Like 3E Links? Urge your contacts to subscribe. Be the change you want in the region! 3E is too good to not be in everybody's in box. To subscribe e-mail info@sustainablepittsburgh.org .

Events

Smart Growth Conference - December 13

Brian Walker, CFO, Millcraft Industries

Visit www.sustainablepittsburgh.org to learn more and to register.

REGISTER NOW

Building Value Chain Capacity: Sustainability's Role in Product Purchasing, Service Procurement, and Information Management for Healthcare

Learn about the latest strategies for engaging supply chains and using information technology in the healthcare industry from the perspective of sustainability.

Thursday, December 1
NEW TIME - 7:30 am – 12:00 pm
Fairmont Pittsburgh
Breakfast Provided

This event is a "must attend" for professionals in the healthcare industry and individuals who are interested in supply chain and aggregated purchasing strategies, as well as challenges and benefits associated with the increased use of electronic records in healthcare.

Keynote Address: Gary Cohen, Executive Director, Healthcare Without Harm
"Embedding Sustainability in Healthcare's DNA through Purchasing and Acquisition" (via video link)

Moving Towards Sustainable Purchasing: Strategies for Choosing Suppliers and Opportunities for Selecting Reusable Products in Healthcare Delivery
James Baehr, Senior Advisor, Greybeard Advisors
Nora Frank, Assistant Director of Strategic Sourcing, UPMC

Information Technology: Managing Electronic Records—Medical Record Homes, Efficiency, Effectiveness, and Privacy
Sharon L. Dorogy, Director of Information Systems & HIPAA Security Officer, The Children's Institute of Pittsburgh
Renee Vandall, Vice President of Operations, McKesson Systems Enterprise Solutions

Procurement: Organizing Aggregated Purchasing for Building Local Markets for Products and Services
Jamie Moore, Director of Sourcing and Sustainability, Eat'n Park Hospitality Group (Sustainable Food Sourcing)
Kurt M. Duska, President, Engineered Plastics, LLC (Healthcare Plastics Recycling)
Dave Stern, President and CEO, Paris Healthcare Linen Services (Regional, Aggregated Laundry Services)

Click here to learn more.

Resources

REGISTER NOW: Building Value Chain Capacity: Sustainability's Role in Product Purchasing, Service Procurement, and Information Management for Healthcare

Thursday, December 1
NEW TIME: 7:30 am – 12:00 pm
Fairmont Hotel
Cost: $35 Sustainable Pittsburgh/C4S Members; $45 Non-members
Click here to register

The WPXI-TV program, "Our Region's Business" highlights the importance of sustainability and healthcare. Watch the video here.

Featured Keynote: Gary Cohen, CEO, Healthcare Without Harm

Large healthcare institutions leverage significant impacts from their supply chain sources and choices, impacts primarily related to personal health and expenses. Deployment of information technology systems must be done correctly to improve health outcomes for patients while protecting their privacy.

Join Sustainable Pittsburgh's Champions for Sustainability (C4S) network along with the Sustainable Healthcare Series Planning Committee to learn about the latest strategies for engaging supply chains and using information technology in the healthcare industry from the perspective of sustainability.

This event is a "must attend" for professionals in the healthcare industry who are interested in gaining knowledge and how-to assistance on a variety of topics related to group purchasing as well as challenges and benefits associated with the increased use of electronic records and mobile devices in healthcare.

Emphasizing the importance of green purchasing and its relevance to sustainability, Practice Greenhealth, a national organization for institutions in the healthcare community that have made a commitment to sustainable, eco-friendly practices, states:
“Health-care institutions can have a broader impact on the environment by means of their purchasing practices. By such practices they can send a message to the market that they are ready to support sustainability through application of their financial resources. Individual health-care organizations can influence their upstream supply chains to move toward more sustainable practices by working with supply chain aggregators commonly used in health care, such as group purchasing organizations (GPOs). Collaborative efforts with such suppliers can bring safer and cleaner products into health-care facilities. Due to their scale, when large health care facilities and companies green up their supply chains, they have a strong positive effect, due to the sheer volume of their purchases.”

This December 1 event marks the final workshop of the 2011 "Sustainability and Healthcare: Improving Healing Environments" series. The series is designed to expand the policy and practice of sustainability in the healthcare industry. The emphasis for each event involves articulating the health outcomes, healthcare benefits, and the business case for sustainability in the healthcare field. The programs focus on sharing best practices, resources, examples, and how to get started. Click here to learn more about the 2011 workshop series and to view materials from past programs.

REGISTER NOW! 11th Annual SWPA Smart Growth Conference “Smart Growth is Smart Business”

Keynote:
- Henry Cisneros, Executive Chairman, CityView "Smart Capital for Smart Growth"

Also featuring:
- Robert Lang, Professor of Sociology and the Director of Brookings Mountain West at the University of Nevada and Fellow of the Urban Land Institute

Tuesday, December 13
8:00 am - 4:00 pm (Registration begins at 7:30 am)
David L. Lawrence Convention Center, downtown Pittsburgh
Networking Lunch Included
Early registration: $35; After 11/21: $45
More information and registration

Business leaders increasingly recognize regional growth and development patterns -- guided by principles of smart growth and sustainability -- improve quality of life, lessen the cost of doing business, increase profitability, help reduce tax and infrastructure costs, and contribute to talent recruitment and retention. With the business case of smart growth apparent, the conference will galvanize a 'businesses for smart growth' initiative for southwestern Pennsylvania to spur economic prosperity and extend our region's signature livability to more persons.

The conference will focus on three interrelated smart growth imperatives:
"Business opportunity while building community and regional economy"
- Innovative Finance for smart growth solutions for urban real estate, housing, and metropolitan infrastructure
- Blight and Abandonment - business and economic stakes
- Green Infrastructure - savings for businesses, dividends for developers and communities

Be sure to visit the conference website for more information, including a speakers' list.

cityLIVE! 39 - Equity in Urban Education

Thursday, November 17
6:30 pm
New Hazlett Theater, North Side
RSVP

Can algebra be an organizing principal for a civil rights movement? Robert Parris Moses thinks so! As the founder of the Algebra Project, a revolutionary educational tool, Dr. Moses will show how mathematics can be used as an organizing tool to guarantee quality public school education for all students. As a result of his efforts, Dr. Moses received the Heinz Award from the Heinz Family Foundation for his efforts to make math instruction available to children of all backgrounds.

Carey Harris, Executive Director of A+ Schools, an independent advocate for improvement in public education, will highlight local efforts and trends to provide opportunities to public school students and will also moderate the discussion, which we'll kick off with some questions from Pittsburgh Public School students.

Be there or be square.

Allegheny Riverfront Green Boulevard Plan: First Public Meeting

Thursday, November 17
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Society for Contemporary Craft, 2100 Smallman Street, Strip District
Questions? Contact Lena Andrews at the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh at landrews@ura.org or (412) 255-6439
More information - Be sure to check out the Green Boulevard Bulletin!

Planning for the Allegheny Riverfront Green Boulevard is underway! Come learn about the Green Boulevard, meet the planning team, share your thoughts on the future of the Allegheny Riverfront, and learn about opportunities for participation over the next year. The Green Boulevard study will develop the Allegheny Riverfront vision in further detail, focusing on open space and ecology, transportation, and land use and urban design for the Lawrenceville area.

North Park Lake Area Master Plan Public Meetings

Thursday, November 17
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Rose Barn in North Park off Pearce Mill Road
More information

Allegheny County and the Parks Foundation are hosting public meetings regarding the North Park Lake Area Master Plan and encourage community involvement and input to assist in the planning process. The Master Plan will address the Lake Area, including the Lake Trail. The three meetings will ask for community input on the Master Plan, culminating in a presentation of the final Lake Area Master Plan at the third and final meeting. GAI Consultants, Inc, an engineering and environmental consulting firm, will conduct the meeting and prepare a final report due in late January 2012. The goal of the plan is to improve a significant community asset by building on its existing strengths and historic legacy. The November 17 meeting involves presentation of Lake Area Master Plan design alternatives including the Lake Trail. After the presentation, participants will be able to provide feedback on the various options and project elements to help craft a consensus vision for the area.

Green Drinks

Thursday, November 17
5:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Elements, 444 Liberty Avenue, Downtown Pittsburgh 15222
More information

Come connect and meet the forces behind greenerpittsburgh.com. Launched in September 2011, GreenerPittsburgh.com is the region's first location-based platform designed to connect people to greener products and services. GreenerPittsburgh.com aggregates, educates, and promotes sustainable businesses and organizations, while also informing the community about green issues. The platform also allows nonprofits and government to create and promote programs that help businesses green, grow, and move into a more sustainable future. Hosts:

Greg DiMedio
Chief Executive Officer
Greg has been developing technology and marketing solutions with an entrepreneurial spirit for over 14 years. His innovative leadership developed with successful launches of several companies and consulting engagements for Fortune 100 companies, universities, and NGOs. Currently pursuing an MBA in Sustainability, Greg is taking the opportunity to blend his entrepreneurial acumen with his desire to promote environmental responsibility. With a passion for sustainable living and the local economy, Greg drives the design and development of Greener Pittsburgh.

Sean Brady
VP of Business Development
Sean has been a leader in Pittsburgh's green renaissance for many years. He helped develop Venture Outdoors into one of Pittsburgh's most impactful nonprofits by crafting its vision to make the outdoors lifestyle central to the region's culture. He also helped diversify Venture Outdoors' revenue streams through individual, corporate, and foundation support. He continued his fundraising work at Riverlife, and secured individual and foundation support for operations and projects, as well as corporate sponsorship for fundraising events. Now, at Greener Pittsburgh, he cultivates and fosters relationships with green businesses and nonprofits.

2011-2012 Newly Elected Officials Course

November 19
Pittsburgh Marriot City Center Hotel
More for more information and to register, please visit www.localgovernmentacademy.org or call (412) 586-5659.

Local Government Academy’s 2011-2012 Newly Elected Officials Course will begin on Saturday, November 19 and continue through March 2012. Winners of this year’s local election, both first-time officials and incumbents, are invited to attend this comprehensive, award-winning program. Candidates for local office may register now, with no obligation to attend if unsuccessful in their bid for public office.

Health Effects of Shale Gas Extraction Conference

Friday, November 18
8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall, Oakland 15213
Free registration, but register quickly with Sara Gillooly at seg14@pitt.edu by providing the following required information: Name as you would like it on your name tag; Affiliation (e.g. U. of Pitt. Student); Email address; Phone number.
More information

The University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health (GSPH) will host the second annual Health Effects of Shale Gas Extraction Conference on Friday, November 18. Nationally noted scientists and policymakers will speak and host panel discussions, including:

Aaron Barchowsky, Ph.D., GSPH Department of Environmental and Occupational Health
Donald S. Burke, M.D., GSPH dean and associate vice chancellor for Global Health
Bernard D. Goldstein, M.D., GSPH Department of Environmental and Occupational Health
Robert Jackson, Ph.D., Duke University Nicholas School of the Environment, Department of Biology
Allen Robinson, Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon University

Backyard Composting Class

Tuesday, November 29
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Shaler North Hills Library, 1822 Mt. Royal Boulevard, Shaler
Cost: $50 Single/$55 Couple (Includes one compost unit per registration)
Register by clicking here or by calling (412) 488-7490 ext. 226

Composting is nature’s way of recycling. By utilizing the natural process of decomposition, organic materials often considered “waste,” such as grass clippings, food scraps, autumn leaves and even paper, can be recycled back into a rich soil conditioner. Through this transition, soil organisms, many of which are too small to see, break down the organic material in a compost pile so that valuable plant nutrients can be released for future generations of plants to use. Composting helps you reduce your waste stream, it improves the health of your gardens, and most of all its easy to do and enjoyable.

This workshop thoroughly covers the importance of composting, setting up a compost pile, proper maintenance and ways of using finished compost. Participants will receive an Earth Machine Compost Bin with attendance. This bin, approved across the state as an ideal bin for urban and suburban areas, has an eighty-gallon capacity.

YERT Screening at Urban Green Growth Collaborative

Wednesday, November 30
5:30 pm
Kingsley Association, 6435 Frankstown Avenue, 15206
Free (dinner provided, childcare available)
Please RSVP to Andrea Lavin at alavin@kingsleyassociation.org, or at (412) 661-8751 x136.

Join the Urban Green Growth Collaborative for a screening of the award-winning environmental docu-comedy called "YERT - Your Environmental Road Trip." Called to action by a planet in crisis, three friends hit the road - with hope, humor - and all of their trash - to explore America in search of innovators tackling humanity's greatest environmental challenge. The Urban Green Growth Collaborative (UGGC) empowers inner city residents by engaging them in green, hands-on development activities.

The Imperative of Integration: Race and Education

Friday, December 9
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
School of Social Work Conference Center, 2017 Cathedral of Learning, 20th Floor
Lunch will be provided; registration is not required.
(412) 624-7382 / www.crsp.pitt.edu

The University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work Center on Race and Social Problems, as part of the Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC Fall 2011 Speaker Series, presents "The Imperative of Integration: Race and Education" featuring Elizabeth Anderson, Professor of Philosophy and Women’s Studies, University of Michigan.

Dr. Anderson is Arthur F. Thurnau Professor and John Rawls Collegiate Professor of Philosophy and Women’s Studies at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She earned her Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1987 and previously taught at Swarthmore College. She is the author of Value in Ethics and Economics (Harvard UP, 1993), The Imperative of Integration (Princeton UP, 2010), and over 60 articles in journals of philosophy, law, and economics. Her research interests include feminist theory, democratic theory, and critical race theory. She has written extensively on affirmative action and racial integration, antidiscrimination law, and egalitarianism.

Marcellus Shale Development: The PA Municipal Experience To Date & Possibilities for the Future

Tuesday, December 6
6:30 pm - 9:00 pm (Workshop site registration: 6:00 pm - 6:30 pm)
Various Locations in Southwestern PA: Live & Video Teleconference
Cost: $25 per person
Pre-Registration is required. Registration Deadline: December 3, 2011
More information

Marcellus Shale development in Pennsylvania has resulted in local municipalities having to make decisions and take actions on issues such as infrastructure, municipal services, regulatory controls, and community planning. Municipalities throughout Pennsylvania have experienced various levels and stages of development as well as the community issues that result. These experiences have provided municipal officials with a unique perspective on how to more effectively address municipal and community needs and concerns related to natural gas issues.

This program will provide a venue for officials to share their breadth of experiences and gained knowledge and skills. By learning about the lessons learned and actions taken by other local officials, participants will be able to draw upon the experience of others when facing issues and considering decisions.

This program has been submitted to APA for 2.5 AICP CM credits by the PA Chapter of the American Planning Association.

SAVE THE DATE! PCRG Community Development Summit: Making Complete Communities

Thursday, May 24, 2012
8:00 am to 8:00 pm
Omni William Penn Hotel, 530 William Penn Place, Downtown Pittsburgh
For more information, please visit www.pcrg.org/conference.

Resources

Dearly Beloved Transit Rider... It's House In Order Time

Pittsburgh is a transit riders' town. With such a high percentage of workers and the public using public transportation, you know transit and the economy are joined at the hip.

Remember those drastic cuts this past spring? There's worse trouble ahead. We can anticipate those cuts will be nothing compared to what is coming now that Harrisburg has made it clear that a solution to the state's transportation funding crisis is not a priority. So, unfortunately, it's time we all start planning for a drastically smaller transit system.

Is weekend transit service important to you, or perhaps your employees? How about weekday evenings and nights? That's right. These are the depth of service cuts the Port Authority of Allegheny County has no choice but to begin planning to deploy in the face of our funding crisis.

The irony is that elected officials - who believe raising revenue for roads and transit will hurt the economy - are rendering our economy a calamitous blow by starving its life blood: affordable mobility that links us to opportunity, to jobs, to healthcare, to living. Public transportation is at the heart of our shared prosperity.

The 9/24/11 article, "Port Authority 'death spiral' could come with more cuts", is a must read for all who - or whose employees - depend on the bus or the T. We have about a 10 month window to contingency plan. Van and carpools, 4/10 work weeks, bike commuting, telecommuting, new parking accommodations are among strategies to consider now.

Our advance warning is here. It's time to get our transit back-up plan in order. We all, riders, and our economy depend on it.

Court Gould, Executive Director, Sustainable Pittsburgh
Ernie Hogan, Executive Director, Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group
Jeremy Waldrup, President and CEO, Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership

This Week on the Allegheny Front: Veteran Farmers, Urban Forestry, Pollinator Gardens

In this week's Allegheny Front, we catch up with a former army officer and learn how agriculture is affecting the life of a retired veteran. In our series, The Future of Our Forests, Pittsburgh's urban forester tells us about tree defense in the city. The Organic Gardeners also stop by with some tips for how keep your garden buzzing next season. All this plus Marcellus Shale news from StateImpact and another installment of our 20th anniversary series, The Allegheny Front Rewind, on this week's episode.

More

Despite governments’ failure to put a price on carbon, more businesses see profits in greenery

Despite the . . . tough economy, many firms are increasing their eco-friendly investments. Of Ernst & Young’s respondents, 44% said their company’s spending on sustainability-—a woolly term that refers partly to the welfare of employees but mainly to green strategies-—had increased since the 2008 financial crisis. Another 44% said that, unlike tumbling public spending on greenery, it had stayed the same. This is consistent with a discernible trend, argues Juan Costa Climent, Ernst & Young’s head of sustainability. Many companies have found that, even with little carbon regulation, some sorts of green investment make commercial sense.

Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Demolishes Homes to Remove Blight

A land bank knocks down foreclosed homes to stabilize Cleveland-area neighborhoods -- all at the lender’s expense.

New legislation was passed in 2010 that allows any county in Ohio to form a land bank, which is essentially a nonprofit. Overseen by a board that consists mainly of elected officials, the bank gets part of its funding from the late fees and interest payments collected on delinquent taxes. . . Since its inception in 2002, the Genesee County Land Bank has played an active role in stabilizing neighborhoods and revitalizing Flint and surrounding areas. It encourages reuse of the more than 4,000 residential, commercial and industrial properties that it has acquired through the tax foreclosure process.

Empowering LA's Solar Workforce: New Policies that Deliver Investments and Jobs

“Unless civic leaders ramp up efforts to expand solar programs, the city and region face the prospect of being left behind,” states the report.

Suburbs share how they are going green

A water leak detection system saves Cranberry about $150,000 and 65 million gallons of water a year. A competition among 10 South Hills municipalities has increased recycling by 11 percent. And because of greening infrastructure, Ohiopyle Borough in Fayette County diverts 199,120 gallons of stormwater during each rainstorm. Pittsburgh boasts of its greening initiatives, but at the recent Creating Sustainable Communities conference at Point Park University, representatives of several municipalities outside of the city and their partner organizations spoke about the economic benefits they are reaping in environmental improvements.

DEP reviews its shale inspections

Improper storage, transportation, processing and disposal of Marcellus Shale drilling waste, along with poor erosion and sediment controls, were the leading categories, accounting for 162 of the violations. Only about 8 percent of inspections found violations, but that percentage varied significantly from region to region within the state. . . "Our field staff does great work, but the review confirmed that there were inconsistencies among our regions in how DEP applied regulations and enforcement, and with how the violations were reported," said Michael Krancer, DEP secretary.

Nobody Home
The Rise of Vacancy

In a series of articles, Pittsburgh TODAY takes an in-depth look at the quiet crisis of vacancy and blight in southwestern Pennsylvania, the state and the nation, reporting on the people and places affected, its social and financial impacts, the antiquated strategies that have failed to stem the growing problem and the innovative solutions that offer hope.

Landscape Infrastructure

It's a new thought process driven by landscape architects that takes infrastructure that was previously single-use and turns it to multiple uses such as stormwater runoff and social equity.

SWA Group has a new book on landscape infrastructure. Nate Berg talks with Gerdo Aquino, co-editor of the book:

"'There are all these underutilized corridors like transmission corridors, alleyways, remnant spaces around freeway on- and off-ramps,' Aquino says. 'They serve a municipal function, but they could also be more multi-functioning.'

He says the concept has been kicking around for about 15 yeas, but has only recently begun to catch on and play out in actual designs. It’s a two-birds-with-one-stone mentality that’s become more politically feasible as funding gets tight and infrastructure continues to crumble."

ASLA Seeks A More Sustainable D.C.

For Washington D.C., ASLA polled members to develop a new "comprehensive framework" connecting sustainability with economic development.

The members who were polled are from the Potomac, Northern Virginia, and Southern Maryland chapters of the ASLA. The recommendations will be reviewed by various D.C. agencies, but among them:

Energy: "Washington, D.C. should undertake a comprehensive survey of existing brownfield sites to determine which could be used to form a public/private partnership with a solar power firm."

Water: "Set clear, ambitious targets and deadlines for reducing stormwater runoff in the District and measure progress against targets. Like New York City and Philadelphia, develop a robust green infrastructure action plan that leverages existing grey infrastructure systems. Enact green infrastructure rules that enable the use of fines for private properties that don’t store their own runoff."

Transportation: As one ASLA member wrote, “Please incorporate bike lanes where the cyclists are protected by parked cars, as opposed to the parked cars being protected by the cyclists.”

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 ($1,000 and up) in 2011 from:

Alcoa Foundation
Allegheny County - Dan Onorato, County Executive
Bayer Corporation
Bayer USA Foundation
Buhl Foundation
Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation
BNY Mellon
Dollar Bank
FedEx Ground
The Heinz Endowments
Highmark
Elsie H. Hillman Foundation
Richard King Mellon Foundation
Pashek Associates LTD
Pittsburgh Quarterly
PNC Financial Services Group
Port Authority of Allegheny County
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