Jan 29-Apr 2: Permaculture design course at Phipps

Be your own landscape designer! This intensive weekend course will teach you the secrets of ecological design; learn how to garden like nature! Capture and store water on your site, reducing irrigation costs; build soil and use plants that mulch, reducing your need for artificial fertilizers; and design more sustainable garden systems, reducing your maintenance and maximizing the yield and aesthetics of your property. Visit local examples of permaculture design, use mapping and site analysis tools and complete a guided design project. This course will challenge both beginning designers and experienced gardeners alike.

Permaculture design is rooted in agriculture and horticulture, yet is far reaching and interdisciplinary in nature, making connections to city planning, ecology, architecture, and appropriate technology. This course covers the foundations of ecological design and addresses how these concepts can be applied to both urban and rural settings in order to create regenerative landscapes.

The course will run from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for most of six weekends: Jan 29 & 30, February 12, 13, 26 & 27, March 12, 13, 26, & 27, and April 2. It will be held at the Phipps Garden Center in Mellon Park, and will cost $770 for Phipps members and $850 for non-members. To register, call the Garden Center at (412) 441-4442 ext. 3925 or download our registration form.

Jan 27: Peacemaking in Afghanistan talk at CMU

Brewing Tea in a Kettle of War, a talk by Michael Sheridan: Filmmaker, Educator, Activist and Director of Community Supported Film. Two years ago Michael Sheridan began research and fundraising for a film on alternative approaches to peacemaking in Afghanistan. A story idea developed to show Afghan villagers’ perspectives on what it is like to have outsiders coming into their communities to advise and sometimes supervise them.

After two visits to Afghanistan, including one challenging pre-production shoot, it became clear that Afghan participation in the filmmaking process was essential if the stories were to be told in all their compelling fullness.

A process is emerging that trains local filmmakers to tell and share the stories of their families, villages and country that, in turn, educate the international community. Ultimately, peacemaking becomes reciprocal.

4:30 p.m. in Porter Hall 100 (Gregg Hall) on the Carnegie Mellon campus.

Jan 27: Turtle Creek Greenway meeting/video

The final public meeting to present the draft Turtle Creek Greenway Plan and view the preliminary Turtle Creek Greenway Video will be on Thursday, January 27, 2011 at 7:00pm in the Murrysville Municipal Building’s Council Chambers, located at 4100 Sardis Road in Murrysville.

Jan 26: Marcellus Shale meeting in Squirrel Hill

Join PennEnvironment for a Marcellus Shale meeting in Pittsburgh. In the coming years, gas companies are planning to drill thousands of new wells in Pennsylvania, threatening to contaminate our drinking water and devastate our forests.

Join us for a meeting in your area to learn how you can help convince Gov. Corbett and your local legislators to support stronger protections for our environment.

6:30 p.m. at the 61C Cafe, 1839 Murray Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15217.

Jan 26: Anna Lappé at Chatham

NEWSFLASH: Snow storm has held Anna in New York, so her talk is postponed -- Chatham hopes to reschedule in spring.

Chatham University’s environmental triumvirate – the Master of Arts in Food Studies Program, the School of Sustainability and the Environment, and the Rachel Carson Institute – along with Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture will host Anna Lappé, author, activist, and co-founder of the Small Planet Institute for a free lecture entitled “Firing-Up Food Activism, Cooling-Down the Planet.” It promises to be an inspiring talk about sustaining communities and encouraging innovative and democratic solutions to hunger, inequality, and environmental degradation. Ms. Lappé’s journey through the global food system shows us where the problems reside and what people across the globe are doing in everyday actions to challenge and change our world. Her most recent books include “Diet for a Hot Planet” and “Hope’s Edge.”

The Small Planet Institute was founded by and Anna and her mother, Frances Moore Lappé in 2001 to help pursue examples of democracy as a rewarding way of life: a culture in which citizens infuse the values of inclusion, fairness, and mutual accountability into all dimensions of public life, The Institute supports people and projects around the world who work to remake societal rules into shared values, focusing on collaborative public education, media programs, and outreach campaigns.

5:00 p.m. in the Eddy Theatre on Chatham University’s Shadyside Campus. Admission is free. For more information call 412-365-2473 or email ajulier@chatham.edu. Directions and parking information are located at www.chatham.edu/campusmap.
The lecture is co-sponsored by the following community partners: The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, Grow Pittsburgh, Slow Food Pittsburgh, Just Harvest, The East End Co-op, and the Pittsburgh Food Forest.

About Anna Lappé
Anna Lappé is a national bestselling author and sought-after public speaker, respected for her work on sustainability, food politics, globalization, and social change. Named one of Time’s “eco” Who’s-Who, Anna is a founding principal of the Small Planet Institute and the Small Planet Fund.

In her latest book, “Diet for a Hot Planet: The Climate Crisis at the End of Your Fork and What You Can Do About It” (Bloomsbury), Anna deftly explores the links between today’s global food system and climate change, and offers inspiration for making sustainable food a catalyst for healing the planet. A starred Booklist review calls the book “impeccable, informative, and inspiring.”

Anna can be seen as the co-host of the public television series The Endless Feast and as a featured expert on the Sundance Channel’s Big Ideas for a Small Planet and the PBS documentary Nourish, among other films. Anna is a regular guest on nationally syndicated radio shows and has been on hundreds of radio programs, including National Public Radio’s Weekend Edition, The Diane Rehm Show, and WNYC’s Brian Lehrer Show and Leonard Lopate Show.

With her mother Frances Moore Lappé, Anna co-founded the Cambridge-based Small Planet Institute, an international network for research and popular education about the root causes of hunger and poverty. The Lappés are also co-founders of the Small Planet Fund, which has raised more than $750,000 for democratic social movements worldwide, two of which have won the Nobel Peace Prize since the Fund’s founding in 2002. Anna’s first book “Hope’s Edge: The Next Diet for a Small Planet” (Tarcher/Penguin 2002), cowritten with Frances Moore Lappé, chronicles courageous social movements around the world. Winner of the Nautilus Award for Social Change, Hope’s Edge has been published in several languages and is used in dozens of classrooms, from Toronto to Tokyo. Anna’s second book “Grub: Ideas for an Urban Organic Kitchen” (Tarcher/Penguin 2006) showcases the ecological and social benefits of sustainable food and brings this diet to life with the seasonal menus of chef Bryant Terry.

Anna’s writing has been published in the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, International Herald Tribune, and Canada’s Globe and Mail. Anna is also a contributing author to Food Inc., WorldChanging, and Feeding the Future, among other books. She has been featured in The New York Times, Gourmet, O: The Oprah Magazine, Domino, Food & Wine, Body + Soul, Natural Health, and Vibe, among many other publications and appears frequently on television, from PBS and FoxNews to the CBC in Canada.

Her writing and advocacy have earned Anna numerous accolades. In 2009, The New York Times Magazine featured Anna among a handful of “food fighters.” In 2007, she was chosen by the Missing Peace Project for the Compassion in Action Award and in 2006 Anna was selected for Contribute magazine’s “21 Under 40 Making a Difference.” A frequent public speaker, Anna has participated in hundreds of events, from community food festivals to university lectures. She has been a keynote speaker and guest lecturer at dozens of colleges and universities, including Boston College, Brown University, Columbia University, Dominican University, Northwestern University, Wesleyan, and Yale University.

Anna holds an M.A. in Economic and Political Development from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and graduated with honors from Brown University. From 2004 to 2006, she was a Food and Society Policy Fellow with the WK Kellogg Foundation. She is currently an Innovator with the Glynwood Center for Sustainable Food and Farming and a Senior Fellow of the Oakland Institute. She lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and daughter.

Learn more at www.annalappe.com.

Jan 26: YERT film screening and discussion

Join Free the Planet and Mark Dixon as we screen selections from Your Environmental Road Trip's soon-to-be-released feature film and then discuss his intriguing and empowering film YERT!

It documents a roadtrip around the country, showcasing all of the innovative solutions our fellow people have come up with to live sustainably. YERT is incredibly inspirational and shows us that in the face of today's environmental challenges we have the potential to not only survive, but thrive!

There will be refreshments, and what's better than a thought-provoking, interesting, sometimes humorous, and ever-inspiring movie to get you through your mid-week slump?!

8:30-11:30 p.m. at Pitt's Public Health Auditorium, the building across from Towers on 5th Avenue in Oakland. For more information about the film and to see clips and a trailer, visit http://www.yert.com/ .

Jan 25: Webinar on dairy and climate change

Agriculture is responsible for about 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with most of that associated with livestock operations and manure management. Organic farms have many choices about equipment and inputs, manure management and composting, and cover crops and crop rotations, that can significantly affect these environmental impacts. This webinar, by Tom Richard and Gustavo Camargo of Penn State University, will review the greenhouse gas emissions associated with dairy systems and suggest alternative strategies for organic dairies.

Register now for a new eOrganic webinar on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Associated with Dairy Farming Systems on January 25th, 2011 at 3PM Eastern Time (2PM Central, 1PM Mountain, 12PM Pacific)

The webinar is free and open to the public; advance registration is required. Register at
http://www.extension.org/article/32626

Jan 24: Film screening: They Killed Sister Dorothy

DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY HUMAN RIGHTS FILM SERIES

For Schedule and Speakers: http://www.duq.edu/human-rights/ or for individual films, see the list below:

Tuesday, Jan. 18
The Age of Stupid
The future judges our inaction on global warming (Read more)

Monday, Jan. 24
They Killed Sister Dorothy
One woman versus the forces destroying the rain forest (Read more)

Tuesday, Feb. 1
Food, Inc. The health impact of an industrialized food supply (Read more)

Wednesday, Feb. 9
Crossing Arizona The national debate over illegal immigrants (Read more)

Tuesday, Feb. 15
Afghan Star
American Idol, Afghan style (Read more)

Wednesday, Feb. 23
Crude
The irreparable environmental impact of oil production (Read more)

All screenings begin at 7 p.m. in 105 College Hall, Duquesne University.

Jan 22-23: PA Progressive Summit

The 2010 Pennsylvania Progressive Summit was universally hailed as a major event on last year’s progressive calendar. The 2011 event promises to be even more dynamic. It’s being held this year in Pittsburgh, at the Sheraton Station Square (a union hotel!) on the weekend of January 22-23. We’ve made some changes that we think will make the 2011 Summit more educational and motivational. First, we’ll be holding the event over two full days instead of one. That means double the number of sessions and speakers. Second, we’ve added a new co-sponsor, Democracy for America. DFA will be providing its Campaign Training Academy as a track for issue and electoral campaign managers and activists. This program has been very popular wherever it has been offered, and we’re excited to be able to incorporate it into Summit 2011. The PA Progressive Summit will be the hottest ticket of 2011. Don’t miss out by registering late. Click here to register now.

The keynote speaker will be the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who will speak at the Progressive Awards Dinner on Saturday night. Founder and president of the Rainbow PUSHCoalition, he is one of America’s foremost civil rights, religious and political figures. Over the past forty years, he has played a pivotal role in virtually every movement for empowerment, peace, civil rights, gender equality, and economic and social justice. On August 9, 2000, President Bill Clinton awarded Reverend Jackson the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor. Rev. Jackson has been called the "Conscience of the Nation" and "the Great Unifier," challenging America to be inclusive and to establish just and humane priorities for the benefit of all. He is known for bringing people together on common ground across lines of race, culture, class, gender and belief.

Other featured speakers at the Progressive Summit include:

Joe Sestak at the 2010 Progressive Summit

Rep. Raul Grijalva (D, AZ), co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus
Jim Dean, Chair of Democracy for America
Joe Sestak, former Member of Congress and 2010 US Senate Candidate
Wendell Potter, healthcare whistleblower, senior analyst at the Center for Public Integrity and fellow at the Center for Media and Democracy

Darcy Burner, President, Progressive Congress
Eileen Connelly, Executive Director, SEIU PA State Council
Patrick Murphy, former Member of Congress
Leo Gerard, International President, United Steelworkers

Jan 21: Integrative Medicine talk in Monroeville

There will be a coffee and tea house at the Cedars Hospice in Monroeville. The guest speakers will be Susan and Fernando Cardozo, members of Sustainable Monroeville, speaking on Integrative Medicine.

Jan 21: Insulation workshop

The Diagnostic Energy Auditors of Western Pennsylvania, a hub for expert energy efficiency information, announces the first workshop of a four part series: Spray-In-Place Foam Insulation. Learn how to reduce the cost of heating and cooling existing homes. Why are some installation methods more successful than others? The first part of the workshop will be a classroom session held at Construction Junction; later a live demonstration will be held at a nearby residence.

Anyone involved with the residential building industry is welcome to attend. Free for DEAWP members, $35 for non-members. For more information, contact Elizabeth at info@deawp.org or 1-888-SAV-WATT.

The four workshops are

1. Spray-In-Place Foam Insulation

2. Wall Spray - Wall Cellulose insulation

3. Carbon Monoxide "What you don't know might kill you"

4. How to put it all together

I should note that much of my own house has quite a bit of spray-foam insulation -- very snug! (as opposed to the airy feel about my central beam in the MarensList banner you see above; that was several years ago)

Jan 20: GASLAND screening in New Kensington

Are your property values and health at risk? A Marcellus Shale gas boom has come to Western PA. People are leasing their mineral rights and getting royalties on the gas recovered. The gas industry has waged a media campaign that portrays a rosy picutre of the benefits of deep gas drilling, especially for those who lease their land. New York State declared a moratorium on Marcellus Shale gas drilling due to the potential hazards, particularly to drinking water contamination. The industry is moving quickly into Western PA to drill. In response to learning about the risks of deep-shale gas drilling, the city of Pittsburgh passed an ordinance banning drilling for gas in the city.

What are the risks for residents and communities? What do you need to know? What can we do about it?

A free screening of GASLAND and a community discussion, beginning at 7 p.m. at Penn State - New Ken. 3550 7th St. Road (Rt 780), New Kensington PA 15068. For more information, 724-337-7470 or 724-339-1652.

Jan 20: Screening of "Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead"

This pre-release screening of the inspiring documentary "Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead" is hosted by Whole Foods Market at the Kelly Strayhorn Theatre, and will benefit PASA, the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture.

Whole Foods Market, Pittsburgh is excited to announce the pre-release screening fundraiser of the uplifting documentary film 'Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead' at the Kelly Strayhorn Theatre in East Liberty. 'Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead' has screened as part of several film festivals garnering Best Documentary awards at Sonoma International Film Festival & at the Iowa Independent Film Festival.

The inspiring and entertaining film chronicles Joe Cross' personal journey to overcome disease and regain health through juice-fasting, and tells the stories of the people he meets and touches along the way.

The not-yet-released film will screen on January 20^th at 7:00pm with a juice tasting reception starting at 6:30pm. One juicer will be raffled off as a door prize. We are suggesting a $10 donation at the door which will benefit the Pennsylvania Association of Sustainable Agriculture (PASA).

6:30 p.m. Juice tasting reception, 7 p.m. film screening at the Kelly Strayhorn Theatre (5941 Penn Ave., 15206). Free, but consider a $10 suggested donation. Please RSVP to Kim Wynnyckyj Kim.wynnyckyj@wholefoods.com, 412-441-7960 x215 or Mark Staley mark.staley@wholefoods.com, 412-441-7960 x223

Film synopsis:

100 pounds overweight, loaded up on steroids and suffering from a debilitating autoimmune disease, Joe Cross is at the end of his rope and the end of his hope. In the mirror he saw a 310 lb man whose gut was gibber than a beach ball and a path laid out before him that wouldn't end well-with one foot already in the grave, the other wasn't far behind. FAT, SICK & NEARLY DEAD is an inspiring film that chronicles Joe's personal mission to regain his health.

With doctors and conventional medicines unable to help long-term, Joe turns to the only option left, the body's ability to heal itself. He trades in the junk food and hits the road with juicer and generator in tow, vowing only to drink fresh fruit and vegetable juice for the next 60 days. Across 3,000 miles Joe has one goal in mind: To get off his pills and achieve a balanced lifestyle.

While talking to more than 500 Americans about food, health and longevity, it's at a truck stop in Arizona where Joe meets a truck driver who suffers from the same rare condition. Phil Staples is morbidly obese weighing in at 429 lbs; a cheese burger away from a heart-attack. As Joe is recovering his health, Phil begins his own epic journey to get well. What emerges is nothing sort of amazing-an inspiring tale of healing and human connection.

Part road trip, part self-help manifesto, FAT, SICK & NEARLY DEAD defies the traditional documentary format to present an unconventional and uplifting story of two men from different worlds who each realize that the only person who can save them is themselves.

Jan 18: Film screening: The Age of Stupid

DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY HUMAN RIGHTS FILM SERIES

For Schedule and Speakers: http://www.duq.edu/human-rights/ or for details on individual films, see the links below:

Tuesday, Jan. 18
The Age of Stupid
The future judges our inaction on global warming (Read more)
Monday, Jan. 24
They Killed Sister Dorothy
One woman versus the forces destroying the rain forest (Read more)
Tuesday, Feb. 1
Food, Inc. The health impact of an industrialized food supply (Read more)
Wednesday, Feb. 9
Crossing Arizona The national debate over illegal immigrants (Read more)
Tuesday, Feb. 15
Afghan Star
American Idol, Afghan style (Read more)
Wednesday, Feb. 23
Crude
The irreparable environmental impact of oil production (Read more)
All screenings begin at 7 p.m. in 105 College Hall, Duquesne University.

Jan 18 & 19: Marcellus water quality webinar

National Water Quality Monitoring Council Announcement

WEB SEMINAR for State, Regional, and Tribal Water Monitoring Councils, Partnerships, and Alliances

"Marcellus Monitoring: The role of volunteers in baseline data collection" Featuring presentations by Julie Vastine and colleagues (Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring (ALLARM), Dickinson College)

The webinar will be offered on two different dates:

January 18, 2011 at 2:00 pm E.T. (11:00 am P.T.)
Webex Link: https://usgs.webex.com/usgs/j.php?ED=148449197&UID=480781817&RT=MiMxMQ%3D%3D

January 19, 2011 at 11:00 am E.T. (8:00 am P.T.)
WebEx Link: https://usgs.webex.com/usgs/j.php?ED=148449417&UID=480781817&RT=MiMxMQ%3D%3D

Call in number: 1-866-299-3188
Access code: 5661187#

The webinar is free and no pre-registration is required

For additional details, please contact: Cathy Tate, cmtate@usgs.gov, (303) 236-6927

Please feel free to distribute this announcement to colleagues on your water monitoring councils and with your organizations.

The National Water Quality Monitoring Council strives to support the creation and building of partnerships which foster collaboration among the water monitoring community, including state, regional, and tribal councils, as well as watershed groups, partnerships, and alliances.

Cathy M. Tate
Executive Secretary, National Water Quality Monitoring Council
Co-chair, Collaboration & Outreach Workgroup of Council
National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program
U.S. Geological Survey, Box 25046, MS 415
Denver Federal Center, Lakewood, CO 80225
Phone: (303) 236-6927
Fax: (303) 236-4912
email: cmtate@usgs.gov
http://acwi.gov/monitoring/

Jan 18: Marcellus Protest at Corbett Inauguration

On Tuesday, January 18th, people concerned about fracking will descend on Harrisburg for the inauguration of PA Governor-elect "drill baby drill" Tom Corbett. There will be a bus from Pittsburgh to the Inauguration rally (see below).

Soldier's Grove, Opposite the Capitol Fountain Harrisburg, PA

United States

Phone: 717-233-1801

Rally demands will include

A moratorium on further drilling on private and public lands in PA
Protect our water from the effects of drilling and fracking.
Proper air quality enforcement standards.
Regular inspections of all gas wells.
End "fast track" permitting of new wells in Pennsylvania.
No forced pooling. Freedom of choice for landowners.
Drillers should be forced to have enough insurance and bonding to repair damage.
Give local, municipal and township officials zoning authority.

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/GasTruthRally

Reserve a seat on Marcellus Protest Bus to Harrisburg

About Gas Truth

Gas Truth of Central PA are people who care about our water, air and land. We are not experts, scientists or policy wonks. We are Pennsylvanians that have woken up to the fact that hydraulic fracture drilling for natural gas is the key environmental issue of our time. Many of us were awakened by seeing the film Gasland, other by friends and family in the shale region that have been affected by gas drilling. What we share is a desire to take action and organize.

Gas Truth of Central PA are citizens organizing to make the following positive changes in Pennsylvania and Federal policy regarding hydraulic fracture natural gas drilling.

Jan 15: Marcellus activist training

Get Organized: Skills to Protect your Community in the Marcellus Shale! PennEnvironment, Center for Healthy Environments and Communities, Earthworks OGAP, Clean Water Action, Mountain Watershed Association, Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP), and the Three Rivers Waterkeeper are hosting trainings for activists.Topics will be how to recruit volunteers, generate media coverage, and how to use a new interactive web tool that will help you coordinate with other activists and track gas drilling impacts in your community.

We’ll teach you how to find volunteers, get media coverage on the impacts of gas drilling in your area and more. We’ll also show you how to use FracTracker, the helpful new interactive web tool that tracks the impacts of the natural gas industry.

1230 p.m. at the Connellsville Free Library, 299 South Pittsburgh Street, Connellsville, PA 15245. For more information and to register, click here.

Another training will be held on January 13th in Pittsburgh.

Jan 15: Poster making for Harrisburg rally

Be a part of the Harrisburg protest rally even if you can't make it to the inauguration on the 18th -- come to a Poster Making Party in Squirrel Hill before the event, and send a little bit of you to the rally! Everyone is welcome; come for as long as you're able. Materials will be provided.

1:00 – 4:00 pm; contact Gloria at gtforouzan@gmail.com or 412-583-8757 for more information.

Jan 13: Marcellus activist training

6:30 p.m. in the 5th floor conference room of the Center for Healthy Environments and Communities (CHEC), in the Bridgeside Point Building, 100 Technology Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. For more information and to register, click here.

Another training will be held on January 15th in Connellsville.

Jan 12: Progressive Pgh Notebook on Marcellus

Marcellus Shale Moratorium, an episode of Progressive Pittsburgh Notebook, will feature a conversation with Senator Jim Ferlo and Charles McCollester, author of The Point of Pittsburgh.

On TV at PCTV21 (Comcast channel 21 and Fios Channel 47). Every Wednesday in January, at 5pm.

Carlana Rhoten, the show's producer, can be reached at 412-363 or tvnotebook@gmail.com with ideas and information for future programs.

Jan 7: Fresh Air at Phipps with the SWPAQP

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's 8-part series on air pollution in our region was an insightful look at several aspects of our air quality. Now you have a chance to meet the authors, Don Hopey and David Templeton, at the 15th Anniversary Annual Meeting of the Southwest Pennsylvania Air Quality Partnership. The authors are the feature presenters and will discuss their articles. The meeting is this Friday, from 8:15 AM to 12 PM at Phipps Conservatory, and includes breakfast. Please click here for more information and registration details, and see the GASP website for links to the articles and comments on them by the Group Against Smog & Pollution.

8:15 a.m. - 12 noon at Phipps Conservatory's Botany Hall. RSVP required.