Aug 29: Tomato & Garlic Festival at Phipps


Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, in conjunction with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, presents the sixth annual Red, Ripe & Roasted: Tomato & Garlic Festival. The festival will include a farmers' market, garlic roasting, live chef demonstrations, tomato and garlic tastings and kids' activities. Chef Joe Colantuono will prepare parmesan and cracked black pepper couscous with roasted tomato oil and cornmeal-crusted fried heirloom tomatoes during a live cooking demo and tasting at noon. Cafe Phipps will vend both items all day on the front lawn, along with other food featuring tomatoes and garlic (Caprese wraps and salads with heirloom tomatoes and fresh mozarella; gazpacho, etc.)

Local celebrity Doug Oster, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "Backyard Gardener" and co-host/producer of KDKA's The Organic Gardeners radio program, will be at the event signing copies of his new book, Tomatoes Garlic Basil and demonstrating how to prepare one of the recipes from his book.

Gardeners are encouraged to participate in a seed swap: Just bring a labeled packet of your open-pollinated seeds to exchange with another variety. To be considered for Phipps' tomato contest, guests should bring the ugliest, smallest and largest ripe tomatoes from their gardens for the chance to win a Phipps prize basket.

Visitors should bring a bag of fresh produce from home to donate to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank to receive free admission to the festival and the Conservatory during festival hours (11 a.m. - 5 p.m.).

Aug 29: Rachel's Sustainable Feast

The fourth annual Rachel's Sustainable Feast moves to the Rachel Carson Bridge in Pittsburgh. Why? Because we ran out of space outside Rachel's home in Springdale!!

The best of the region's hottest chefs who support local sustainable farmers, our favorite local farmers' markets, our good friends who are eco-friendly vendors and groups who work to protect our land, water and air, and more ways to learn about sustainable living in one of this country's fastest-growing green marketplaces - southwestern Pennsylvania!

Some of these great people you've met before, others you haven't. One of the chefs who signed up right away is Kevin Sousa of Salt of the Earth. He's one of the original locavore chefs in Pittsburgh and an all-round great guy!

Also, Keith Fuller of Six Penn Kitchen, Steve Salvi of Fede Pasta, Penn's Corner Farm Alliance, Sonoma Grille and/orSeviche are on board! Check our Web site regularly to see who else will be there.

Turner Dairy Farms will be there also. Turner Dairy Farms has been a fixture of the local agriculture scene since the company was founded in 1930. They are proud to offer the highest quality "rBGH free" milk from 50 local family dairy farms, all located within 70 miles of their processing facility. From local farms to local families for 80 years!

Our friends from Slow Food Pittsburgh, the Pennsylvania Association of Sustainable Agriculture, Whole Foods Market andEat 'N Park Hospitality Group who help us organize this event will be there also.

So get your appetite going, and get registered today, online. There's an earlybird price special of $7 if you register before the end of July. As always the little ones (5 and under) get in free.

12-5 p.m. on the Rachel Carson Bridge.

Aug 29: Duck Hollow cleanup

Come out and help Allegheny Cleanways with its cleanup of Duck Hollow. We'll be concentrating on trail maintenance, riverbank cleanup, and removing as much of the dumped debris as possible. If necessary, we may schedule one more cleanup there in the fall, but we're hoping to get it all cleaned up this time around. As always, be sure to wear long pants and sturdy shoes or boots that can get dirty. Also, if you have a truck and don't mind using it to haul some very ugly debris, we sure could use it. We'll provide all other equipment and refreshments.

9 a.m. - 12 noon. Access from Old Browns Hill Road. More information and a map are online.

Allegheny Cleanways has a couple of cleanups already scheduled for September and more will be added soon. September 25th is the last Tireless event of the season and on the 26th we'll be working with the Mt. Washington CDC to clean up part of Emerald View Park. The junk we pull out of the park will then be used by local artists to create art pieces for the Wild Art, Wild Trails Festival on October 3rd (a call for artists is attached).

There will be several cleanups scheduled in October - many on the weekend of October 17th, as part of the annual Fall Reddup. Stay tuned to Facebook and the events page on our website for updates.

Also...don't forget, if you'd like to help out on a more regular basis, we are always in need of "dump busters" - volunteers who are willing to help clean up and monitor smaller sites on a more regular basis. The Dump Busters program runs just about every day, so you can decide when and how often you'd like to help, based on your availability.

Aug 28: Sprout Fund's Hothouse

Hothouse is the Sprout Fund's annual summer showcase and benefit party, presenting some of the innovative projects and emerging leaders of successful community initiatives it has supported over the past year. As Sprout's "live annual report" to the community, the event celebrates the organization's accomplishments and features live music and performances, food and drink by Pittsburgh favorites, a silent auction, and a VIP reception. Held annually at unique development sites, Hothouse is an incredible opportunity for a wide cross-section of Pittsburgh's business and social circles to come together each year and support the Sprout Fund at the premier civic, cultural, and community event to cap the summer!

Starting at 7 p.m. (VIP reception)/9 p.m. (general admission) at the old Don Allen Auto City (Baum Boulevard & Liberty Avenue, in Bloomfield/Shadyside). Tickets $50-150.

Aug 28: Benefit concert for Gulf restoration


Pittsburgh musicians shall perform at a benefit concert to raise funds to send to Malik Rahim as he rides a bicycle 1600 miles from New Orleans to Washington DC to demand a full restoration of the Gulf's current devastation from the oil disaster.

Who: Hosted by Vincent Eirene and Phat Man Dee.

Performers to include:

Phat Man Dee, jazz chanteuse and activist

http://www.reverbnation.com/phatmandee

The Typewriter Girls, environmentally responsible poets and sketch comedians

http://typewritergirls.net/

Olivia Kissel of Zafira Dance Company

http://www.zafiradance.com/

Christiane D, organizer, poet, singer

http://www.allthingschristianed.wordpress.com/

Where: The Bloomfield Bridge Tavern 4412 Liberty Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15224

When: Saturday August 28, 2010 Showtime begins at 8 pm

Cost: $10 though no one turned away for lack of funds. 100% of the door shall be sent to Malik Rahim through the non profit agency Common Ground Relief Fund.

Age: 21 and over

It should be noted that Malik had to cease his ride during the heat wave last week but plans to return biking where he left off in Mobile, AL. Malik is 62 years old and we would like him to see 63. We still support his endeavor and cause in any way we can, and in Pittsburgh, that means art and music, though a donation of a decent road worth bicycle for Malik would be appreciated. Vince Eirene has offered to drive it down to him personally if such a donation were forthcoming.For more info check his site:http://www.bikeforthegulf.org/ and see his official release below.

THE MEG PERRY CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PEACE AND JUSTICE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information visit http://www.BikefortheGulf.Org/

A Very Long Haul: Malik Rahim, Director of the Meg Perry Center for Environmental Peace and Justice to Ride Bicycle from Houma, LA to Washington D.C. Promoting the Need for Wetland Restoration in Louisiana

NEW ORLEANS, LA—July 7, 2010—On Tuesday July 7 at 5:30 a.m. Malik Rahim, Director of the Meg Perry Center for Environmental Peace and Justice, set out on his trusty bicycle for a 1,600 mile sojourn to Washington D.C., stopping at state capitals, universities and community centers along the way to espouse the dramatic, immediate need for the restoration of Louisiana's fragile wetlands.Mr. Rahim's goal is to build awareness for the dire need for wetlands restoration with the hope that his efforts will culminate in an Environmental Summit in late 2010 or early 2011. The estimated cost of the restoration of Louisiana's wetlands in $6 billion."This must happen NOW!," said Rahim, 62. Mr. Rahim, a long-time housing and environmental activist, who gained attention as a community organizer in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. "Now more than ever, our wetlands need to be rebuilt. People need to know that Louisiana's already unbelievable rate of wetlands loss of a football–sized piece of land every 37 minutes has increased exponentially by the spewing BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. We need help!

"The horror of Katrina was made possible by number of forces," Mr. Rahim said, "including the devastation of Louisiana's wetlands by oil companies. Now this problem has been exacerbated exponentially by the hemorrhaging oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico," he said.

A novice cyclist but veteran activist, Mr. Rahim hopes to average 35 miles per day. He will began his journey in Houma, Louisiana at the BP Preservation Headquarters and proceed to the offices of Common Ground Relief, 1800 Deslonde Street, in New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward. On Wednesday, July 14, a press conference and rally will be held at Common Ground Relief offices at 3 p.m., at which time the group will bid Mr. Rahim well and see him off on his journey. He will head east along the Gulf Coast visiting those coastal cities hardest hit by the BP Oil Spill, including Biloxi, Mississippi and Mobile, Alabama, and on to Tallahassee, Florida. His trip will take him past the Sewanee River Basin the Okefenokee Swamp up past the National Seashores through Savannah, Charleston, the Cape Hatteras Seashore up past the Chesapeake Bay to Richmond and then to Washington DC. Mr. Rahim's ride will take him past some of the most pristine and endangered wetlands areas in the country.He will maintain a daily blog at bikeforthegulf.org and will update his Facebook group "Bike for the Gulf") and Twitter (twitter.com/bikeforthegulf ) entries daily.Mr. Rahim intends to arrive in Washington DC on 9/22. He plans to meet with the Progressive Caucus, and the Bike4Peace ride led by former Georgia Congressmember Cynthia McKinney. He invites all interested parties to join him on his ride, particularly those with the Green Party and other environmental affiliations. Visit BikefortheGulf.org for more information and updates.

Who Was Meg Perry?

Portland, ME, organizer Meg Perry died in a bus accident in December of 2005 while she was working as part of the relief effort following Hurricane Katrina. Ms. Perry is the only person to be killed while volunteering in the aftermath of the storm. She is remembered as a beacon of hope and the essence of civic responsibility in the communities that she served. All the way from Portland, Maine, she drove down on a bus fueled mostly by used cooking oil. Ms. Perry made the trip to the Gulf Coast region three times, and each time she brought back at least six more volunteers. After reaching the Gulf Coast, she spent months repairing roofs, helping to start neighborhood gardens, working to protect the wetlands, and distributing emergency supplies to all races, especially African American survivors in Alabama, and in the New Orleans communities of Algiers and the 9th Ward.

The Meg Perry Center for Environmental Peace and Justice is a center for research and advocacy for Gulf Coast restoration.

Aug 27: Marcellus panel with CHEC at Pitt

Marcellus Shale -- What Do We Need To Know? Join the Center for Healthy Environments and Communities for a panel discussion exploring the serious potential environmental & public health concerns which surround the gas extraction process used in the Marcellus Shale, the sedimentary rock formation underlying significant portions of PA, NY, & WV. Speakers: Conrad Dan Volz, DrPH, MPH; Charles Christen, DrPH, MEd; & Samantha Malone, MPH, CPH.

This panel discussion will address the following topics:

  • Conceptual Site Modeling
  • Potential human exposure pathways to water & air contaminants
  • Behavioral & community health concerns
  • Public health preparedness related to gas industry operations
  • FracTracker - Blog & Data Tool

1:30 - 3 p.m. at the G32 Auditorium in the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health (Parran Hall, 130 DeSoto St. in Oakland). Contact CHEC for more information.

Aug 27/28: GASLAND showing in Frick Park


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Josh Fox is coming back to Pittsburgh!
An outdoor screening of his recent film "GasLand" will be presented in
Pittsburgh by Josh Fox and Rooftop Films in Frick Park, in the swale below
Blue Slide playground (near the intersection of Nicholson Street and
Beechwood Blvd. in Squirrel Hill.
The event is scheduled to begin at 8:00pm, and will include live music, the film screening, and a panel discussion.  Planned date is Aug 27;  in case of rain it'll shift to Aug. 28.  
More information can be found here.

Aug 26: Grow Pittsburgh photo show opening

Summer Youth Intern Photography Show at the Square Cafe. Every summer, Grow Pittsburgh invites urban high school students to take part in an eight-week summer youth internship program, where they gain hands-on experience in urban agriculture and community building. This season there were two groups of interns, one working at the Braddock Farms site and the other working on multiple projects for Grow Pittsburgh, GTECH Strategies, and Friends of the Pittsburgh Urban Forest.
During their internship, students received lessons from local photographer Doug Michaels -- and then chronicled their unique experiences throughout the program. Each year Grow Pittsburgh's restaurant partner The Square Cafe hosts a photography show of the students' work, displaying it to friends, family, and the community.

Show opening 6-8 p.m. on August 26th; work on display through August 29th at The Square Cafe, 1137 South Braddock Ave., Pittsburgh 15218.

Aug 26: EPA Hearing on coal emissions

The U.S. EPA will hold a public hearing on the proposed Clean Air Transport Rule in Philadelphia -- this is our single best opportunity this year to get fossil-fuel burning power plants to clean up.

This is a critical regulation for protecting public health, but it needs to be stronger. As a reminder, this rule requires the cleanup of emissions from coal-fired power plants, emissions that are transported across state boundaries. The rule focuses on nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2), with impacts on ozone and fine particle pollution, and even has the potential to be helpful in fighting mercury pollution in concert with another rule expected out in February.

GASP will be organizing a road trip to Philadelphia to testify at the hearing and prior to that we'll send out talking points to assist interested individuals in formulating their comments.

Even with the Clean Air Transport Rule in place, Allegheny County is projected by EPA to be the only county to continue to violate both the old 1997 PM2.5 standard and the 2006 PM2.5 standard. Allegheny County has the most to gain by calling for a STRONG Clean Air Transport Rule.

Let us know at gasp@gasp-pgh.org if you are interested in traveling with GASP and speaking at the hearing.


9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Radisson Plaza - Warwick Hotel Philadelphia, 1701 Locust St, Philadelphia, PA


Jul 29-Aug 22: Quantum Theatre's Howling Miller

Quantum Theatre brings its unique mode of theatre to Frick Park this summer, with a post-war Finnish village setting built onto and around the burned-out Frick Environmental Center building, in a world premiere adaptation of The Howling Miller.

Runs July 29 to August 22; reviews, tickets, and more on their web site.

Sep 4-26: Shakespeare in the Parks

Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Parks presents the comedy Much Ado About Nothing, free and on location in various parks around Pittsburgh each weekend in September. As always, "bring a blanket, a thermos, and a loved one."

Sept 4-5 in Frick Park, near Blue Slide Playground (Beechwood Boulevard & Nicholson St. in Squirrel Hill)
Sept 11-12 at Allegheny Commons West Park (W North Avenue & Brighton Road in the North Side)
Spet 18-19 at Mellon Park (5th & Shady Avenues in Shadyside)
Sept 25-26 Back in Frick Park.

All performances are free to the public, and begin at 2 p.m. The first performance will be preceded by a picnic lunch at 1pm; reservations required at pittsburghshakespeare@yahoo.com (cash only). The Sept 25th performance will be ASL interpreted.

Aug 19: Give Green A Chance

The Pennsylvania Alliance for a Coal Free Generation was not happy when the name of the new arena was announced last year. And now that it is opening we decided to have our own little music show for those of us who want a better future for Southwestern Pennsylvania than the one that DIRTY COAL companies like Consol have to offer.

T. Mitchell Bell and the Wandering Coalition have agreed to entertain us for the evening. and unlike that other concert across town you should b
e able to afford this one, its a free show folks.

So come on out on Thursday Night and listen to some great music from Mitch and possibly some Beatles songs sung our way. ( lyrics may be altered to reflect the evenings theme)

There is a cash bar and full menu available, so please join us for a good time and learn a bit about Consol's legacy, the abuses, and the devastation that they have left in Southwestern PA

7-9 p.m. at the Smiling Moose, 1306 East Carson St. on the South Side.

Aug 17: City Marcellus ban proposed

City Council member Doug Shields will hold a press conference to announce his intention to introduce legislation that will ban corporations from drilling for natural gas within the city. Drafted in part by the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund, the “Pittsburgh’s Community Protection from Natural Gas Extraction Ordinance” would make it unlawful for any corporation to engage in drilling in the city. “Many people think that this is only about gas drilling. It’s not – it’s about our authority as a municipal community to say “no” to corporations that will cause damage to our community. It’s about our right to local self-government.”
11 a.m. in room 510 of the City-County Building, 414 Grant St. Pittsburgh , PA 15219

Aug 14: Allegheny Green & Innovation Festival

Come to the Allegheny Green & Innovation Festival at
Hartwood & learn about sustainable living and innovation in all forms. This zero-waste event will include earth-friendly food and product vendors, crafters, green living demonstrations, a book swap, musical entertainment, and children’s activities. Reuse-a-palooza, the Pittsburgh Children’s Museum, Carnegie Science Center, and RiverCubes are just a few of the groups that will provide hands-on activities.

Food Bank Icon Green your pantry!
Please bring a non-perishable food
item to donate to the
Food Bank

Carnegie Mellon University will bring Tartan Racing’s Boss, the robotic SUV that won the 2007 DARPA Urban Grand Challenge, and its “BowGo” pogo stick developed with CMU’s robotic leg technology. The National Center for Robotics Engineering Technology Education at California University of Pennsylvania will also be on hand with demonstrations.
Read the
news release.

Last Call logo
Keep it out
of the landfill...
bring cell phones
and cords to recycle
through
eLoop.

The Allegheny Green & Innovation Festival will feature activities for children of all ages. Stop by the Children’s Museum tent and participate in spin art or visit the Carnegie Science Center tent to try Liquid Nitrogen ice cream. Children can make crafts from recycled materials with Reuseapalooza. Penn State will provide an opportunity for children to learn about its forage club, visit with llamas, and watch a rocket launch. Penn State University and California University of Pennsylvania will have robotics and AW Beattie Career Center will have solar powered crickets. Face painting and a variety of animals will be present, including rescued wildlife animals courtesy of Animal Friends, adoptable pets from Animal Protectors and Animal Rescue League Wildlife, and exotic animals from the Wild World of Animals. Children’s music will be performed by Kelsey Friday starting at noon.


11 a.m. - 6 p.m. at the Hartwood Amphitheatre. Bands to perform include Kelsey Friday (children's music), Greg Joseph (folk rock), The Turpentiners (acoustic/blues), The Long Time Darlings (rock/lyrical) and Joe Grushecky & The House Rockers (classic rock). For a complete list of vendors, visit our Facebook page. For more information, check out the County web site.


Aug 6-15: BikeFest

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The BikeFest Kickoff Party - a fundraiser for BikePGH, is one of the best parties in town and will be held on Friday, August 6. Don't miss out! If you've never attended BikeFest in the past check out this awesome video from BikeFest 2009.

The Kickoff Fundraiser Party on August 6, 2010 will be at Pittsburgh Opera, 2425 Liberty Ave in the Strip District. The VIP event, held from 6:30 to 8pm will feature delicious food by Kevin Sousa of Salt of the Earth, Jazz, wine and spirits, and a silent auction. The main event will 8 to midnight and will feature DJs, dancing, local beer, raffles and a ridiculous amount of fun! Tickets will go on sale very soon; check back at the Bikefest site.

Have an idea for a BikeFest event? Find out everything you need to plan one here.
You can also keep up-to-date on BikeFest 2010 by friending us on Facebook.

Aug 6: Countdown to Zero film on nuclear war

The Western Pennsylvania office of PA Zero Nuclear Arms Campaign is screening the documentary Countdown to Zero at 8 p.m. on August 6, the 65th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing. There will be a free reception starting at 6:30, a program of speakers and artists at 7:30, and a Q&A following the film.
countdowntozero_poster-202x300

Countdown to Zero traces the history of the atomic bomb from its origins to the present state of global affairs: nine nations possess nuclear weapons capabilities with others racing to join them, with the world held in a delicate balance that could be shattered by an act of terrorism, failed diplomacy, or a simple accident. Written and directed by acclaimed documentarian Lucy Walker (The Devil’s Playground, Blindsight), the film features an array of important international statesmen, including Jimmy Carter, Mikhail Gorbachev, Pervez Musharraf and Tony Blair. Countdown to Zero makes a compelling case for worldwide nuclear disarmament, an issue more topical than ever with the Obama administration working to revive this goal today. The film was produced by Academy Award® winner and 2009 nominee Lawrence Bender (Inglorious Bastards, An Inconvenient Truth) and developed, financed and executive produced by Participant Media, together with World Security Institute.

6:30: Free Reception
7:30: Program of speakers and artists
8:00: Film Screening
9:30: Q&A with local disarmament experts, featuring Dr. Lincoln Wolfenstein (Professor at CMU and member of the National Academy of Science; Dr. Wolfenstein has been actively working against nuclear weapons for 50 years), Dr. Don McNeill (a plasma physicist, Dr. McNeill has written extensively on nuclear weapons and policy).

At the Harris Theatre, 809 Liberty Avenue; click here for directions.
Adult admission for the screening is $7 at the door. High school and college age youth can get free tickets by registering here.

Sponsored by the Western Pennsylvania office of PA Zero Nuclear Arms Campaign (PAZ)

Made possible by a grant from the Ploughshares Fund

Co-Sponsors:

United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE)
Pittsburgh Iraq Veterans Against the War
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
American Friends Service Committee - PA Program
Erie Peace Initiative
Anti-War Committee of the Thomas Merton Center
Pax Christi
Physicians for Social Responsibility Pittsburgh
Roots of Promise
Green Party
Code Pink Pittsburgh

For more information, contact Jo Schlesinger, the Western PA Coordinator for PAZ; phone: (412) 596-8658, email: joschlesinger@verizon.net