The ever widening swath of green continues to spread throughout our region with a number of new initiatives, programs, even a glog.
The City of Pittsburgh has created a new staff position, a sustainability coordinator for a new Office of Sustainability and Energy Efficiency. Lindsay Baxter, who assisted on mapping the Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan, will help propel the region toward continued green growth. She was a former member of the group Clean Air-Cool Planet.
“We made great strides to reduce our city’s carbon footprint, and we will continue to do what it takes to help our region create green collar jobs and improve our residents’ quality of life,” says Mayor Luke Ravenstahl.
University of Pittsburgh student Paul Trichon has created a green blog, or glog, a social networking site that connects users and helps to increase environmental awareness. Check it out here.
Chatham University has purchased a 2009 Toyota Prius police car. The purchase was one of several green initiatives recently launched at the school.
The university’s new Eden Hall Farm Campus in Richland Township serves as a living laboratory for students studying women and environmental sustainability. In addition, Chatham serves locally-grown, hormone-free food in its dining hall and waste is composted through a pilot project with Parkhurst and Agrecycle Inc. of Pittsburgh.
Kudos to Palate Partners and Dreadnought Wines in the Strip District who are helping local businesses to go greener, encouraging the use of real plates and glass instead of styrofoam containers and helping businesses to recycle.
A $200,000 grant from the Heinz Endowments will sponsor the Allegheny River Stewardship Project, a community based environmental health program that studies water contamination in the Allegheny River, a flagship program of the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health’s Center for Healthy Environments and Communities (CHEC).
Writer: Deb Smit
Sources: Mayor Luke Ravenstahl; Walt Fowler, Chatham University; Deb Mortillaro, Palate Partners; Tim Koncewicz; Heinz Endowments
2008 National Park(ing) Day project by artist Sean Derry