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Events

9th annual Smart Growth Conference

"Sustainable Community Essentials: applying the policy and practice"

Thursday, May 21
9:00 am - 5:00 pm (continental breakfast and lunch included; reception to follow)
David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Downtown Pittsburgh
Keynote speaker: Douglas Farr, AIA, author of Sustainable Urbanism and founding principal of Farr Associates
Cost: Early Registration: $30. After May 1: $50 (Elected officials attend for free)
Register Now

- Keynote: Douglas Farr, AIA, author of Sustainable Urbanism and founding principal of Farr Associates, an architecture and planning firm regarded as one of the most sustainable design practices in the country. Having a mission to create sustainable human environments, Farr Associates' unique niche is in applying the principles of LEED at the scale of the neighborhood.

- Update by James Ritzman, Deputy Secretary for Planning, PennDOT, on the Federal Stimulus Package and PennDOT Smart Transportation Initiative

- Panel review of sustainable community initiatives around the region featuring:
Lindsay Baxter, Sustainability Coordinator, City of Pittsburgh
Jason Dailey, Cranberry Township
Mark Alan Hughes, Director of Sustainability, City of Philadelphia
Murray Rust, Montgomery & Rust, Inc.
Jesse Jon Salensky, Vandergrift Improvement Program
Nathan Wildfire, Sustainable Policy Coordinator, East Liberty Development, Inc.

- Workshops tracking new "Essentials of Sustainable Communities" resources (14 topics from which to choose via conference registration)

- Distribution of the SWPA Sustainable Community Rapid Assessment worksheet

- Reception featuring table displays by lead organizations per the 14 Essentials of Sustainable Communities

Click here for more information

Events Continued

Resources

Blue Gold and Green: Celebrating a Sustainable Community

DATE CHANGE: Was April 9, now is Wednesday, April 22
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
William Pitt Union and Schenley Plaza, Oakland
More information

Join friends and colleagues for the first-ever University of Pittsburgh Blue Gold & Green celebration! Learn how to make your home, workplace, and neighborhood more sustainable. Sustainable Pittsburgh's Matthew Mehalik will present on the "Latest Trends in Sustainable Business." Other session topics include (but are not limited to): Practicing Sustainability: Green Chemistry Initiatives in Pittsburgh, Sustainability and Green Initiatives at the University of Pittsburgh, Bike Commuting 101, and Go Green Oakland: A Sustainable Community Campaign. Pre-registration is recommended for attendance to any of the speaker sessions due to limited seating. All registered attendees will be eligible to be entered into a prize drawing during each session.

29th Annual National Association for Recreation Resource Planners Conference

Get to the Point: Pittsburgh 2009
April 27 - May 1, 2009
Hilton Gateway Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Visit www.narrp.org for more details.

This event is the premier annual conference focusing on the topic and profession of outdoor recreation planning. The 2009 conference theme, Creating Sustainable Communities through Regional Recreation Planning, is an important and timely concept to convene around (and in what better a place than Pittsburgh!). Sustainable Pittsburgh's Ginette Walker Vinski will present on "Branding the Outdoor Recreation Community", why Walls are Bad. Sustainable Pittsburgh will also be leading a Sustainable City walking tour during the conference. Join NARRP and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to foster connections among the nation's leading recreation planners, to learn from each other, generate new ideas for collaborative approaches among planners within state and federal agencies, the private sector, as well as university programs.

Register Now: 2009 9th annual SWPA Smart Growth Conference

"Sustainable Community Essentials: applying the policy and practice"
Thursday, May 21
9:00 am - 5:00 pm (continental breakfast and lunch included; reception to follow)
David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Downtown Pittsburgh
Keynote speaker: Douglas Farr, AIA, author of Sustainable Urbanism and founding principal of Farr Associates
Cost: Early Registration: $30. After May 1: $50 (Elected officials attend for free)
Register Now

- Keynote: Douglas Farr, AIA, author of Sustainable Urbanism and founding principal of Farr Associates, an architecture and planning firm regarded as one of the most sustainable design practices in the country. Having a mission to create sustainable human environments, Farr Associates' unique niche is in applying the principles of LEED at the scale of the neighborhood.

- Update by James Ritzman, Deputy Secretary for Planning, PennDOT, on the Federal Stimulus Package and PennDOT Smart Transportation Initiative

- Panel review of sustainable community initiatives around the region featuring:
Lindsay Baxter, Sustainability Coordinator, City of Pittsburgh
Jason Dailey, Cranberry Township
Mark Alan Hughes, Director of Sustainability, City of Philadelphia
Murray Rust, Montgomery & Rust, Inc.
Jesse Jon Salensky, Vandergrift Improvement Program
Nathan Wildfire, Sustainable Policy Coordinator, East Liberty Development, Inc.

- Workshops tracking new "Essentials of Sustainable Communities" resources (14 topics from which to choose via conference registration)

- Distribution of the SWPA Sustainable Community Rapid Assessment worksheet

- Reception featuring table displays by lead organizations per the 14 Essentials of Sustainable Communities

Today's difficult times are placing extraordinary strains on our region's communities. Rising costs of all types are putting a tight squeeze on municipalities and residents. Expectations and needs are also increasing. The policy and practice of sustainable development offers solutions. Come learn how your community, municipality, or county can put sustainability to work to save taxpayer dollars and avoid costs, meet needs equitably, conserve resources, and attract investment. Sustainability is central to professional management of local government and a collective imperative for Southwestern Pennsylvania's competitiveness and quality of life. Learn how to accelerate your community's success on environmental stewardship, social equity, economic development as well as fiscal viability and organizational capacity to learn, innovate and adapt.

Presented by:
Community Design Center of Pittsburgh
Local Government Academy
Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development
Pittsburgh Partnership for Neighborhood Development
Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County
Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission
Sustainable Community Development Network, Sustainable Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh Institute of Politics
Sponsored by:
Babst, Calland, Clements and Zomnir, P.C.
Michael Baker Corporation
Bombardier

TAKE ACTION: Sign on to Highway Bill that prevents polluted runoff

DEADLINE:
Friday, April 10
Contact: Kim Patten at kpatten@cbf.org or 717-234-5550
Resources:
Letter
FAQ
Poster

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and now Sustainable Pittsburgh, is looking for partner groups to sign on to the Foundation's letter to important members of Congress. If your group is interested in joining the effort, please contact Kim Patten by Friday, April 10!

Federal-aid highways have an enormous impact on water quality in watersheds across the country. Stormwater runoff from the federal-aid highways transport a variety of pollutants (mercury, toxics, nutrients and sediments) into surrounding waterways and cause significant erosion to roadside streams and ditches. There are effective methods, or Best Management Practices (BMPs), to reduce highway runoff - grass swales, filter strips, terracing, detention ponds to name a few. Unfortunately, most federal-aid highways were built prior to our understanding of the harmful impacts of storm water pollution and therefore lack appropriate controls. The reauthorization of the federal transportation bill provides a unique opportunity to correct this oversight and ensure that our nation's highway system stops polluting our rivers and streams. To ensure this reality, states and municipalities will need financial and technical assistance to implement needed retrofits on the millions of highway miles that were built without proper pollution controls. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation and its partners are now encouraging Congress to include provisions in the transportation bill which would encourage states to include stormwater controls on all new federal-aid highways and on significant improvement projects to existing highways.

Banff Mountain Film Festival

Friday, April 10 & Saturday, April 11
7:00 pm
Byham Theater, 101 Sixth Street, Downtown Pittsburgh
Tickets range from $8.50 to $18.50 for one night with discounts available when ordering for both nights.
Please call 412-456-6666 or visit the Box Office at Theater Square with questions and for discounts on purchasing tickets for both nights. www.ventureoutdoors.org

Ignite your passion for adventure! With amazing big-screen stories, journey to exotic locations, paddle the wildest waters and climb the highest peaks. Be moved. Be inspired. Tickets sold out last year, so don't hesitate! And thanks to generous donations from Golden Triangle Bike-n-Blade and an anonymous donor, Venture Outdoors will be raffling off 2 brand new kayaks, 2 bicycles worth over $500 plus year long climbing passes to Climb North. Proceeds from the raffle will help support Venture Outdoors' Family and Community Programs. To learn more about Family and Community Programs, click here.

"Ending Poverty and Building Equity in the Federal Budget"

Call-in Briefing
Friday, April 10
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Questions, contact conferencecalls@policylink.org
For more information visit www.policylink.org

The economic downturn has hit first and worst in low-income communities and communities of color. But equity advocates across the country are working hard to ensure we emerge from this crisis a stronger, more vibrant, and truly equitable America. To lift up the voices and wisdom of these local, state, and national advocates, PolicyLink is pleased to announce “Demand Equity Now: A Recovery Briefing Series.” This bi-weekly call-in series, held every other Friday at 1 pm Eastern (10 am Pacific), will focus on ways to infuse equity into the nation’s economic recovery. The series kicks off on Friday, April 10 at 1pm Eastern with Jim Wallis of Sojourners, Deborah Weinstein of the Coalition for Human Needs, and Angela Glover Blackwell of PolicyLink describing how an equitable federal budget can help end poverty and expand economic opportunity for millions of Americans.

Peter Matthiessen: No Boundaries

Wednesday, April 15
7:00 pm
Eddy Theatre, Chatham University
Featuring Peter Matthiessen and filmmaker, Jeff Sewald
Admission is free. No tickets will be distributed. Register for the screening online at http://chatham.edu/screening

Peter Matthiessen: No Boundaries is a new documentary written, produced and directed by Pittsburgh’s own Jeff Sewald. The film explores the remarkable life and work of one of the world’s foremost writers and naturalists. Join Mr. Matthiessen and Mr. Sewald for this one-time-only screening! A Q&A at the Eddy and book signing in the Mellon Board Room immediately follow. The national broadcast debut of Peter Matthiessen: No Boundaries will be Friday, April 24 at 10:00 p.m. on PBS.

About Peter Matthiessen
Like Rachel Carson ’29, Peter Matthiessen has long been an inspiration for nature writers, advocates for the environment, and activists for social justice. His dedication to writing – both fiction and non-fiction – has resulted in more than 30 works including Shadow Country, The Snow Leopard, At Play in the Fields of the Lord, In the Spirit of Crazy Horse and The Tree Where Man Was Born. In November 2008, at age 81, he received his second National Book Award for Shadow Country, an 890-page revision of a trilogy of novels he released in the 1990s. He won his first National Book Award in 1979 for The Snow Leopard. He is believed to be the only author to receive the National Book Award for both fiction and non-fiction.

"Business of Brownfields" Conference

April 15-17, 2009
David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Downtown Pittsburgh
Registration information available online at www.eswp.com/brownfields

This year's event begins with a river cruise aboard the Pittsburgh Explorer, the first environmentally "green" boat of its kind. The tour will examine some of Pittsburgh's best and brightest examples of brownfield developments along the 3 rivers. The reception will feature Allegheny County Director of Economic Development, Dennis Davin. Mr. Davin will discuss many of the developments and opportunities in and around the region. At the conclusion of the reception, join fellow conference attendees at PNC Park to see an early season game with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Technical Conference will begin on Thursday, April 16 with an Opening Session featuring Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl. Following this session, attendees can choose from 2 concurrent breakout sessions on a variety of topics including:
• Sustainable Development
• Regulatory Perspectives
• Innovative Site Investigation
• Remediation Technologies
• Visions for Redevelopment

Sessions will be offered throughout the entire day on Thursday, April 16 and until 12:00 noon on Friday, April 17. Additionally, more than 20 exhibitors will be on hand presenting information on the technical, legal financial, governmental and social importance of brownfields development.

Pennsylvania's Green Economy Forum: Repowering, Refueling, and Rebuilding America

Thursday April 16
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Porter Hall, Room 200, Carnegie Mellon University
Click to RSVP.

Co-sponsored by National Wildlife Federation, PennFuture, Sierra Club, PennEnvironment, Union of Concerned Scientists, Blue-Green Alliance, United Steelworkers

Come learn more about the growing green economy and what it means for Pennsylvania. This town hall meeting will provide an opportunity to hear from elected officials as well as representatives from workers' groups, environmental organizations, and green businesses. Confirmed speakers include:
Jason Altmire (PA-O4), Member of Congress
Larry Schweiger, President and CEO, National Wildlife Federation
Fred Redmond, United Steelworkers
Tom Granville, CEO, Axion Power International

Swartz Entrepreneurial Leadership Series: Scott Griffith, CEO and Chairman, Zipcar Inc.

Thursday, April 16
12:30 pm - 1:20 pm
Posner Hall, Mellon Auditorium, Carnegie Mellon University
For more information, please contact Amanda Fox at afox@andrew.cmu.edu.
Web site

Since Scott took the wheel in February of 2003, Zipcar has emerged as the world's largest car-sharing service. In the fall of 2007, Scott led Zipcar’s merger with Flexcar, managing the integration of the companies’ fleet, technology and membership base under the Zipcar brand and service. Scott has solidified Zipcar’s position as the leader of the car-sharing industry, establishing a brand and customer experience that has attracted hundreds of thousands of savvy urban residents and businesses on the go. By forging partnerships with some of the world’s top brands and largest automakers, and developing relationships with transit agencies, universities and influential city and state governments, Scott has fostered the emergence of car sharing as a new transportation category, changing urban life by providing instant, affordable mobility in London, England and 28 North American states and provinces. For his accomplishments at Zipcar, BusinessWeek named Scott one of its “Best Leaders of 2006,” and he was the recipient of Babson College’s ELiTE Award for entrepreneurship.

Fourth Annual Environmental Film Festival

Saturday, April 18
6:00 pm - 10:00 pm (come at any time)
Environmental Charter School, Henrietta and Milton Sts, off Braddock (Regent Square)
Free!
Contact: Donald Gibbon at dongibbon@earthlink.net
For movie listings, visit www.alleghenysc.org and click Events.

There is still one evening remaining of engaging and thought-provoking films with an environmental theme. The event is family-friendly, refreshments will be available for a small donation, and donations will be accepted to offset cost of films. These films are alternately funny, peculiar, challenging, always interesting and often downright fun. The YERT film on the 18th will feature the film-maker and a lightning, funny monologue, plus Q&A. Great fun, guaranteed.

Engineering Sustainability 2009

April 19-21, 2009
David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Downtown Pittsburgh
Conference webpage
Questions? Contact Gena Kovalcik at 412-624-9698 or gmk9@pitt.edu

Conference Topical Areas:
- Green building design and construction
- Greening the indoor environment
- Sustainable distributed power for the built environment
- Sustainable urban drinking water, stormwater & wastewater infrastructure
- Design of more sustainable transportation grids
- Using principles of sustainability to foster innovation and economic development

Bike Commuting 101

Part of the Blue Gold and Green: Celebrating a Sustainable Community event
10:00 am - 11:00 am
Dining Room B - William Pitt Union, University of Pittsburgh
http://www.bluegoldandgreen.pitt.edu/index.html

Joint Session
Louis Fineberg , Program Manager of BikePGH and Stephen Patchan, City of Pittsburgh Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator

Bike commuting is on the rise nationwide and the increase is remarkable on our streets right here in Pittsburgh. With more people looking for both cost-saving measures and ways to make a difference environmentally, bicycling is sure to play a significant role. Recognizing the importance of cycling in enhancing quality of life, the City's political leadership and leading cycling advocacy group, BikePGH have embarked on several projects to encourage more residents to downsize from four wheels to two. Co-presented by the City of Pittsburgh's City Planning Department and BikePGH, the presentation will include a brief overview of cycling's eco footprint and a workshop for everyday cycling around Pittsburgh. Louis and Stephen will provide tips for commuting to work, school and errand as they cover safety checks, safe riding techniques and gear.

Fair Housing Accessibility Training

Thursday, April 23
8:00 am – 12:00 pm
Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland Conference Center, 717 Grant Street, Downtown Pittsburgh
To register, visit www.fairhousingfirst.org and click on the “CALENDAR” link.
Questions? HUD supports a dedicated call center, the FIRST Design and Construction Resource Center: 888-341-7781 (VTTY)

This Training will feature a Section 3 Training and a Fair Housing Act Accessibility Requirements Overview. Section 3 is a provision of the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Act of 1968 that promotes local economic development, neighborhood economic improvement, and individual self-sufficiency. HUD’s Fair Housing Accessibility FIRST program promotes compliance with the Fair Housing Act design and construction requirements. The program offers comprehensive and detailed instruction, useful online web resources, and a toll free information line for technical guidance. For more information contact Andrea Metz at andrea.metz@bearingpoint.com 703-747-5161. Note: This program is registered with the American Institute of Architects. Architects will receive up to 3 continuing education credits per day. Seating for this session is limited and will be granted on a first come, first served basis. Light refreshments will be provided.

Pathfinders: 2009 Youth Workforce Development Conference

Friday, April 24
Omni William Penn Hotel, Downtown Pittsburgh
Conference hours - 7:30 am - 3:30 pm
Career Fair hours - 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm (Career Fair presented in conjunction with YouthLINK and Eastside Neighborhood Employment Center)
Registration fees: $85 by March 31st; $95 after March 31st and onsite
Registration available online at www.regonline.com/Pathfinders2009
Contact: Karen Bryant, Conference Coordinator, 412-952-9704, quill747@earthlink.net

Attend Pathfinders: 2009 Youth Workforce Development Conference, presented jointly by Urban Youth Action and YouthWorks, and join colleagues, civic leaders, employers, educators and community based organizations in coming together to prepare tomorrow's workforce and strengthen Western Pennsylvania's future. The theme is Bridging the Gap: Pathways to 21st Century Careers. ACT 48 credit is available for continuing education.

Resources

TAKE ACTION: Transportation for America - sign-on to strengthen climate bill re. transportation

Right now, one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States come from transportation! If we are going to successfully combat climate change, the clean energy bill must offer meaningful incentives for states and local governments to clean up transportation systems. We must support local initiatives to provide transportation alternatives and set state-wide goals and transportation pollution reduction goals that are in line with our national goal to build a cleaner future. Join Sustainable Pittsburgh and sign your name to the national petition today, and tell key decision-makers in Congress to strengthen the transportation section of the new climate bill!

Laurel Hill Creek Makes Most Endangered List

American Rivers just named Laurel Hill Creek one of the most endangered streams in the country. The high quality creek and its tributaries have long been the lifeblood of the Laurel Highlands. But as The Allegheny Front's Deborah Weisberg reports, too many people using too much water could cause the watershed to go dry.

More

Salazar: Eastern wind could replace coal for power

"The idea that wind energy has the potential to replace most of our coal-burning power today is a very real possibility," he said. "It is not technology that is pie-in-the sky; it is here and now." . . .Today's hearing was hosted by Salazar and was the first of four to be held around the country to discuss how energy resources including oil, gas, wind and waves should be utilized as the new administration formulates its energy policy. It was held at the Atlantic City Convention Center, whose roof-mounted solar energy panels are the largest in the nation.

Sunday Forum: Suburbs - our new slums?

Mr. Nelson and others warn that suburbia's least desirable neighborhoods -- aging, middle-class tract-home developments far from city centers and mass transit lines -- are America's emerging slums, characterized by poverty, crime and other social ills. Treating those ills is complicated by the same qualities that once defined suburbia's appeal -- seclusion, homogeneity and low population density. "We built too much of the suburban dream, and now it's coming back to haunt us," Mr. Nelson said.

Archer Daniels Midland project aims to bury carbon dioxide

The drillers have gnawed through a mile of rock here, almost down to a 600-million-year-old layer of sandstone where they hope to bury about 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide -- equal to the annual emissions of 220,000 automobiles. The $84-million project, of which $66.7 million comes from the Energy Department, will help determine whether storing greenhouse gases underground, so-called sequestration, is a viable solution for global warming.

Pittsburgh-area job market slowly spreads as decentralization takes place

Between 1998 and 2006, the area within three miles of Downtown Pittsburgh lost nearly 1,500 jobs, declining from 262,750 to 261,279. By comparison, the area between three and 10 miles from Downtown gained more than 32,600 jobs during that time.

Social and Physical Costs of Sprawl

Studies have concluded that sprawl has a detrimental impact on our health and socially isolates specific segments of our society, specifically the elderly, children, and the poor.

Linking Health and Land Use

NACCHO's Community Design project enhances the capacity of local health departments (LHDs) to be involved in decision-making processes and otherwise extend their role in issues related to land use. NACCHO and the American Planning Association (APA) are working to bring LHDs into the land usage decision-making process. As part of this effort, planners and local public health officials will address interconnections through research and information sharing.

International task force to plan green stimulus strategy

The World Economic Forum has set up a task force to identify how to create millions of green jobs and put long-term economic growth on a sustainable, low-carbon path. . .“The international community faces the twin challenges of dealing with the most serious global economic crisis since the 1930s and negotiating an ambitious agreement on climate change. We suggest that the two agendas can and should be designed to be mutually reinforcing,” said Richard Samans, managing director of the World Economic Forum.

China Vies to Be World’s Leader in Electric Cars

Chinese leaders have adopted a plan aimed at turning the country into one of the leading producers of hybrid and all-electric vehicles within three years, and making it the world leader in electric cars and buses after that. The goal, which radiates from the very top of the Chinese government, suggests that Detroit’s Big Three, already struggling to stay alive, will face even stiffer foreign competition on the next field of automotive technology than they do today.

For information on becoming a Member of Sustainable Pittsburgh, please visit our website.

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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:

Bayer Corporation
Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation
Dollar Bank
FedEx Ground
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