GREENPITTSBURGH

Making Pittsburgh Environmentally Friendly Can Be A Reality

admin — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Pittsburgh’s future is a green future. Although previously known for manufacturing and the steel industry, Pittsburgh can easily forge a reputation for being one of the most environmentally friendly cities in the United States, if not the world. In fact, the infrastructure that was previously used to move both raw materials and finished products around can easily be modified to move people around, meaning fewer cards on the roads and less pollution.

There is already a huge interest in recycling, with many programs available making it easy for citizens to recycle even those items that are hard to recycle. Increasing awareness of these programs and therefore participation is simply a matter of getting the word out. These programs can be expanded to include composting programs for both yard waste and kitchen waste. If the schools take a hand in these programs, Pittsburgh’s children will grow up already knowing about recycling and composting, therefore ensuring that our future leaders will take the lead in making Pittsburgh environmentally friendly.

Vacant areas in the city can easily be converted to green spaces for people to plant community gardens. Other cities promote community gardens, which often become gathering spots for everyone in the community.

Why Go Green And Sustainable In Pittsburgh

admin — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

If you live in Pittsburg and have not done anything to live a greener and sustainable life it is time to start. People seem to miss out on the importance of going green and the impact that it has on the environment. Even little things such as recycling, having your own personal compost in your backyard or saving electricity can make a huge difference. If everyone made these little changes Pittsburg will be a better place. If everyone would take the initiative and do something to make their way of living more sustainable the impact would be huge.
Pittsburg has already taken a huge step by passing the law that requires all government projects to be built by green standards. That is a big move in the right direction. For those who are interested in going green and living a more sustainable lifestyle, green events are held in Pittsburg. These events provide people with information on how to go green and the effect that it has on the environment.
All cities should follow what Pittsburg is doing. That will have a huge effect n the environment and help save our planet. We are responsible for keeping our planet healthy and alive.More info here: Packing for trip… – Pittsburg, CA

Going Green In Pittsburgh Is Possible

admin — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Pittsburg can join every other green activist in the country to create a sustainable future for its families by assisting in impacting the earth positively. A green environment says that individuals care about themselves and where they live and want generations of tomorrow to find a beautiful earth.
Going green is very easy and can involve picking up trash in order to reduce one-s carbon foot print, planting a tree in order to attract rain and planting grass in a dry location. If the city of Philadelphia can implement green laws, so can Pittsburg.Check out this link here. Buildings emit a lot of greenhouse gases and offering solutions to counteracting this can have positive outcomes for the environment.
For carpenters who have to use lubricants for their tools and in their work, one should consider using vegetable oil as opposed to chainsaw oil. The latter is made with petroleum ingredients and this is emitted directly into the environment. It may be harmful to breathe this kind of substance for the lungs and petrol can destroy the environment a good example being the BP case. Vegetable oils breakdown and its components are not harmful to the environment. The city officials of Pittsburg should as soon as possible direct the residents of the city by enacting rules to go by.

Pitt’s Best Parks

admin — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

It’s no secret Pittsburgh’s not exactly known for being a “green” city but we’re working hard to change that image! If you’re planning a visit or even if you live here check out one of the city’s best parks, as chosen by us. They’re making the place greener in color, at least
Hartwood Acres – Everyone around here has heard of Hartwood and though it’s not right in the city it’s a great place to spend a day with your family. Stroll around the manor or take in a free summer concert. There’s history and fresh air – what more do you want here in Pittsburgh?
Schenley Park – You’ll find everyone at this park, from University students using their clear wireless internet to families picnicking on the grass, and for good reason. It’s got a great skyline view and is one of the quietest places in the city.
Point State Park – With a recently renovated fountain as it’s masthead, Point State is a wonderful place to spend a day. It’s centrally located and some call it the best “urban oasis in the city”how can you beat that?

Pittsburgh Can Be Green And Sustainable

admin — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Pittsburgh Can Be Green and Sustainable:

One of the key elements of making any city greener is to address how people use transportation. Bicycling is a truly green form of transportation. Encouraging citizens to utilize bicycles as a primary form of transportation is not only green, it is sustainable. Utilizing bicycles to run small errands, grocery shop, or travel short distances to appointments can be a comfortable way of life. The key is to make it easy for people to ride their bikes.

Investing in a bicycle infrastructure is one way to encourage citizens to ride their bikes. Making sure that there are proper bike racks, bike lanes, and bike facilities can motivate the public to utilize bicycles for short jaunts. More bicyclists translates into less traffic on city streets. Encouraging bicycling can save municipalities money. Police departments can utilize police officers on bicycles to patrol areas that are heavily used by the public. The reduction in cost spent on fuel could potentially pay for the start and upkeep of a bicycle unit. .

The reality is that encouraging people to bike around town has benefits to both the city and the civilian population. Taking steps to green-up Pittsburgh not only has a positive impact on the environment it can save the city money.

Ways Pittsburgh Can Be A Greener City

admin — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

There are a number of ways in which any city can become much greener and environment conscious. It is very important for cities to find as many ways as possible to become greener and more environmentally friendly, due to the importance of conservation efforts, and the need to clean up our environment.

One of the most important ways in which Pittsburgh can become a greener city, is through an organized plan of increasing the vegetation within and around the city limits. City planners and managers should plan and organize a method in which city workers and the citizens within the local area can begin a process of planting flowers, bushes, and small trees in dilapidated areas. Areas of the city that are run down and uninhabited should be cleaned up and made greener through planting trees and plants. This will not only beautify the area, but will increase the production of fresh oxygen for the citizenry.

A concerted effort must be made to clean up all trash in the city. In cleaning up the trash in the city, vegetation will once again be able to flourish in the area. In addition, the collection of trash can be recycled as needed.

How To Bring Pittsburgh To A Greener Future

admin — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Little changes make huge ripples in the hopes of saving energy . Lowering the thermostat on your house furnace before you leave in the morning to 50 degrees is a great energy savings , as well as turning off unwanted lights and appliances . Changing the air filter in your car if needed is another great way of saving energy and reducing pollution thru more efficient combustion . Supporting local farmers is a great way of helping to sustain your neighborhood . If there isn’t any maybe go to a city meeting and ask about starting a non-for-profit group that grows fruit and produce for the community and see if it might work around your neighborhood . They might have land that they are looking for good things to do with . Small farms are great for school field trips as well , teaching kids about gardening are great life long skills , as well as after school activities for underprivileged kids too . Gardening whether for food or for wonderful flowers and plants is a great way to beautify a community , feed a community and help raise a community together which in turn will make a beautiful city to live in

Resources for Involvement

www.greenpittsburgh.net — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000

We recently wrote about a couple of organizations (like the Sierra Club and Mt. Lebanon Nature Conservancy) as possible points of interest should you want to connect with a local group or organization to impact and evoke change in the greater Pittsburgh area involving environmental concerns.If they weren’t enough to spark your interest we offer a few more to spur thought and possible involvement.

The Air and Waste Management Association (Allegheny Mountain Section) is in place to promote better understanding of problems in the fields of air and water pollution and waste management and providing a means for exchanging information towards resolving those problems.Center for Environmental Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute works to promote further research on the environmental causes of cancer and educate the public about environmental risk factors for cancer.Conemaugh Valley Conservancy works to promote the conservation and preservation of natural and cultural resources and to encourage land-use practices along the Conemaugh River corridor.Explorer’s Club of Pittsburgh is a non- profit organization devoted to adventure and education in outdoor & wilderness recreation and conservation. Numerous activities, trips and schools are led by club members and include rock climbing, backpacking, mountaineering, canoeing, biking, scuba, skiing, ice climbing, rafting and orienteering.Friends of the Riverfront was established to create and is dedicated to the continued expansion of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail, a wonderful pedestrian trail and greenway system running for 37 miles along both sides of the Allegheny, Mononghahela and Ohio Rivers in Pittsburgh.Pennsylvania Biodiversity Partnership (formerly the Alleghany Watershed Network) was formed to allow citizen groups and government agencies active within the Allegheny River watershed an opportunity to exchange information and ideas about the protection and enhancement of their local water resources.Sustainable Pittsburgh a non-partisan, civic forum, advocates the integration of economic growth, environmental health, and social equity as the foundation for high quality of life and long-term prosperity of southwestern Pennsylvania.

We’ll keep adding to the resources available with the hope that one (if not more) will spark action and involvement.

Mt. Lebanon Nature Conservancy

www.greenpittsburgh.net — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 16:52:48 +0000

Mt. Lebanon Nature Conservancy (MLNC) has been supporting conservation in Mt. Lebanon since 1984. For all of those years they’ve been working diligently to promote the enhancement and careful use of Mt. Lebanon’s green space since their purpose is to promote the enhancement, growth and careful use of Mt. Lebanon’s green space.Because the municipality is mature there is little green space left. As such, MLNC takes their charter for responsibility very seriously. They are also working to foster an appreciation and respect for the environment and for the interdependent relationship that exists between people and nature.Some programs that MLNC has been dedicated to in the recent past involve the preservation of the green space in Mt. Lebanon and to increase public awareness of environmental issues by hosting events such as:

School in the Park to explore the natural resources within the conservancy’s bird park
Partnering with area schools and teachers and their respective environmental clubs
Holding a photography contest entitled Nature in an Urban Setting

And December typically holds a Christmas Bird Count, this year being held on December 19th beginning at 8:00 am at Bird Park fire circle.

Sierra Club Allegheny Group

www.greenpittsburgh.net — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 16:52:39 +0000

The National Sierra Club was founded in California in 1892. It has long been recognized as one of the nation’s most active and effective national groups working for environmental integrity through public education, lobbying, and legal action. The national membership was 625,000 in 2000. In recent years the Sierra Club has focused its environmental advocacy on clean air and water, open space and wild places, conservation of natural resources, wise use of land, and improved mass transportation.The Pennsylvania Chapter of the Sierra Club consists of ten Groups, of which the Allegheny Group is one. This group was organized in the early 1970sThe Allegheny Group’s first projects involved legal battles to oppose granting strip mining permits which threatened irreplaceable local water supplies. It also fought in and out of the courts to protect the Clarion River from pulp mill wastes. It also did a study of lands on the Allegheny National Forest that might qualify as Wilderness areas under the 1964 National Wilderness Act. It was instrumental in getting bills introduced in Congress to protect three areas as Wilderness, and succeeded in obtaining Wilderness status for the Hickory Creek area and a number of Allegheny River islands. The group also played a role in restricting the use of off-road vehicles on the Allegheny National Forest.Members may become involved in various conservation committees that work on such issues as air quality, population, carrying capacity, oil and gas, wetlands, recycling and political education.It currently has committees formed to face the following local agendas:

Air Quality
Environmental Justice
Global Warming
Hays Woods
Mining
Mon Fayette Expressway
Public Lands
Sustainable Agriculture/Urban Gardening
Transportation
Water

If you have any type of interest in any of the above issues or the many others (see list below) it might be time to tap into your local chapter to see how you can make a difference.

Climate Change and Energy
Coal
Land Use
Rivers and Water
Sustainability
Restorative Forestry
True Cost of Food
Wilderness
Local Campaigns
Recycling
Nuclear Power

Here’s their link to make the next step to making a difference a whole lot easier!