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Events

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6th Annual Southwestern Pennsylvania Regional Equitable Development Summit
"Going Regional on Addressing Blighted and Abandoned Properties"

Tuesday, December 15
8:30 am - 12:30 pm (8:00 am - Registration and Continental Breakfast)
Twentieth Century Club, 4201 Bigelow Blvd., Oakland
Fee: $10 Sustainable Pittsburgh members; $15 non-members
Registration and details
Questions? Please contact: info@sustainablepittsburgh.org or Lori Butler at 412-258-6642
Keynote: John Kromer, Sr. Consultant at the Fels Institute, author of Fixing Broken Cities: The Implementation of Urban Development Strategies

The presence of blighted and abandoned properties is among Southwestern Pennsylvania's most pressing threats undermining sustainable communities and regional equitable development. Blight and abandonment is a tip of the iceberg issue that undermines and potentially exacts a downward spiral sentence on quality of life and prosperity across social, economic and environmental essentials for a sustainable community. Without mitigation, this problem will continue to grow and be a drain on the region’s resources. It undercuts the ability of the region's communities to maintain their footing as places of choice. There are real costs. As the Statewide Blight Task Force noted in 2008, “Blight is an “economic crime” costing taxpayers and municipalities millions of dollars annually in lost property tax revenues, sewer and water fees, and increased municipal expenditures.”

This year's Summit will present findings are recommendations from recent work, specific to our region, on how regional capacity can be developed to address blight and abandonment. Practical strategies and cooperative efforts will be highlighted as ripe for deployment to the benefit of individual communities and the regional as a whole. The Summit will be a key milestone in developing new structures and well-substantiated plans for raising capacity around the region to attack blight and return properties to community benefit and often local tax rolls.

Resources

Global Sustainability - Trends and Developments in the Built Environment

Sustainability and Smart Growth Brown Bag Forum
FEATURING: Vivian Loftness, University Professor at the School of Architecture, Carnegie Mellon University and a Senior Researcher for the Center for Building Performance and Diagnostics

Friday, November 6
11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Regional Enterprise Tower, 23rd Floor, Fetterolf Room
No fee to attend. Bring a bag lunch. Desserts provided.
To register, email: info@sustainablepittsburgh.org or call Lori Butler at 412-258-6642

Vivian Loftness is an internationally-renowned researcher, author and educator with expertise in environmental design and sustainability, advanced building systems and systems integration, climate and regionalism in architecture, as well as design for performance in the workplace of the future. An appointee to the Assurance Group to Advance Mandate of the Energy Efficiency in Buildings Project of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), Vivian will discuss global sustainability trends and developments. She will also provide insight to the work of WBCSD, a CEO-led, global association of some 200 companies dealing exclusively with business and sustainable development. The Council provides a platform for companies to explore sustainable development, share best practices, and to advocate business positions. Come learn about the business case for and how businesses in our region can be advocates for sustainability here and globally.

Presented by:
Green Building Alliance
Sustainable Pittsburgh

6th Annual Southwestern Pennsylvania Regional Equitable Development Summit
"Going Regional on Addressing Blighted and Abandoned Properties"

Tuesday, December 15
8:30 am - 12:30 pm (8:00 am - Registration and Continental Breakfast)
Twentieth Century Club, 4201 Bigelow Blvd., Oakland
Fee: $10 Sustainable Pittsburgh members; $15 non-members
Registration and details
Contact: info@sustainablepittsburgh.org or Lori Butler at 412-258-6642
Keynote: John Kromer, Sr. Consultant at the Fels Institute, author of Fixing Broken Cities: The Implementation of Urban Development Strategies

The presence of blighted and abandoned properties is among Southwestern Pennsylvania's most pressing threats undermining sustainable communities and regional equitable development. Blight and abandonment is a tip of the iceberg issue that undermines and potentially exacts a downward spiral sentence on quality of life and prosperity across social, economic and environmental essentials for a sustainable community. Without mitigation, this problem will continue to grow and be a drain on the region’s resources. It undercuts the ability of the region's communities to maintain their footing as places of choice. There are real costs. As the Statewide Blight Task Force noted in 2008, “Blight is an “economic crime” costing taxpayers and municipalities millions of dollars annually in lost property tax revenues, sewer and water fees, and increased municipal expenditures.”

Addressing blight and abandonment offers the chance to build assets in a community. It is a win-win strategy that pays in stabilizing neighborhoods, increased revenue, job creation, increase in property values and lower crime. Given the regional nature of this issue, regional approaches are in order. However, at present, there exists no regional plan, decision-making table, nor coordinated regional effort to tackle the growing crisis of abandonment and blight in our communities.

This year's Summit will present findings are recommendations from recent work, specific to our region, on how regional capacity can be developed to address blight and abandonment. Practical strategies and cooperative efforts will be highlighted as ripe for deployment to the benefit of individual communities and the regional as a whole. The Summit will be a key milestone in developing new structures and well-substantiated plans for raising capacity around the region to attack blight and return properties to community benefit and often local tax rolls.

Keynote, John Kromer is Senior Consultant at the Fels Institute of Government and is the author of Fixing Broken Cities: The Implementation of Urban Development Strategies. He is a serving as strategic consultant to Sustainable Pittsburgh's Regional Blighted and Abandoned Properties Solutions Project.

Presented by:
- Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania
- Sustainable Pittsburgh's Sustainable Community Development Network
- University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs: Johnson Institute for Responsible Leadership

Sponsored by:
- The Buhl Foundation
- The Heinz Endowments
- Richard King Mellon Foundation

Tax-exempt Organizations and Municipal Finance: Examining Legal Precedents and Financial Realities

Friday, November 6
9:00 am- 12:00 pm (8:30-9:00 Continental Breakfast)
University Club, Ballroom A, 123 University Place (next to Soldiers and Sailors Memorial)
(Parking available in the Soldiers and Sailors Garage)
For information or to RSVP, contact 412-648-1336 or email gspiaji@pitt.edu.

Charitable organizations are exempt from many state and local taxes. With respect to property taxes, this creates special problems for municipalities that are home to large land-owning nonprofits like universities and hospitals. In Pittsburgh and many other communities across the nation, tensions have arisen as municipal and county governments have asked nonprofit institutions to voluntarily contribute to public coffers. Tensions have increased as both nonprofits and local governments feel the financial pressures of the on-going financial crisis.

Beyond the rhetoric of both sides, how should this complex issue be framed for useful public discourse?
Have other local governments and nonprofits employed effective strategies for resolving the impasse?
Beyond legal precedents, are there issues of accountability and ethics for BOTH nonprofits and municipal governments?
Could some of these strategies work in Pittsburgh?

These and other questions will be addressed by a national panel of experts on the legal and financial aspects of this question.

Speakers:
Evelyn Brody, Chicago-Kent Law School Professor of Law
Woods Bowman, DePaul University, Economist and Former finance director and state legislator
Sabina Deitrick, GSPIA Professor and Co-author of a major study on nonprofits economic impact
Joe Geiger, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations (PANO)
James Turner, Former Finance Director, City of Pittsburgh
Moderator: Rick Cohen, Nonprofit Quarterly

2nd State of the Watershed

Saturday, November 7
8:30 am - 4:00 pm
Environmental Charter School at Frick Park, 829 Milton Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15218
Free; continental breakfast and lunch will be provided. Space is limited and reservations have been coming in steadily! Please pre-register today by contacting Lisa at 412-371-8779 ext. 15 or email lisa@ninemilerun.org.

Want to know more about the health of Nine Mile Run since the completion of the Nine Mile Run Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Project? The transformation of Nine Mile Run is truly remarkable but how exactly has it improved the stream, and how are the NMRWA's programs making a difference? Come to the Second State of the Watershed Meeting where you will hear about the ongoing monitoring efforts from the dedicated experts on the NMRWA Monitoring Committee. Learn about innovative programs that will improve water quality in Nine Mile Run. Participate in hands-on activities to help you become more involved in a greener and brighter future for the watershed.

Tom Biebighauser, Wildlife Biologist for the US Forest Service Center for Wetlands, will be the keynote speaker. Tom began restoring wetlands in 1982 and since then has established over 950 such sites throughout Minnesota, Kentucky, Ohio, and British Columbia. In 2003, he wrote and published the book A Guide to Creating Vernal Ponds in cooperation with Ducks Unlimited, Inc. and the Izaak Walton League of America. Tom will be conducting workshops on rain gardens and ephemeral wetlands.

Allegheny County Sanitary Authority (ALCOSAN) Public Meetings

Monday, November 9 (7:00 pm to 9:00 pm)
Penn Hills Senior Center - 147 Jefferson Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15235

Tuesday, November 10 (7:00 pm to 9:00 pm)
Whitehall Borough Building - 100 Borough Park Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15236
Brashear Center - 2005 Sarah Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203

Wednesday, November 11 (7:00 pm to 9:00 pm)
Parkview Banquet Hall - 726 Midway Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15215

Thursday, November 12 (7:00 pm to 9:00 pm)
The Union Project - 801 North Negley Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15206

Monday, November 16 (7:00 pm to 9:00 pm)
Mt. Lebanon Recreation Center - 900 Cedar Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA 15228
North Versailles Library - 1401 Greensburg Avenue, North Versailles, PA 15137

Tuesday, November 17 (7:00 pm to 9:00 pm)
Oakdale Community Room - 104 Seminary Avenue, Oakdale, PA 15071
Hill Top United Methodist Church - 631 E. Warrington Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15210

Wednesday, November 18 (7:00 pm to 9:00 pm)
Sharpsburg Borough Building - 1611 Main Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15215
Avalon Borough Building - 640 California Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15202

Thursday, November 19 (7:00 pm to 8:30 pm)
Courtyard by Marriott at the Waterfront - 401 West Waterfront Drive, West Homestead, PA 15120

ALCOSAN will be hosting Public Meetings in November 2009 in local communities to provide the public with information about sewage overflow issues, planning efforts to address the overflow problem, and what this means to individuals, businesses, neighborhoods, and the region. Light refreshments and children's activities will be available. More information can be found at ALCOSAN’s website: www.alcosan.org or by calling 412-734-8733.

Conference on Air Toxics Control in Allegheny County

Tuesday, November 17
8:00 am - 12:30 pm
University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Dean's Conference Room - 110 Parran Hall, 130 DeSoto St., Pittsburgh 15261
Free
Please RSVP your attendance to Angela by Friday, November 13, 2009.

The University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health and the Allegheny County Health Department are presenting this conference on air toxics. Conference topics will include:
- Intro to Science & History of Air Toxics Control in Allegheny County
- Specifics of Proposed Allegheny County Air Toxics Control Bill
- Air Toxics Control Elsewhere: Federal, State and Local
- Panel Discussion: Approaching Air Toxics in Allegheny County

Innovations in Green Building: Case Studies

Wednesday, November 18
Noon - 1:30 pm
Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens
$45.00 for Green Building Alliance Members; $55.00 for nonmembers
More information
Please register by November 12th.

This catered Lunch & Learn profiles Phipps’ Center for Sustainable Landscapes (CSL), an innovative project designed as a Living Building that will exceed LEED Platinum Certification, generate all of its own energy and capture all water used on site.

“Despite the Best Intentions: Why Racial Inequality Persists in Good Schools”

Thursday, November 19
Noon – 1:30 pm
School of Social Work Conference Center, 2017 Cathedral of Learning, 20th Floor
Lunch will be provided; registration is not required.

The University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work Center on Race and Social Problems is hosting Amanda E. Lewis, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology at Emory University to discuss this topic as part of the Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney Fall 2009 Speaker Series.

Hard to Recycle Collection

Saturday, November 21
10:00 am – 2:00 pm
The Mall at Robinson, 100 Robinson Center Drive, in the lower level parking lot near Sears and Dick’s Sporting Goods
Fees are charge for appliances, electronics, and tires; other items collected at no cost.
For details visit www.prc.org or call the PA Resources Council at 412-488-4790, ext. 236.

Individuals can drop off freon and non-freon appliances, televisions, e-waste, cell phones, printer/toner cartridges, compact fluorescent bulbs, alkaline batteries and tires without rims for recycling. Participant fees for electronics vary and are posted on the PRC website at www.prc.org. Cost to dispose of a tire (no rim) is $2. A partnership with Global Links enables area residents to drop off medical equipment and supplies – such as crutches, canes and walkers – at no cost. Thus far in 2009, campaign organizers have collected about 22 tons of electronics and 800+ tires and a variety of other items.

The Future of Philanthropy: Making Markets Work to Serve the Poor with Jacqueline Novogratz, Acumen Fund

Tuesday, December 1
3:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Schenley Lounge, Pittsburgh Athletic Association, 4215 5th Avenue, Oakland
To RSVP, contact: gspiapf@pitt.edu or call 412-648-1336.

Fighting poverty around the globe remains a daunting challenge that Philanthropy and the marketplace are tackling together. The Acumen Fund has pioneered ways to make markets serve the very poor with goods and services that change their quality of life. The path from charity to customer creation through sustainable design, access to capital and the forces of the marketplace will be explored. Ms. Novogratz has recently published her memoir, The Blue Sweater: Bridging the Gap between Rich and Poor in an Interconnected World. The respondent will be Sunil Wadhwani from iGATE Corporation.

The Johnson Institute for Responsible Leadership’s Philanthropy Forum is cosponsored by the Swanson School of Engineering, the Center for Global Health, and the International Executive MBA Program, Katz School.

Permaculture Design Course

January 31, 2010 - Introduction Workshop
7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Location TBD
$30

Course Details:
75 hour Permaculture Certification Course (Weekends and 2 evenings)
February 20-21, 9-5 PM
February 15, 6-10 PM
February 27-28, 9-5PM
March 13-14, 9-5 PM
March 17, 6-10 PM
March 20-21, 9-5 PM
Cost: $1200; Early registration by Jan 1, 2010 $1000
To register contact Darrell Frey at defrey@bioshelter.com or call 724-376-2797

Permaculture design is an ecological design system that incorporates principles of ecology, sustainable technologies and earth care ethics. Completion of a Permaculture certificate course entitles the participant to offer goods and services as a Permaculture consultant.

Where: LIPP Homestead is a 1.3 acre site in West View, two miles from the City line and just off of 279N. A 5000 foot organic garden space, stream, and original 1898 farmhouse and dairy house are what remain of the Lipp family farm. Course participants will work to increase the sustainability of the site through the application of ecological design principles and practices. A day will be spent at Three Sisters Farm and Bioshelter. Course leader Darrell Frey has been practicing and teaching Permaculture since 1986. Other guest presenters will participate.

Resources

Imagine: L.A. bicyclists in the driver's seat, one day a week

A group called cicLAvia wants to close major L.A. thoroughfares to cars and open them to bicyclists on Sundays. City officials are looking for ways to support the plan, which originated in Colombia.

Outdoor Recreation Benchmark Study

Venture Outdoors invites you to participate in a study among residents of Southwestern Pennsylvania about outdoor recreation. The purpose of the study is to determine how frequently people engage in outdoor recreational activities. It will also gauge perceptions of the effects that participation in these activities has on a person in a variety of ways. Completing the survey should take no more than 15 minutes of your time.

More

Recession puts the brakes on Chicago's population drain

The number of people leaving Cook County has plunged by 17 percent since the latest peak in 2006, while the numbers moving in have shot up. With Chicago's high rate of births and Immigration, Cook County's population grew during 2008, reversing recent trends. . . An employment market that stinks from coast to coast also hinders mobility. It's not as if job offers beckon in California or Florida, as they did during the Rust Belt collapse three decades ago when so many Midwesterners relocated.

Economic Impact Study finds Great Allegheny Passage generates over $40 million in annual spending and $7.5 million in wages

The Trail Town Program, Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau, and the Allegheny Trail Alliance are pleased to announce the completion of the Great Allegheny Passage Economic Impact Study. The study finds that over $40 million in annual direct spending and another $7.5 mission in wages is attributable to the trail market. The study was completed in three phases, surveying businesses and trail users over an 18-month period.

ACTION ALERT: Weigh in on Pennsylvania’s Climate Action Plan

Pennsylvania is close to finalizing its state global warming action plan. Your vital input is needed during the public comment period for Pennsylvania’s Climate Action Plan.

The Climate Action Plan contains 52 recommendations to reduce heat-trapping emissions in Pennsylvania. If fully implemented, the plan would result in reducing Pennsylvania's greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2020. The plan is expected to result in the creation of 65,000 new full-time jobs and add more than $6 billion to the Commonwealth’s gross state product. However, there are some crucial pieces missing. The plan does NOT include increasing a clean renewable energy requirement as a key strategy to address global warming.

Bike racks make Pittsburgh cycle-friendly

"It sends a strong message on a couple of fronts," Ravenstahl said. "It says that Pittsburgh's advanced its image as a bike-friendly city; it gives people a chance to visit neighborhood business districts. ... It's all in an effort to be an active, urban area."

Green Meeting Guide 2009

Published earlier this year, the UNEP Green Meeting Guide offers pointers on how to make meetings green.

Businesses cashing in on energy savings

Saving energy makes sense as a business strategy and such investments pay themselves back within a few years, many companies pointed out. At the same time, the business community is anticipating the inevitable transition to a low-carbon economy by hedging its bets on innovative technologies. Whirlpool, for example, is developing appliances that will function with smart grids, while Dow is actively working on making new alternative energy technologies readily available, such as bendable solar shingles, company representatives said.

Water-Saving Technologies Help Abbott Save 1 Billion Gallons a Year

The pharmaceutical giant set a goal of cutting its water consumption to 40 percent below 2004 levels by late 2011, relative to sales. The company announced Monday its efforts have yielded a 37 percent normalized reduction, bringing the company very close to its goal two years ahead of schedule.

From Abandoned Brewery to Piazza, Philly-Style

In building his piazza, Mr. Blatstein said he stuck to several principles. He limited the height of the surrounding buildings so that none were taller than seven stories. “The buildings can’t be too high because then they become overbearing,” he said. The piazza itself had to be just the right width — no more than 100 feet — so that people would feel safe there. Recesses and cutouts in the buildings allow people to enter at different points, tying the piazza to the surrounding streets, said Scott Erdy, one of the architects. Mr. Blatstein initially intended to lease his ground-floor space to established retailers, but was not able to attract any to an untested area with a bad image. Instead he divided the storefronts into tiny spaces for fledgling entrepreneurs selling clothing, art, jewelry and even magicians’ supplies. He says he has the flexibility to evict any retailer who fails to maintain a “cool space.”

National Eco-Adventure Film Begins and Ends in Pittsburgh!

YERT, which stands for "Your Environmental Road Trip," (http://www.yert.com) is a one-year 50-state video documentary road trip to explore and personalize weird, wild, and wonderful approaches to sustainability across the country -- starting and ending in Pittsburgh, PA! You can support this project by visiting their website and watching the trailer for their feature film. All throughout the journey, Mark Dixon, Ben Evans, and Julie Evans released fast-paced videos online to share their adventures, including their very own "road rules" eco-challenges (like keeping all of their garbage in the car all year), visits to environmentally significant destinations, and most importantly, interviews with over 800 leaders, businesspeople, researchers, and average citizens from all walks of life. Their work has been featured on Treehugger.com, the Weather Channel, Voice of America, the San Francisco Chronicle, and on NPR stations nationwide via the environmental news program, "Living on Earth." Now the team is working on "YERT Phase 2," developing a feature film, additional short films, live presentations, and educational curriculum based on the project. They recently submitted their film to the Sundance Film Festival and are continuing with post-production in Pittsburgh, PA and Louisville, KY.

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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
Buhl 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