Apr 29: Vegetable gardening workshop

Join Jeff Yaeger of Octopus Organic Gardening for a vegetable gardening workshop at a home in Monroeville, PA. Jeff will work with participants to create two different styles of garden bed and will discuss soil, compost, and organic growing. We will plant a few seeds, vegetable starts, and maybe a surprise or two.

Jeff has a Master's degree in Permaculture with an undergraduate degree in Environmental Education, and is a delight to learn from. We have had a permaculture landscape for about fifteen years, and are adding the vegetable garden back in. Come find out why we've left the veggies out of our landscape for a few years, enjoy the food and much much more! Bring some gardening gloves and a shovel along if you can! I hope you are able to join us!

4:00-7:00 p.m., with a potluck dinner. The fee for this small group event is $20.00 and participants will go home with a packet of information and a small goody bag. Please RSVP and send questions to Jeff at Jefryone@gmail.com or 412-389-8251.

Apr 24: Party for the Planet at the Pgh Zoo

Celebrate Earth Day at PPG's Party for the Planet with recycling games, eco-crafts, and appearances by the Litter Bug and Zoo mascot. Meet with local organizations that will show you ways that you can help protect the environment. You can also help save mountain gorillas and enter to win a guided tour of the Zoo by recycling your old cell phones.

Visit the Green Markeptace to shop with local vendors who will offer a wide variety of products including artwork, jewelry, and green solutions for your home.

11 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the Pittsburgh Zoo. All activities are free and are included with your general admission. Sponsored by PPG Industries and the PA Resources Council.

Apr 14 & 24: Sierra Club Environmental Film Festival

The Allegheny Group Sierra Club's Fifth Annual Environmental Film Festival at the Frick Environmental Charter School features films selected for their high quality and the relevance of their themes to the environmental challenges of today. Some are funny, some are just plain gorgeous, some are infuriating. This stuff isn’t seen on your local TV or movie theater screen… except for Michael Pollan’s Botany of Desire, a great film you need to see twice anyway! (it was shown once on PBS.)

Different films both nights (except Botany of Desire, shown in two part); continuous showings. Free kids films 5-6 p.m. on April 24.

Wednesday April 14, 6-10pm

6 pm	Seeds	A concise explanation of the importance of genetic diversity to the food supply.	25 min
6:30 pm	Toast	A classic energy film made in 1974, set to music – must see! One of the most effective energy films ever made.	12 min
6:50 pm	Everything’s Cool	A toxic comedy about the conflict over Global Warming	89 min
8:30 pm	The Botany of Desire	by Michael Pollan: Apples and Tulips – the centerpiece of the Festival. Two parts of a four part look at the way plants have focused human attention on their attributes. The other two parts will be shown April 24 at 8pm. A beautiful and startling film. Very special.	60 min
9:30 pm	Green Animation	11 very short, challenging, funny films about various aspects of environmental issues from the UK.	28 min

Saturday April 24, children’s films: 5-6pm, regular films: 6:15-10pm

5 pm	Bunch of Fives	Five funny animated films by Nick Hlligoss, wordless, about relationships with nature, both human and non-human.	31 min
5:35 pm	Wake Up, Freddy	Another classic about resources, where stuff comes from and where waste goes.	21 min
5:55 pm	Song Bird Story	A look at migratory songbirds and a call for even children to be concerned about their declining numbers… and why that may be happening.	13 min
6:15 pm	Natural Connections	Outstanding, beautiful, compelling looks at biodiversity within three ecosystems.	46 min
7 pm	Gene Blues	Outstanding video that examines some of the ethical issues associated with DNA testing and sets the stage for a national debate on the ramifications of human gene technology.	30 min
7:30 pm	Community	Microcredit changing lives in Bangladesh.	24 min
8 pm	The Botany of Desire	by Michael Pollan: Marijuana and Potatoes – the centerpiece of the Festival.	60 min
9 pm	Weather the Storm	Hopeful and beautiful film about sustainable small-scale fisheries on the French coast. A look at a totally different solution to the problems of over-fishing	36 min

The event is family-friendly and refreshments will be available for a small donation. Adults: $4, kids under 12: $2.

The Frick Environmental Charter School is at 829 Milton Ave, Pittsburgh 15218 (at Milton and Henrietta Streets, off South Braddock Avenue near the Frick Park tennis courts in Regent Square). For more information, contact Don Gibbon.

Apr 24: Recycle Rama in Hampton Twp

The third annual Recycle Rama will accept newspapers, plastic and more. The event, open to any local resident, provides an opportunity for participants to give back to their community by sending reusable items to charitable organizations throughout the North Hills and beyond. Basic recyclables include newspapers, glass, plastic and aluminum, but the program also accepts other recyclables that are not so easily discarded including:

Plastic shopping bags (donors will receive a free reusable grocery tote from Giant Eagle, Trader Joe's, or Whole Foods)

Reusable building materials will be collected by Construction Junction.

Fitzsimmons Metals will be collecting aluminum and scrap metal.

Used ink cartridges and cell phones will be sent to Recycling Fundraisers (formerly Ecophones).

The Salvation Army will collect clothing, shoes and small household items.

Hampton Middle School's Helping Hands Club will take old towels and blankets to donate to All Pets Animal Hospital in Gibsonia. The veterinarians there donate them to local animal shelters.

Eyeglasses will be collected and sent to Pittsburgh ophthalmologist Dr. Karl Olsen, who takes them on a yearly mission trip to Haiti with St. Paul's Presbyterian Church of Somerset.

Boy Scout Troop 195 and Cub Scout Troop 195 will collect used books.

Girl Scout Troop 938, for its Hampton-wear collection, will be accepting used athletic uniforms, spirit wear and sports and dance equipment that is clean and in usable condition.

Girl Scout Troop 237 will be collecting men's and women's business attire and donating it to Treasure House, a North Hills-based organization that provides clothing to people re-entering the workforce.

Girl Scout Troop 313 will collect prom dresses and formal wear for Prom Dresses for Life.

Rechargeable and alkaline batteries will be collected by Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation.

JVS Electronics Recycling of Rockwood in Somerset County will remove and safely recycle any electronics. There is a charge of $5 for computer monitors and $1-per-inch charge for televisions.

Many of the organizations can provide receipts for donations for tax purposes, if requested. Recycle Rama is held rain or shine. Some items will not be accepted. These include car batteries, paint, used oil and appliances containing freon. Information on where to recycle those items in Allegheny County as well as a handout listing recycling spots open throughout the year will be available.

10am - 1pm in the parking lot of the high school on McCully Road.

Apr 24: Landscaping & Gardening Symposium

The annual Western Pennsylvania Gardening & Landscaping Symposium will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 24 at Chatham University. Symposium speakers include Scott Aker, a gardens unit leader at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, D.C; Pam Baggett, a freelance author and photographer and contributing editor for Horticulture Magazine; Florence Boogaerts, owner of a design and installation firm in Greenwich, CT; Bruce Fraedrich, vice president of research at F.A. Bartlett Tree Co.; Tovah Martin, author and editorial producer of the PBS gardening series "Cultivating Life;" and Vincent Simeone, an ornamental horticulturist who studied with experts such as Michael Dirr and Allan Armitage and is director of Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park in New York.

Also, for the first time a Garden Marketplace at the Athletic and Fitness Center on the Chatham Shadyside campus will be open to the public as well as to those registered for the symposium.

For information or to register: 412-441-4442. Fee is $110; there is no charge to visit the marketplace. More details: www.landscapesymposium.org. Click here for a map to the event.

Apr 24: Ocean acidification film, kids welcome

Pittsburgh premier of 'A Sea Change.'

This film focuses on the issue of ocean acidification through the perspective of a grandfather trying to communicate the problem to his grandson (further details). The pre-film reception will highlight water quality issues and alternative energy options in Pittsburgh; local organizations will showcase their water-related efforts.

With the themes of A Sea Change in mind, all ages are invited. There will be light refreshments, decorations from elementary school students, and activities directed towards children's participation. The pre-film reception will begin at 7:15pm and the film will be shown from 7:35-9pm, with a dessert reception and 'strolling discussion' to resume afterward.

7:15 p.m. in McConomy Auditorium in CMU's University Center. International Film Festival "Faces of Globalization" $7, $4 for students; tickets at http://www.cmu.edu/faces/ .

Apr 19-23: ReSOLUTION Shop

Clean Out Your Closet & Donate to the reSOLUTION Shop! Now in its third year, reSOLUTION is back and will be accepting recyclable and reusable materials for the week of Earth Day. Last year, we collected 1,980 items, an increase of 136%! Please help us to reach our 2010 goal - 2,500 items! We'll be collecting

Denim Jeans & Apparel - Recycled into UltraTouch Natural Fiber by Bonded Logic Inc. through the COTTON FROM BLUE TO GREEN denim drive. The most popular collection item in 2009 was denim with more than 400 pieces donated. Since 2006, COTTON FROM BLUE TO GREEN has collected some 270,000 pieces of denim and donated over half a million square feet of insulation to communities in need.

Athletic Shoes - Recycled into eco-friendly sports surfaces (Athletic Shoes ONLY – No shoes containing metal, cleats, dress shoes or damp/wet shoes)

Plastic Shopping Bags - Recycled into composite building materials

Old Art Supplies & Used CDs/DVDs - Collected by Creative Reuse Pittsburgh for reuse in creative art activities

Ink/Toner Cartridges & Rechargeable Batteries - Recycled by Office Depot, Downtown

Eyeglasses - Donated to the Lions Club for use in underdeveloped countries

Cell Phones - Collected by HopeLine from Verizon Wireless to assist victims of domestic violence

Donate an item, and spin the reSOLUTION Wheel for a chance to win prizes, gift certificates & more!

10 a.m. - 3 p.m. at Fifth Avenue Place downtown.

Apr 16-22: Soles 4 Souls shoe donations.

Your extra shoes could be their first pair! Donate your gently used shoes at Monroeville Mall and help make a difference. Over 300 million children in the world do not own a pair of shoes. Together, we can change that! Shoes (men, womens and kids) can be donated at the Easter Bunny Set. The collected shoes will be shipped to people in need, where they are victims of a natural disaster or subject to extreme poverty. For more information www.soles4souls.org.

Location: Monroeville Mall - Easter Bunny Set

Apr 22: Free gardening class in Oakmont

Local community gardener Carol Brand will present a series of free gardening classes at the Oakmont Public Library:

Thursday April 8th

"Growing Vegetables Spring into Winter" Learn what and how to plant vegetables starting early spring thru summer with harvests into winter

Thursday April 15th

Vegetable Gardening 101: Want to grow vegetables? Trying to avoid a previous gardening disaster? Learn the Basics using block planting in a 4 by 4 foot space.

Thursday April 22nd

Container Vegetable Gardening: No backyard? Learn to grow vegetables in pots on your balcony.

6:30 p.m. at the Oakmont Public Library. The classes are free of charge, but please RSVP to Carol Brand at (412) 828 1601 so she can plan appropriately.

Apr 21: Women's Health & the Environment Conference

Mark your calendars for the 2010 Women's Health & Environment Conference. Sponsored by Teresa Heinz, the Heinz Endowments, and Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC, this is possibly be the most popular and well-attended free event in Pittsburgh each year. The conference will be held on April 21 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.

Conference registration will be open soon, and many more details on this year's conference will soon emerge; in the meantime, you can peruse the web site and watch video podcasts from the 2008 conference.

Apr 19: Global Poverty panel

The Causes of Poverty and Global Obligations to the Poor: What is the Link?

This panel focuses on the relationship between the causes of poverty and global obligations to the poor.Mathias Risse argues that domestic institutions are the primary determinant of wealth or poverty. This argument, along with the inability of international actors to do much to affect the shape or quality or domestic institutions, means that global obligations to the poor are sharply limited. Nicole Hassoun criticizes the philosophical justification for one of the metrics for distributing foreign aid used by international financial institutions. This metric is based on the CIPA index, a measure of "institutional quality." She is critical of this measure, arguing that it either relies on an unjustifiably simple story about the causes of growth and poverty or that it is designed to fend off moral hazard arguments which are themselves ill-justified (probably both).Michael Goodhart argues that we don't need clear or definitive answers to questions about the causes of poverty to answer questions about global obligations to the poor. Causes are relevant for designing effective aid programs, but not for assigning responsibility for addressing poverty.

Panelists include Michael Goodhart (Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Pittsburgh), Nicole Hassoun (Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy, Carnegie Mellon University), and Mathias Risse (Associate Professor, Public Policy and Philosophy, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University).

4:30 in Gregg Hall (Porter 100). Humanities Center lecture Co-sponsored by the Center for the Advancement of Applied Ethics and Political Philosophy (CAAEPP).

Apr 17: Earth Day at the Frick Environmental Center

Celebrate Earth Day at Frick Environmental Center

Citiparks festivities offer a chance to learn, explore, and enjoy

The entire family will enjoy celebrating Earth Day surrounded by the beauty of nature at the Frick Environmental Center on Saturday, April 17, 2010 from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Nature lovers of all ages will enjoy a full day of free activities including bird walks, live entertainment, nature crafts, animal encounters, flowerbed planting, and a garlic mustard pull. Individuals and groups can leave a lasting legacy by volunteering — choose from numerous park stewardship projects.

The Frick Environmental Center is at 2005 Beechwood Boulevard, near where Beechwood hits Forbes. For more information, call 412-422-6538.

Earth Day...Come play with your kids!

Apr 16: Green Drinks on Marcellus Shale

Pittsburgh Green Drinks tries to answer the question What About Marcellus Shale? ...with George Jugovic, Jr., the Regional Director of the Southwest Regional Office of the Department of Environmental Protection.

Come join us for a Green Drinks discussion about the opportunities and environmental challenges presented by the Marcallus shale play, with comments by our host, George Jugovic, Jr. Regional Director of the Southwest Region of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. DEP's Bureau of Oil and Gas Management regulates the safe exploration, development and recovery of Marcellus Shale Natural gas reservoirs in a manner protective of the commonwealth's natural resources and the environment.

Mr. Jugovic was appointed to Regional Director of the Department of Environmental Protection South-west Regional Office in November 2009. He began his legal career in 1984 with DEP’s Office of Chief Counsel and focused his practice in water and waste litigation. Additionally, he prosecuted environmental crimes cases as a Special Deputy Attorney General with the Office of Attorney General's Environmental Crimes Section For seven years. He left state employment to run the Law Department for the non-profit Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future where he initiated citizen suits under Federal environmental laws, and represented the organization before the Public Utility Commission.

Mr. Jugovic received his B.S. degree in Environmental Resource Management from the Pennsylvania State University, and J.D. and Certificate in Environment and Natural Resources Law (honors) from Lewis and Clark Law School. He interned with the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He has taught advanced courses in Wildlife and Environmental Crimes Law at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. He has written on the constitutionality of Pennsylvania's imposition of strict liability for environmental crimes, and was primarily responsible for drafting the Commonwealth's sentencing guidelines for environmental crimes for the Pennsylvania Crimes Commission.

5-9 p.m. at Mitchell's Restaurant, Bar & Banquet Center 304 Ross St (at Third Avenue) Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Map & Directions For Port Authority Bus Routes, go here: http://www.portauthority.org

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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 Non profit, academia, labor, government, media 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.

2010 Calendar - Save these dates: May 21, June 18, July 16, August 20, September 17, October 15, November 19, December 17

Apr 15: Rain Barrel workshop at EEFC

Rain Water Harvesting and Watershed Awareness

Rainwater harvesting is an effective, ecological and economical method for the conservation and protection of this precious natural resource. By catching, storing and re-directing your roof water for on-site usage you can take advantage of this free source of precious water while at the same time contributing to a reduction in the combined sewer overflow (CSO) problem that plagues the Greater Pittsburgh and Philadelphia areas, helping to reduce flooding and nonpoint source pollution, and contributing to recharging our groundwater supply. You’ll also have a free source of non-chlorinated water for use in your yard and garden.

Learn how to harvest rainwater from your roof and divert it for on-site usage in the landscape. Attend a rain barrel workshop and return home equipped with the knowledge and hardware needed (not the 55-gal. drum) to assemble and install a rain barrel. It’s easier than you might think.

2010 PRC West Watershed Awareness/Rain BarrelWorkshops

6:30 – 8pm on Wednesday, March 10th at CCI Center on the South Side

6:30 – 8pm on Thursday, April 6th at the Green Tree Municipal Building, W. Manilla Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15220

6:30 – 8pm on Thursday, April 15th at the East End Co-Op

6:30 – 8pm on Thursday, April 22nd at the Richland Twp Municipal Building, 4019 Dickey Road Gibsonia, Pa 15044

6:30 – 8pm on Thursday, April 29th at Heidelberg@ Three Hierarchs Eastern Orthodox School, 1819 Ellsworth Avenue Carnegie, PA 15106-3947

7 - 8:30pm on Thursday, May 6th at the Upper St Clair Library, 1820 McLaughlin Run Road · Upper St.Clair, PA 15241

10am – 11:30am on Saturday, May 15th at the Schrader Environmental Center, Oglebay Institute Wheeling, WV 26003

6 – 8pm on Wednesday, May 19th at the Regional Environmental Education Center in Boyce-Mayview Park, Upper St. Clair, PA 15241

7 - 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 27th at Phipps Garden Center (5th & Shady Avenues)Wednesday, June 2nd

7 – 8:30pm at Lauri Ann West Memorial Library, 1220 Powers Run Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15238

2 - 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 13th at Hahn Nursery in the North Hills

6:30 – 8pm on Wednesday, September 8th at CCI Center on the South Side

For more information or to register for a class please call (412) 488.7490 ext. 247 or email Nancy Martin.