Green living and green building collide during a new
Venture Outdoors (VO) program that will showcase Pittsburgh’s natural and architectural resources.
“Green Pittsburgh Biking Excursion” takes place on Sept. 29th at 1:00p.m. The moderately paced trek will begin at the
Three Rivers Rowing Association boathouse in
Millvale. Bikers will cross the 7th St. bridge, continue around
the Point and along riverfront trails, and head to the
South Side, where they will tour four examples of sustainable design—
WYEP,
CCI Center,
REI, and
MAYA Design.
“Being in the nonprofit sector, you see things that are happening in Pittsburgh in positive areas. We’ve noticed how many green buildings are going up—the number is absolutely outstanding,” says Rob Walters, with VO. “It’s such a positive thing for our environment. We want to show it off.”
In collaboration with the
Green Building Alliance, VO designed the tour to highlight the growth of
LEED-certified building projects in Pittsburgh. Boasting four more than cities like Atlanta, Pittsburgh features 20 LEED-certified buildings. Walters hopes that more businesses will see the benefits of investing in economically efficient and environmentally friendly buildings, and that the region will become nationally known for its mix of sustainable design and recreational amenities.
“We’re a direct result of this city’s desire to make Pittsburgh a cleaner, greener eco-tourism city. It’s fun to bring exercise into everyday life,” adds Walters, who says that next summer, VO will host walking tours of
CMU and the
North Side. “Our membership just hit 2775. We were at 900 at this time last year. We’re taking off and busier than ever. Participation is up forty-four percent.” To register, go
here.
Writer:
Jennifer BaronSource: Rob Walters, Venture Outdoors
Photograph copyright © Jonathan Greene