Nov 28, Dec 3, and Dec 10: Marcellus trainings

In the coming years Exxon Mobil, Range Resources, and others plan to drill tens of thousands more Marcellus Shale wells, threatening our health and environment. That's why they are putting so much energy and resources fighting any policies that will protect us from this dangerous industrial activity.  The thousands of drilled Marcellus Shale wells are just the beginning.

PennEnvironment has launched a new project to give Pennsylvanians the tools they need to protect their community.

WHAT: Pittsburgh-area Marcellus Shale Citizen Organizer Training

WHEN & WHERE: Choose from one of three events in the region.

• Mt. Lebanon Training: Monday, November 28th, 6:00 p.m.-8:45 p.m. Mt. Lebanon Public Library

• Monroeville Training: Saturday, December 3rd, 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Monroeville Public Library

• Squirrel Hill Training: Saturday, December 10th, 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Carnegie Library of Squirrel Hill

The plan is simple, but big. We need to train a thousand Pennsylvanians with the skills they need to protect their communities from gas drilling. Whether you're new to activism or been on the front lines of the Marcellus Shale, this training will help you take the fight to the next level.

You'll learn from PennEnvironment staff and other organizers in the area how to effectively engage with decision makers on these issues, generate media coverage, and how to hold your elected officials accountable for their failure to tackle the Marcellus Shale gas drilling issue. And, you'll get to meet more people working on these issues so you can band together to protect your community.

You can register online here.

Nov 15: Occupy DUG East

On November 15th, Halliburton is hosting a reception for the rest of the oil and gas industry to kick off the Developing Unconventional Gas conference. At 5:15pm, we will march from Occupy Pittsburgh to the David Lawrence Convention Center and kick off our occupation of the conference with a people’s reception for economic and environmental justice.

The gas industry is poisoning our air and water and hijacking our so-called democracy. They say they are bringing economic opportunity but all we see is exploitation. Stand with us to resist corporate power - join the people’s reception or organize your own creative action to disrupt the conference!

In the spirit of movements across the country against corporate power, local organizers, activists, and occupiers are calling for an occupation of the Developing Unconventional Gas conference in Pittsburgh.

Tuesday at 5:15pm - March on the conference, meet at Occupy Pittsburgh/Mellon Green

6:00pm - People’s Reception and Occupation begins, David Lawrence Convention Center

(Sign-making and flash mob practice on Friday, November 11 at 7pm at the T-station at 6th St. and Ross Ave, below Occupy Pittsburgh)


And as always, check out Marcellus Protest's own event calendar;  Maren doesn't always get a chance to post events as soon as they do.  

Nov 14: Marcellus Q&A at JCC

The most experts on this critical issue -- at one place, at your pace.  Meet them one-on-one.  Ask hard questions.  Get informed answers.


Drop by for 15 minutes, or stay for all 3 hours.  Experts will be at seven stations, ready for one-on-one or small-group interaction.


Featuring experts from Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc., Clean Water Action, EQT Corp., League of Women Voters, PA Environmental Council, Penn State Cooperative Extension, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Pipeline, Pitt's School of Public Health, Pitt's Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, and many others.   RSVP to Nancy Hruska at 412-992-5233 or nhruska@jfedpgh.org .  


6-9 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center in Squirrel Hill.  Refreshments will be served.

Nov 14: Marcellus theatre arts talk at CMU

CENTER FOR THE ARTS IN SOCIETY"Shale Play: Our Brains on Frack": Theatre Artists Tackle Marcellus Shale

Anne Justine D’Zmura, Department ofTheatre Arts, California State University Long Beach

How do we as artists and educators move ourselves, our students and our community members out of ecological complacency into a state of shared awareness, concern and, ultimately, action? Currently in residence with the Drama School, Anne D’Zmura is leading a group of CMU students through a theatre devising process exploring the political/social/economic and environmental ramifications of the Marcellus Shale drilling in our community. D’Zmura will discuss her past work in the field of ecodrama and the current CMU workshop project “Shale Play: Our Brains on Frack”.
http://www.cmu.edu/cas/events/fall2011/nov-14-2011.html

4:30 pm in Adamson Wing, Baker Hall 136A at CMU

Nov 10-12: Benefit Braddock concert series

Benefit Braddock: A Concert Series in Support of Braddock Pennsylvania 

The Levi’s Benefit Braddock three-day concert series features performances from a virtual dean’s list of the 2011 indie rock scene. The event is more than just a series of shows, however… Proceeds from ticket sales will support the community-based projects in nearby Braddock, tripled by a contribution from Levi’s! 

Here's the lineup for the three-day event: 

Thursday, Nov. 10 - Andrew Bird w/ Kurt Vile & The Violators
Friday, Nov. 11 - Built to Spill w/ Atlas Sound (Bradford Cox of Deerhunter)
Saturday, Nov. 12 - The Hold Steady w/ Titus Andronicus 

The Thursday night show has already sold out, but a handful of tickets still remain for Friday and Saturday. Purchase tickets and support the renewal of the Braddock community here.

Nov 9: ALCOSAN Town Hall meeting

The largest public works project our area has ever seen is on the way -- a massive, multi-billion-dollar effort to get our waterways in compliance with federal standards, so that raw sewage doesn't go into the rivers every time it rains.  How much green infrastructure is included?  How much will it cost, and how many jobs might be created in the process?  Hear ALCOSAN's proposal, and let them know what you think.  Help make sure that the plan to fix our aging sewer system is the best plan for our communities!

The Clean Rivers Campaign is an education program designed to raise citizen awareness about the issues of stormwater runoff and sewage overflows in Allegheny County.

5:30-7:30 p.m. at the IBEW Hall's Circuit Center & Ballroom, 5 Hot Metal Street, Pittsburgh 15203.  The meeting is free and open to the public, and refreshments will be provided.  More information here.

Nov 8: Election day!

Today is the day -- yes, it's an "off" year, but one of the most important things you can do today is to get out and exercise your right to vote.  Help a friend or neighbor vote, by offering to look after kids, or give a ride to the polls.

Some good progressive candidates to support include Kathryn Boockvar (for Commonwealth Court), David Wecht (for PA Superior Court), and both Alex Bickett and Mike Marmo (county Court of Common Pleas).  Since both major candidates for Allegheny County Executive want to frack the living daylights out of any land they might control, there is a write-in campaign for energetic fractivist Dana Dolney.  I'm not sure how close the race will be, so such a vote might be more than symbolic -- but we do need to get the message across that Marcellus (and Utica) shale gas extraction can far more damaging than its value as a revenue source.  Another campaign has been set up to write in Jordan Miles for District Attorney (to express dissatisfaction with Steven Zappala's handling of the Miles case).   

Nov 1: Backyard composting workshop

You can turn all of your non-meat food scraps, your autumn leaves, your grass clippings, yard and garden waste, your newspapers, even some of your cardboard waste into high-quality compost! This is a rich soil conditioner that will improve the health and productivity of your lawn, trees, shrubs, flowers, veggies and house plants.

It’s easy to do, once you learn some basic rules, and have the right bin. And it’s a great way to re-connect with Nature, give something back, in a very direct way.

Pennsylvania Resources Council has been presenting these workshops for over a decade now. Over 15,000 households have gained solid instruction, quality bins and inspiration to do it themselves.

The workshop thoroughly covers the importance of composting, setting up a compost pile, proper maintenance, troubleshooting and some good ways of using finished compost.  Participants will receive an Earth Machine Compost Bin with attendance. Approved across the state as an ideal bin for urban and suburban areas, it has an eighty-gallon capacity (big enough for even the largest household).  If not abused, it can last for many years.

6:30-8 p.m. at the East End Food Co-op.  $50 per adult, $55 per couple (this can be a relative, friend or neighbor, if you share a single bin); free for children <18 with an adult -- this is a great project to share with your kids!  Register Online at http://www.zerowastepgh.org/  or by phone: 412-488-7490 x236