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Events

How would you spend $100 million for sustainable regional planning?

Sign up to attend this free session

Wednesday, August 4
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Regional Enterprise Tower, O’Neill Room, 23rd floor, 425 Sixth Ave., downtown Pittsburgh
Bring a bag lunch. Beverages provided.
No fee to attend.
RSVP (412) 237-3171

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development has announced opening of a $100 million sustainable regional planning grant program. According to the International City Management Association, “the regional planning grants will be awarded competitively to multi-jurisdictional and multi-sector partnerships, as well as regional consortia consisting of state and local governments, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and philanthropic organizations.”

How is southwestern Pennsylvania poised to take advantage of this opportunity and accelerate this region’s adoption of sustainability as a lens for making decisions, forming policies, and evaluating programs? Attend this lunchtime discussion to learn more about the grant program, of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission’s plans to submit the region's application (due August 23), and how and when you can get involved.

Presented by the Sustainable Development Academy of the Local Government Academy and Sustainable Pittsburgh

More

Resources

Green Chemistry Roundtable #3: Showcasing the Achievable to Inspire the Possible: Successful Products and Processes

Thursday, July 29
8:00 am - 10:30 am
Regional Enterprise Tower, 31st Floor, downtown Pittsburgh
Registration Fee: $30.00
More information

This third event in a four-part series highlights the achievable to inspire the possible. Representatives from leading companies will discuss their experiences in embracing Green Chemistry (products that reduce toxicity) and Clean Energy as part of business development. Learn what motivated these companies to capitalize on “green” as a strategy for business and the challenges they faced with moving in this direction. Find out the benefits of selling environmentally friendly products/services, where to seek funding support, and how quick such a process could be. Don't miss out on hearing some of the wisdom that they share about making their achievements possible.

This 2010 roundtable series is possible through a collaboration between the Rachel Carson Homestead Association and Champions for Sustainability, a program of Sustainable Pittsburgh. The first roundtable in January highlighted the inspiration for products and processes that are compatible with natural systems. The second roundtable in March focused on a debate over policies pertaining to the impacts of what is made for the world's markets and consumers.

Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant Program — Southwestern Pennsylvania’s Response

Wednesday, August 4
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Regional Enterprise Tower, O’Neill Room, 23rd floor, 425 Sixth Ave., downtown Pittsburgh
Bring a bag lunch. Beverages provided.
No fee to attend.
RSVP (412) 237-3171
Presented by the Sustainable Development Academy of the Local Government Academy and Sustainable Pittsburgh

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development has announced opening of a $100 million sustainable regional planning grant program. According to the International City Management Association, “the regional planning grants will be awarded competitively to multi-jurisdictional and multi-sector partnerships, as well as regional consortia consisting of state and local governments, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and philanthropic organizations.”

How is southwestern Pennsylvania poised to take advantage of this opportunity and accelerate this region’s adoption of sustainability as a lens for making decisions, forming policies, and evaluating programs? Attend this lunchtime discussion to learn more about the grant program, of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission’s plans to submit the region's application (due August 23), and how and when you can get involved.

Featured will be a presentation by Lew Villotti, SPC Director of Planning and Development who will explain SPC's building on the progress made in its award-winning Project Region outreach process for the Region's Plan as it responds to the HUD grant program on behalf of the all of southwestern PA. The HUD Regional Planning Grant brings high stakes for positioning our region competitively for future projects and funding in step with the Obama administration's Interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities.

Don’t miss this free event hosted by Local Government Academy and Sustainable Pittsburgh as part of its ongoing Sustainable Development Academy series.

REGISTER NOW - Regional Water Conference: Protecting and Using our Greatest Asset

Thursday, September 9
7:30 am – 3:30 pm (Breakfast and lunch provided)
Regional Learning Alliance at Cranberry Woods, 850 Cranberry Woods Drive, Cranberry
Cost: $110 for ASCE, EWRI, or C4S members | $130 nonmembers | $50 students
Register by September 2, 2010 and save $20!
More information

This conference highlights ways in which our region leads in the management of water and how we are using our greatest asset. The event is intended for professionals seeking to learn about practical solutions as well as engineering practitioners looking to understand what is on the minds of community leaders relating to sustainability and clean water. This conference builds on the conversation launched during the Water Matters! Conference held in June 2010 as part of the Pittsburgh region’s World Environment Day 2010 celebration.

Topics to be covered:
- Our Region’s Water Advantages – Why Pittsburgh?
- Marcellus Shale Mining Impacts and Solutions
- Early Warning Detection Systems for Water Protection
- The Future of Water Quality Regulations and Solutions
- The Water Consortium Initiative in Southwest PA
- Innovative Solutions to Clean Water
The conference will also feature a panel to discuss what engineering and policy practitioners believe to be the most important water-related issues for our region in order to ensure that the right responses to water demand are addressed.

Presented by: American Society of Civil Engineers, Pittsburgh Section; Environmental & Water Resources Institute; and Champions for Sustainability, a program of Sustainable Pittsburgh

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Public Forum - SAVE THE DATE

Monday, September 20
8:00 am – 4:00 pm
Duquesne University - Power Center Ballroom, 1015 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA
No fee to attend.
Registration information will be provided in a future edition 3-E Links

A new on-street BRT service is under consideration in Allegheny County to offer faster, more reliable, and easier to understand transit service. The initial focus is to link Downtown Pittsburgh with Oakland and other East End neighborhoods. As has been realized in other cities, “Rapid Bus” service improves transportation and is an effective catalyst for community revitalization. Implementation of BRT in Pittsburgh’s East End could result in similar benefits for the Forbes and Fifth Avenues Corridor. Before us is a golden opportunity to envision and design the service, facilities and economic development that leaders and citizens want for their neighborhoods.

This forum, focused on Pittsburgh’s Downtown – Oakland – East End area, will feature planning, development, and transportation professionals with BRT experience along with elected officials and transit stakeholders from our community. Breakout sessions will facilitate discussion of BRT benefits, challenges and community development issues.

Pittsburgh BRT Forum Collaborators (as of July 14, 2010):
Allegheny Conference on Community Development
Allegheny County Department of Economic Development
Allegheny County Transportation Action Partnership
Bike Pittsburgh
City of Pittsburgh - Department of City Planning
Hill House Development Corporation
National Bus Rapid Transit Institute
Oakland Planning & Development Corp.
Oakland Transportation Management Association
Oakland Task Force
Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group
Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership
Pittsburgh Partnership for Neighborhood Development
Port Authority of Allegheny County
Remaking Cities Institute
Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission
Sustainable Pittsburgh
Traffic21
UPMC
Uptown Partners

REGISTER NOW - 10th Annual Southwestern PA Smart Growth Conference:
Regional Collaboration: Investing in Sustainable Communities

Friday, October 15
8:30 am - 4:30 pm
David L. Lawrence Convention Center, downtown Pittsburgh
Lunch provided.
Early registration: $25; After 9/23: $45. Free for elected officials.
REGISTER NOW
For exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities contact: cgould@sustainablepittsburgh.org

For this 10th anniversary, the conference will be a milestone for the high stakes surrounding the region's capacity building for smart growth. Focus will be on alignment with the Obama Administration's Interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities (comprising federal DOT, EPA, and HUD) in supporting integration of housing, transportation, water infrastructure, energy conservation, and land use planning and investment. As such, this one-day, conference will identify barriers and solutions to cross-jurisdictional coordination for regional smart growth and sustainable community development policy and implementation. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan hit home the need and opportunity of our times in recently stating, "Our challenge now is to bring that holistic view of community development into the mainstream -- to help build sustainable neighborhoods, communities and regions that are as interconnected as the challenges they face."

The conference will again serve as a public input session to the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission's process of updating the region's Long Range Transportation and Development Plan. This update will be distinguished by addition of enhancements appropriate to a regional sustainable development plan per the six "Livability Principles" prioritized by the federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities.

The conference will feature:
- NEW: Mariia Zimmerman, Deputy Director, HUD Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities
- Representatives of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Department of Transportation, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will discuss the U.S. government's interagency partnership to support and promote sustainable communities.
- Keynote address by Peter Calthorpe, Principle, Calthorpe Associates - Urban Designers, Planners, Architects
- Allen Biehler, Secretary of PA Department of Transportation
- John Hanger, Secretary of PA Department of Environmental Protection
- SPC public process per the region's sustainable development plan
- Formal presentation of competition results – “14 Essential Tipping Points for SWPA Sustainable Community Development" (web site soon)
- NEW: Launch of the online Sustainable Community Essentials Rapid Assessment
- Learn what federal and state agencies are looking for in capacity and qualification for sustainable community investment
- Identification of actionable steps whose implementation will position our region to accelerate sustainable development and be a priority place for investment

Southwestern PA is a contemporary proving ground for hastening the new American dream found in revitalizing livable, sustainable communities through smart growth policies that discourage sprawl, congestion and pollution. Come be part of continuing the region's sustainability renaissance for economically competitive, environmentally sustainable, opportunity rich communities. More than a one-time event, the conference will be a point of acceleration and innovation for the region's positive path.

Peter Calthorpe has been named one of twenty-five "innovators on the cutting edge" by Newsweek Magazine for his work redefining the models of urban and suburban growth in America. Starting practice in 1976, he has a long and honored career in urban design, planning and architecture, combining his experience in each discipline to develop new approaches to urban revitalization, suburban growth, and regional planning. His early published work included technical papers, articles for popular magazines, and a number of seminal books, including Sustainable Communities with Sim Van der Ryn, and the Pedestrian Pocket Book with Doug Kelbaugh. The Next American Metropolis: Ecology, Community, and the American Dream, published in 1993, introduced the concept of Transit Oriented Development (TOD) and provided extensive guidelines and illustrations of their board application. His latest book with William Fulton, The Regional City: Planning for the End of Sprawl, explains how regional-scale planning and design can integrate urban revitalization and suburban renewal into a coherent vision of metropolitan growth.

Presented by Sustainable Pittsburgh's Sustainable Community Development Network in collaboration with: 3 Rivers Wet Weather, 10,000 Friends of PA, Allegheny Conference on Community Development, Community Design Center of Pittsburgh, Green Building Alliance, Group Against Smog and Pollution, Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania, Local Government Academy, Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network, Pittsburgh Partnership for Neighborhood Development, Pennsylvania Association of Sustainable Agriculture, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation District 10, District 11, and District 12, Pennsylvania Resources Council, Remaking Cities Institute, Smart Growth Partnership of Westmorland County, Southwest Chapter of the Pennsylvania Planners Association, Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development - Pittsburgh, Young Preservationists Association

Public Input Sought on Proposals to Strengthen Oil and Gas Well Protections Statewide Meetings Planned

Thursday, July 22 and Monday, July 26
7:00 pm
Department of Environmental Protection, Waterfront Conference Room A & B, 400 Waterfront Drive, Pittsburgh
More information

The Environmental Quality Board is inviting the public to comment on proposed regulatory changes that will substantially improve the safety of oil and gas wells across Pennsylvania and protect the state’s water resources from contamination.

The proposed rules would amend state regulations for casing and cementing wells. The Department of Environmental Protection proposed the rule changes to strengthen construction standards for oil and gas wells. A properly cased and cemented well is critical to keeping gas, oil and other fluids contained inside the well bore and away from fresh groundwater.

The more rigorous standards are intended to prevent gas from migrating from a well, where it could contaminate a water supply or possibly enter a home and reach combustible levels. Among the new standards would be requirements for pressure-testing those casings used in Marcellus Shale wells, for using oilfield-grade cement, and for using blowout preventers.

The new regulations will also require well operators to inspect all existing wells quarterly to ensure each is structurally sound, and report the results of these inspections to DEP. The amendments would also clearly define a drilling company’s responsibility for responding to gas migration issues.

The public comment period will remain open through Monday, Aug. 9.

Have your voice heard: P32 Community Conversation meetings scheduled

Homestead
Tuesday, July 27
6:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Pump House, 880 E. Waterfront Drive, Munhall
RSVP - Homestead

Friendship/ Highland Park/ East Liberty
Thursday, August 5
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Union Project, 801 North Negley Avenue, Pittsburgh 15206
RSVP - East Liberty & Friendship

North Side
Monday, August 9
6:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Penn Brewery, 800 Vinial Street Ratskeller Party Room, Pittsburgh 15212
RSVP - North Side

Hill District
Wednesday, August 11
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Hill House, 1835 Centre Avenue, Conference Room A, Pittsburgh 15219
RSVP - Hill District

The Young Preservationists Association of Pittsburgh, in partnership with the Power of 32, a regional visioning project taking place across Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, and West Virginia, invites you and your staff to join them in participating in one of the above community conversations. These conversations will help develop a long-term vision for the region and participation is vital to its success. More information is available at www.powerof32.org.

Reducing Pollution from Diesel Engines in Pittsburgh
Yesterday, Today and for the Future 

Wednesday, July 28
10:30 am - Media Event
1:00pm - 5:00 pm - Symposium
Locations:
Media Event - RiverQuest Dock Aboard The Explorer, One Allegheny Avenue, North Shore
Symposium - DEP Southwest Regional Office 400 Waterfront Drive, Herr's Island
Contact: (Event and Media) Rachel Filippini, Group Against Smog and Pollution, (412)325-7382, gasp@gasp-pgh.org or (Event) Bill Jones, EPA, (215) 814-2023, Jones.Bill@epamail.epa.gov
Flyer and Agenda

Media Event – Join representatives from EPA Region 3, the Port of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County Health Department, Group Against Smog and Pollution, Clean Water Action and others for the announcement of the $1,156,838 Port of Pittsburgh Grant to clean up towing vessels.

Diesel Symposium – Participate with a diverse group of stakeholders to gain insights and perspective on the past, present and future progress of the Pittsburgh effort to reduce diesel emissions; learn about projects taking place right here in Pittsburgh; and help address current needs in the area to reduce diesel emission.

Community meeting - Electronic Advertising and Message Signage

Wednesday, August 4
6:00 pm
John P. Robin Civic Building, First floor conference room, 200 Ross Street, downtown Pittsburgh
To find relevant documents and for more information on this issue, visit the Department of City Planning’s website, under the “Electronic Advertising and Message Signage” heading.

Illuminated signs and billboards have been a part of city skylines for decades. But in recent years, new technology has created many new types of moving, flashing and color-changing electronic signs that were previously not possible. With new LED technology, these signs can often be seen for miles.

As Pittsburgh residents and business owners, how do we use electronic signage and take advantage of new lighting technologies while still protecting our city’s famous scenic vistas, controlling light pollution and maintaining motorist safety? New legislation is being developed to bring the zoning code up-to-date with the new technology.

You're invited to this community meeting with the Department of City Planning, along with legal expert Chris Duerksen of Clarion Associates and lighting expert Nancy Clanton of Clanton & Associates, Inc. They will explain the draft legislation for electronic signage and hear your opinion on how to proceed. Your participation is crucial in creating an informed plan for electronic signage. Come prepared to discuss your thoughts on how new signage is changing the face of Pittsburgh!

Human Health and the Environment Workshop

Wednesday, August 4
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Ohio Township Municipal Park, 325 Nicholson Road, Sewickley
Cost: $20 per person (all participants receive a comprehensive green cleaning kit for attending)
Contact: Sarah Alessio Shea at saraha@ccicenter.org or by calling (412) 488-7490 ext. 236

In 1962 Rachel Carson stated that for the first time in the history of the world, every human being is now subjected to contact with dangerous chemicals, from the moment of conception until death. This statement was true then and continues to be true today.

The Health and the Environment Workshop is designed to heighten awareness and encourage action around the issue of carcinogens and toxins that individuals come into contact with daily through the products used and food eaten. The workshop also focuses on the consequences of these toxins on health and how to avoid exposure. The program provides the public with practical solutions such as safe alternatives and healthy lifestyle choices. A second workshop is scheduled for Wednesday, August 11 at the CCI Center on the South Side.

Presented by the Pennsylvania Resources Council in partnership with UPCI Center for Environmental Oncology.

Sprout Fund Spring Program: Attend the 2010 Biodiversity Symposium

Monday, August 9
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm (registration starts at 2:30 pm)
Cabaret at Theater Square, 655 Penn Avenue, downtown Pittsburgh
Free; registration is required
More information

The Spring Program is a funding stream designed to catalyze biodiversity projects in Southwestern Pennsylvania with small grants of up to $20,000. Supported by The Pittsburgh Foundation and led by The Sprout Fund, the program seeks to support projects that enhance and preserve our region’s natural ecosystems. To learn more about biodiversity and the Spring Program, please plan to attend the 2010 Biodiversity Symposium at the Cabaret at Theater Square in Downtown Pittsburgh. The symposium will explore current topics and trends, promote a better understanding of local biodiversity, and plant the seeds for potential collaborations among regional stakeholders. From conservationists and ecologists to botanists and beekeepers, this gathering will provide an opportunity for all environmental advocates to brainstorm ways to protect and enhance the biodiversity of Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Spring funding awards will catalyze community-based projects that creatively address the ecological challenges faced and inspire greater stewardship of this region’s natural resources. Deadline is September 24, 2010. Get involved and submit your idea at www.sproutfund.org/spring.

How to Market Green Building Products: Greenwash or Green Products?

Two-part webinar course
Wednesday, August 11 and Wednesday, August 18
2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Contact: Rob Zahorchak at robz@gbapgh.org
More information

This course is for building product manufacturers and distributors who are just entering or seeking to enter the green building marketplace. Company sales representatives, marketing professionals and company leaders are all welcome!

This training focuses on:
• Understanding the green building market
• Greenwashing
• U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED® ) Building Rating System
• Ways in which your products can be counted towards points within LEED

Allegheny Green and Innovation Festival

Saturday, August 14
11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Hartwood Ampitheater
Press release

Come to the Allegheny Green & Innovation Festival and learn about sustainable living and innovation in all forms. This zero-waste event will include earth-friendly food & product vendors, crafters, green living demonstrations, musical entertainment, children’s activities & much more! Any organization or individual interested in providing a demonstration or exhibit should send an e-mail to greenfestival@alleghenycounty.us. There is no fee for vendors, but the focus is on green living, sustainability, and innovation. All exhibits should be informative and engaging.

4th Annual Rachel's Sustainable Feast

Sunday, August 29
Noon - 5:00 pm
Rachel Carson Bridge (9th Street Bridge), downtown Pittsburgh
Early bird Ticket: $7 by July 31
Kids 5 and under are free
For sponsorship information, please contact Fiona Fisher at fiona@rachelcarsonhomestead.org or 724 274-5459

Come see the best of the region's hottest chefs who support local sustainable farmers, favorite local farmers' who grow sustainably, friends who are eco-friendly vendors, and groups who work to protect our land, water and air, and more ways to learn about sustainable living in one of this country's fastest-growing green marketplaces - southwestern Pennsylvania!

Among those chefs in attendance will be Kevin Sousa of Salt of the Earth, Keith Fuller of SixPenn Kitchen, Steve Salvi of Fede Pasta, Penn's Corner Farm Alliance, Sonoma Grille and/or Seviche, and Bill Fuller of the big Burrito Restaurant Group. More updates to come.

Resources

Sustainable Communities: Live Event with HUD, DOT and EPA Leadership

Whitehouse.gov held a live online event regarding sustainable communities on July 15th. All of the questions were submitted and chosen by Planetizen readers. The Partnership for Sustainable Communities is a collaboration between the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the U. S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help improve access to affordable housing, increase transportation options, and lower transportation costs while protecting the environment in communities nationwide. Speakers included:
- Shelley Poticha, Director for the Office of Sustainable Housing at HUD
- Beth Osborne, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy at DOT
- Tim Torma, Deputy Director of the Office of Sustainable Communities at the Environmental Protection Agency
And moderated by Derek Douglas, Special Assistant to the President on Urban Policy at the White House.


NOTE: Join Sustainable Pittsburgh's Sustainable Community Development Network in partnership with 23 organizations in discussing these issues and more at the 10th annual Smart Growth Conference on October 15!

Input for OPENSPACE PLAN Requested

Do you love Pittsburgh's parks and open spaces and are you interested in helping to create a vision for Pittsburgh? Voice your opinion! The City of Pittsburgh Department of City Planning is beginning the process to create an Open Space, Parks, and Recreation Plan. This will be the first component of PLANPGH, the City's Comprehensive Plan that will guide Pittsburgh for the next 25 years. Park and open space users are encouraged to participate in one of two surveys, one for adults and one for youth, that will be used to make informed decisions about future vacant land, open space, parks, and recreation efforts. The survey link is in the middle of the page - look for OPENSPACE Adult Survey and OPENSPACE Youth Survey.

Pittsburgh Foundation sees new direction away from city-county consolidation

A sample of 300 residents, chosen to reflect the county's demographic and partisan makeup, will be a centerpiece of an effort spearheaded by The Pittsburgh Foundation to get governmental cooperation moving, officials said Friday. The effort is not meant to replace a stalled, 27-month-old push to merge the county with the city of Pittsburgh but is in part a recognition that other avenues may be more productive. . . Instead, the residents will be recruited, educated on the structure of policing in the county, brought together for a Sept. 25 brainstorming session, paid $50 -- and then, maybe, heeded by local leaders. Their thoughts, along with the findings of a phone poll and input to a Web site, will be the three legs of an effort called Allegheny Forum. Findings will be presented to local leaders around year's end.

In a New Decade, During a New Recession, Cities are Going Back to Public Transit

The potential causality between previous automobile-centric development patterns and the economic crash will be a topic of discussion for scholars, politicians, and interest groups for decades to come, but the connection between the economy and public infrastructure development is clear in one way: Just in time for a global economic meltdown that created a call for massive investments of public capital, including public transit spending, a growing consensus has settled in among civic leaders, developers, and designers that cities and towns are more sustainable and stronger economically with mass transit.

Beneath the Surface: A Survey of Environmental Risks from Shale Gas Development

A new independent assessment by the Worldwatch Institute concludes that improved adherence to drilling best practice and better regulatory oversight are essential to assure environmental and public protection as shale gas production continues to expand.

Ireland Institute of Pittsburgh Hosting Graduate Engineers Through Sustainable Leadership Initiative

The Northern Ireland government and academic leaders, aware of the rich and diverse sustainable technology sector of Pittsburgh, have asked the Ireland Institute to identify and solicit local companies, public agencies and non-profit organizations to offer internships to qualified graduates. Internships have been established in various companies and organizations, including Chester Engineers, E-Cap Network, ALCOSAN, and Venture Engineering.

More

'Going green' hot idea in construction, but trickle-down effect has been slow

Green is arguably the hottest color in building construction. The more green-minded certifications a building has, the better its street credit. Yet, as the green revolution ramps up the front end of the building process, with more construction and architecture firms jumping on the bandwagon, it has yet to domino fully through related areas, such as real estate marketing, appraisals, mortgages and the buyers themselves.

World simmers in hottest year so far

The world is enduring the hottest year on record, according to a U.S. national weather analysis, causing droughts worldwide and a concern for U.S. farmers counting on another bumper year.

This week on the Allegheny Front

This week on The Allegheny Front, we look at the way decade-old watershed groups are growing. We learn more about The Carnegie Museum's consideration of gas drilling in a nature reserve. And check out ChargeCar--a garage to help people convert their cars into electric engines. Our series on children and nature continues as AF host Jennifer Szweda Jordan reminisces with her dad, and a Pittsburgh high school sophomore discusses how video games have drawn him, and his peers, indoors. Plus, news on telecommuting, how dirt may change our mood, and misconceptions about organic food labels.

Obama orders federal workplaces to cut emissions, improve safety

Two White House memos issued this week aim to reduce the federal government's environmental footprint and cut the number of workers' compensation claims made by federal employees. . . The federal government owns 600,000 vehicles, almost 500,000 buildings and paid $24.5 billion on utility and fuel bills in fiscal 2008, making it the nation's largest energy consumer.

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 ($1,000 and up) in 2010 from:

Allegheny County - Dan Onorato, County Executive
Atkins Family Foundation
BNY Mellon
Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation
Dollar Bank
Elsie H. Hillman Foundation
FedEx Ground
Port Authority of Allegheny County
Richard King Mellon Foundation
The Heinz Endowments
UPMC
Waste Management


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