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Events

Announcing the launch of:

Champions for Sustainability

a network for sustainable business and community solutions

Be a part of the birth of Southwestern Pennsylvania’s next regional business and community renaissance

Save the date - Inaugural event!

"The Practice of Sustainability: Translating Vision into Action"
Thursday, December 6
8:30am – 2:00pm
Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens Conferencing Center

Because of Southwestern Pennsylvania’s emergence as a world wide hotspot for advancements and innovations in sustainability policy and practice, Sustainable Pittsburgh has launched Champions for Sustainability (C4S). C4S brings together a new network of entrepreneurs, companies large and small from many different industries, community leaders, university researchers, educators, and other social ventures.

The Practice of Sustainability: Translating Vision into Action is an intense, triple bottom line-focused, half-day event to help business and community leaders determine ways to accelerate sustainable solutions. This event is the first in a series of “how to” networking opportunities presented by C4S.

Event Overview
- Featured Keynote by Albin Kälin, Chief Executive Officer for Management, EPEA, Hamburg, Germany: “Cradle to Cradle Design and Business Structures”
- Panelists from Western Pennsylvania’s Business Community will share their experiences of how they are translating ideas about sustainability into action.

Stay tuned for more details about C4S, its inaugural event, and registration information.

Resources

Beechview Greenway Cleanup

Saturday, November 3
9:00am - 12:00pm
Meet at Vanucci Field Parking lot at the end of Orangewood (Beechview)
Lunch, refreshments, and equipment provided
Contact: Mary Wilson or Myrna Newman at Allegheny CleanWays at 412.381.1301.
Details

Allegheny CleanWays, a local non-profit that engages and empowers people to eliminate illegal dumping and litter in Allegheny County, is hosting a cleanup of the western portion of the Beechview-Seldom Seen Greenway near Route 51. Volunteers are needed to help remove dozens of tires, litter and other debris that has been discarded into the greenway near Vanucci Park. Funding for this project was provided through the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation, Community Conservation Partnerships Program. The Beechview-Seldom Seen Greenway encompasses 90 acres of wooded hillside and valleys. Greenways are consolidated lots of publicly owned parcels that are stewarded by community groups and managed as open space.

STEP IT UP: Save the Penguins from Global Warming Rally

Saturday, November 3
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Allegheny Commons West (Near National Aviary) North Side
Details

This event is a bipartisan gathering to meet with elected officials and candidates for office to share views and concerns about the environment. Participants are asked to meet at the Statue of George Washington near the entrance to the National Aviary in West Park on Pittsburgh's North Side. Meeting at the Statue of George Washington emphasizes the historical significance of George Washington as a leader. What would the original "George W" have done about global warming? Additionally, the group is tying in the proximity to the National Aviary with the impact global warming has on penguins as well as other birds and wildlife. There may be a guest appearance from one of the South African Penguins with one of the trainers from the Aviary.

What is Sensible in US Energy Policy: Conservation, Renewables, and Carbon Capture

Monday, November 5
7:00pm
Penn Brewery
www.cafescipgh.org

Even though the English historian Thomas Carlyle long ago called economics the "dismal science," there will be nothing dismal about Cafe Scientifique's next event! Dr. Lester Lave, Professor of Economics, Carnegie Mellon University; Director, Carnegie Mellon Green Design Initiative; Co-Director, Carnegie Mellon Electricity Industry Center, will provide his unique perspective on energy from an economic and technological point of view. He will discuss the current US energy policy and the role that conservation and renewables might play, as well as the benefits and risks of using carbon capture and sequestration to allow the continued use of fossil fuels. Rumor has it that he's a fantastic speaker also, so everyone is in for a lively and informative discussion of one the biggest challenges faced on this planet--the energy future.

The State of Black Pittsburgh Opportunity Fair & Town Hall Meeting

Wednesday, November 7
Carnegie Mellon University
For more information, call the Urban League of Pittsburgh at 412-227-4229.

Keynote given by Esther L. Bush. Chris Moore, Moderator, with panelists: Damon Carr, Dr. Marcia Sturdivant-Anderson, Odell Richardson and others. Opportunity fair begins at 2:30pm.

2007 Taxation Update

Thursday, November 8
8:30am - 11:30am (8:00am registration & continental breakfast)
Regional Learning Alliance, 850 Cranberry Woods Drive, Cranberry Township
Cost: $35 per person
This program is being offered FREE of charge to all officials and employees of Act 47 municipalities through the support of the DCED Governor's Center for Local Government Services.
Details

The 2007 Taxation Update will focus on a number of current issues facing local communities. Changes to the EMST have led to the enactment of the Local Services Tax effective January 1, 2008. A number of procedural and implementation issues exist. Attendees will be alerted to the new requirements and advised on how respond or get additional assistance. House Bill 1550 proposes to change the collection of EIT to a county-wide system. A discussion of policy and administrative issues will be presented. Speakers include Michael Foreman, DCED Governor's Center for Local Government Services, Deborah Grass, DCED Governor's Center for Local Government Services, and Peter Havern, Assistant County Manager, Allegheny County. 3 CPE credits are available this session.

4th Annual Regional Equitable Development Summit: "Most Livable Region By Growing Opportunity for All"

Friday, November 16
8:30am - 12:30pm (8:00am - Registration and Continental Breakfast)
Twentieth Century Club, 4201 Bigelow Blvd., Oakland
Keynote: David Rusk, author of Cities without Suburbs, Baltimore Unbound, and Inside Game/Outside Game, presented by the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs Annual Wherrett Lecture on Local Governing
Free and open to the public
Register: info@sustainablepittsburgh.org or 412-258-6642

This 4th Annual Summit is intended to be a catalyst for engaging civic leaders in helping to advance existing efforts in our region to accelerate regional equity. Listen to how some of the region's leading champions of equitable development are working to close the disparities gap. Get involved—share your thoughts and ideas during the breakout sessions.

As explained by keynote speaker, David Rusk, right now, right here, some of the nation's most innovative civic initiatives are unfolding to narrow the disparities gap. Moderated by Sala Udin (Center for Civic Leadership), panel speakers include Jane Downing, The Pittsburgh Foundation (Community Benefits Agreements & Minority Contracting); Caren Glotfelty, The Heinz Endowments (Environment & Public Health); Bob Grom, Heritage Health Foundation Inc. (Access To Work); Aimee LeFevers, Good Schools Pennsylvania (Education); Scott Smith, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (Affordable Housing); Tim Stevens, The Black Political Empowerment Project (Racial Equity & Empowerment); Bill Thompson, Executive Director, Westmoreland-Fayette Workforce Investment Board; and Luis Rico, Western Pennsylvania Diversity Initiative (Racial and Economic Inclusion).

More information is available on Sustainable Pittsburgh's website .

2007 – 2008 Newly Elected Officials Course

November 2007 – March 2008
Opening Day Session – Saturday, November 17
Sheraton Station Square, Pittsburgh
For registration options and more information call 412-237-3171
or visit www.localgovernmentacademy.org

The Newly Elected Officials Course helps successful candidates transition into their governing role. First time elected officials and incumbents develop knowledge and skills to address policy matters and meet their legal and fiscal responsibilities. The Course covers: municipal powers and duties, municipal finance, public sector personnel, public safety, infrastructure, community development, media and communications, ethics and leadership. Multiple registration options are available to fit a variety of schedules with sessions in Allegheny, Butler, Washington and Westmoreland Counties.

YWCA Great Pittsburgh 2007 Racial Justice Awards

Friday, November 30
6:00pm
Omni William Penn Hotel, 530 William Penn Place (Downtown Pittsburgh)
Fee: $75 (Dinner Included)
For more information call 412-255-1257 or email specialevents@ywcapgh.org.

Join the YWCA for the 16th Annual YWCA Greater Pittsburgh Racial Justice Awards, for a night of admiration and recognition. The Racial Justice Awards recognizes individuals and organizations that are making a difference in promoting racial justice and equality throughout the community. Awardees include: Ronell Guy, Community Empowerment; Valerie Dixon, Community Service and Public Safety; Reed Smith, LLP, Legal; Larry E. Davis, Ph.D., Education; Doris Carson Williams, Company and Business; Councilwoman Brenda L.Frazier, Government; and Pennsylvania Commission for Women, Government.

Youth Main Street Advisors Project

Monday, December 10
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Filmmakers' Melwood Screening Room, 477 Melwood Ave, Oakland
Free to attend; refreshments will be provided
RSVP to Dan Holland at 412-363-5964 or email holland6@aol.com
Directions

Please join the Young Preservationists Association of Pittsburgh (YPA) for a special presentation of the Youth Main Street Advisors Project. The evening will include video presentations created by high school students which document their vision for revitalizing older communitieis in southwestern PA. The Youth Main Street Advisors Project is a project of YPA and supported by a grant from The Heinz Endowments. Special guest speakers include filmmaker Tony Buba and Bill Fontana, executive director of the Pennsylvania Downtown Center.

Resources

Route 30 Design Charrette Concluded

Last Friday witnessed the conclusion to the Route 30 Design Charrette. Five days of intense effort, significant public participation and meaningful dialog has resulted in a final charrette plan based on the ideas and feedback of the community. With additional comments from the public and those that were shared with the group on Friday at the final meeting, the Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County will continue to refine and develop the plan for final presentation on December 13, 2007.

If I.T. Merged With E.T.

...If only we could make a breakthrough in clean, distributed power — an E.T. [energy technology] revolution — it could drive the I.T. revolution into every forgotten corner of the world to create jobs, light up schools and tap the innovative prowess of rural populations, like India’s 700 million villagers. There is a green Edison growing up out here — if only we can give them the light to learn.

More

House OKs statewide effort to curb greenhouse gases

The state House yesterday approved a Pennsylvania Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act that would require an inventory of heat trapping emissions and development of a statewide tracking and reduction plan. Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future, a statewide environmental group, said in a press release that the legislation is "the coolest thing the House of Representatives has ever done."

Ross planners back 'affordable' townhouses, despite resident protest

"There is no evidence that affordable housing projects raise crime rates ... or lower property values," Jerry Drozynski, president of HEARTH's board, told the planning commission. The owners of the project will pay property taxes, he said, and tenants will pay state, federal and local income and wage taxes...The initial plans included 11 housing units and a community room. Mr. Drozynski said the request for the community room was withdrawn in response to residents' opposition to the idea.

Funding transportation with higher tolls a gamble

Overall, the turnpike is authorized to issue bonds for a whopping $9.6 billion over the next 16 years to keep feeding PennDOT, money that is to be repaid through 2057, plus billions in interest. I'm not suggesting the plan is a bad deal for the majority of the public, but there's considerable risk. If Act 44's house of cards collapses, the state -- that's you! -- will be stuck with the largest transportation debt in history with only one way to pay for it: Taxes. We may be talking about a 25-cents-a-gallon gas tax increase or its equivalent, along with doubling driver license and motor vehicle registration fees, in the not-too-distant future. Now do I have your ear? You may want to save today's Getting Around Column and pull it out several years from now, as a reminder that Act 44 is a crap shoot.

CMU getting plaudits for getting greener

On everything from building construction to energy conservation to cage-free eggs and organic granola in the dining halls, area universities are turning "green." The growing environmental bent of area schools was recognized in the November/December issue of Sierra magazine, out yesterday, which named Carnegie Mellon University and Penn State University two of its "10 Coolest Schools" for their efforts to address global warming.

Little Green Lies

To make real progress, genuine accomplishments will have to be sorted out from feel-good gestures. Schendler no longer views business as capable of the dramatic change he thought possible eight years ago, the sort of change that corporations have grown accustomed to boasting about. His own employer is "a perfect example of why this won't work," he says. "We've had a chance to cherry-pick 50 projects and get them done...But this mind-set, Schendler warns, could influence companies to pursue exclusively projects with quick payoffs: "The idea that green is fun, it's easy, and it's profitable is dangerous. This is hard work. It's messy. It's not always profitable. And companies have to get off the mark and start actually doing stuff."

$45 Million Goes to Nonprofits in Region

In a strong endorsement of the contributions made in education and regional economic development by one of the country’s most prominent universities, The Heinz Endowments has committed more than $22 million to Carnegie Mellon University to create a new School of Information Systems, expand teaching and research in green chemistry, and encourage more innovations in robotics and computer science.

Rediscovering our roots can solve 21st Century traffic woes

Now it has become clear with each new fiscal year that construction costs for adding new capacity to roads is escalating sharply at exactly the same time our aging transportation infrastructure demands more and more attention. And in most states, revenue sources have been flat for almost a decade...With funds for expanding our road system now at a premium, we can no longer afford to invest in areas whose inadequate land use practices will mean the new roads are soon overburdened...Transportation professionals can no longer pretend that land use is not our business.

A state panel is looking at ways to reduce greenhouse gases and plan for the future

The Minnesota Climate Change Advisory Committee was developed to come up with a set of policy recommendations to help the state reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050. The group is comprised of diverse individuals representing environmental, business and community concerns. Considering that about 27 percent of Minnesota's greenhouse emissions come from transportation, the panel has been looking closely at ways to change the ways Minnesotans commute and travel.

Carbon partnership hopes to go global

At least 16 U.S. states plus New Zealand, Australia and seven Canadian provinces are investigating following a European Union's lead by launching a carbon trading scheme, as one policy tool in the fight against climate change.

Save the planet? It's now or never, warns landmark UN report

Humanity is changing Earth's climate so fast and devouring resources so voraciously that it is poised to bequeath a ravaged planet to future generations, the UN warned Thursday in its most comprehensive survey of the environment..."The need couldn't be more urgent and the time couldn't be more opportune, with our enhanced understanding of the challenges we face, to act now to safeguard our own survival and that of future generations," GEO-4 said..."The systematic destruction of the Earth's natural and nature-based resources has reached a point where the economic viability of economies is being challenged -- and where the bill we hand on to our children may prove impossible to pay," he added..."The only way to address these harder problems requires moving the environment from the periphery to the core of decision-making: environment for development, not development to the detriment of environment."

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Sustainable Pittsburgh affects decision-making in the Pittsburgh Region to integrate economic prosperity, social equity and environmental quality bringing sustainable solutions to communities and businesses.

Sustainable Pittsburgh benefits from support in 2007 from:

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


Special thanks to the SP Members

Sustainable Pittsburgh
425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 1335
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
(412) 258-6642
fax (412) 258-6645
E-mail SP