You are invited the 3rd Friday of each month, 5-9pm, to an informal gathering of folks who have an interest in a greener, more sustainable planet.
This month the event will be hosted by Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, who will expound upon the theme of
From Green to Greener: How the Mayor plans to build on his accomplishments
In early 2007, Mayor Ravenstahl signed the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, pledging to implement local global warming solutions that will save taxpayer dollars and reduce energy use.
Following this commitment, the City of Pittsburgh adopted the first Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan in August 2008,which established a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2023.
In 2008, the City of Pittsburgh hired its first Sustainability Coordinator, as did the Pittsburgh Urban Redevelopment Authority. Mayor Ravenstahl also created a $100,000 Green Initiative Trust Fund to support the City’s greening efforts.
Under the leadership of Mayor Ravenstahl, the City has taken strides to improve energy efficiency, including replacing all traffic signals with energy-saving LEDs, engaging in an energy-efficiency streetlighting pilot study, and hiring an engineering firm to complete an energy audit of the City-County Building.
In September 2009, The Western PA Energy Consortium, managed by the City of Pittsburgh, won a “Green Power Leadership Award” from the US EPA for purchasing 10% of electricity from renewable sources. This percentage will increase to 15% next year.
Pittsburgh is one of only 25 U.S. cities to be named a Solar America City through Department of Energy. As part of this program, the City will be installing the first solar hot water heater on Pittsburgh Firehouse No. 34 in Woods Run in October, and has plans to install another 5 solar hot water heaters in 2010, eliminating the need to use natural gas to create hot water for showers and kitchens in those buildings.
To foster non-motorized transportation, Mayor Ravenstahl created the position of Bike and Pedestrian Coordinator, who works to improve general bike parking, access, and safety throughout the city. The Coordinator is also working with a Pittsburgh non-profit (Bike Pittsburgh) to create an employee bike program that can be rolled out to other employers.
In November 2008, the City expanded single-stream recycling city-wide, meaning citizens can place all recyclables in the same blue bag for curbside pick up, resulting in a 31% increase by tonnage.
In 2008, the City planted over 700 trees and received a special Growth Award from the National Arbor Day Foundation for developing a partnership with Friends of the Pittsburgh Urban Forest.
Mayor Ravenstahl created the Green Up Pittsburgh program, which aims to stabilize city-owned vacant lots with the goals of reducing blight, inspiring community pride, and promoting environmental values. To date, Green Up has greened over 100 lots, with the help of thousands of volunteers.
Please join us for some green conversation with the Mayor and each other.
5-9 p.m. at the Fire Engine House No. 25/Clemente Museum, 3339 Penn Ave., 15201 (412) 681-1268. Senator Jim Ferlo will introduce the Mayor between 6 and 6:30 p.m. Free parking; free appetizers and beer compliments of Senator Ferlo.
For Port Authority Bus Routes, go here: http://www.portauthority.org
FOR MORE INFO: pittsburghgreendrinks@gmail.com
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What is Green Drinks?
Every month, people who work in the environmental field or have in interest in a greener planet meet up for drinks at places all around the world at informal sessions known as Green Drinks. We have a lively mixture of people from NGOs, academia, government and business. Come along and you'll be made welcome. Just say, "are you green?" and we will look after you and introduce you to whoever is there. It's a great way of catching up with people you know and also for making new contacts. Everyone invites someone else along, so there's always a different crowd, making Green Drinks an organic, self-organizing network.
These events are simple and unstructured. Make friends, develop new ideas, do deals and forge a new organic future. It's a force for the good and we'd like to help its spreading to other cities. Green Drinks meets on the 3rd Friday of each month from 5:00 - 9:00 PM...or later!! Put it in your calendar and count on it: Green Drinks is happening every month.
Save the Date 2009: November 20, December 18
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