Apr 30: Working For A Future We Can Believe In

A new group, in the wake of November's election, has been seeking to bring people together for positive action in a practical way on pressing issues of our times.   The first meeting brought folks together for reflection;  the second meeting will focus on areas each person feels passionate about, and aims to help all to focus their energies with others of similar inclination for action.  

Join others from around the city of Pittsburgh to reflect, pray, and decide how to act to promote dialogue, compassion, and foster more social justice in our city and our world.  Focus groups on immigration and refugees, the environment, healthcare, interfaith dialogue, and economic disparity will be included. 

1:30 to 3:45 p.m. at Sullivan Hall on Mt. Washington (131 Bigham Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15211. Behind the former St. Mary of the Mount School which is on the corner of Grandview & Bigham Avenues).  All are welcome!  There is no charge, but registration is requested. Go to http://doodle.com/poll/hxwn2vwb2qqu6nwf  to register.

Apr 29: FutureFest

Want to see the future?   Come to FutureFest 2017, and get a glimpse of the world of tomorrow through art, demonstrations, performance, science, hands-on activities, and fun for all ages.  There’s a bright, sustainable future ahead to create and enjoy.

A large, free, public festival, FutureFest 2017 is the result of collaboration between several stakeholder organizations, led by Communitopia, working across different sectors - with the same goal of celebrating and promoting Pittsburgh’s vision of an achievable, sustainable future.

The event will be an immersive experience, full of performances, food, music, and activities.

10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. on the front lawn of Phipps Conservatory.  Free & open to the public;  lots more information is on the event web site!

Apr 27: Going Solar with the FEC

Going Solar with the Frick Environmental Center 
You're invited to join the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, 350 Pittsburgh and Solarize Allegheny at the Frick Environmental Center to learn how to go solar!  Solar energy is the fastest-growing energy source in the world.  While the Pittsburgh region has a reputation as a cloudy place, we receive much more sun than Germany and China - the leading solar nations.  There are already more than 11,000 solar installations in Pennsylvania and they are popping up across southwestern Pennsylvania neighborhoods.  Solar electricity is now as affordable as your electric bill, and can save you thousands of dollars over the lifetime of the system, creating a sound investment for your home.  

Join Solarize Allegheny for a presentation on solar energy, meet pre-qualified solar installers and solar owners, and get information you need to consider going solar.  Pittsburgh non-profit Conservations Consultants, Inc. will also be on hand to provide information about the Sound Home Plan, a Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® Program, which is a one-stop-shop to help Pittsburgh-area homeowners identify and make their homes more healthy, safe, and energy efficient.  More information on the Sound Home Plan can be found at www.getenergysmarter.org.  You'll also learn about interesting sustainability features at the Frick Environmental Center, their commitment to the Living Building Challenge and their impressive solar array.  Solarize Allegheny is a project funded by The Heinz Endowments and Allegheny County Health Department to expand the use of solar energy in Allegheny County.  More information about Solarize Allegheny can be found at www.SolarizeAllegheny.org, and about this event on its Eventbrite page.   Residents who sign a solar contract by June 16 will receive a $500 discount from participating installers.

6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Frick Environmental Center on Beechwood Boulevard in Squirrel Hill.  Light refreshments will be provided.  The event is free, but please register.  More information and online registration here.

Apr 21: Sustainable Economy summit

The THRIVE: Sustainable Economy Summit will inform you about types of renewable energy, energy efficiency and other aspects of the sustainable economy, and help communities start to plan and implement sustainable development.  

Speakers will include Dr. Terrence Collins on Green Chemistry, a transformation to healthy manufacturing; Allison Rohrs and Michael Sell of PA Wind Maps, St. Francis Institute for Energy;  Hannah Smith-Brubaker Executive Director PA Assn. of Sustainable Agriculture  (former PA Deputy Secretary of Agriculture);  Joe Pizarchik, former Director of the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement for the U.S. Dept. of the Interior; Dr. Patricia DeMarco, author of Pathways to a Sustainable Future; Monaca Borough Manager Mario Leone Jr.; and a Panel on Eco-Tourism.

9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (doors open 8:30 am) at the Rustic Lodge, 2199 Oakland Ave, Indiana PA, 15701 

Cost: $10 (includes lunch);  no charge for students.  More information and registration at  http://conta.cc/2mbeixM.

Sponsored by the League of Women Voters of PA, in collaboration with League of Women Voters of Indiana County, Center for Community Growth, Evergreen Conservancy, IUP Sustainability Studies Program, Indiana County Office of Planning & Development.

Apr 21: Inhabit: permaculture film screening

Discover the world of permaculture design with an exciting new documentary film.  Inhabit is a feature length documentary introducing permaculture, a design method that offers an ecological lens for solving issues related to agriculture, economics and governance.  The film presents a vast array of projects, concepts, and people, and it translates the diversity of permaculture into something that can be understood by an equally diverse audience.  For those familiar with permaculture, it will be a call to action and a glimpse into what kind of projects and solutions are already underway.  For those unfamiliar, it will be an introduction to a new way of being and a new way of relating to the Earth. For everyone, it will be a reminder that humans are capable of being planetary healing forces.

Post-film discussion will be led by Juliette Olshock of Fourth River Workers Guild.  Juliette designs and manages permaculture landscapes in the Pittsburgh area.  She is a permaculture design instructor and has taught Forest Gardening Design Intensive courses with Dave Jacke in locations as far away as Montana and Oregon and as nearby as Bedford County, Pa.  She loves gardening and is creating her own food forest oasis at her home in Hazelwood.  Fourth River Workers Guild is a Pittsburgh based worker-owned design build cooperative focusing on natural building, construction, ecological design and permaculture.  They utilize a dynamic governance as a means to create a more democratic and inclusive working environment for their members and clients.  Their work is guided by the ethos of promoting and improving our local community and ecology. 

7-9 p.m. at Phipps Conservatory's Botany Hall (the small, grand building to the left of the Conservatory as viewed from the road).  

Phipps' Environmental Film Series is an exciting monthly event inviting community members to come together to view environmental films and documentaries. Each viewing will be followed by a dynamic discussion with film producers, scientists and environmental advocates, enabling attendees to share thoughts, consider various viewpoints and hear the experts’ perspectives. The series aims to raise awareness of our relationship with the natural environment, and to use film as a platform for conversation, education and positive change. Screenings for the Environmental Film Series will take place on the third Friday of every month from 7 – 9 p.m. in the Botany Hall Auditorium at Phipps. Attendance to these screenings is free with regular admission, but tickets are required; please pick up your free tickets in the Welcome Center starting at 5 p.m. on the day of the film.

Apr 20: "Living Downwind" Neville Island air stories

Allegheny County Clean Air Now has gathered a collection of stories from residents living downwind of Neville Island and the impact of air pollution on their health and quality of life.  After years of work, the book is finished, and it looks amazing!

To celebrate the completion of the book there will be a launch party and community meeting in Ben Avon.  Not only can you pick up your very own copy, but you can hear firsthand from some of those who are featured in the book.  There will be some snacks and the opportunity to buy drinks from the Anchor & Anvil coffee bar.

This event is the perfect way to celebrate Earth Day as we will also be discussing how the air has improved since the closing of Shenango and how we can keep it that way by replacing the plant with a solar farm.

6:30-8:30 p.m. at Anchor & Anvil, 7221 Church Ave., Ben Avon 15202.  For more info or to RSVP please visit the Facebook event or contact Cassi via email or phone at 412-765-3053 ext. 240

Apr 20: Inspire Lecture with the Planetwalker

At the age of 27, Dr. John Francis stopped talking. A few months prior, an oil spill prompted John to stop using motorized vehicles, and his quiet act of defiance set his town into a roaring debate. In the clashing of voices, John lost his own, and took the next 17 years (no, that’s not a typo!) to simply listen, and walk. His feet traveled through Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, and the US, and eventually came upon the beating heart of environmentalism. More than 20,000 miles and a doctorate later, this Planetwalker has devoted his life to civic engagement and sustainability, and understands preservation as the interplay of human rights, gender, race and economic equality. Join the Green Building Alliance to experience Dr. Francis’ Planetwalk firsthand, and gain perspectives from Khalif Ali (Pittsburgh Foundation), Evaine K. Sing (GTECH), Joan Haley (Pittsburgh Schweitzer Fellows) and Jason Beery (UrbanKind Institute) about civic conversation in Pittsburgh.

4:30-7 p.m. at the Elsie Hillman Auditorium at Hill House Association (1825 Centre Avenue, 15219), starting with food, drinks, and networking.  Admission on a sliding scale, $10-40;  please register here.

Apr 13: PA DEP Listening Session on Environmental Justice

The PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will be hosting a nine-stop “listening tour” to hear residents’ perspectives on environmental justice (EJ).  These sessions begin in the western part of the state on April 12th and 13th.  The dates and locations of these meetings can be found here. The DEP will also be accepting written comments, which can be either mailed or emailed to DEP-OEJ@pa.gov by the end of May.
The Center for Coalfield Justice and FracTracker Alliance have collaborated to summarize current EJ policies in Pennsylvania.  This is an excellent primer for the listening sessions -- come and testify!  

4-6 p.m. at the Blakey Center, in the Hill District (1908 Wyle Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219). RSVP online. More details and talking points here.

Apr 9: Town Hall with Senator Bob Casey

As we face some of the most significant setbacks to climate action we've ever seen, it's more vital than ever that our representatives are loudly fighting back.

Here in Pennsylvania, we have one Senator who is speaking out against the Trump Administration's attempt to gut and revoke every ounce of progress we have made on climate.

Show up this Sunday at the town hall to show Senator Casey that we appreciate his actions, and ask him a question!

3-4:30 at Pitt's Alumni Hall (4227 5th Avenue in Oakland, 15213).  More info and RSVP on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/events/390893707976287/

Apr 8: Sustainability Salon: Springtime Focus on Food

The 63rd Sustainability Salon will take place on April 8th, with our annual Focus on Food.  Local food, organic food, humane food, seasonal food, growing food, food issues, food education -- be here, and be sated!   We'll hear from Grow Pittsburgh's new executive director Jake Seltman about the organization’s many programs providing education and other resources to enable Pittsburghers to grow their own food.  Hannah Ridge is CEO and co-founder of the Ethical Farming Fund, a local nonprofit that promotes ethical animal farming by addressing producers and consumers alike, from helping local farmers improve animal welfare to connecting Southwestern Pennsylvanians to ethical farms.  Hannah will discuss the role of meat-eating in a sustainable food system.  And you may well recognize Mick Luber, who successfully fended off a gas pipeline project from his 60-acre Bluebird Organic Farm in eastern Ohio — he appeared at last month’s screening of Food Systems (both on and off-screen), and is a regular at several area farmers’ markets.  He'll be talking mainly about soil building and soil health.  Note that we're also hosting a house concert the night before, on the 7th -- and the next salon will be on May 6th, concluding our Food series.  

Salons run 3-10 p.m. at Maren's house in Squirrel Hill.  Please don't arrive before 3 p.m.  We usually aim to start the program not long after 4, after folks have had a chance to meet, mingle, and tour around an interesting and productive urban permaculture site -- but this time there is no program, so come hang out!.   Please email me (at maren dot cooke at gmail dot com) with salon in the Subject line to RSVP (yes or maybe), or click on the link in your EventBrite invitation (if you're not already on my list, please email me to be added!).  

July's salon with Bill Peduto

Please RSVP each time -- it helps greatly in several ways.  Among other things, attendance varies widely, and these events have been so successful that we need to begin limiting attendance.  So RSVP early if you can, to ensure your participation!  The free virtual "tickets" on Eventbrite may run out (you don't need to print any tickets, by the way, just be on the list).  Also, weather and such can be unpredictable and it's good to know who to contact if there's a change -- and I'll send directions and/or a trail map if you need 'em on Friday or Saturday.  Be sure to include salon in the Subject line, as I receive a ridiculous amount of email every day.  And if you're new, please let me know how you heard about the Salons!

Bring food and/or drink to share if you can (see below), along with musical instruments if you play.  Check back on MarensList (where you can find information on all sorts of environmental and social justice events) for updates.  And if you aren't yet on my list, if you're interested in Sustainability Salons (and our occasional house concert, simply contact me and I'll put you on my email list.  

As always, I'll be sending out directions and such, and any late-breaking info, to all the RSVP'd folks by the morning of the salon if not before.  So if you don't have it yet, please be patient!  One of these days I'll streamline this process a bit, but for now it takes a while to to dot all my i's and cross all my t's.  (All the extraneous requests for the address don't help;  I have lots of other stuff I send out with it, but don't like to let them go unanswered so it adds hours to my prep time.  If you RSVP properly (see above), you should get the info by the morning of the salon!)

For the uninitiated, a Sustainability Salon is an educational forum, it's a mini-conference, it's a venue for discussion and debate about important environmental issues, it's a house party with an environmental theme.  We usually have featured speakers on various aspects of a particular topic, interspersed with stimulating conversation, lively debate, delectable potluck food and drink, and music-making through the evening.

Past topics have included Shell's planned petrochemical plant, visualizing air quality, the City of Pittsburgh's sustainability initiatives, fossil energy infrastructure, getting money out of politics, community solar power and the Solarize Allegheny program, the Paris climate negotiations (before, during, and after), air quality (again, with news on the autism connection), reuse (of things and substances), neighborhood-scale food systems, other forms of green community revitalization, solar power, climate change, environmental art, environmental education (Part I & Part II), community mapping projects, environmental journalism, grassroots action, Marcellus shale development and community rights, green building, air quality, health care, more solar power, trees and park stewardship, alternative energy and climate policy, regional watershed issues, fantastic film screenings and discussions (often led by filmmakers) over the winter with films on Food Systems, Climate Adaptation and Mitigation, Plastic Paradise, Rachel Carson and the Power Of One Voice, Triple Divide on fracking, You've Been Trumped and A Dangerous Game, A Fierce Green Fire, Sustainability Pioneers, films on consumption, Living Downstream, Bidder 70, YERT, Gas Rush Stories, and food, food, food, food, food, food, food, food, and more food (a recurrent theme;  with California running out of water, we'd better gear up to produce a lot more of our own!).

Quite a few people have asked me what sorts of food to bring -- and my answer, as always, is whatever inspires you;  I believe in the "luck" part of potlucks.  Tasty noshings for the afternoon, hearty main dishes or scrumptious salads and sides for dinner, baked goods from biscuits and breads to brownies or baklava -- and/or beverages:  wine, hard or sweet cider (the latter we can mull if you like), juice, tea, whatever.  The more the merrier!  Local fare is always particularly welcome, whether homemade or boughten.  Dishes containing meat or dairy are fine, though if it isn't really obvious please make a note of it.  We refill a bunch of growlers at East End and provide a big batch of mostly-homegrown pesto (cheesy and vegan), and other things as needed.  More details will come after you RSVP (hint, hint!). 

If you haven't been here before, you may enjoy checking out our roof garden and solar installation (and now apiary!) as well as the many other green and interesting things around our place.  

And if you like to make music or listen to homemade music, don't forget the evening sing -- we typically run the gamut from Irish fiddle tunes to protest songs to the Beatles, and a fun time is had by all.  Bring instruments if you play, and/or pick up one of ours.  Conversations will continue through the evening, as well. 

Apr 7: House Concert with Mike Agranoff

Well, it's about time for another house concert!  And since we've all had enough of the news this season, Putting Down Roots is proud to present singer, storyteller, and multi-instrumentalist Mike Agranoff in a show designed to make you laugh, cry, and think -- all while having fun.  

Mike Agranoff is a one-of-a-kind folk musician who steadfastly defies categorization, and yet amasses stalwart fans from folk aficionados of all categories.  Equally at home in the contemporary and traditional camps, he is a fine musician and storyteller -- uproariously funny, contemplative, and powerfully emotional in the space of a few minutes.  

Mike draws his material from sources as diverse as traditional ballads and fiddle tunes, Tin Pan Alley, contemporaries in the Folk world, and his own witty pen.  He delivers it with a skilled hand on fingerstyle guitar, piano, and concertina, an almost telepathic transmittal of the essence of the song, and occasionally a sly twinkle in the eye in anticipation of some of the most horrible parodies ever perpetrated on an unsuspecting audience.  A signature feature of Mike’s performances is the inclusion of some heart-stopping spoken word pieces that rivet the listener to unforgettable stories.

7:30 (doors at 7) at our house in Squirrel Hill (directions and other info will come after you RSVP -- and please do RSVP even if you know your way!).  RSVP by email to maren dot cooke at gmail dot com with "concert" in the Subject line, with name(s) of attendees -- and/or via the Eventbrite notice that will appear closer to the date, if you're on the email list for Sustainability Salons.  Suggested donation is $15 (goes to the performer;  we won't use Eventbrite tickets but we will be passing the proverbial hat). 

Previous Putting Down Roots house concerts have included Sparky & Rhonda Rucker, Putnam Smith, Ken Gaines and the Squirrel Hillbillies, and Randal Bays & Davey Mathias.

Apr 6-8: Sustainability Weekend at CMU

CMU Sustainable Earth will be hosting the second-annual Sustainability Weekend from April 6-8, 2017. Sustainability Weekend is a 3-day conference that aims to showcase the larger context of sustainability beyond the environment. Following this year’s theme of My Impact in Sustainability, this weekend will bring students and professionals together to spark conversations about their individual impact towards a more sustainable world. It is both informative, with speakers and panels, as well as interactive, with guided tours and workshops. We will be covering a diverse range of topics including social injustice, recycling, getting involved with the local community, entrepreneurship, and food waste. Our highlighted keynotes include:

"The Intersection of Technology and Human Behavior"
Eric Bear, Chief Experience Officer, Curb
April 6, Porter Hall 100, 4:30 - 6 pm

"The Corporate Individual"
Ben Cuozzo, Project Manager, GRID Alternatives
April 7, UC Connan, 4:30 - 6 pm

"Social Injustice: Gentrification in Pittsburgh"
Majestic Lane, Deputy Chief of Neighborhood Empowerment, Office of the Mayor
April 8, UC Connan, 5 - 6 pm

For more information and registration, visit http://sustainabilitywknd.wixsite.com/2017. 

Various dates -- Grow Pittsburgh workshops

Too many events here to create a separate MarensList entry for each, but the amazing local nonprofit Grow Pittsburgh is holding a whole raft of workshops once again this spring!  Free to GP members, $10 for others;  for more info check the website for updates or contact Denele by email or call 412-367-4769 x204.

3/8 ORGANIC GARDENING BASICS PART 1 – SITE SELECTION, BUILDING A GARDEN, AND COMPOST

Grow Pittsburgh Staff

Wednesday, March 8, 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Grow Pittsburgh, 6587 Hamilton Ave #2W, Pittsburgh 15206

Learn the skills and tools that you need to start your own backyard garden.  Topics will include how to select the perfect space for your garden site, basic garden design, and how to compost.  Each participant will be given resources for maintaining a healthy organic garden space.

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/organic-gardening-basics-part-1-tickets-31888757131

 

3/18 STARTING YOUR OWN SEEDLINGS AT HOME

With Nick Lubecki, Frick Greenhouse Manager, Grow Pittsburgh

Saturday, March 18, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Frick Art & Historical Society Greenhouse, 7227 Reynolds St., Pittsburgh, PA 15208

Learn the skills and tools that you need to start your own seedlings at home this year. Topics will include choosing the proper soil, crops, trays, pots and lighting along with a hands-on seed-planting activity. Each participant will receive a schedule and instructions for seeding common garden crops. A list of resources will also be provided for purchasing the seeds and equipment that will be discussed

Register Here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/starting-your-own-seedlings-at-home-tickets-31890279685

4/8 SOIL TESTING: WHY? AND HOW?

With Marisa Manheim, Grow Pittsburgh

Saturday, April 8, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Garden Resource Center, 147 Putnam St., Pittsburgh 15206

Learn the realities of soil contamination and how to manage the risk. Get hands on with demos of soil sampling. Leave prepared to test your garden’s soil at home.

Register Here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/soil-testing-why-and-how-tickets-31890557516

4/15 ORGANIC GARDENING BASICS PART 2 – SUCCESSION PLANTING, CROP ROTATION AND BEST PRACTICES IN PLANTING AND GARDEN MAINTENANCE

Marshall Hart, Braddock Farms Manager

Saturday , April 15, 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Braddock Farms, 1000 Braddock Ave. Braddock, PA 15104

Learn the skills and tools that you need to start your own backyard garden.  Topics teach participants on how to make the best of your garden space. Learn how to take care of your garden during the spring and summer to come. Each participant will be given resources for maintaining a healthy organic garden space.

Register Here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/organic-gardening-basics-part-2-tickets-31890672861

4/27 BUILD IT! LONG LASTING RAISED BEDS

With Rayden Sorock, Community Garden Manager, Grow Pittsburgh

Thursday, April 27, 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. 

Garden Resource Center, 147 Putnam St., Pittsburgh 15206

Learn to build a long-lasting raised bed and leave with additional plans for a compost sifter and compost bin. Specifics will include appropriate wood, hardware, building techniques and recommended soil.  

Register Here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/build-it-long-lasting-raised-beds-tickets-31890899539

5/10 Medicinal Herb Walk

Wednesday, May 10, 2017, 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

With Michelle Soto, Garden Educator, Grow Pittsburgh

Location to be determined

Join certified Herbalist Michelle Soto to learn about medicinal plants on one of her favorite trails through meadows and woodlands. The trail is accessible for people of different walking abilities.

5/20 Container Gardening 
Saturday, May 20th 2 PM – 4 PM
Jeremy Fleishman, Grow Pittsburgh
POWER/EEFC Conference Room
$10 GP Members / $15 Non-members

Don’t have the space for a full garden? Learn the basics of growing vegetables in pots, including site selection, possibilities for pots, making potting mixes and choosing what to grow for spring, summer and fall enjoyment. Participants will receive one starter seedling and plans for a simple self-watering container. . Register in advance for a chance to win a cedar planter as part of the Plant Something Day Sale at East End Food Co-op on Friday, May 19th.

Register Here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/container-gardening-tickets-33217227622

Urban Chicken Keeping

Date To Be Determined

With Nick Lubecki, Frick Greenhouse Manager, Grow Pittsburgh

Shiloh Farm, The Corner of Homewood Ave. and Thomas Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15208

There are many great benefits to raising chickens in your backyard. Chickens are inexpensive and easy to maintain, and their eggs are fresh, great-tasting & nutritious. Participants will leave this workshop with the knowledge they need to raise their own flock.

7/7 Edible Forest Gardens: Perennial Trees and Shrubs in Your Home Garden

With Seth Nyer

Friday, July 7, 2017, 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Garfield Community Farm, CORNWALL AND WICKLOW STREETS, PITTSBURGH, PA 15224

Learn about the key components and principals of a permaculture food forest and how to adapt these principals into the backyard setting.  Participants will leave with a list of suggested edible perennial plants that thrive in the Pittsburgh region.  

Apr 5: Journalism vs. Fake News

“Unreality Check: Journalism in the Era of Fake News”

Callie Crossley is the recipient of the 2017 Barbara Sonte Hollander ’60 Award for Women’s Leadership, presented to a woman leader who has made significant contributions to her community and serves as a role model for other women. She is a radio host and frequent commentator on WBGH in Boston, NPR, Beat the Press, and Basic Black. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Politico, The Washington Post, NECN’s Broadside, CNN’s Reliable Sources, On the Media, the PBS NewsHour, and PRI’s The Takeaway. She was formerly a producer for ABC News 20/20. Crossley produced Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Years, earning her an Oscar nomination and an Emmy Award.

7-9 p.m. at the Women's Institute (Woodland Road, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15232) Free and open to the Public.  Please register here: https://www.chatham.edu/events/details.cfm?eventID=17483

Hosted by the Women's Institute at Chatham University, along with community partners 90.5 WESA, the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation, PublicSource, and the Women's Press Club of Pittsburgh.

Apr 2: Confident City Cycling class

This special edition of Bike Pittsburgh's Confident City Cycling is intended for women and trans identified people who know how to ride a bike, and are looking for instruction on how to operate it safely on city streets.

Come learn more about crash avoidance, lane positioning, and bicycle maintenance!  Our Confident City Cycling class includes an on-bike skills session and a group road-ride.

This class will give you the confidence to commute to Downtown safely. 

During this class you will practice skills including: body bike separation, brake modulation, weight distribution, and quick hazard avoidance.  After the on-bike skills session the class will go on a group road-ride to practice strategies for crossing big intersections, riding on fast roads, reading traffic patterns, and road conditions.

1-4 p.m. at the Ace Hotel (120 S Whitfield St. 15206).  Cost:  $10-40 based on membership status.  Free Healthy Ride bike rentals are available for participants ages 16+ to use during class instruction.  If you’d like to use a Healthy Ride bike, you can request a rental on your class registration.  For more information and online registration here;  registration is required and closes 24 hours prior to the class time.

Apr 1: Women and Biking Forum

Join Bike Pittsburgh and women from throughout the region at the 4th Annual Women & Biking Forum presented by Dollar Bank.  Whether you are interested in learning the basics of bike mechanics and methods to access athletic bike events, talking about biking with friends or coworkers, getting around town comfortably and confidently, or becoming a stronger advocate for safe cycling, there will be a workshop for you!

In its fourth year, this forum will continue to inspire women on this transformative day. 

The day will end with an optional, low-key bike ride, further establishing the great community built during the forum.

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Ace Hotel (120 S Whitfield St., 15206).  Schedule, more info, and online registration are here.  Cost is $30-50 depending on membership;  scholarships and discount codes are available if the cost is prohibitive to you or if you are advertising to your group or club!  

Please contact jane@bikepgh.org for discounts. Apply here for a scholarship.

Open to those who identify as women or gender non-conforming.

Register today to participate in a great day of meeting other women and trans identified people who bike (or are bike-curious).