Sustainable Pittsburgh

Tag Archive: community

Redefining Equity, Equality, and Justice in Community Development: Community Development Summit
May 13, 2020 4:00 am Leave a Comment
The 10th Annual Community Development Summit will take place on May 13-14, 2020 at the Omni William Penn Hotel, Downtown Pittsburgh.
PCRG’s annual Summit features exciting keynote speakers and engaging breakout sessions designed to cover the myriad of issues that surround community development. We honor and lift up the work of our members and partners, providing access to the state of the art in community and economic development. Sessions cover topics from strategies for increasing financial resources available to communities to land use topics such community planning, land recycling and affordable housing, mobility equity and transit-oriented development, and community capacity and organizing.

The Summit is a truly regional event, drawing speakers and participants not only from PCRG member organizations and neighborhoods, but also from surrounding cities, the broader region, and across the country. PCRG strives to make the Summit accessible to everyone who is passionate about rebuilding and sustaining healthy, vibrant, and sustainable communities – from community development professionals and elected officials to neighborhood volunteers.

Each year’s Summit focuses on a different theme that guides the selection of keynotes, session presenters, and more. This year’s theme – [Re] defining Equity, Equality, and Justice in Community Development – hones in on the challenges and opportunities in creating communities that lift up people of all races, genders, and backgrounds onto an even field of opportunity.
2020 Environmental Advisory Council Network Conference
May 2, 2020 12:00 pm Leave a Comment
CONFERENCE DETAILS

Saturday, May 2, 2020 | 8AM – 4PM
Upper Merion Township Building [Map it]
175 W Valley Forge Road
King of Prussia, PA 19406
$55.00 through March 31 ($65.00 beginning April 1)

Registration for the Environmental Advisory Council Network Conference includes breakfast, a full day of training, and lunch. Registration is available for EAC members, municipal officials and those interested in establishing an EAC.

REGISTER NOW

What is an EAC?

An Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) is a group of 3-7 people, appointed by a municipality’s elected officials, that advises the elected officials, as well as the planning commission and park and recreation board, on the protection, conservation, management, promotion and use of natural resources within the municipality. Pennsylvania’s EAC Network is administered by the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association. Visit EACnetwork.org for more information.
Cleantech Open 2020 Application Deadline
April 19, 2020 4:00 am Leave a Comment
Cleantech Open is the oldest and largest accelerator for cleantech startups. It’s like a mini MBA. We run once a year for about 5 months, with most of the programming in the summer months. It’s virtual, with mentoring, an on-line curriculum, several in-person events in Boston and New York, showcasing, lots of networking including introductions to investors and strategics, and opportunities to compete for $40,000 in cash prizes and over $200,000 in in-kind products and services. Plus, our Global Forum event brings together all the startups in that year’s cohort from around the world for more prizes, showcasing, investor connections, and networking. In the Northeast we cover from Canada to Pennsylvania, and each cohort is 25-40 startups. We run about 30 events per year. We have over 400 alumni in the Northeast since 2005, and there are over 1500 worldwide. The 2019 Cleantech Open Northeast cohort is doing really well. Collectively they raised over $4 million between the start of the accelerator in May and December 2019, and several already have customers.
14th Annual Farm to Table Local Expo
March 6, 2020 5:00 am Leave a Comment
Join us for the 14th Annual Farm to Table Expo! We will be part of the Pittsburgh Home & Garden Show.

Vendors and speakers will be sampling and selling local farm products. Learn where to shop local all year round and stock up on your Buy Fresh Buy Local favorites!!
CleanTech Open 2020 Early Bird Application Due
February 29, 2020 5:00 am Leave a Comment
Cleantech Open is the oldest and largest accelerator for cleantech startups. It’s like a mini MBA. We run once a year for about 5 months, with most of the programming in the summer months. It’s virtual, with mentoring, an on-line curriculum, several in-person events in Boston and New York, showcasing, lots of networking including introductions to investors and strategics, and opportunities to compete for $40,000 in cash prizes and over $200,000 in in-kind products and services. Plus, our Global Forum event brings together all the startups in that year’s cohort from around the world for more prizes, showcasing, investor connections, and networking. In the Northeast we cover from Canada to Pennsylvania, and each cohort is 25-40 startups. We run about 30 events per year. We have over 400 alumni in the Northeast since 2005, and there are over 1500 worldwide. The 2019 Cleantech Open Northeast cohort is doing really well. Collectively they raised over $4 million between the start of the accelerator in May and December 2019, and several already have customers

The early bird deadline is February 29, 2020 (leap day!), and the application deadline is April 19, 2020.
Climate Reality Project: How to talk to elected leaders
February 25, 2020 10:45 pm Leave a Comment
Activate Democracy for Climate Action

Presented by: Climate Reality: Pittsburgh & Southwestern PA

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Doors Open: 5:45pm

Program starts: 6pm

I. Keynote

PA State Rep Sara Innamorato – will give us insider tips on how to persuade our elected officials to take swift climate action, and why local campaigns need your help. She will also give a policy update on climate & pollution issues such as radioactive waste in PA. (Rep. Innamorato is a trained Climate Reality Leader and is here for educational purposes. Climate Reality is a non-partisan organization.)

II. Panel Discussion with Successful Frontline Leaders + Q&A

Felicia Bute, Climate Reality Leader & advocate for fair elections, public transport, and urban agriculture

Lisa Graves Marcucci, EnvironmentaI Integrity Project – Pennsylvania Coordinator, Community Outreach

Bob Schmetzer, Beaver County Marellus Awareness Community; Council President, South Heights, PA

III. Skill Share: Why and how to write Letters to the Editor

Debra Smit, BREATHE project & Climate Reality Leader; journalist

**LOCATION NOTE: the Center for Sustainable Landscapes is behind the main Phipps botanic gardens. Attendees will need to drive or walk down Frew St. Extension. Please see map below. For detailed bike, bus, and accessibility info, please visit Phipps Directions & Parking info. Free parking for our visitors is available on the Frew St. Extension. Metered parking on Schenley Drive is free at 6pm.

1 Schenley Drive, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213
Nature of Place Symposium
February 19, 2020 5:00 am Leave a Comment
A Symposium About Biophilia

The implications of biophilia extend across a vast array of disciplines including design and engineering, nutrition, psychology, public health, education, biology and the humanities. Biophilia is expressed all over the world every day, through complex collaborations such as the design and construction of buildings and landscapes; and intimate, personal encounters including nature hikes and home gardening.

Since 2013, Phipps has held a monthly Biophilia: Pittsburgh gathering to bring creative minds together for learning, exploring and strengthening the bonds between people and the natural world. At Phipps’ first Nature of Place Symposium, this concept finds a new expression as leaders across disciplines come together to discuss the influence and impact of biophilia on their work and the work of the future. The event will include an opening reception and keynote speaker on the evening of Wed., Feb. 19 and a day of presentations and panels on Thurs., Feb. 20.
People + Place + Policy Winter Symposium
February 13, 2020 11:00 pm Leave a Comment
Join Beaver County Local Governments on February 13th as local government officials and citizens learn together from a local, regional and national perspective on what it means to work collaboratively on community development through our developing our people, place identity, and policy-making.

Keynote Speaker:

Majora Carter, Majora Carter Group/Sustainable South Bronx

Allegheny County Master Watershed Steward Program: Monroeville

February 11, 2020 11:30 pm Leave a Comment

The next Allegheny County Master Watershed Steward program will run from March – July 2020. Training includes 40 hours of instruction on 19 topics.

Classes will be held Tuesdays from 6:30 – 9:00 PM at 3 county parks plus 4 Saturday field study classes starting at 9:00 AM at other locations.

Look under “Do you really want to be a Master Watershed Steward?” for the online application. To learn more, attend a Regional Informational Meeting (see below) or contact Mary Wilson at 412-482-3464 or mpw5625@psu.edu.

Regional Informational Meetings

A series of public meetings will be held around Allegheny County in February to introduce individuals and organizations interested in watersheds and conservation to the Master Watershed Steward Program.

Tuesday, Feb. 11	6:30 – 8:00 PM	Monroeville Public Library , Monroeville
Thursday, Feb 13	6:30 – 8:00 PM	Moon Twp. Municipal Bldg., Moon Twp.
Tuesday, Feb. 18	6:30 – 8:00 PM	Mt. Lebanon Public Library, Mt. Lebanon

Walk-ins welcome but advance registration is appreciated.

Please e-mail Mary Wilson at mpw5625@psu.edu to register to attend.

Peace of Mind for Proper Disposal of Electronics
12:26 pm Leave a Comment

Do your residents have a plan for the proper disposal of electronics? The majority of electronics are not able to be processed by typical recycling facilities and/or placed in landfills due to the batteries, lead, and other materials that would lead to environmental harm. Illegal dumping remains a huge problem for communities in Western Pennsylvania, as residents are unsure of the recycling protocols and/or the location or electronics disposal facilities.

Three Allegheny County municipalities have figured out solutions to this recycling dilemma: asset management. Munhall, Wilkinsburg, and West Mifflin are three different communities with a common quandary: what should their residents do with electronic waste? In some of the communities, residents were calling on the municipality to find a solution and in others, residents were taking matters into their own hands and tossing the waste illegally over the hillside. Working with eLoop llc, an IT lifecycle management company, these municipalities were each able to find a unique process to address the issue.

Munhall has a scheduled system where their public works staff finds and collects e-waste and Wilkinsburg has set up one-day collection events managed by their public works staff to collect electronic waste. West Mifflin has adopted a paid sticker identification system with curbside pickup. Once collected and picked up by eLoop IIc, the materials are wiped clean of data or potential information on the devices. The electronics are then disassembled into production grade materials and resold once vetted.

Through asset management organizations like eLoop llc, communities are finding e-waste solutions and peace of mind for the proper erasure of data and redistribution of materials. Partnering with the Pennsylvania Resources Council, eLoop llc is hosting four e-waste collection dates for all Southwestern PA communities: May 9th at Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills, June 20th at Bethel Park High School, July 25th at La Roche University, and October 3rd at Settlers Cabin Park Wave Pool parking lot.

Want more information? Learn more about starting an e-waste program for your municipality at eloopllc.com or check out these helpful resources on personal data destruction and eWaste recycling.

Ned Eldridge, CEO of eLoop LLC, participates in the CEOs for Sustainability executive council.