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Events

Focusing Growth for Regional Prosperity

There are only eight days left until the 7th annual Smart Growth Conference!

Reservations are filling up quickly. If you haven't already done so, reserve your space today. We need your input to the public comment session to the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission's process of updating the region's Long Range Transportation and Development Plan for Southwestern Pennsylvania (Project Region). We also need to know just how much food to order -- or not to order.

See the following Pop City article to read what others are saying about the 7th annual Smart Growth Conference:

Smart Growth Conference to convene downtown on May 18

"Focusing Growth for Regional Prosperity,” the 7th annual Smart Growth Conference, will take place on May 18 at the Omni William Penn Hotel.

The free conference features keynote speaker Don Chen, executive director of Smart Growth America, a national advocacy coalition that promotes preservation of open space and farmland, reinvestment in existing communities, affordable housing and transportation alternatives. Read more: http://www.popcitymedia.com/developmentnews/growth0509.aspx

Don't forget to cancel if something comes up and you can't keep your reservations.

Resources

Excellence For All: East End Community Building Event

Saturday, May 12
8 am
Peabody High School
Pittsburgh (East Liberty)
Register/More Info: www.aplusschools.org/wn.html

Excellence for All: An East End Community-Building Event is an impressive collaboration between over 70 community groups, focused on improving academic performance for all East End Students. Under the dynamic leadership of Peabody High School Principal John Vater, the event will also showcase ways to build a stronger East End, focusing on personal equity development and community capacity building. Students, concerned parents, community members, organizations, and service providers are invited to attend to learn about the resources of the community, and identify meaningful opportunities for community involvement.

Gaviotas' Paolo Lugari Lecture

Thursday, May 17
4:30 pm
Adamson Wing of Baker Hall, Carnegie Mellon
Pittsburgh (Oakland)
For smaller meetings, contact mmgrelli@andrew.cmu.edu

As part of his visit to Carnegie Mellon to receive an honorary degree, Paolo Lugari will be giving a lecture about the current status of Gaviotas, as well as an overview of the projects that he and the residents of Gaviotas have been involved in the past few years. A reception will follow the lecture. In addition, Lugari is very excited to share his experience with those involved in our local sustainability initiatives and has offered to participate in smaller group meetings on Friday May 18. Please contact Meredith Meyer Grelli (mmgrelli@andrew.cmu.edu) if you are interested in a meeting with Lugari and we will do our best to accommodate your requests.

Paolo Lugari, a civil and environmental engineer who in the 1970's founded the Gaviotas community in Colombia, South America, will receive a doctor of science and technology during the Commencement Ceremony on May 20. Lugari has developed Gaviotas into a model village for social, economic and environmental sustainability through the use of several technologies, such as hydroponic greenhouses that recycle waste from rice farms, biogas electricity generators, solar energy collectors, and water collection and purification systems. The sustainability technologies and processes employed in Gaviotas are remarkably simple and therefore very effective. Please learn more at www.friendsofgaviotas.org

7th Annual Southwestern Pennsylvania Smart Growth Conference "Focusing Growth for Regional Prosperity"

Friday, May 18, 2007
8 am - 3:30 pm
Omni William Penn Hotel
530 William Penn Place, downtown Pittsburgh
No fee to attend
Click here for more details
Featuring:
- Keynote address by Don Chen, Smart Growth America
- Public Presentation and Comment on Draft Long Range Transportation and Development Plan for Southwestern Pennsylvania (Project Region)
- Public input on work to date by the SWPA Smart Growth Community Committees
- Reaction panel featuring state, regional and local leaders

This year’s conference picks up from past Smart Growth Conferences in serving again as a public comment session to the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission's process of updating the region's Long Range Transportation and Development Plan for Southwestern Pennsylvania (called Project Region).

Attendees will also hear progress reports and provide input to the on-going work of the three Smart Growth Community Committees that were created in response to the regional priorities voted upon at last year's conference:
- Leveling the Field for Redevelopment (Diane Sheets & Laura Zinski)
- Promoting Regionalism (Commissioner Tom Ceraso & David Miller)
- Funding Public Transportation (Steve Bland & Mary Jo Morandini)

Toward addressing the challenges of revitalizing the region's communities, these committees are working on practical policy options and practices, the type of which will be necessary to realize the regional plan's focused growth strategy for regional development and prosperity.

Project Region: The Southwestern Pennsylvania Growth Plan, will be the mechanism for connecting the region’s vision to an official, coordinated implementation program of projects and actions. Through Project Region, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission looks to raise the level of transparency in regional planning, and further improve its utility, by focusing on the functional rather than the jurisdictional/geographic aspects of desired improvements.

Come be part of this important regional planning process which represents a milestone in the region's heightened resolve to integrate and focus transportation and development for quality of life and competitiveness in the global economy.

Presented by:
PA Department of Community and Economic Development
Pittsburgh Partnership for Neighborhood Development
Regional Coalition of Community Builders
Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission
Sustainable Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh Institute of Politics

Sponsored by:

Supported by:
Richard King Mellon Foundation
The Heinz Endowments

To register:
Call: 412-258-6642
Email: info@sustainablepittsburgh.org
To become a sponsor call: 412-258-6643

Great Outdoors Week 2007

Leading the region to fun and healthy lifestyles one week at a time!

The sixth annual Great Outdoors Week begins on Friday, May 18 thru Sunday, May 27, 2007! To explore how to engage your constituents, employees, family and friends, go to www.greatoutdoorsweek.org and learn of the amazing number of outdoor happenings throughout the week.

Great Outdoors Week partners include: Bike Pittsburgh, Community Design Center of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Rachael Carson Homestead, Rack ‘n Roll, REI, Sustainable Pittsburgh, Three Rivers Rowing Association, Venture Outdoors, and the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.

For more information, please call (412) 258-6646.

Venture Outdoors Festival

Saturday, May 19
Pittsburgh's North Shore
http://www.ventureoutdoors.org/

The seventh annual Venture Outdoors Festival is scheduled for Saturday, May 19, 2007. The festival is an all day event and is being held on Pittsburgh's North Shore - right in front of Heinz Field. As always, the goal of Venture Outdoors is to introduce as many people as possible to the wide variety of outdoor recreational activities easily accessible right here in Western Pennsylvania. Together with the region's abundant environmental assets & the rivers, the mountains, and numerous bike and walking trails - these activities demonstrate the terrific quality of life available to residents and visitors. We invite you to be a part of the excitement so please save the date!

Socially Responsible Investing Seminar

Tuesday, May 22
5:30 - 7 pm
Panera Meeting Room, 3800 Forbes Avenue at Bouquet St.
Pittsburgh (Oakland)
Register: diane.slepski@ubs.com or 412-562-6781

If you want to see how you as an investor can make a difference by investing in socially and environmentally responsible companies, please join Ellen Marcus of UBS Financial Services, a member of the Social Investment Forum, who will lead an informal discussion and question and answer session. Refreshments will be provided.

SPC Announces Public Participation Opportunities

May 22, 5:30 pm, 2nd Floor Conference Room, Greene County Office Building, 93 East High Street, Waynesburg
May 23, 7 pm, Jury Holding Room, Old Courthouse, 430 Court Street, New Castle
May 24, 7 pm, County Commissioners' Conference Room, Courthouse Annex, 450 Market Street, Kittanning
May 30, 5 pm, Conference Room, Fayette Chamber of Commerce, 65 West Main Street, Uniontown
June 5, 6 pm, Commissioners' Meeting Room, County Courthouse Annex, 2 N. Main Street, Greensburg
June 6, 7 pm, Commissioners' Conference Room, County Courthouse, 810 Third Street, Beaver
June 12, 7 pm, Large Group Instruction Room, Indiana Area Junior High, 245 N. Fifth Street, Indiana
June 13, 5:30 pm, 31st floor, Regional Enterprise Tower, 425 Sixth Avenue, Downtown Pittsburgh
June 19, 6 pm, Room 104 Courthouse Square, 100 West Beau Street, Washington
June 20, 7 pm, Public Meeting Room, County Government Center, 124 W. Diamond Street, Butler

You Have a Voice in Transportation Planning

Involving the public in the regional planning processes is a high priority for the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission. As one means of receiving valuable public input, SPC maintains Public Participation Panels (PPPs) for each county in its transportation planning region. Citizens do not need to travel outside their own county to address SPC about anything in regional transportation planning, because through the PPPs, SPC comes to them. PPP meetings are open to the public.

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) is seeking public comments on the Draft Public Participation Plan from May 4 to June 21, 2007. The Draft Public Participation Plan describes the various objectives, strategies and tools to engage the public and encourage participation in the development of transportation plans and programs. Public comments will be accepted as part of upcoming SPC public meetings.

Review this draft document through June 21, 2007 at www.spcregion.org, at the Allegheny County Department of Economic Development, Pittsburgh Department of City Planning, Armstrong County Department of Planning & Development, Beaver County Planning Commission, Butler County Planning Commission, Fayette County Office of Planning and Community Development, Greene County Planning Commission, Indiana County Office of Planning & Development, Lawrence County Planning Department, Washington County Planning Commission, Westmoreland County Planning Department, many public libraries throughout the region, and the office of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission.

Written comments may be submitted through June 21, 2007 to:
SPC - Comments
425 Sixth Avenue, Ste. 2500 Pittsburgh, PA 15219-1852
Fax to Comments: 412-391-9160
E-mail: comments@spcregion.org
Online: http://www.spcregion.org/trans_ppp_sched.shtml

The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission will consider the Draft Public Participation Plan for action at their meeting on June 28, 2007 at 4:30 p.m., Regional Enterprise Tower, 425 Sixth Avenue, 31st Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15219-1852.

For meeting directions or additional information, please visit http://www.spcregion.org or call (412) 391-5590.

Meeting locations are accessible to persons with disabilities.

With advance notification, Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) will make every effort to accommodate special needs related to language, sight, or hearing. Contact SPC at 412-391-5590, extension 334, to request such assistance.

Transit Information

For information regarding transit services to the Public Meeting in Allegheny County call Port Authority Customer Service at 412-442-2000.

For transit information in other counties, please visit: http://www.commuteinfo.org/comm_trans.shtml

For more information, please contact Shannon O’Connell at SPC at 412-391-5590, extension 334 or soconnell@spcregion.org.

Heavy Metal Contamination and City Soils: Urban Ecological Collaborative Research Working Group meeting

Thursday, May 24
10 am - 12 pm
Allegheny County Office of the Pennsylvania State Cooperative Extension Service
400 North Lexington Street
Pittsburgh
Cost: Free
RSVP: mcm2@psu.edu

This meeting will focus on the legacy of contaminants stored in Pittsburgh soils. All are welcome to attend. However, please note this is primarily a research meeting, meant to disseminate and discuss research results, so discussion will be structured to facilitate this process. Dr. Daniel Bain will be moderating the meeting. If you would like to add topics/questions to the discussion, please contact him at your earliest convenience. If you would like to learn more about the Research Working Group, please contact Mike Masiuk (Penn State Cooperative Extension email: mcm2@psu.edu ).

Penn State Offers Series of Land Use Planning Workshops

June 6, 13, & 27
4:30 - 8 pm
Cranberry Township Municipal Center
Register by May 25. Cost: $20 for one workshop; $30 for two; $35 for three
Call (724) 228-6881 for more information

The workshops will look at the impacts of unbalanced growth and development patterns from a local and regional perspective and offer information and techniques that have the potential to mitigate the adverse effects on open space and natural resources, according to program planner Mark Remcheck, extension community forester based in Washington County. The objective is to encourage and facilitate regional cooperation and planning. Topics covered will include Allegheny Land Trust’s “Greenprint”: A regional conservation agenda for the public good; an overview of comprehensive planning, land use regulation and natural resource conservation as authorized by the State; the fiscal impacts of residential development; and “Natural Infrastructure”, a nine county coordinated GIS database of natural assets.

Resources

Sustainable Dream Jobs Opening at Sustainable Pittsburgh

PennDOT Launches Web Site to Inform Public About Transportation Needs, Solutions

PennDOT today launched a new Web site - http://www.Rideonpa.org - to keep Pennsylvanians informed about progress in solving the state's transportation funding crisis. Earlier this year, Governor Edward G. Rendell proposed a two-pronged approach to secure the $1.7 billion needed annually for safe, reliable roads, bridges and public transportation. Rideonpa.org provides a comprehensive view of the condition of the state's 40,000 miles of roads and bridges, and the severe funding shortfall that threatens the economic stability of local regions that would result from significant public transit cuts across Pennsylvania.

Experts plan greenest town around

"When we started this, we wanted to create the most environmentally sustainable community in the state of Florida," said Syd Kitson, chairman of Kitson & Partners. "And the only way that could happen was to bring in the best and the brightest in those fields."

Citigroup commits $50B to green initiatives

Citigroup said Tuesday that it plans to commit $50 billion to environmental projects over the next decade, the largest commitment from Wall Street to address climate change.

Oil giant backs caps on greenhouse gases

Now, he says ConocoPhillips believes a "mandatory national framework" is the most likely way to achieve meaningful impact on global greenhouse gas emissions, though he said it was too soon to say what type of caps should be imposed.

The Cleantech Report

Introducing the authoritative guide to emerging energy and environmental technologies. The Cleantech Report™, published by Lux Research, is the first information resource to provide comprehensive analysis of cleantech - offering proprietary data, unbiased analyses, and fresh insights in emerging energy and environmental technologies. "Targeting the 21st century's most important issues in energy, water, and sustainability, cleantech has emerged as one of the most important areas of growth, innovation, and investment, Lux Research's The Cleantech Report™ is a seminal piece of research that successfully provides financial, corporate, and government decision-makers with the data and case studies they need to make informed, strategic decisions."

Caterpillar jumps on the green bandwagon

Yes - Caterpillar is getting real about sustainability. While no one would confuse this conservative icon of smokestack America with, say, Ben & Jerry's, the changes unfolding here are further signs that the greening of corporate America is unstoppable, and that products and services that help solve big environmental problems can be good for business. As Jim Owens, Caterpillar's chairman and CEO, puts it in his introduction to the report: "Sustainable development can create value for our customers, investors and environment."..What Caterpillar means by sustainable development is nothing less than "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs." That's a radical goal, when you think about it - it calls into question the operations of some of Caterpillar's biggest customers, including companies that mine coal, copper and iron ore (all of which are in limited supply) or those that extract oil from the sands of western Canada, where hundreds of Cat machines are at work.

Europe Plans For Sustainable 'Transport of Tomorrow'

Put simply, it is taking the environmental, social and economic impacts of a transportation investment into account when making decisions. This idea has been driving practice in Europe for many years, leading to some different approaches...The industrial region led by the city of Eindhoven in the Netherlands saw clean vehicles as an opportunity to build upon their regional strengths -- technological research and development -- and preserve jobs by developing a locally produced low-emission vehicle for export...In Britain, for example, planners are required to develop Accessibility Maps "to combat social exclusion," showing travel time to schools, job centers, and other destinations by mode, with time isochromes. These may be used to improve transit links between areas of high unemployment and job training centers, or to compare potential development sites for a business.

Pedal Pittsburgh Call for Volunteers!

The region’s premier cycling event, Pedal Pittsburgh is seeking volunteers to help May 17-20. Volunteer opportunities include pre-registration, registration, serving fruit and water at rest stops, ride guiding, directing riders along routes as a course marshal and more. No matter which task you choose, you’re sure to have a great time, meet new people, and help make the event a success! Pedal Pittsburgh is a recreational bicycle ride with six routes ranging from 6- to 60- miles to accommodate all ages and riding abilities. Pedal Pittsburgh is produced annually as a fundraiser for the Community Design Center of Pittsburgh.
To volunteer for Pedal Pittsburgh, please contact Cindi Contie at 412.391.4144 or ccontie@cdcp.org.

New Penn Future Video Podcast: U.S. Senator Bob Casey, Jr. on Global Warming

PennFuture and the Pennsylvania Interfaith Climate Change Campaign recently hosted a conference called Global Warming: It's Time for Action at Pittsburgh's Mercy Hospital. Nearly 200 people attended the conference, featuring panelists and presenters who are experts on the science and policies of global warming. The keynote speaker at the conference was U.S. Senator Bob Casey, Jr., newly elected Senator from Pennsylvania, who campaigned on a strong environmental platform, including support for immediate federal action on global warming. Senator Casey, while previously serving as Pennsylvania State Treasurer, introduced some groundbreaking initiatives to help the Commonwealth cut our contributions to the heat-trapping gases causing global warming, by incentivizing energy efficiency and investment in renewable energy. In this video podcast from the conference, Senator Casey is introduced by PennFuture's President and CEO John Hanger. The podcast covers most of Senator Casey's keynote speech at the conference. Special thanks to conference attendee and blogger Agent Ska who was on hand to video the speech! We commandeered her home video so that you could have a taste of what you missed at the conference.

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 2007 from:

Dollar Bank
Elsie H. Hillman Foundation
The Giant Eagle Foundation
The Heinz Endowments
Richard King Mellon Foundation
Roy A. Hunt 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