhibitors from various federal, state and local government agencies and other business assistance providers will be participating in the networking portion of the event. Attendees can meet one-on-one with the exhibitors to discuss business opportunities with the agencies and identify types of assistance available through the business assistance providers.

Effects of TOD on Housing, Parking, and Travel

Telephone conference
Thursday, February 5
2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
FREE
Registration required to receive the Dial-in information.
To register visit: www.NTIONLINE.com, and click on the T-Class heading, and then on the title of this course. The log-in is at the bottom of the page.
Contact: Susan Greenstone, 732-932-1700 ext. 219 or sgrnston@rutgers.edu
Event flyer

The National Transit Institute is pleased to announce the scheduling of this NEW T-Class. This offering will be of interest to transit agencies; the development community; transportation, land-use and project planners; and federal, state, and local decision-makers contemplating transit-oriented development.

Civil Society in the Age of Obama

Thursday, February 5
4:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Room 4130, Wesley W. Posvar Hall, University of Pittsburgh

RSVP: Johnson Institute for Responsible Leadership at ethics@gspia.pitt.edu or 412-648-1336

The Johnson Institute for Responsible Leadership proudly presents Jon van Til, internationally recognized expert in civil society, volunteerism, and community leadership. Jon van Til is a Professor of Urban Studies and Community Planning at Rutgers University, and is a prominent scholar and writer in the field of civil society, community activism and volunteer management. He has published several books on community involvement and the functioning of civil society. He is a columnist and the Consulting Editor for the Nonprofit Times.

AMN: How Pennsylvania's Business Tax Climate Measures Up

Thursday, February 12
9:00 am - 10:30 am (Registration and continental breakfast at 8:30 am)
Alcoa, 201 Isabella Street, North Side
Parking is available in nearby lots and at the North Shore Garage
$35 Member / Catalyst Client / PMA Member / SMC Member
$90 Non-Member
Register online

With Pennsylvania’s business tax climate already among the least competitive in the nation, and with the state facing a massive budget deficit for the upcoming fiscal year, the Pittsburgh Technology Council is gearing up for a long year in Harrisburg. To help educate our elected officials about the existing challenges associated with our tax code, we will be convening an educational session on February 12th to review how Pennsylvania’s tax competitiveness continues to impact our ability to compete globally for 21st century jobs.

Join the AMN and the Pennsylvania Manufacturers Association in hosting one of Washington’s most innovative thinkers on tax policy, Scott Hodge, the President of the Tax Foundation. Hodge will provide attendees with insight on Pennsylvania’s business tax climate just nine days after the Commonwealth’s 2009 budget is announced and provide a forecast for what businesses can expect from the new Presidential Administration. Hodge has authored pieces for publications such as The Wall Street Journal, USA Today and The Washington Times and has also conducted more than 600 radio and television interviews on NBC Nightly News, CNN, Hardball with Chris Mathews and C-SPAN in his 20 plus years of studying taxation.

The AMN is sponsored by Catalyst Connection. For the Catalyst Client / PMA Member / SMC Member rate: email or call 412-918-4229.

CROSSING THE AISLE TO CLEANER AIR: How the Bipartisan “Project 88” Transformed Environmental Policy

Thursday, February 19
Program: 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm • Cocktail Reception: 7:00–8:00 p.m.
Senator John Heinz History Center, 1212 Smallman Street, Pittsburgh
The History Center will be open for your exploration during the reception.
Parking is available at the Alco lot, 12th and Smallman streets, across the street from the History Center.
Please register online by February 9, 2009: www.iop.pitt.edu/project88.
Event Flyer

Attend a panel discussion on the history and future of environmental policy in the United States.
Opening Remarks and Introductions:
Teresa Heinz Kerry, chair, Heinz Endowments and Heinz Family Philanthropies

Panelist and Audience Discussion:
Fred Krupp, president, Environmental Defense Fund (1985-present)
Andrew McElwaine, president and CEO, Conservancy of Southwest Florida; former legislative aide to U.S. Senator John Heinz (invited)
Russ Shay, director of public policy, Land Trust Alliance; former legislative aide to U.S. Senator Timothy Wirth
Robert N. Stavins, Albert Pratt Professor of Business and Government, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University; staff director, Project 88

CityLive! Building Blocks for Urban Education

Thursday, February 19
6:30 pm
New Hazlett Theater
rsvp@citylive.org

Providing quality public education for all has been called the civil rights issue of our time. Why doesn't every child in American today have access to the best education possible? When will we get there? How can we bring about the transformation? Featuring: Geoffrey Canada, Mark Roosevelt, and Marion Heard. Moderated by B.J. Leber. Cocktails and conversation to follow.

Don’t Trash That TV! Event

Saturday, February 21
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
City of Pittsburgh Environmental Services Facility, 3001 Railroad Street, 15201 (Strip District)
and
Construction Junction, 214 North Lexington Street, 15208 (North Point Breeze)
For more information or to volunteer visit, www.prc.org or call 412.488.7490 ext 236.

With the upcoming digital switchover looming, more and more people are trading in their old TVs for new ones and the Pennsylvania Resources Council wants to ensure that the public has an environmentally and socially responsible method to dispose of their old TVs. PRC will be working with local electronics recycler E loop llc (www.eloopllc.com) to recycle the TVs. E Loop llc has signed on to the Basel Action Network’s E-stewards pledge, stating that they will not dispose of any electronic materials in a landfill or ship it overseas. All materials collected will be recycled or refurbished.

During this event PRC will charge a reduced price for TV recycling due to a generous grant from Waste Management that will offset some of the recycling cost to the public. Participant Fees are as follows:
TVs 19” & smaller $10 each
TVs 20” – 29” $20 each
TVs 30” – 39” $25 each
TVs 40” & larger $35 each

"Doing business in a way that is good for people, the planet, and profits"

Distinguished Lecture Series in Environmental Science, Technology, and Policy
Thursday, February 26
4:30 pm
Adamson Wing Auditorium, 136A Baker Hall, Carnegie Mellon University
Featuring: James E. Rogers, Chairman, President and CEO, Duke Energy; Charlotte, North Carolina
View event flyer

Additional events include:
William A. Wallace, Founder and President
Wallace Futures Group
Steamboat Springs, Colorado

"Sustainability: the tipping point"
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
4:30 pm -- Adamson Wing Auditorium, 136A Baker Hall

James E. Rohr, Chairman, President and CEO
PNC Financial Services Group
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

"Thinking green: How PNC applies sustainability to create value for stakeholders"
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
4:30 pm -- Adamson Wing Auditorium, 136A Baker Hall

Preserve Pittsburgh Summit

Saturday, March 28
Frick Fine Arts Building, Oakland
8:30 am - 3:00 pm (reception to follow)
www.youngpreservationists.org
Event Flyer

Team up with fellow young people and community residents to make history come alive at the Preserve Pittsburgh Summit. The Young Preservationists Association seeks innovative ideas from young people to create a better future for these important but endangered historic sites. Facilitators will guide discussion groups and on-site tours to develop recommendations for these four historic sites: New Granada Theatre, Hill District; First home of the National Negro Opera Company, Homewood; August Wilson House, Hill District; and Garden Theater, North Side. The Preserve Pittsburgh Summit also features networking opportunities, information on careers in preservation, and a post-conference reception that will show the best YouTubeTM videos on historic preservation.

Farm to Table Conference: Keep it Real, Keep it Local

April 3-4, 2009
10:00 am – 5:00 pm
David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Downtown
Tickets: $25 for the conference and $25 for food tasting, which is scheduled for Friday night.
More information

Conference Highlights:
• Farmers Market
• Expanded Health Expo
• Cooking Demonstrations by Chefs and Dieticians
• Presentations by Experts about eating local
• Local Food Tasting on Friday night

The keynote speaker, is Dr. Devra Davis, Ph.D., MPH. Dr. Davis part of the multidisciplinary University of Pittsburgh, Center for Environmental Oncology which includes experts in medicine, basic research, engineering and public policy that develop cutting-edge studies to identify the causes of cancer and propose policies to reduce the risks of the disease. Other speakers include:
Dorit Brauer, Food Blessing
Peter Burns & Greg Burns, Heritage Farm
Will Clower, Mediterranean Wellness
Patricia DeMarco, PhD, The Rachel Carson Homestead
Christopher Fullerton, Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA)
Jeff Iovino, Iovino Café
Kathleen M. Kelley, Ph.D., Department of Horticulture, The Pennsylvania State University
Maureen Tighe, ND, Trillium Natural Medicine
Dennis vanEngelsdorp, Acting Pennsylvania State Apiarist

Resources

Reconnecting America presentation from TOD Symposium now available

Reconnecting America's Technical Assistance Director Sam Zimbabwe addressed a regional Transit-Oriented Development Summit in Pittsburgh on January 6. This presentation kicked off a discussion of the specific challenges and opportunities to implementing TOD in the Pittsburgh region.

SPC Launches 511 Travel Information Survey

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) is seeking input from motorists and other travelers across Southwestern Pennsylvania regarding what kinds of information about travel conditions they are interested in and how they would like to receive it. SPC is gathering this feedback to aid PennDOT’s planned launch of the statewide 511 traveler information system in Pennsylvania this summer. SPC has developed a brief online survey and encourages anyone who is interested to submit their responses. The survey is available through February 15, 2009.

The information SPC gathers will be shared with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) as they prepare to deploy a 511 traveler information system statewide later this summer. 511 is a customer-driven, multi-modal travel information service accessed via phone and Internet that will provide free information such as travel delays, road and weather conditions, and other related information of interest to travelers.

511 is the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) designated nationwide three-digit telephone number for travel information. The service is available presently in approximately 50% of the U.S. The 511 system can help you make travel plans—it’s a one-stop shop to check congestion on roadways, find alternative routes, and get information on construction, weather and other events that could impact your travel.

National Building Museum exhibit takes a world view of sustainable living

The core of "Green Community" shares the stories of 14 communities around the world that are taking the lead in five areas -- transit-oriented planning, brownfield and grayfield redevelopment, land conservation, smart use of natural resources and minimizing waste. Most of these places could qualify under more than one heading. . .Around the show's perimeter are examples of places that have found sustainable ways to make use of the planet's natural resources -- earth, wind, water and fire. Among the projects highlighted here is California University of Pennsylvania's ground-source geothermal heat pump system, which heats and cools new dormitories.

More

Appeal of 'green products' growing despite recession -- survey

Green products" became more popular last year, according to a new survey by researchers who see the trend continuing despite the sharp global economic downturn. The Boston Consulting Group survey of some 9,000 consumers in East Asia, Europe and North America found that more shoppers deliberately sought and bought green products in 2008 than in the year before. Their research also suggests consumers are becoming more willing to pay higher prices for green products than they were in the past.

'Communities in Crisis' prepare report for Obama's Transition Team

Pennsylvania and Ohio call for $3.3 billion funding boost to safeguard safety nets

Community foundations have long leveraged their dual roles of engaging individuals to support their wide array of charitable interests and maintaining a long view of the community to drive significant community change. Struck by upheaval in their communities, several community foundations in five weakened urban communities in Ohio and Pennsylvania have joined forces to create a snapshot, in the form of this report, detailing:
- The “real time” increase in needs in Ohio and Pennsylvania due to the recession.
- The amount of funding necessary to support the fraying safety net being stressed by first-time users in their communities.

Major green housing projects in East Liberty, Mt. Washington wrap up financing

Major residential developments in East Liberty and Mt. Washington are wrapping up project financing.

Congress could short-circuit Obama's ambitious energy plan

But the energy sector is a significant piece of that package. In an appearance at a wind-energy plant in suburban Cleveland on Friday, Mr. Obama touted the benefits of "a renewable energy economy," including its potential to create jobs. The administration estimates that of the 4 million jobs that the stimulus package will create or save by the end of 2010, more than 450,000 will be energy-related. A significant portion of those jobs could be created in Pennsylvania, according to a report by the Political Science Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts. The report, prepared for the Green Jobs for America Camp, a coalition of environmental and labor groups, says investments in alternative energy in Pennsylvania could produce more than 85,000 jobs.

Making hard choices in an Obama era

Here in Pennsylvania, that means "a culture change under the heading of smart transportation," Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Allen Biehler said last week. The top priority won't be projects that keep us tied to our oil addiction and further strain our resources for highway maintenance, like completion of the Mon-Fayette Expressway. Mr. Biehler needs to fix more than 8,500 miles of poor, existing roads and 6,000 structurally deficient bridges, and he's looking to add mass-transit options, too. . .The new president promises "to spend wisely, reform bad habits and do our business in the light of day." He asked us all to hold the government to account, to make sure that, in closing the distance between rhetoric and reality, government doesn't go off the rails.

While Everything Else Stops, Green Still Means Go

This trend is a reality at Lockheed Martin, the multinational aerospace manufacturer headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. The company launched an aggressive company-wide Go Green initiative in January 2008, through which it set goals to reduce water usages, carbon emissions and waste to landfills 25 percent by 2012. . ."In the past, all of our green initiatives were driven by regulatory issues," she says. "But since the Go Green initiative was launched, senior leadership has gotten behind these goals. They see sustainability as a risk management issue, and recognize the business benefits of these projects."

General Electric to Open Ecomagination Centre in Masdar City

General Electric has signed on as a partner in Masdar City, committing to build an Ecomagination Centre in the world's first carbon neutral, zero waste, renewable-energy-powered city. Masdar City is a $20 billion, seven-year project in development in Abu Dhabi, which just this weekend hosted the World Future Energy Summit. The city is part of Abu Dhabi's wider Masdar Initiative, aimed at making the country a world leader in sustainability-related research, technology and knowledge.

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Sustainable Pittsburgh affects decision-making in the Pittsburgh Region to integrate economic prosperity, social equity and environmental quality bringing sustainable solutions to communities and businesses.

Sustainable Pittsburgh benefits from support in 2009 from:

Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation
Dollar Bank
The Giant Eagle Foundation
The Heinz Endowments
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield
Elsie H. Hillman Foundation
Richard King Mellon Foundation
Dylan Todd Simonds Foundation
University of Pittsburgh


Special thanks to the SP Members

Sustainable Pittsburgh
425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 1335
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
(412) 258-6642
fax (412) 258-6645
E-mail SP