Information bringing people together...
Maren's list of environmental, cultural, and
social justice events in and around Pittsburgh.
MarensList is Experiencing Technical Difficulties
Due to a change in how this platform works, it has become very difficult to make new postings for future events. I hope to find a solution soon, but in the meantime my apologies for a rather thin slate of events! I do consolidate a wide variety of events in each Sustainability Salon listing, so look there for "Other Items of Interest". There really is a lot going on... note that I also share events on Facebook, so look me up there if you're at loose ends.
Campfire Dispatch -- current and past issues
Local food resources
May 26: Sustainability Salon on Food (Part II)
Do you love homemade bread, but can't get it together for the whole sequence of mixing and rising and punchdown and kneading and rising again? Linsdsey Disler, in the Food Studies program at Chatham, will share fascinating lore and practical tips on quick breads (i.e. baking soda or powder, vs. yeast), with all sorts of connections to history, forests, and women's well-being.
The Ross Farm has been producing quality wool and lamb for six generations. They focus on heritage and rare breeds, with methods elevating the best interests of the livestock and the land -- striving to be both humane and environmentally responsible. Drew Ross and Riley Carter will talk about what they do on the farm around direct-to-consumer markets (Maren met them at the local farmers' market), and how they are combining traditional agricultural practices with new concepts and more sustainable ideas as the world changes -- in terms of climate, economy, and societal norms.
Check back here for updates!
There are also a whole lot of other important events happening in our region; check out the list below!
• May 19: In the wake of the toxic train disaster in East Palestine last year, people are taking a closer look at vinyl chloride. The Carnegie Museum of Art is hosting a screening of the film Blue Vinyl, followed by a discussion with the filmmaker, affected residents, and experts on the ground (in conjunction with the ongoing Everlasting Plastics exhibit). 2 p.m. at CMOA; more information and registration here.
• May 24-27: Heartwood Forest Council is coming to southeastern Ohio. You can hear organizer Matt Peters talk about the organization and the gathering on this interview/podcast-style video (he starts talking about Heartwood a little after 12 minutes in -- more local stuff before that). More information and registration here.
• June 27: Join Penn State Extension for a webinar on edible and medicinal mushrooms in Pennsylvania. 6 p.m. via Zoom; more information and registration here.
• ReImagine Food Systems, which we've talked about at past salons, is raising funds for this year's operations (food gardens and hands-on education offered at no cost to residents in environmental justice communities, by volunteers). If you have something to spare, you can contribute via GoFundMe. And we're always looking for more volunteers, too! Email reimaginefoodsystems@gmail.com.
• Concerned Health Professionals of NY recently released the 9th Edition of the Compendium of Scientific, Medical, and Media Findings Demonstrating Risks and Harms of Fracking and Associated Gas & Oil Infrastructure. Check it out!
• PA is considering legislation to (a) greatly increase the renewables portion of our electricity generation, and (b) enable community solar!! The Pennsylvania Solar Center has made it easy to speak out to support this action!
• We know that only a tiny fraction of plastic has ever been recycled. And yet, NPR has been airing sponsorship messages for the American Recycling Council, which is continuing to perpetrate the "recycling" hoax. Does that make your blood boil? The national group Beyond Plastics has a petition/sign-on letter to get them to stop -- please sign, for yourself or for an organization you represent!
• It's been more than a year now! You can support striking Post-Gazette workers here (and consider signing up for the alternative online publication, the Pittsburgh Union Progress -- and maybe even cancel your P-G subscription until they start treating workers fairly!). This strike has garnered national attention; one recent picket even made it into Teen Vogue.
• PRC continues to hold online workshops about composting, rainwater harvesting, and waste reduction. They have several Hard-to-Recycle events each year; 2024's are listed here. For household chemicals, here's the link.