Gandhi sign at his ashram in Ahmedabad, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from Ben Sutherland’s photostream

October 2 is the day of Mahatma Gandhi‘s birth. It is also the day that the United Nations General Assembly declared to be the International Day of Non-Violence to honor this pre-eminent leader of the Indian independence movement who achieved his goal through a strategy of non-violence. Gandhi inspired the world — in the political, philosophical and spiritual realms — through his pioneering use of “satyagraha” which he defined as follows:

Truth (satya) implies love, and firmness (agraha) engenders and therefore serves as a synonym for force. I thus began to call the Indian movement Satyagraha, that is to say, the Force which is born of Truth and Love or non-violence, and gave up the use of the phrase “passive resistance”, in connection with it, so much so that even in English writing we often avoided it and used instead the word “satyagraha” itself or some other equivalent English phrase

The Asian Studies Center at the University of Pittsburgh will celebrate Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday and his teachings this Sunday with cultural performances, inter-faith presentations, and more. The day will also include a lecture by Dr. Uma Majmudar, Gandhian researcher and published author. “Gandhi’s Legacy of ‘Satyagraha’ in the Modern World” will explore the meaning of that philosophy both as used by Gandhi and how it pertains to our modern times.

Along with The Asian Studies Center, sponors for this event include Sri Venkateswara Temple, Alliance for Humanitarian Initiatives Non-violence and Spiritual Advancement, Hindu Jain Temple, Sunday Morning Forum of the First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon Multicultural & Diversity Initiatives, Gujarati Samaj of Greater Pittsburgh, Chinmaya Sanjeevani Ashram, Rotary Club of Monroeville, the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Association for India’s Development (AID), and Silk Screen.

CELEBRATING GANDHI: THE MAN AND HIS TEACHINGS
WHAT: Annual Mahatma Gandhi Birthday Celebration
WHEN: Sunday, October 2, 2011, 3:00 – 5:00 PM
WHERE: Frick Fine Arts Auditorium, University of Pittsburgh

Sky hand, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0)image from Mattia75′s photostream

“Empowership” is empowerment combined with leadership. Helping high school and college students achieve those goals is the purpose of the Student Empowership 2011 one-day conference. Global Solutions Pittsburgh, Baker Leadership and Carlow Universityare the hosts of the event. Students will receive skills-based training along with a chance to network. Keynote speakers include Penny Semaia, Assistant Athletic Director for Student Life at the University of Pittsburgh and Chaz Kellum, Manager of Diversity Initiatives for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Workshops from which students can choose to attend include Organizing with Social Media, Event Planning, Marketing & Promotion, Activist Toolkit, and much more.

Attendance is free. The only requirement to participate in Student Empowership 2011 is that you must be a high-school or college student and you must pre-register by 4:30 PM on September 30th. Please click here to register.

WHAT: Student Empowership 2011 Conference
WHEN: Saturday, October 1, 2011
9 AM – 4:30 PM (complimentary breakfast and lunch included)
WHERE: Carlow University in A.J. Palumbo Hall

Tucson High Takes to the Streets: 3 of 6, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0)image from cobalt123′s photostream

Luminari, Inc.is a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit founded to “foster original activities that broaden minds, inspire innovations and promote community engagement.” Councilman Bill Peduto has worked with Luminari founding member Hilda Pang Fu to help mentor young Pittsburghers to become civic-minded individuals. One of Luminari’s projects is the I Want to be an Ambassador! camp. It’s a seven-day program designed to teach the vital art of diplomacy to 8th to 12th grade students. The teens participate in activities which concentrate on communication skills — especially those which involve negotiating and conflict resolution. It also features cultural field trips, media literacy, introduction to foreign languages and a two-day Washington, D.C. excursion to experience how ambassadors work together to improve our world. I Want to be an Ambassador! camp takes place from Jun 19 – Jun 27, 2012 at the Senator John Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh, PA and in Washington, D.C.

The cost to attend the camp is $1,200.00, but Luminari announced this month that they will provide a merit-based scholarship to attend the camp for Pittsburgh area students who will be in grades 7 through 11 during the 2011-2012 academic school year: The Luminari Award. Luminari will select up to eight area schools to participate in the award competition. Award winners from each school will receive a scholarship for an all-expenses-paid admission to Luminari’s I Want to be an Ambassador!From Luminari:

“We have two goals for the Luminari Award. One is to reward students for their noteworthy personal and academic qualities,” said Luminari founder and President Hilda Pang Fu. “The second goal is to honor the dynamic schools and inspiring teachers who support these students.”

To qualify, schools must commit to opening the competition to all eligible students; and gather at least six successfully completed applications from students in their district. Luminari Award winners will be announced in mid-February 2012.

Ms. Pang Fu said, “We are looking for students who are motivated, open-minded, and willing to learn and be inspired by ‘out-of-the-box’ activities. Winners will attend the I Want to be an Ambassador! camp in June 2012. The camp is committed to young people coming together to discover ways to collaborate, build sustainable working relationships and become agents for positive change in our world.”

For more information on how your school can participate,interested public and private schools should contact Luminari no later than September 30, 2011.Contact Jacqueline McWilliams at 412-877-1888 or at jaq.mcw@gmail.com. Visit Luminari on the web at http://www.luminari.org/.

Pittsburgh Skyline, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from Lagged2Death’s photostream

Pedal, Paddle, Peduto returns in 2011 with the City Lights Paddle on Wednesday, September 21 from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. The Pedal, Paddle, Peduto Hike and Learn Series consists of three educational, outdoor adventures. Pedal, Paddle, Peduto is hosted by Venture Outdoors — Pittsburgh’s premier outdoor experiences organization. During each outing, you’ll learn about our city’s history and the vision for its future with Councilman Bill Peduto and special guests.

Participants in the City Lights Paddle will join Councilman Peduto, architect Rob Pfaffmann, Tom Baxter from Friends of the Riverfront and Sean Brady from Riverlife for an evening paddle in Downtown Pittsburgh. It’s a five mile, round-trip paddle with stops for discussions of future city development from the perspective of the waterfront, riverfront trails and rivers. Imagine watching the sun setting over the beautiful Pittsburgh skyline from the unique vantage point of a kayak on the river! It will truly be an unforgettable experience for anyone who loves Pittsburgh.

City Lights Paddle
Date: Wednesday, September 21
Location: Kayak Pittsburgh – Downtown (near PNC Park)
Difficulty: Moderate
Time: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Cost: $33.00 non-member / $25.00 member

You can register online here or call call 412-255-0564, ext. 0.

You can find out more about the other events in the Pedal, Paddle, Peduto Hike and Learn Series here.

Earth Day, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from AlicePopkorn’s photostream

Earlier this year, Pittsburgh City Council declared April 22nd — Earth Day — to be “Greener Pittsburgh Day” in the City of Pittsburgh. GreenerPittsburgh.com connects people and businesses with greener products and services. This first-of-its-kind platform is made possible by the creation of key alliances with the City of Pittsburgh, community nonprofit partners and corporate sponsors. Pittsburgh-based Greener Expressions is the company behind Greener Pittsburgh. Greener Pittsburgh launches on September 15th with a party at Phipps Conservatory.

Via Eco News Network:

“There’s nothing else like Greener Pittsburgh in the marketplace,” said Greg DiMedio, CEO of Greener Expressions. “It’s a location-based platform that connects people and businesses throughout our region to greener products and services. The fact is that the majority of businesses today are already taking steps toward sustainability and this green business directory helps to promote these companies on common ground with supportive users and content.”

As we’ve reported on this blog — Councilman Bill Peduto has been a covener and advisor to Greener Pittsburgh. He helped announce the initiative last year and providing funding. He also introduced the founders of the company, Greg DiMedio and Bob McNeice. Also from Eco News Network:

“I’m proud to have played a role in helping to make Greener Pittsburgh a reality,” said Pittsburgh City Councilman Bill Peduto. “I firmly believe it will revolutionize the way consumers search for sustainable products, services and companies. More than a listings website, it’s the combination of grassroots community development strategies, social networking, and a strong commitment to principles of sustainability that makes Greener Pittsburgh so special.”

To be part of this green marketplace and online community, go to GreenerPittsburgh.com. You can join as an individual. You can list your business or organization. And, you can tell your favorite business to join now. The more people and businesses who join in, the better and more vibrant the marketplace will be.

Swann Fountain Trio 3, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from michaelwm25′s photostream

We’ve been talking a lot about our city’s watersheds and water management on this blog lately — both the problems and the progress. Yesterday, some 300 residents of the East End turned out for a meeting initiated by Councilman Bill Peduto on the the problem of chronic flooding in the East End of Pittsburgh. As we all know, an August flash flood also led to the tragic deaths of two women and two girls on Washington Boulevard in Highland Park. What you may not know is that most major cities have departments specifically charged with stormwater management. Pittsburgh does not. Urbanization presents specific challenges to managing stormwater as concrete and steel do not soak up water. Moreover, older cities like Pittsburgh have a patchwork of infrastructure systems including a combined sewer system (one that combines stormwater and sewage). As 3 Rivers Wet Weather notes:

Over time, a network of 83 municipal combined and separate sanitary systems, which flow into each other before reaching the ALCOSAN sewage treatment plant, has evolved in the region surrounding Pittsburgh. Much of the system today is deteriorated and overloaded during wet weather, which results in frequent and illegal sewage overflows into our waterways, streets and homes.

Furthermore, an EPA evaluation of Pennsylvania’s draft Watershed Implementation Plan found serious deficiencies. As regards urban areas, they described the strategies for strong stormwater as having “questionable enforceability and accountability.” Pittsburgh City Council has addressed the issue of the combined sewer system, but there is much more that can be done and must be done to better manage stormwater and we don’t have to look very far. From The Dirt:

Now, Philadelphia Water Department’s Office of Watersheds may be leading the next generation of innovation in water infrastructure with its plans to roll-out an ambitious $1.6 billion green infrastructure plan, which would use rain gardens, green roofs, pervious pavements, and trees to recycle and reuse rainwater. According to one study, “one inch of rain water hitting one acre of asphalt means 27,000 gallons of water” is going into the sewer. For a city like Philadelphia, that means billions of gallons are flooding its now aged water management system.

The green infrastructure proposal would turn 1/3 of the city’s impervious asphalt surface, or 4,000 acres, into absorptive green spaces. The goal is to move from grey to green infrastructure. Grey infrastructure includes “man-made single purpose systems.” Green infrastructure is defined as “man-made structures that mimic natural systems.” As an example, networks of man-made wetlands, restored flood plains, or infiltration basins would all qualify as green infrastructure. The benefits of such systems include: evaporation, transpiration, enhanced water quality, reduced erosion / sedimentation, and restoration. Some grey / green infrastructure feature integrated systems that create hybrid detention ponds or holding tanks, which are designed to slow water’s release into stormwater management systems.

You can view a video about Philadelphia’s “Green City, Clean Waters” program below (see the plan here):

As Councilman Peduto has remarked:

It is imperative that Pittsburgh develops comprehensive planning, rather than try to rely on spot fixes. We live in a complex watershed and we must look at it as a whole system, not focus on a few streets in a few neighborhoods. The lack of a comprehensive plan means we are unintentionally creating new problems down the road as we try to “fix” old ones.

With determination and leadership, a smart, comprehensive stormwater management plan is not out of reach. The Nine Mile Run Watershed Restoration is a great example of what is possible. It’s a partnership between federal government, city, community, and nonprofits which uses principles of natural systems to inform man-made systems. We need a plan like this for the entire region, starting with the City of Pittsburgh.

gutter flash, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from D’Arcy Norman’s photostream

The East End of the City experienced a major flood on August 19, 2011 resulting in the tragic loss of four lives on Washington Boulevard and untold financial damages for residents and business. While the events of August 19 served to focus attention on this issue, it is not a new problem. Over the past three years, many residents and business owners in my district have suffered more than $10,000 worth of flood damage on as many as six separate occasions. This is clearly unacceptable to all of us and must be addressed. To be certain, the problems on Washington Boulevard begin upstream in the watershed and must be addressed in a comprehensive strategy.

Therefore, I have called for a public meeting on Tuesday, September 6 at 6:00 PM at the Winchester Thurston School. This meeting will be co-hosted by my office and community and business groups in Shadyside, Squirrel Hill, Point Breeze, and East Liberty. The meeting will be an opportunity for residents to voice their concerns directly to the PWSA, the Mayor’s Office and county and state elected officials. It is important that the community be provided a public forum to stand up and tell their stories about how these repeated floods have affected them.

I hope that this forum will be the catalyst for a serious focus on these issues and a search for long-term, sustainable solutions.

September 6, 2011, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Winchester Thurston School
555 Morewood Avenue, Pittsburgh, 15213

The Street was a River I., a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from Andy.Schultz’s photostream

Bridge at Panther Hollow, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from KitAy’s photostream

Panther Hollow Run, Phipps Run, and Panther Hollow Lake not only comprise a beautiful recreational area — they are part of the Panther Hollow Watershed — an ecologically important component of one of the largest sewer sheds in Pittsburgh, the Four Mile Run Watershed. Panther Hollow Run and Phipps Run join just above Panther Hollow Lake which drains into underground pipe. The pipe also carries the the Four Mile Run stream and all of the water eventually drains into the Monongahela River.

Panther Hollow Watershed Map, from Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy flyer

This watershed only gets water from stormwater pipes — there’s no sewer overflow. This is, of course, a benefit to the lake and the citizens of Pittsburgh who enjoy it. However, the watershed does suffer from increased urbanization. Additionally, there are other ecological problems such as “invasive and non-native plants, soil erosion, elevated soil nitrogen levels, increasing deer populations, loss of tree canopy, and deferred maintenance of storm pipes.”

Ecological restoration was necessary and the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, the City, the Department of Public Works and many volunteers have made great progress in that direction over the past ten years. The Conservancy has also developed partnerships with local universities and agencies to track the state of the watershed. But, more needs to be done.

You can attend a community meeting in September that will be part of the overall watershed planning process. You’ll also get to preview pilot restoration project designs created by the chosen design team that will be installed in the park next spring. Anyone interested in water, parks or their community is welcome to attend:

September 8, 2011, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh
Levinson Hall B
5738 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, 15217

The Conservancy asks that you please sign up if you plan to attend by using the registration form on the Pittsburgh Parks website (click here), or by calling 412-682-7275, ext. 205.

Panther Hollow, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from michaelrighi’s photostream

#2 Pencils, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from kungfubonanza’s photostream

On August 4th, Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent Linda Lane announced a proposed District Realignment Plan. The new plan would close seven schools (Fort Pitt PreK-5, Langley High School, Murray K-8, Northview PreK-8, Oliver High School, Shaeffer K-8, Stevens K-8) and seven buildings and open one new school. (click here to view the proposed changes). School Board approval is required to make these changes which would not take effect earlier than the 2012-2013 school year. The earliest the Board can vote on the District Realignment Plan is November 22, 2011.

The reasons for the proposed school closings are due to both declining enrollment and huge budget deficits. From their website:

Pittsburgh Public Schools, like districts across the Commonwealth and the country, is facing daunting financial challenges. When the District adopted the 2011 budget, the problem was smaller but still there – and showed an $8.7 million deficit for 2011 and forecasted a $53.6 million deficit for 2012.With the announcement of the Governor’s proposed funding cuts in March 2011, the District’s projected budget deficit grew to $68 million for 2012 and nearly $100 million in 2015.

There will be a Special Public Hearing on August 22, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. to receive public comment on the District Realignment Plan. This is your chance to make your views known. If you want to speak at this hearing, you must register with the Office of Superintendent of Schools by calling 412-622-3600 by Noon on August 22, 2011. You may also submit written testimony in lieu of appearing at the hearing via email to publichearing@pghboe.net or by fax to 412-622-3624 no later than 5 p.m. on August 22, 2011.

Pittsburgh Public Schools Special Public Hearing
August 22, 2011, 6:00 p.m.
Conference Room A, First Floor
Board of Public Education Administration Building
341 South Bellefield Avenue
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213

P1120132, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from wyliepoon’s photostream

You’re standing at a bus stop. Every couple of minutes you peer down the street. Then you glance at your watch. Then you look down the street again. Why? Because you and everyone else at the stop only want to know one thing: When’s the bus coming? Now, in Pittsburgh, there’s an app for that. Carnegie Mellon University has developed an iPhone app that provides real time information on Port Authority of Allegheny County bus and “T” arrivals. It’s called Tiramisu — which in Italian literally means “pick me up.” Tiramisu allows riders to use crowdsourcing not only to let fellow public transit users know exactly where a bus is, but also how full it is and more. From Carnegie Mellon News:

When a rider first activates the app, Tiramisu displays the nearest stops and a list of buses or light rail vehicles that are scheduled to arrive. The list includes arrival times, based either on historical data for that route or on real-time reports from riders. When the desired vehicle arrives, the user indicates the level of “fullness” and then presses a button, allowing their phone to share an ongoing GPS trace with the Tiramisu server. Once aboard, the rider can use Tiramisu to find out which stop is next and to report problems, positive experiences and suggestions.

Tiramisu screenshots

Tiramisu was developed by researchers in the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Accessible Public Transportation (RERC-APT) and supported in part by CMU’s Traffic21 initiative. RERC-APT is a collaboration between CMU and the University of Buffalo which focused on the transportation needs of people with disabilities. It’s critical, for example, for riders who use wheelchairs to know if a bus is crowded or if there’s ample room for their needs. Of course, most people would love to know more real time information about their bus, so the idea has been expanded for all riders.

Tiramisu is available free through the iTunes AppStore. It’s currently compatible with the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad and it requires iOS 4.0 or later. The developers promise that it will also soon be available for Android smartphones as well. While it was still being tested, it was found that even a small number of riders on a route could provide useful information and that participants in the pilot studies continued to use it even after the formal study ended. That said, the more people who use the app, the better and more useful this tool will become. Therefore, you’ll get the most out of this free app by letting all of your friends and coworkers know about it too.

Tiramisu is part of a larger trend for cities to work with game developers to use smartphone apps and games to improve communities. An article from American City & County describes how New Yorkers were able to use The Commons game iPhone app to report problems and submit suggestions to improve city services. And, in Macon, GA, officials worked with developers to create Macon Money which rewarded participating residents with currency to spend at local businesses in order to spur local economic development and to help tear down social divisions.

New hybrid electric bus, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from HerrVebah’s photostream