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Events

Register Now!

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

Resources

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

State Budget Breakfast

Friday, June 5
9:00 am - 11:00 am (before the ACTION-Housing luncheon)
NeighborWorks® Western PA (710 5th Ave, Suite 1000 Pittsburgh, PA 15219)
RSVP to Laura Greenberg by June 3rd

The budget resolution passed last week by the Senate varies significantly from the Governor’s proposed budget and cuts key housing programs such as HEMAP, Homeless Prevention, HRA (Housing and Redevelopment Assistance funds), Accessible Housing funds, New Communities funds (Elm Streets/Main Streets programs), and Legal Services. SWPA Housing Alliance will be inviting area legislators to discuss these potential cuts with us and explore solutions.

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.

Transit Open House

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

"Becoming LEED Certified"

“LEED the Way to Green Buildings – Part III”
Monday, June 8
12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Regional Enterprise Tower 23rd Floor- A.E. Hunt Room, Downtown Pittsburgh
Cost: $15.00 Includes lunch and workshop materials
RSVP By: Friday June 5, 2009 to: 412-392-0610 or information@aaccwp.com

The third of a four-part workshop series. Join our LEED certification experts who will discuss the LEED Rating System, practices and principles, & how to become LEED certified. All business owners and professionals are invited to attend: attorneys, architects, business consultants, accountants, and construction & trade professionals. Speakers include:
Reverend Calvin Cash, Pastor, Wesley A.M.E. Zion Church
Matthew Smuts, Sustainable Design Coordinator, Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh
Michael Tarle, Director, Design & Pre-Construction, Massaro Corporation

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.

Cleaner buses = Cleaner Air:

Friday, June 12
8:30 am - 12:00 pm
Allegheny County Health Department, Clack Health Center, Building #1: 3901 Penn Ave. Auditorium
RSVP to Michelle Rupert at 412-431-4449 x202

The Southwest Air Quality Partnership joins forces with environmental groups and local government to extend knowledge and outreach on regional air quality. Learn how technological advancements will achieve higher air quality standards for our region. Rachel Filipini, the executive director of GASP (Group Against Smog and Pollution) will be speaking about recent efforts to retrofit school buses and other local diesel fleets with emission reduction technology that can significantly reduce harmful diesel emissions. GASP and Clean Water Action are leading the Allegheny County Partnership to reduce diesel pollution. Currently, the school districts of Pittsburgh, Plum, Penn Hills, and North Allegheny have retro-fitted some portion of their fleet with similar emission reduction technology. Please join us to learn more about this exciting progress towards better air standards for us and our children! Breakfast included

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.

Town Hall Meeting on Gas Drilling Tax

Friday, June 12
10:30 am - 12:00 pm
East Liberty Presbyterian Church, 116 S. Highland Ave, Pittsburgh, PA
Register Online

PennFuture and its partner organizations are holding events throughout the Commonwealth to push the legislature to pass a severance tax on natural gas. Oil and gas companies from around the country are flocking to Pennsylvania to tap into the Marcellus Shale gas deposit, which holds an estimated $1 trillion worth of natural gas. In other states where natural gas extraction occurs regularly, including all 14 states with more natural gas than Pennsylvania, developers pay a small tax on the natural gas extracted. A similar tax has been proposed for Pennsylvania that could generate more than $100 million for Pennsylvania next year and over $600 million by 2013.

Gas drilling takes enormous amounts of water from streams for the drilling process and generates millions of gallons of polluted waste water. Since gas company profits will come at the expense of Pennsylvania's land and water, a portion of this tax should go to the Environmental Stewardship Fund to reinvest back into parks, waterways and open spaces; to the Fish and Boat and Game Commissions for improvements to wildlife habitat and public access; and to communities which host drilling to compensate for the damage to public infrastructure.

Hear from:
Joylette Portlock, Western Pennsylvania Outreach Coordinator for PennFuture
Rich Fitzgerald, President of Allegheny County Council
Brenda Smith, Executive Director of Nine Mile Run Watershed Association
Hannah Hardy, Water Trails Program Manager at Pennsylvania Environmental Council

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.

CityLive! 20 - The Environment's Effect On You.

Wednesday, June 17
6:30 pm
New Hazlett Theater, Allegheny Square East, Pittsburgh, PA 15212
RSVP

How does YOUR environment impact YOUR health? What is more important the products you use every day, or the effects of your outdoor surroundings?

We'll review a typical day of two of our favorite citizens and 1. unveil the kinds of things they are exposed to every day in their daily habits, their home and their neighborhood, 2. learn about the impact our world has on US, and 3. give suggestions for changes you can make that will impact YOUR health.

Panelists are Jane Houlihan, from the Environmental Working Group, and Amanda Parks, co-owner of Equita. Our case studies are Justin Strong, co-founder of the Shadow Lounge + AVA, and Heather Arnett, executive director of the Women and Girls Foundation. Our moderator is Josh Knauer of Rhiza Labs.

Cocktails and conversation to follow.

Fresh Local Fun Raiser

Thursday, June 18
6:30 pm
Boyd & Blair Vodka at Pennsylvania Pure Distilleries, Glenshaw
Tickets: $50. Tickets for PASA Members and / or Good Food Neighbors are $40.
Tickets may be purchased online or by phone. please contact Mia Farber in the Western Regional Office at (412) 697-0411. More information

To further educate the public on how their food is processed, the makers of Boyd & Blair Vodka, Prentiss Orr & Barry Young, will lead tours of the Pennsylvania Pure Distillery, demonstrating how through the refining and distillation process, potatoes become vodka! Prentiss & Barry will also speak on the importance of buying locally, as all of the potatoes in their product are grown in Pennsylvania. Additional speakers will include Gregory Boulos & Brian Snyder from the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture, in addition to a short presentation by Building New Hope Coffee on their fair trade practices.

Home Ownership Finance

Register Now for the Second Course in PCRG’s 4-Part Community Development Finance Training Series July 20-22, 2009
Location TBD
Regular Tuition: $595/person
501(c)3 Staff: $395/person ($200 discount per person)
PCRG Members: $195/person ($400 discount per person)
All RSVP’s must be received by June 30th. You will receive some pre-program materials to look over in the few weeks leading up to the course.
For questions and to RSVP, contact sstutts@pcrg.org or 412-391-6732 x210.

The Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group (PCRG) has partnered with the National Development Council (NDC) to bring the three-day course “Home Ownership Finance” to Pittsburgh! A part of the Housing Development Certification, this course closely examines the skills required to successfully develop single-family housing that is affordable for low- and moderate-income families. This course will focus on financing affordable single family homes. Topics to be covered include an overview of home ownership development, a look at the development process, financing and deal structuring, qualifying home buyers, income and credit barriers to qualifying, and permanent mortgage programs. This course is intended to be introductory, with no prior knowledge of home ownership deals required.

This course is made possible by funding and support from Citizen’s Bank, Pittsburgh Partnership for Neighborhood Development, and the Urban Redevelopment Authority. Their support has allowed PCRG to assist neighborhood groups and other non-profit organizations by providing scholarships to attend this valuable program. Scholarships are reflected in the discounted registration fees. You may save an additional 10% when registering two or more people for this training program.

Resources

News Analysis: Congressional Democrats Want To Close a Legal Loophole In Regulation of Deep Drilling

One reason a new wave of deep oil and gas exploration in Pennsylvania is possible is that the industry has improved a drilling technique called hydraulic fracturing. A 2004 EPA study says the process doesn't threaten groundwater. However, EPA chief Lisa Jackson now says the agency might revisit the study's conclusion. The Allegheny Front's news analyst Ann Murray joins host Matthew Craig to discuss the issue.

The Visionaire: New York City's First LEED Platinum-Certified Condominiums

The Albanese Organization’s Visionaire in Battery Park City earned formal LEED Platinum certification from USGBC yesterday. The 33-story, 500,000-square-foot condominium is the first LEED Platinum set of condos in New York City, and joins Albanese’s 26-story Verdesian rental building, which is also certified Platinum and similarly located in Battery Park City.

More

Riders weigh in on bus changes

Among the 436 pages of proposed changes that the authority has posted on its Web site, Ms. Fischer found one that struck her as sour -- elimination of the 56E Greenfield route, which the agency says is "underutilized and provides very little unique service." . . .The authority will compile the comments, hone a final proposal in July and August and solicit more public input before putting the revised system to a board vote in September or October. Generally, the changes are intended to better focus service where there is demand, not to cut service, said authority spokesman Jim Ritchie.

My Thoughts: Bike lanes are simple but yield dividends

To position Shelby County at the forefront of green transportation, we must have (along with things like improved public transit, less sprawl and more core density) a network of bike lanes that is truly citywide. . .Civic and corporate leaders talk about attracting talent from San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Pittsburgh and Nashville. . .Bike lanes are one of those simple civic investments that yield dividends. Admittedly, they are only one variable in the talent equation (and even in the larger greening, livability and sustainability equation). But at a time when cities are acting to foster the lifestyle that can-do professionals demand, how can Memphis be anything but eager to leverage its every advantage -- every avenue that leads to guaranteed success?

Governor Rendell Announces $76 Million to Create Green Jobs, Sustainable Communities

"Land use and transportation are intrinsically linked," said Judy Schwank, president of 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania, a group which advocates for sustainability and Smart Transportation approaches, including creation of the PCTI program. "How we lay out our roadways and transit infrastructure establishes the types and patterns of development that would likely occur in our communities. At the same time, land use patterns dictate the transportation needs of a place. Simply focusing on the supply side of the equation -- building more and wider roads -- is not an approach we can afford. We need to look at the demand side of our transportation needs and encourage more sustainable land development patterns."

The G-20's coming! The G-20's coming!

Pittsburgh, the statement said, "has demonstrated a commitment to employing new and green technology to further economic recovery and development," and cited the convention center as an example (it's the largest LEED-certified convention center in the world). Mr. Gibbs said the location was also chosen because of Pittsburgh's recovery from the decline of the steel industry in the 1980s.

Group aims to train next generation of black leaders

The new association, which is sponsored fiscally by African-American philanthropic group The Poise Foundation, is meant to serve as a one-stop resource for black professionals looking for guidance and networking opportunities with established professionals in their fields.

Political will and a price on CO2 won't be enough to bring about low-carbon energy sources.

As the world gets closer to a consensus that we need to slash CO2 emissions, a debate is raging over whether we can achieve the required cuts by scaling up existing technologies or whether we need "transformational" scientific breakthroughs...Prospects stink for discovering what we need to discover, especially when you consider that to get the right energy mix in 2050, given how long it takes to capitalize and deploy new technologies, we need breakthroughs soon, not in 2049. Yet despite the pressing need, DOE spent a pitiful $2 billion to $3 billion on nondefense, basic energy R&D last year, less than one fifth what we spent in the 1970s and 1980s. A new report from the Brookings Institution calls for $20 billion to $30 billion a year and—to improve the odds of success—revamping the nation's energy labs, which today are "too far removed from the marketplace to produce the kind of transformational research we need for new energy technologies," says Brookings's Mark Muro. The clock is ticking.

Don't Believe the Climate Bill Doomsayers

The common thread of this chronology is that the industry's resistance to change not only proved groundless, but that higher standards set by government actually stimulated economic growth. Fortunately for America, businesses mired in short-term thinking are becoming fewer. A growing throng of investors and business leaders recognize the grave risks of both the economy and environment, and understand we must rise to test rather than decry its rigors. They recognize the need for a level playing field, common goals throughout the states, and a wider, national effort to remake our society for a clean energy future.

Carbon 'Pedometer' Helps Volvo Cut Commute's Footprint

Using a mobile phone-based software program has enabled a test group of Volvo employees to cut the greenhouse gas emissions of their daily commute by more than 30 percent.

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.”

Ridership no factor in transit-oriented development

The rising property values around transit-oriented developments are likely less about providing access to transit than accommodating demand for higher-density and more urban lifestyles that local zoning codes and development regulations impede. To compete against low-density subdivisions, transit-oriented developments must offer significant non-transportation benefits—walkability, mixed uses, public safety, quality housing, urban parks, etc.—to offset the inherent mobility limits of transit. Pharmacies, grocery stores, hair salons, and other neighborhood residential services need to be provided within walking distance.

Consumers in India, Brazil, and China Are the “Greenest”

On the top ten “greenest” consumers: “the top-scoring consumers of 2009 are in the developing economies of India, Brazil and China. Argentina and South Korea, both new additions to the survey, are virtually tied for fourth, followed by Mexicans, Hungarians and Russians. Ranks ninth through thirteenth, the latter a three-way tie, are all occupied by Europeans, as well as Australians in twelfth. Japanese, U.S. and Canadian consumers again score lowest.”

Transportation challenge: Find ways to keep seniors moving

Creating more livable communities — where shopping, restaurants and services are easily accessible to people who walk, ride bikes or take public transit — is also considered a way to help keep seniors mobile. AARP has made livable communities a priority, Sheridan said. “There’s a real push to try to make our communities more livable so seniors can stay in their homes, get to the beauty parlor, get to the doctor, see the grandkids, without having to get into a car every time to do that,” she said.

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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
Falk Foundation
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