3E Links readers are early adopters of sustainable policies, products, and practices and they educate their friends and colleagues about the benefits of sustainable development. Be sure to share your issue of 3E Links with others. Subscribe by e-mailing info@sustainablepittsburgh.org

Events

Resources

Share your thoughts

The Greater Pittsburgh Nonprofit Partnership, a coalition of approximately 250 nonprofit organizations serving the greater Pittsburgh area, is collaborating with the Forbes Funds to launch the website Pittsburgh Great Nonprofits, which highlights nonprofits in the Pittsburgh region. Visit Sustainable Pittsburgh's page and consider spending a few minutes writing a "review". Your comments give others opportunity to learn about the work of Sustainable Pittsburgh and the value provided. They will also give us a sense of your interests and ideas for ways Sustainable Pittsburgh can further accelerate the policy and practice of sustainability for the region. Thanks for your help!

7 Days left until...

The 4th Annual Regional Equitable Development Summit:

"Most Livable Region By Growing Opportunity for All"

Friday, November 16, 2007
Twentieth Century Club
4201 Bigelow Blvd., Oakland
Keynote: David Rusk, author of Cities without Suburbs, Baltimore Unbound, and Inside Game/Outside Game
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 racial disparities gap.

Moderated by Sala Udin (Coro 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);
Mike Langley, Allegheny Conference on Community Development (Economic Development);
Aimee LeFevers, Good Schools Pennsylvania (Education);
Luis Rico, Western Pennsylvania Diversity Initiative (Racial and Economic Inclusion);
Scott Smith, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (Affordable Housing);
Tim Stevens, The Black Political Empowerment Project (Racial Equity & Empowerment); and
Bill Thompson, Executive Director, Westmoreland-Fayette Workforce Investment Board.

For more information on the event, click here.

Resources Continued

ACTA’s 2008 Walk Challenge Preview

Get Your First 2,000 Steps!
Saturday, November 10
8:00am – 10:00am
Meet at The Mall at Robinson, Entrance K
Contact: Amy Mathieson at 412-809-3508 or mathieson@acta-pgh.com to obtain a registration form

This event is a prelude to ACTA’s Walk Challenge that will begin in the Spring of 2008. Become a registered walker in the ACTA 2008 Walk Challenge Preview and enter to win an iPod. After registering you will be contacted in the future regarding the 2008 Walk Challenge and you’ll receive health tips, newsletters, prizes and healthy recipes!

Covenant – 2008

Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network (PIIN)
Sunday, November 11
6:00pm - 7:30pm
St. Benedict the Moor Church (91 Crawford Street, Hill District)
For more information, contact:
Evans Moore, PIIN Executive Director (412-621-9230; emoorejr@piin.org)
Wallace Watson, media contact (412-580-6370, wallwat1@verizon.net)

Clergy and lay leaders of many faiths will gather at St. Benedict the Moor Church in the Hill District to celebrate seven years of work on behalf of justice and equity by PIIN. This will be a time of reflection, prayer and covenanting around PIIN’s past work and the tremendous challenges that lie ahead. In the past year, PIIN has secured agreements from public officials on affordable housing, civil rights for immigrants, and funding for public transit. In 2008, PIIN will continue its work on these issues. Most importantly, PIIN is gearing up for its 2008 Get Out the Vote campaign, following up on its 2004 GOTV project, which registered 2,100 new voters. The public is invited, free of charge. The site is near Mellon Arena, on Centre Avenue at Crawford Street across from Freedom Corner.

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 racial disparities gap. Moderated by Sala Udin (Coro 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); Mike Langley, Allegheny Conference on Community Development (Economic Development); Aimee LeFevers, Good Schools Pennsylvania (Education); Luis Rico, Western Pennsylvania Diversity Initiative (Racial and Economic Inclusion); Scott Smith, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (Affordable Housing); Tim Stevens, The Black Political Empowerment Project (Racial Equity & Empowerment); and Bill Thompson, Westmoreland-Fayette Workforce Investment Board.

More information is available here.

“Hard to Recycle” Collection Event

Saturday, November 17
10:00am - 2:00pm
Mall at Robinson, Sears Parking Lot
(100 Robinson Centre Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15205 - Exit 1 off Rt. 60 @ Rt. 22/30 - 412-788-0816 – shoprobinsonmall.com
For event information, call the Pennsylvania Resources Council at 412-488-7490 ext. 236

In conjunction with America Recycles Day, the Pennsylvania Resources Council and the Mall at Robinson, in partnership with Appliance Warehouse, Reclamere, and Abitibi Consolidated, invite the public to drop off appliances, electronics, cell phones, ink cartridges, paper products and cardboard to be recycled. Following is a list of items that will be accepted. Please note that there is a nominal fee to drop off electronics:
MAJOR APPLIANCES (freon and non-freon appliances including refrigerators, air conditioners, washers, dryers, etc.) - NO CHARGE
CARDBOARD AND PAPER PRODUCTS (white paper, mixed paper, magazines, catalogs, newspaper, and junk mail) - NO CHARGE
CELL PHONES (including battery and charger) - NO CHARGE
INK AND TONER CARTRIDGES (any brand) - NO CHARGE
ELECTRONICS (computer monitors, computers, laptops, VCRs, CD players, stereos, copiers and fax machines, printers, keyboards and mice) - $5.00 EACH

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

Plextronics Receives Investment from Applied Ventures to Expand Development of Printed Electronics Technology

Plextronics, Inc., a leading innovator of printed electronics technology, announced today that it has received a strategic investment by Applied Ventures, LLC, the venture capital arm of Applied Materials, Inc. The investment will help Plextronics continue to expand its product development and manufacturing capabilities, as well as increase its investment in sales and marketing activities.

Eaton Corp. plans $24 M LEED-certified expansion; 30 new jobs created

Cleveland-based Eaton Corp. is planning a $24 million, 120,000 square foot expansion to its electrical division headquarters in Moon Township. The addition will combine its tech center and corporate offices, creating at least 30 new jobs within 3 years and retaining 756 existing positions. The project will also showcase innovation in sustainable building design.

More

The Dawn of E2K in India

Remember Y2K? That was the “millennium bug,” the software glitch that threatened to melt down millions of computers when their internal clocks tried to roll over on Jan. 1, 2000, because they were not designed to handle that new date...Well, remember this: there is an even bigger opportunity for India than Y2K waiting around the corner. I call it “E2K.”...E2K stands, in my mind, for all the energy programming and monitoring that thousands of global companies are going to be undertaking in the early 21st century to either become carbon neutral or far more energy efficient than they are today. India is poised to get a lot of this work.

Project to Capture CO2 With Plankton Puts to Sea

The WeatherBird II, a 115-foot private research vessel, has put to sea from Florida as part of a novel and contentious effort to commercialize the removal of heat-trapping carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by triggering blooms of plankton....Plankton blooms happen naturally when dust containing iron settles on ocean waters where a lack of iron otherwise prevents plankton from thriving. But efforts to replicate the process artificially have been met with strong opposition from some environmental groups.

Residents warned of mercury found in fish

The Reliant Energy facility, a coal-fired electric plant in Springdale, could be a potential source of the mercury pollution, Volz said. Since the study team found mercury along with high levels of selenium and arsenic, the combination provides a "fingerprint" indicating pollution from coal-fired electric plants. An official from Reliant said last week the company has not seen Volz's report and that the plant is in compliance with air and water permits. Additionally, Reliant is investing in a $250 million project to remove between 80 percent and 90 percent of the mercury from the facility's emissions. The DEP agreed the contaminants found by Volz are the result of the coal-combustion process.

Majestic Star Casino pressured to go green

Barden responded that he doesn't intend to seek certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. That's mainly because the casino will allow patrons to smoke, which the council prohibits.

Convert state pensions to defined contribution

Pennsylvania's defined pension benefit program is facing significant funding shortfalls: $10 billion-plus in unfunded liabilities in the state defined-benefit plans, and pension plans in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia in near-crisis status. These issues, if left unaddressed, could severely impact our state's economy and taxpayers will end up paying the costs.

Pittsburgh Paints Goes EcoGreen

Buisson noted that eco-consciousness is being broadcast from every angle--spanning fashion, home decor, automobile design, even food trends. "From paint to cosmetics, jeans to kitchen flooring, our preference for greener options makes a statement about who we are, and our new way of life," said Buisson...Environmental sustainability is the most powerful trend to influence home decor and building design in a generation, according to PPG, manufacturer of Pittsburgh Paints.

Supporters defend county's air monitoring

Mr. Onorato and the Allegheny Conference have privately approached the state about taking control of the county air pollution program, which predates the state and federal air pollution control programs. The county program contains some specifically targeted and tighter regulations necessitated by the large number of polluting industries operating near densely populated communities in river valleys that trap air pollutants. But those regulations aren't hurting business development, according to a 500-plus page report prepared for the health board.

In Portland, Cultivating a Culture of Two Wheels

Cyclists have long revered Portland for its bicycle-friendly culture and infrastructure, including the network of bike lanes that the city began planning in the early 1970s. Now, riders are helping the city build a cycling economy.

IEA tips 'king coal' in bleak view of world's energy future

The rich world's energy watchdog painted a bleak picture of the next two decades on Wednesday, with the world's dependence on fossil fuels set to rocket at a time of global alarm about climate change.

50 Ways to Green Your Business

I imagine asking today how the Internet affects business. It's an absurd question, like asking how electricity changed business. Asking the same about sustainability, it turns out, is equally absurd. Like the Internet, sustainability spurs innovation in everything, from how you see your business model to whether you see your employees (why not let them work at home more?). Here are our favorite ways companies today are greening up--and saving money and making better widgets in the process.

Can we 'flip' the pyramid to make U.S. metros thrive?

Metropolitan regions, says Brookings, are where America's economic muscle, its wellsprings of innovation, high skills, advanced research and development, and its ability to compete in a toughly competitive new global economy are overwhelmingly focused. The top 100 metros, for example, are home to 65 percent of the national population. But they account for 74 percent of our gross domestic product, have 77 percent of America's good-paying "knowledge jobs," represent 78 percent of patent activity and 94 percent of venture capital funding. Brookings asserts: "Metros are not part of the national economy. They are the national economy...America is a metropolitan nation." And if that's so, it follows that there could be massive payoff, benefiting all Americans, if the federal government would become an engaged, active partner with the metro regions--our "citistates" in the modern global economy, as I've long preferred to call them.

Aging in Place: A Toolkit for Local Governments

Aging in Place is a tool designed to help local governments plan and prepare for their aging populations. It presents a series of programs and zoning practices that expand the alternatives available to older adults living in the community. The tool emphasizes techniques for coordinating housing development regulations and healthcare supports so older adults can stay in their homes. It also addresses specific quality growth practices so older adults can get out of their homes.

Seattle reports milestone in cutting emissions

Seattle's reductions were largely the result of energy conservation by households and businesses, and changes in power production at Seattle City Light, the report said.

The Future of Cities: How Sprawl and Racism are Intertwined

Van Jones is a passionate civil rights and human rights advocate. He combines practical solutions to problems of social inequality and environmental destruction, focusing on green economic opportunities for urban America.

Landscape Architects' Report Offers Hundreds of Tips for Sustainable Sites

The American Society of Landscape Architects yesterday released a comprehensive report giving a snapshot of the many ways that architects, designers and facility managers can enhance how well their sites fit into surrounding ecosystems, provide cleaner air and water, and reduce the impact of climate change.

Mayors, Looking to Cities’ Future, Are Told It Must Be Colored Green

They settled for lunch, at least for the moment, but the 100 or so mayors who attended the two-day Climate Protection Summit, convened by the United States Conference of Mayors, heard a clear message: Cities that are “walkable,” workable and livable add up to the “s” word: sustainable. Cities that are centered on people and public transit, not cars, and built to higher standards of energy efficiency will save money, hum with new development and create jobs to suit a greener way of life.

For information on becoming a Member of Sustainable Pittsburgh, please visit our website.

3E Links is sent as a service to Sustainable Pittsburgh Members and interested parties and is being distributed for informational purposes. The information above was provided by or obtained from the organizing institution or one of its representatives. Our distribution does not imply endorsement. To unsubscribe, reply to this e-mail and type UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line.

Click here to access the 3E Links Archive. Use "Search" on SP's homepage for a great resource.

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