In 2000, Sustainable Pittsburgh (SP) reached a number of important milestones.  To-date, 140 Affiliate organizations have joined, and 250 people are participating in the Topic Teams.  Since October 1999, we held 80 events, presentations and key committee meetings.  Additional accomplishments include:

 

Smart Land Use Team

  • Mobilized the Affiliate network in support of smart growth legislation successfully passed in Harrisburg

  • Facilitated the Sustainable Development Committee of the New Idea Factory

  • Working with a private landowner to consider building a new “urbanist” community

  • Made public comment on sustainability shortcomings of the Deer Creek Crossing development

  • Hosted a presentation by EcoCity Cleveland on their citizens' bioregional plan

  • Submitted comments to SPC on the 2025 Transportation Plan

  • Authored two op-eds in Post-Gazette regarding need for strong regional land use planning

  • Developed partnership with the Urban Land Institute on smart growth programming

  • Disseminated 10,000 Friends of PA's “Costs of Sprawl” study to community leaders 

Amenities & Lifestyle Team

  • Canoe/Kayak Access committee awarded a grant from the R.K. Mellon Foundation to build a first public launch in Millvale, plan a network of launch sites, and develop the Allegheny River Water Trail with Friends of the Riverfront and others

  • Outdoor Recreation Events committee conducted several "recreation raves" to build a constituency and coordinate recreation programming

  • Media Messages & Communications committee developed and was awarded funding to implement a comprehensive Amenities Communications Plan

  • Initiated planning for the River Center in partnership with Friends of the Riverfront and the Riverlife Task Force

  • Continued partnership with 3 Rivers Connect on greenpittsburgh.net, to inventory, map, and dynamically display region's natural amenities, recreation areas, and environmental resources

  • "Champions of Sustainability" Networking Forums Series

  • Conducted the second year of six networking forums sponsored by the Giant Eagle Foundation.  For 2000, the series was presented in partnership with WDUQ radio and supported by the Katherine Mabis McKenna Foundation.  Each forum was broadcast to the station's 100,000 weekly listeners.

  • Disseminated audio tapes to community leaders of the "Champions of Sustainability" series featured presentation by Ron Sims, King County Executive

Sustainability Indicators

  • SP is promoting use of sustainability indicators at the regional and local levels.  The 2001 Regional Sustainability Indicators Report, now in development, will report on quality of life across goals and indicators on the environment, economy and equity.  SP is also working to advance indicators at the local level and is nearing completion of a "Neighborhood Indicators How-to Guide."   

  • Additional Education and Policy

  • Submitted 12 sustainability briefings per each topic to the original Allegheny County Executive Transition Teams

  • Partnered with Regional Coalition of Community Builders to present a regional sustainability conference

  • Launched the SP website www.sustainablepittsburgh.org

  • Performing many public speaking engagements and requests for public comment

  • Organized the "Sustainability Pavilion" at the Allegheny County Fair 2000 featuring a dozen partner organizations

  • Partnered with several local organizations to sponsor the "Clean Energy Now" conference in April

  • Managed the Pittsburgh Technology Council's Voluntary Initiative for Pollution Prevention

  • Assisted the Pittsburgh Technology Council in presenting 20 environmental programs to its membership

  • Partnered with the Brownfields Center at CMU on a "Brownfields Job Training and Development Demonstration Pilot Project” targeted at disadvantaged communities