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Events

9th annual Smart Growth Conference draws over 300!

Resource materials available

This year's 9th annual Smart Growth Conference, "Sustainable Community Essentials: Applying the Policy and Practice," attracted over 300 individuals representing the public and private sectors, including some 50 local government entities on Thursday, May 21. Keynoted by Douglas Farr, author of Sustainable Urbanism and founder of Farr Associates, the conference provided practical examples and tools to raise local capacity for sustainable communities. Below are articles from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette regarding the conference, links to Doug Farr's slides and to the 14 new Sustainable Community Essentials Resource Sheets. These sheets are available online both in their present form and in a wiki format inviting the public to add material.

Click here for Doug Farr's powerpoint slides.
Click to view the Sustainable Community Essentials Resource Sheets and wiki

Missed the conference? Register for the Sustainable Community Development Essentials: Tools, Strategies, and Case Studies workshop, hosted by the Local Government Academy and Sustainable Pittsburgh.

Could it be that we're shifting toward smart?
It had a wonky title - "Sustainable Community Essentials, - but yesterday's Smart Growth Conference at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center was exhilarating. . .It was so good, I hope you all catch it on WDUQ radio, 90.5-fm. It will air at 6 p.m. either on June 21st or 28th in its entirety. . .More than 200 people forwent a gorgeous day to sit indoors and talk about the ways their townships, boroughs and cities can turn population loss into economic gain, creatively divert stormwater (for economic gain), solve land-use problems (for economic gain), design minimal-waste housing developments (for economic gain), preserve buildings (for economic gain) and, most of all, to RETHINK...It sounds like a fantasy, even in this day, to imagine that Americans could shift so drastically from the car-mall-landfill-riding mower-obesity that we're mired in. But I talked to a lot of people at the conference who all seem to think we are shifting. Some people reported their township managers are loathe to go green, maybe not convinced yet that a sustainable township is a less wasteful, less costly, healthier, more appealing one. But others are starting to understand there is money to be made and saved. That's the message that hits home with most people. Full Article

Funding woes force PennDOT to rethink how it operates
The department has embraced a concept called "smart transportation" that emphasizes repairing current infrastructure, investing in projects that reduce vehicle travel and sprawl, and linking transportation and land use planning. It favors walkable mixed-use districts and projects that serve pedestrians, bicyclists and transit users. It also demands better coordination between the state and the communities affected by its projects, said James Ritzman, deputy PennDOT secretary for planning, at a conference here last week. In the past, transportation decisions "were made in a silo" without adequate local input. "When you make a transportation change it can dramatically impact the surrounding area," Mr. Ritzman told attendees of the ninth annual Southwestern Pennsylvania Smart Growth Conference. Full Article

Resources

Sustainable Community Development Essentials: Tools, Strategies, and Case Studies

Thursday, June 4
9:00 am - Noon (8:30 am registration)
Avalon Borough Municipal Building, 640 California Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15202
Fee: $35 per person (Includes registration, handouts, light refreshments, and certificate of attendance)
Members of the NEOC Alumni Association receive a $10 discount.
More information

This seminar will review practical tools, strategies and case studies for pursuing the process of sustainability in municipal government in Southwestern Pennsylvania. No matter the “stage” a community may find itself in—whether in need of redevelopment, in the stage of figuring out how to maintain a current trajectory, or in a stage of managing growth in smart ways, the framework of sustainable development offers a practical compass for getting this right today and in the future. Through this session participants will:
- Experience how sustainability principles are tools that support local government decision making.
- Learn strategies for introducing & adopting sustainability guidelines for your municipality.
- Explore case studies of how other early adopters have benefited from implementing policies and programs to advance sustainable development.
- Consider tools and strategies for sustainable approaches to energy, resource management, waste and recycling, green procurement, human resources, etc. and for enhancing governance systems including the budget and capital improvement process.

Instructors:
Court Gould, Sustainable Pittsburgh
Susan Hockenberry, Local Government Academy
Matthew Mehalik, Sustainable Pittsburgh
John Trant, Cranberry Township
Joy Wilhelm, DCED Governor’s Center for Local Government Services

Going Green: Are you ready? Do you have to be?

Wednesday, June 17
7:00 pm, Light refreshments served at 6:30 pm
Regional Learning Alliance, Cranberry
Cost: $15
To register, visit www.laroche.edu and click on the Business Matters button or call 412-536-1267.

Is it easy being green? You'll have a better idea of whether that little green frog was on the mark after listening to four area experts lead a panel discussion for the public about the responsibilities involved in environmental sustainability - whether you're a member of the public or whether you are bringing your business up to speed on the latest requirements. Panelists are:
Court Gould, Executive Director, Sustainable Pittsburgh, who will discuss "Business Innovation for Sustainability: Beyond Corporate Environmental Responsibility;"
Phyllis Hartman, SPHHR, a senior human resources professional who regularly presents on sustainability and will talk about "The Crucial Role of the HR Function in Organizational Sustainability Initiatives;"
John Trant, Jr., Chief Strategic Planning Officer for Cranberry Township, PA, who went through a sustainability audit recently and will discuss "The Many Facets of Sustainability," including its definition, how it can be successfully communicated to a variety of people and how local government makes a difference; and
Nicole Bieak Kriedler, professor and chair of La Roche's Interior Design Department, who is writing her doctoral dissertation on "An Examination of Green Atmospheric Elements in Hotel Service Settings." She will discuss "Understanding Sustainability and its Impact in Service Environments."

Audience is encouraged to be part of the discussion. Panel moderated by La Roche College Director of Public Relations, Pam Wigley. Seminar is approved for 2 recertification credit hours toward PHR, SPHR, and GPHR recertification through the Human Resource Certification Institute.

Engineering Sustainable Solutions for Your Community

Thursday, June 18
8:30 am - 4:30 pm (Registration begins at 7:30 am)
Regional Learning Alliance at Cranberry Woods, Cranberry, PA
Cost: $90 for Members; $120 for Non-Members (Breakfast and Lunch Provided)
For more information, visit http://www.c4spgh.org/know.html

Four of Western Pennsylvania’s business and engineering professional organizations have come together to provide a program of practical, cost-saving, sustainable solutions for infrastructure design, including energy policy, water resource systems, buildings, and community sustainability initiatives. Come to learn about the latest advancements and solutions. This conference is perfect for businesses, engineers, architects, non-profits, and government agencies interested in our region’s infrastructure from a sustainability perspective.

Hosts:
American Society of Civil Engineers, Pittsburgh Section
Environmental & Water Resources Institute
Architectural Engineering Institute
Sustainable Pittsburgh's Champions for Sustainability network

PA Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan Input Sessions

Monday, June 1
4:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Four Points by Sheraton, 910 Sheraton Drive, Mars

The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources staff, along with Penn State University researchers, will host three public input sessions to provide comment and recommendations for the 2009-2013 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan. Attendees will get a chance to provide input on a set of draft recommendations produced by a multi-agency task force of recreation specialists.

Every five years, Pennsylvania produces a plan that provides citizens, policymakers, and recreation professionals with a snapshot of current trends and issues in outdoor recreation. The plan also helps set the agenda for state recreation policy, planning, funding, and implementation for the next five years and beyond. Public input to this process is critical—ensuring a broad representation of interests, views and ideas. All the sessions will be from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

June 1 - Four Points by Sheraton, 910 Sheraton Drive, Mars
June 2 - Ramada, 1450 S Atherton Street, State College
June 3 - DeSales University, 2755 Station Avenue, Center Valley

The draft recommendations and research findings will also be posted on the web at www.PAOutdoorRecPlan.com for review and comment.

Transit Open House

Wednesday, June 3
8:00 am - 8:00 pm
Urban Room of the Omni William Penn Hotel, 530 William Penn Place, Downtown Pittsburgh

and

Monday, June 8
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm AND 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Alumni Hall’s Connolly Ballroom, University of Pittsburgh campus, 4227 Fifth Avenue, Oakland
Questions? Call the TDP phone number at 1-866-583-0837.

The Port Authority of Allegheny County will host a 12-hour Open House next week to gather public feedback on its plans to improve transit service. The June 3 event will be the first of two Open Houses hosted by the Authority as it discusses details of the Transit Development Plan and accepts public comments on the concepts. No formal presentation will be given. However, detailed information will be displayed and available, and Authority officials will be on hand to answer questions and explain the changes under consideration.

The public Open Houses give riders, residents and other groups a forum to review the agency’s plans to improve transit service, ask questions and provide feedback before a final decision is made later this summer. The Transit Development Plan is an effort to make Port Authority’s network of bus and light rail routes faster, more frequent, simpler to use and more efficient. The transit agency, and Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, has developed three general concepts of how this might be achieved.

A special Authority Web site, http://tdp.portauthority.org offers all of the details about the concepts. A feedback area allows users to submit comments online. More than 1,100 comments already have been submitted regarding the Authority’s plans. In addition to the Open Houses and the tdp.portauthority.org Web site, people also can submit comments by mail. The address is:
Port Authority of Allegheny County
ATTN: Transit Development Plan
345 Sixth Avenue, Third Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2527

Climate Change Webinar

Thursday, June 4
Noon - 1:00 pm EDT
RSVP by May 28 to Vicki Landa at vlanda@bccz.com or 412-394-6537.
Please provide email address and telephone number at time of registrations.

Receive a practical and timely update on emerging climate change regulatory issues that may affect your business or industry from a panel of experienced speakers. Join attorneys Mike Winek and Seth Rice of Babst, Calland, Clements and Zomnir, P.C.'s Climate Change Group in a free webinar featuring presentations and analysis on the U.S. EPA's recently proposed endangerment finding and proposed greenhouse gas reporting rule, as well as other relevant state and federal climate change developments. Also Steven Winberg, V.P. of Research and Development at CONSOL Energy, will discuss the role of carbon capture and sequestration technology with respect to greenhouse gases.

The Future of City/County Collaboration

Friday, June 5
8:00 am - 3:45 pm
Senator John Heinz History Center, Strip District
Free to attend.
Advance registration required. Space Limited.
To register, visit www.iop.pitt.edu/June5.

The possibility of dynamic change in the way Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh are governed has received considerable attention recently, including requests to convene, inform, and engage the public in a dialogue about the relationship between the city and county governments. The University of Pittsburgh Institute of Politics in collaboration with The Pittsburgh Foundation has arranged to bring key leaders from three metropolitan areas to Pittsburgh for a day-long forum on opportunities for city-county relations. Community leaders from Charlotte, Miami, and Louisville along with Mayor Ravenstahl and County Executive Onorato will be featured speakers at this event.

This wide-open forum will take a close look at multiple governance options and how each could impact the City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County governance, and the possible effects on suburban municipalities. It will discuss not only the option of full structural consolidation (as exemplified by Louisville) but also functional consolidation (Charlotte-Mecklenburg County) and federated metropolitan government (Miami-Dade County). Prominent exponents of a full range of perspectives have been invited to participate on response panels. Following lunch, the Mayor and County Executive will present their views on city/county collaboration models. The presentations will be followed by a Legislative Response Panel and the forum will conclude with an open discussion session and question period.

This event is a must for anyone concerned about the future of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County and should be highly relevant for residents of neighboring counties facing similar governance issues.

Transform Our Region!

Thursday, June 11
6:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Carnegie Mellon University, University Center Rangos Ballroom
RSVP to Trisha Ross at tross@coropittsburgh.org or 412-258-2678

Please join the Regional Internship Center of Southwestern PA in celebrating its new website! After seven years, the RIC is getting a face-lift. They will present improved features and attendees will have the opportunity to log into the user-friendly website. Network with other regional businesses while enjoying refreshments. Bill Flanagan of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development will be the master of ceremonies and Audrey Russo of the Pittsburgh Technology Council will be the keynote speaker.

Stimulus Package in Pennsylvania

Friday, June 12
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
The Heinz History Center, Strip District
Cost: Free
Space is limited. Register online at www.lpinc.org (Click on "Events.")
Contact: Grantmakers of Western PA at 412-471-6488 or mharris@gwpa.org

Got Questions? Then you don’t want to miss this conversation with Secretary James Creedon, Chief Implementation Officer of PA’s Commission on American Recovery and Reinvestment. Additional panelists include United Way’s Bob Nelkin, Pittsburgh Technology Council’s Audrey Russo, and Family Resources’ Dr. Walter Smith. Event is moderated by The Pittsburgh Foundation’s Kevin Jenkins.

It’s a Gamble: How Will a Casino Affect Your Community?

Featuring reformed gambler Bill Kearney
Tuesday, June 16
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Calvary United Methodist Church, Allegheny and Beech Streets, North Side, Pittsburgh (about two blocks from the Rivers Casino site)
Free
For more information call 412-835-0614.

Gambling addiction is unpredictable. It can play havoc with the lives of people who didn't think they would be vulnerable — including your loved ones. With the Rivers Casino about to open in Pittsburgh, you need to understand how casinos affect a community, how they attract gamblers, and how you can protect or rescue people from the ravages of gambling addiction. Bill Kearney, reformed gambler from Philadelphia and leading advocate on gambling addiction, will make his first Pittsburgh appearance on June 16. Always a colorful presenter, Bill will draw on his vast experience with the casino industry to describe how casinos operate and how they lure people to gamble — often much more than they can afford to lose. You will be entertained, shocked, and moved by Bill’s presentation. Most importantly, you will become better equipped to serve people at risk of gambling addiction and their families.

Also participating in this lively, eye-opening forum:
Lindsay Hargrove, certified gambling counselor, discussing the impact of problem gambling and how to prevent, spot, and address it.
Bruce Barron of No Dice, on the recent expansion of legalized gambling and how it is reshaping American society and our economy.
Jethro Heiko, who lives within 500 feet of a proposed Philadelphia casino site, on what he has learned about casinos and their impact on cities.

This event is hosted by Calvary UMC with planning assistance from the counseling staff of Allegheny Center Alliance Church and from No Dice.

Resources

Could it be that we're shifting toward smart?

It had a wonky title - "Sustainable Community Essentials, - but yesterday's Smart Growth Conference at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center was exhilarating . . .It was so good, I hope you all catch it on WDUQ radio, 90.5-fm. It will air at 6 p.m. either on June 21st or 28th in its entirety. . .More than 200 people forwent a gorgeous day to sit indoors and talk about the ways their townships, boroughs and cities can turn population loss into economic gain, creatively divert stormwater (for economic gain), solve land-use problems (for economic gain), design minimal-waste housing developments (for economic gain), preserve buildings (for economic gain) and, most of all, to RETHINK. . .It sounds like a fantasy, even in this day, to imagine that Americans could shift so drastically from the car-mall-landfill-riding mower-obesity that we're mired in. But I talked to a lot of people at the conference who all seem to think we are shifting. Some people reported their township managers are loathe to go green, maybe not convinced yet that a sustainable township is a less wasteful, less costly, healthier, more appealing one. But others are starting to understand there is money to be made and saved. That's the message that hits home with most people.

Funding woes force PennDOT to rethink how it operates

The department has embraced a concept called "smart transportation" that emphasizes repairing current infrastructure, investing in projects that reduce vehicle travel and sprawl, and linking transportation and land use planning. It favors walkable mixed-use districts and projects that serve pedestrians, bicyclists and transit users. It also demands better coordination between the state and the communities affected by its projects, said James Ritzman, deputy PennDOT secretary for planning, at a conference here last week. In the past, transportation decisions "were made in a silo" without adequate local input. "When you make a transportation change it can dramatically impact the surrounding area," Mr. Ritzman told attendees of the ninth annual Southwestern Pennsylvania Smart Growth Conference.

More

In Ecuador, an Unusual Carbon-Credit Plan to Leave Oil Untapped

Beneath the tropical jungles of northeastern Ecuador lies a vast pool of oil, representing one-fifth of the small Andean country's petroleum reserves and potentially billions of dollars in revenue. Directly above that pool, the Yasuni National Park is home to a diversity of wildlife that is among the richest on the planet, Ecuadoran and U.S. biologists say. Faced with these two treasures, Ecuador is pursuing an unusual plan to reap the oil profits without actually drilling for oil. The idea envisions wealthy countries effectively paying Ecuador to leave its oil -- and the carbon dioxide that would result from using it -- in the ground. Environmentalists hail the proposal as a potentially precedent-setting approach to conservation in developing countries.

Al Gore rallies his grassroots supporters to help pass House climate bill

Gore said the Waxman-Markey legislation could be revisited and strengthened over time as the world community comes to recognize the value of emissions reductions. He drew a comparison with the 1997 Montreal Protocol, which sought to limit substances that deplete the ozone layer. The first targets in that treaty were weaker than many wanted, but within three years, world leaders strengthened the pact, after realizing it wasn’t hurting the global economy. “I think this bill is likely to play the same role,” said Gore. “Whatever agreement is reached in Copenhagen, if it mirrors the kind of approach in this bill, it will begin a shift that will pick up momentum as it develops and the world will quickly revisit it.”

Student wind turbine project wins innovation contest

Installed inside an aluminum pipe pounded into the ground, the turbine takes little time to set up, but produces one third of the electrical production of a commercial system at a fraction of the cost. . . "What I did was approach this problem from a new directions," Mr. Toll said, noting that conventional wind turbines require 10 years to get a return on investment. "What I wanted to do was cut back the payback to one year. The way to accomplish that was by reducing the efficiency of the wind turbine by using very inexpensive materials. It's not as much electricity, but it's a tenth of the cost."

A stress test for good intentions

As firms grapple with a brutal economic downturn, they are taking a long, hard look at the resources they devote to everything from supporting charities to making their activities carbon-neutral. That is hardly surprising: cutting back on CSR, or "sustainability" as it is sometimes known, would seem to be a quick and relatively painless way to save money. Yet so far the recession has not produced a wholesale retreat from corporate do-gooding.

Middle schools targeted in obesity fight

A new state initiative aimed at fighting obesity among middle school students will take a carrot-and-stick approach to promoting increased physical activity. The stick: All schools that receive federal funding for after-school and summer programs will have to ensure 30 to 60 minutes a day of moderate to vigorous physical activity for students in grades 6-8. "Activity" is the key word -- sitting around waiting to play volleyball doesn't count.

Allegheny County to conduct energy audit

Allegheny County plans to conduct an energy audit of its cars and buildings in hopes of saving money and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. . .The audit "will give Allegheny County a fundamental understanding of its energy use and greenhouse emissions. That is the first step in significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions at the local government level," said Angela Vincent, a regional director for the organization.

The Climate Gap: Inequalities in How Climate Change Hurts Americans & How to Close the Gap

By now, virtually all Americans concur that climate change is real, and could pose devastating consequences for our nation and our children. Equally real is the "Climate Gap" -- the sometimes hidden and often unequal impact climate change will have on people of color and the poor in the United States. This report helps to document the Climate Gap, connecting the dots between research on heat waves, air quality, and other challenges associated with climate change. But we do more than point out an urgent problem; we also explore how we might best combine efforts to both solve climate change and close the Climate Gap -- including an appendix focused on California’s global warming policy and a special accompanying analysis of the federal-level American Clean Energy Security Act.

German City Emerges as a World Class Energy-Saver

Tucked into a sunny corner of southwestern Germany, this old university town was best known until the 1970s for its massive cathedral dome, its tie to the Black Forest, and its craft of intricately carved cuckoo clocks. Who would have thought then that early 21st century Freiburg could claim to be a world-class eco-city, leading in solar and wind power, energy-conserving home construction, rain-water management, public transit and carless neighborhood development?

World leaders to hold economic summit in Pittsburgh

Among the selling points: "Pittsburgh has really been a model for an economic turnaround," he said, noting the smokestacks-to-knowledge transformation of the regional economy and the development of environmentally friendly "green" job sectors.

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