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Events

Local Panelists Announced for Upcoming Energy and Climate Discussion

Register now for this FREE event on July 30

The Summer's Hot Business Topic: A Discussion of Energy Policy and The American Clean Energy and Securities Act
Thursday, July 30
6:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Free
New Hazlett Theater, Allegheny Square E., North Side Pittsburgh
For more information and/or to register visit the C4S web site.

The American Clean Energy and Securities Act commands attention of all industries as it sets a new course for energy and climate policy. The stakes are high as the nation grapples with the transition to a new energy economy.

On July 30, 2009, a group of leaders from regional companies and organizations will discuss multiple facets of energy and climate policy in response to the recent passage of this Act by the U.S. House of Representatives. Moderated by Rob Jones, Sr. Manager, Public Affairs at Dominion Peoples and President & CEO at IngoodCompany LLC, the panel will include:

- Lee Ann Briggs, Regional Environmental Specialist, Duquesne University Small Business Development Center
- William O'Rourke, Vice President for Sustainability and Environment, Health and Safety, Alcoa
- Sharon Pillar, Global Warming Outreach Coordinator, Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future
- Keith Schaefer, Founder, CEO, and President, BPL Global
- Steve Winberg, VP, Research and Development, Consol Energy (invited)

More information

Read a letter to the editor from event panelist William O’Rourke regarding the American Clean Energy and Security Act in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Resources

The Summer's Hot Business Topic: A Discussion of Energy Policy and The American Clean Energy and Securities Act

Thursday, July 30
6:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Free
New Hazlett Theater, Allegheny Square E., North Side Pittsburgh
For more information and/or to register visit the C4S web site.

The American Clean Energy and Securities Act commands attention of all industries as it sets a new course for energy and climate policy. The stakes are high as the nation grapples with the transition to a new energy economy.

On July 30, 2009, a group of leaders from regional companies and organizations will discuss multiple facets of energy and climate policy in response to the recent passage of this Act by the U.S. House of Representatives. Moderated by Rob Jones, Sr. Manager, Public Affairs at Dominion Peoples and President & CEO at IngoodCompany LLC, the panel will include:

- Lee Ann Briggs, Regional Environmental Specialist, Duquesne University Small Business Development Center
- William O'Rourke, Vice President for Sustainability and Environment, Health and Safety, Alcoa
- Sharon Pillar, Global Warming Outreach Coordinator, Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future
- Keith Schaefer, Founder, CEO, and President, BPL Global
- Steve Winberg, VP, Research and Development, Consol Energy (invited)

The event, entitled “The Summer's Hot Business Topic: A Discussion of Energy Policy and The American Clean Energy and Securities Act,” will be hosted by Sustainable Pittsburgh’s Champions for Sustainability network at the New Hazlett Theater from 6pm – 8:30pm and is free to attend.

Panelists will share thoughts following a screening of a taped debate on energy issues (from The Miller Center of Public Affairs National Discussion and Debate Series) featuring:

- Karen Harbert, President and CEO, Institute for 21st Century Energy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
- John Podesta, President, Center for American Progress; former White House Chief of Staff
- Christine Todd Whitman, Co-chair of CASEnergy Coalition; former EPA Administrator; former Governor of New Jersey
- James Woolsey, Venture Partner, VantagePoint Venture Partners; former Director of Central Intelligence Agency

Companies and communities are working hard to reconcile challenging and difficult issues relating to energy policy, and Southwestern Pennsylvania has much at stake in this discussion. This event is intended to help businesses in our region assess the opportunities and challenges emerging from the debate over energy and climate policy.

Hard to Recycle Collection in Washington County

Saturday, July 18
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Steel City Harley Davidson, Rt. 19 and Race Track Road, Washington County
Fees vary
Visit www.prc.org for more information

On Saturday, July 18, area residents can dispose of a wide variety of materials at a “hard to recycle” collection event sponsored by the Pennsylvania Resources Council (PRC) and its campaign partners. Individuals can drop off televisions, e-waste, cell phones, printer/toner cartridges, compact fluorescent bulbs, alkaline batteries and tires without rims for recycling. A new partnership with Global Links will enable area residents to drop off medical equipment and supplies – such as crutches, canes and walkers. Fees are charged for electronics and tires; other items collected at no cost.

Buy Fresh Buy Local Farm Tour

Saturday, July 18
10:00 am until 4:00 pm
Fee: $10 per carload (Proceeds benefit PASA’s work building vibrant, regional food systems.)

The Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) is pleased to host its 3rd annual Buy Fresh Buy Local® Farm Tour in Western Pennsylvania. The Farm Tour presents the opportunity to forge personal connections with local farmers and is suitable for all ages. Tour goers can learn about the origins of healthy foods raised using sustainable practices and how critical local production is to preserving rural and urban landscapes.

This year’s tour includes over 20 farms across Western Pennsylvania, featuring spinning & sheep shearing at Wild Rose Farm, sustainable living at Quiet Creek Herb Farm, goat cheeses & milk at Paradise Farms and Gardens, in-depth tours of Pounds Turkey Farm, pick your own organics and grain milling on antique farm equipment at Morris Farm, pick your own raspberries and blueberries at Soergels and biodynamic growing at Three Sisters Farm. Farms will offer tours, kid-friendly activities, fresh samples, hands-on demonstrations, and some discounts on homegrown products.

An interactive map of participating farms, along with further information, is available online at BuyLocalPa.org and tinyurl.com/farmtour09. On the day of the tour, detailed print maps will be available at each participating farm and in advance at the East End Food Coop or by mail request. Tour goers simply select a route and pay $10 for a day pass at their first farm. The pass gains you access to all the farms on the tour.

Race, Hunger, and Food Insecurity

Tuesday, July 21
8:30 am - 4:00 pm
School of Social Work's Conference Center, 20th floor, Cathedral of Learning, Oakland
Free to attend
Registration required
For more information and to register, visit http://www.crsp.pitt.edu/Institutes.html. As part of its Summer Institutes 2009 series, the Center on Race and Social Problems in the School of Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh will host “Race, Hunger, and Food Insecurity." The Summer Institutes series examines the nature, extent, and patterns of racial and ethnic disparities in hunger and food insecurity-related problems. The sessions feature presentations, Q&A, break-out groups, and panel discussions with national and local experts. It is intended for researchers, educators, administrators, community leaders, policy makers, and practitioners. All sessions qualify for six (6.0) hours of CEUs: LSW, LCSW, LPC, LMFT, NBCC, and Psychology. (Primary and secondary school personnel should contact their district or intermediate unit regarding eligibility for Act 48 credit.)

Photovoltaic (PV) Installer Level 1 training

July 27 – 31, 2009
8:00 am - 4:30 pm (1/2 hour provided for SPI provided lunch)
Tuition: $999 (less than a hundred dollars per module)
Solar Power Industries’ corporate headquarters, Belle Vernon, PA
More information

Solar Power Industries (SPI) is offering this certificated program featuring ten modules that provide classroom and lab training using actual photovoltaic equipment that SPI manufactuerd. SPI is a manufacturer of solar PV in Pennsylvania and recognized by the Pennsylvania Sunshine Grant Program of the Department of Environmental Protection as providing a means of meeting the formal training required to become a solar PV company Qualified Employee (as defined by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection). Topics covered include, but are not limited to: Working Safely with PV, Selecting a System Design; installation, and maintenance. There will also be instruction about renewable energy credits, interconnection requirements, and more.

The Compelling Case for Natural Gas Vehicles (NGV)

Wednesday, August 5
8:30 am – 4:15 pm
Westin Convention Center Hotel, Downtown Pittsburgh
More information
Cost: $50/person (covers materials and meals)

The Compelling Case for Natural Gas Vehicles in Public and Private Fleets - Seminar led by expert Stephe Yborra is coming August 5th to the Westin Convention Center Hotel, Pittsburgh, PA. This comprehensive low-cost one-day educational workshop about vehicles powered by America’s abundant, clean natural gas is designed with your time and budget constraints in mind. The day is packed with informative practical sessions covering technical, economic, and operational topics for public and private fleet operators looking for options in alternative fuel transportation technologies such as natural gas vehicles (NGV).

Breakfast Briefing: Westinghouse and Nuclear Energy - The Reality of the Renaissance

Wednesday, August 5
7:00 am - 9:30 am
One Oxford Center, Downtown Pittsburgh
Cost: $40 Pittsburgh Technology Council Member; $175 Non-Member
Register
More information

Westinghouse President and CEO Aris S. Candris will discuss the nuclear energy renaissance in the context of global environmental and energy policies. Dr. Candris will trace the development of commercial nuclear energy from its roots here in western Pennsylvania to its current status as the nation's largest source of carbon-free electricity. He will also address the need for and benefits of ongoing investment in technology development and process improvement, and how those investments over the last two decades have positioned Westinghouse to lead the ongoing nuclear renaissance.

Wind Energy in our Backyard: Friend or Foe?

Monthly Public Meeting of Allegheny Group Sierra Club
Wednesday, August 12
7:30 pm
Phipps Civic Garden Center, Fifth and Shady Aves, Squirrel Hill
Contact Donald L. Gibbon, dongibbon@earthlink.net, with questions.

What is the role of wind power in PA? Join the Allegheny Group Sierra Club for an informative evening featuring a representative of GAMESA, the large Spanish firm building wind turbines locally in Ebensburg, explaining this company's point of view. This will be followed by Patty DeMarco, PhD, formerly Executive Director of the Power Facilities Evaluation Council of Connecticut dealing with such issues as nuclear power plant safety, energy conservation, and clean fuels technology, also a Commissioner of the Alaska Regulatory Commission, with jurisdiction over all electric, gas, water, refuse utilities and oil and gas pipelines. She is presently head of the Rachel Carson Homestead Association, and she will present a wide-ranging look at comparative impacts of wind and other energy sources. Refreshments provided.

Coro Fellows Social Innovation Fair

Friday, August 14
11:30 am - 2:00 pm
Benedum Center, Studio A, 719 Liberty Ave., Downtown Pittsburgh
To learn more or RSVP, contact Kelsey Halling at khalling@coropittsburgh.org

Providing relevant, scalable ideas for all sectors to solve community problems.

Agenda:
11:30 - 2:00 - Browse table displays from organizations across the city
11:45 - Coro Fellows Presentation, "Social Innovation in Downtown Pittsburgh"
12:25 - Panel Discussion "Strategies for Social Innovation"

Learn from Social Innovators About:
- developing a new product or service that is socially innovative.
- changing internal operations to decrease expenses and provide social benefit.
- transforming your programs and services to achieve your mission.
- creating a new business model that is profitable and solves a social problem.

Running For Public Office FALL 2009

Beginning September 24, 2009
12 consecutive Thursday sessions from 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm
Cost: $150 upon acceptance into the program
For more information and to apply, click here.

Running for Public Office is an experiential learning program of the Coro Center for Civic Leadership. Standing for election to a public office is an important form of civic engagement and one of the highest forms of public service. The vision of Running for Public Office is to strengthen citizen participation in public elections and to increase the diversity and level of preparation of candidates running for office in Greater Pittsburgh.

Seminars include:
1. Getting prepared for Running for Public Office
2. Creating a Learning Environment for your Team
3. Building your campaign team: The “Kitchen Cabinet”
4. Research and Message Development
5. The Budget
6. Fundraising
7. Paid and Earned Media
8. Targeting
9. Direct Contact with Voters
10. Recruiting and Engaging Volunteers
11. Get-Out-The-Vote
12. Election Day

Third Annual Rachel Carson Legacy Conference
When Chemicals Disrupt: Managing Our Risks

Friday, September 25
8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Bidwell Training Center, 1815 Metropollitan Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15233
Tickets: $90
Pre-registration and pre-payment is required.
More information

Featuring leaders of national and state government, academic institutions, environmental and social justice advocy organizations and medical science, the conference will address the dichotomy between critical protection of the environment (and our bodies and those of the next generations) from endocrine disrupting contaminants and the unbridled economic interest of those who produce substances which directly or indirectly act as endocrine or developmental disruptors.

Bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates and other such synthetic compounds known as endocrine disruptors are chemicals that disrupt the endocrine system. They are used widely in agriculture, industry and consumer products. They fool the body into over-production or under-production of natural hormones. They have been linked to feminization of fish, hermophrodization in frogs, and there is a growing body of scientific evidence that links endocrine disruptors to obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes in humans. Other research has shown that male sperm count is dropping and that genital abnormalities in newborn boys are increasing.

This Rachel Carson Legacy Conference will look at the serious and urgent topic of endocrine disruptors in three parts: Policy, Science and Remedies.

Resources

Sustainable Community Essentials Resource Sheets available online

Toward cultivating greater capacity for sustainable practice around Southwestern Pennsylvania, the Sustainable Community Development Network of Sustainable Pittsburgh partnered with leading organizations to produce a new series of Sustainable Community Essentials Resource Sheets and a Rapid Assessment for communities. These resource sheets identify 14 essentials of a sustainable community - from Air Quality to Food Security to Governance - and provide an explanation of each topic and case studies – a perfect tool for community leaders to use as they work to improve their neighborhoods.

Transportation for America: Join in support of CLEAN TEA legislation

With the recent schedule changes for both the transportation bill and climate change bill, the public has been given a great campaign opportunity. There is now more time to garner the support of legislators and push for real transportation reform. T4American is working to connect transportation policy with climate change and is consequently calling its partners to support the CLEAN TEA legislation, which will create a more sustainable transportation future.

More

Workshop Request for Proposals (RFP) - Three Rivers Bioneers Conference

Are you doing something innovative that you would like to share with the Three Rivers community? Or maybe it's not particularly new, but you are doing it successfully and would like to pass on the model to others? Submit a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a workshop at the Three Rivers Bioneers conference, which is scheduled for October 16-18, 2009. Deadline for submission is July 24. The mission of the Three Rivers Bioneers is to foster a local movement of citizens and organizations who strive to cultivate sustainable communities in the Three Rivers Bioregion through actions revolving around social justice, ecological health, and innovative solutions.

Don't Fear the 'Dozer

Opinions are flying in the debate over whether or not ailing cities like Detroit should bulldoze their empty neighborhoods. John Kromer of the Fels Institute of Government adds a rational note with this op-ed, explaining what The Flint Model for shrinking cities actually entails.

Losing Altoona

The closing of these stores in the downtown district isn't something unique to Altoona-- many towns have experienced a similar fate. What does seem to be more unique is the aggressiveness with which the city takes aim at demolishing un-used buildings, making reuse and any sort of revival difficult and unlikely. It's these gaps between buildings that will prevent downtown Altoona from ever becoming an inviting, walkable district.

120 Days into the Stimulus: How Does Your State Stack Up?

Within the $787 billion stimulus bill that became law in February, Congress provided states and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) with $26.6 billion in flexible funds for transportation projects. The first half of the funding was to be committed within 120 days, by Monday, June 29th. Smart Growth America, in conjunction with state coalition partners, released a report on the 120-day mark detailing how well each state is handling its transportation stimulus money. Are the projects creating jobs while making smart investments in transportation? How transparent and accountable are the funding choices? Are the states making progress on their pressing transportation needs?

Cities Lose Out on Road Funds From Federal Stimulus

“If we’re trying to recover the nation’s economy, we should be focusing where the economy is, which is in these large areas,” said Robert Puentes, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program, which advocates more targeted spending. “But states take this peanut-butter approach, taking the dollars and spreading them around very thinly, rather than taking the dollars and concentrating them where the most complex transportation problems are.” . . . “We have a long history of shortchanging cities and metropolitan areas and allocating transportation money to places where few people live,” said Owen D. Gutfreund, an assistant professor of urban planning at the City University of New York who wrote “20th Century Sprawl: Highways and the Reshaping of the American Landscape” (Oxford University Press, 2004).

Victory for climate-friendly transportation

Thanks to the advocacy of the GreenCityBlueLake Institute in recent months, regional plans in Northeast Ohio will be changed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation. This is very important because the transportation sector is responsible for 28% of the region’s carbon dioxide emissions that are heating up the planet.

Mt. Washington aims to rename, revitalize city's newest regional park

The park is currently being promoted in a five-episode short film series that's screening at Cinema in the Park and online, and is the subject of a "Name that Park!" competition through VisitPittsburgh. The contest ends in August, and a new name will be released this fall.

News Analysis: Study Says Human Costs Outweigh Benefits of Coal Mining In Appalachia

For the last year, a researcher with West Virginia University's Department of Community Medicine has been working on an analysis to show the costs and benefits of mining in Appalachian coalfield counties. The study concludes that coal mining costs these areas more in human health than the benefits it provides. The Allegheny Front's news analyst, Ann Murray, joins host Matthew Craig to talk about this new research.

Green-Collar Graduations Show the Promise of Stimulus Funds

Aware of the magnitude of the situation, Kirsch acknowledges that the first graduating class is only a small step in creating viable economic opportunities for low-income communities that often suffer the effects of pollution and have the highest unemployment rates. A program like Oakland's needs to be brought to a national scale, she said. "It's great that 40 people are trained, but there are 10,000 unemployed people in Oakland," Kirsch said. "[The graduation is] an opportunity to celebrate but, also is an opportunity to say we there is a lot we need to do," which is why the Ella Baker Center is so lucky to have Green For All at national level to influence policy, she said.

IBM and Cisco to Help Amsterdam Become a 'Smart City'

The Smart City pilot project will serve as a testing ground to prove that smart grid technologies can better manage energy use and transmission while also reducing electricity outages and congestion. A slew of small-scale projects target four areas: working, living, mobility and public space. . . Amsterdam, the largest city in The Netherlands, has set a goal of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2025. It hopes through the pilot project with Cisco and IBM will help residents reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions by 14 percent or more.

Walmart's Sustainability Index: The Hype and the Reality

Walmart has just unveiled its new Sustainability Index, a project that's been in the works for more than a year, but which is -- finally, after much anticipation and more than a little handwringing by industry, activists, and others -- part of the public discourse. The advance stories over the past few days have been amped up to the point of breathlessness, involving adjectives like "huge" (perhaps) and "audacious" (probably), with one story suggesting the Index will "shake the world" (um, no comment). Such hyperbole is understandable: any green commitment that Walmart makes is potentially a big deal. But now that reality has hit, it's time to take a more sober assessment of what's really going on here.

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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
UPMC


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