Roll On, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0)image from Jeremy Brooks’ photostream

On November 30th, The Heinz Endowments and the Breathe Project Coalition announced the creation of the Clean Diesel Construction Equipment Retrofit Fund. The fund will provide nearly $1 million to install pollution control equipment on diesel-powered vehicles. The fund is in response to the passage of the historic Clean Air Act by Pittsburgh City Council. The Clean Air Act seeks to reduce particle pollution from diesel emissions by requiring requiring contractors at city-subsidized developments to use cleaner diesel fuel and to have pollution controls on their vehicles and equipment. The diesel emissions from construction contain over 40 toxic air contaminants, carcinogens, ozone smog-forming compounds, and fine particulate matter (“soot”). Exposure to fine particles is known to cause asthma attacks, heart attacks, lung cancer, strokes, and even premature deaths. It’s estimated that the Clean Air Act will reduce the soot from heavy equipment by 85% or more.

The fund will be added to $920,000 from Allegheny County government now being managed by the Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Management Association. The Coalition funding through the Endowments will extend the reach of the county-wide project, to provide incentives to small construction companies to retrofit pollution-heavy equipment with new technologies. The new funding will allow the program to expand to target additional small construction companies that operate in and around the city of Pittsburgh.

In April, the American Lung Association’s “State of the Air 2011″ report rated Pittsburgh’s air quality as “the nation’s third most polluted area for short-term particle pollution for the second year in a row.” That was highlighted by Forbes magazine which called Pittsburgh the seventh most polluted city in America. In a report on the fund by WTAE News, Endowments President, Bobby Vagt, emphasized the importance of clean air to our economy:

“The critical item to attract and retain people — the kinds of people that are going to work in technology in Pittsburgh — air quality is absolutely vital,”

Councilman Bill Peduto, who was the prime sponsor of the Clean Air Act, echoed Vagt’s comments:

“What we’re trying to do is show that our economic future is contingent on clean air.”

At the press conference for the announcement, Peduto also referred to the range of support for the legislation. The new regulations were endorsed by unions, community groups, business owners and environmentalists. Each of these interests came together to achieve the goal of improving air quality.

Also supporting cleaner diesel emissions is Google Pittsburgh. From Essential Public Radio:

Andrew Moore, with Google Pittsburgh, said that the company attracts some of the best and brightest in the world, and that mostly Pittsburgh is an easy sell, but, “I kind of draw a blank when the question of air quality comes up, and I have to be transparent about it. I tell them that there’s lots of good things about Pittsburgh, but air quality is still a problem.”

The Breathe Project is trying to combat that problem, but is fighting against the notion that an aggressive clean air plan will cost the region jobs and hurt the economy. Moore said that the strength of the economy, however, is directly tied to a healthy environment, which starts with clean air and water.

Construction vehicles in the snow, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0)image from Arabani’s photostream

Abstraction in Steel, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from 24thcentury’s photostream

While Pittsburgh has been called “America’s Most Livable City,” there is one area where we consistently rank among the worst: the quality of our air. There’s no doubt that we’ve made vast improvements over the decades, but air quality in southwestern Pennsylvania remains among the worst in the nation. Pittsburgh has ranked in the top five worst cities for fine air particulate pollution for the past five years. Our air contains such toxic heavy metals as mercury, arsenic and chromium 6. The consequences for our health are enormous and include asthma, heart attacks, cancer and premature death. Our poor air quality is also a detriment to both people and businesses moving to this area. This summer, Pittsburgh City Council passed the Clean Air Act in an attempt to address the problem, but much more needs to be done.

The Breathe Project is a coalition of individual citizens and 40 industry, government, nonprofit and business organizations in southwestern Pennsylvania working together to clean up our air pollution. The coalition includes the Heinz Endowments which has put its “considerable influence and $7 million” towards the project according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Some concrete steps towards solving the problem have already been identified (also from the P-G):

Mr. Vagt [Heinz Endowments president] said the Breathe Project has already identified a number of initiatives for investment, including adding $900,000 to a Clean Diesel Construction Equipment Retrofit Fund established by the Allegheny County Health Department to defray costs for small construction companies to comply with new emissions reduction regulations.

Other initiatives will include a $287,000 study to determine the feasibility of converting Port Authority buses to natural gas fuel; a $120,000 pilot project by Carnegie Mellon University in East Liberty that will develop a light signal system that aids traffic flow; a large scale planting program to add 20,000 trees to city streets in the next three years; an analysis of the economic benefits of air quality improvements; and a “Mayors Summit” meeting to gather information from other cities that have successfully reduced air pollution.

You can help in the fight. The Breathe Project website’s ACT page has many actions that individuals can pledge to take from doing a home energy audit to purchasing green credits to riding a bike. You can also “like” them on Facebook and view their video below to learn more about the project:

pittsburgh skyline, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from David Watson’s photostream

If you already live in Pittsburgh, you don’t need National Geographic to tell you what a great and unique place it is. You know that we have the the best of both a small town and an urban environment. We have all the cultural amenities of a large city — the museums, libraries, colleges and universities, symphony, theatres, art scene — coupled with the small town feel of many of our older neighborhoods. And, all of it wrapped up in a geographic area with breathtaking views. But, with all Pittsburgh has to offer, and with all the publicity we’ve received being named “America’s Most Livable City” multiple times, we still have a problem attracting new residents. A new initiative aims to change that: The Experienced Dreamers™ Contest. It’s goal is to attract the over 45 crowd to relocate to our city.

Usually the emphasis has been on trying to attract the young to move here. However, a recent article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes the benefits to be had by looking in another direction:

Buhl Foundation President Frederick Thieman said the organization took part in developing the initiative because of a 2009 report by the Jewish Healthcare Foundation that found the region could see an economic impact of more than $2.5 billion by attracting 1,250 new residents 45 and older in the next 20 years.

[snip]

Mr. Thieman cited a statistic claiming that 5 percent of baby boomers plan to relocate, and he said many choose small college towns for safety, health care access, arts and culture, low cost of living and a vibrant young population.

He said the Pittsburgh region can sell those qualities to baby boomers eager to retire in cities outside of the Sun Belt.

The contest offers participants the opportunity “to chase your dream and create your legacy” with “$100,000 to help you do it…” You do have to be at least 45 years of age and have not resided within a 100 mile radius of downtown Pittsburgh within the past 10 years in order to apply. The winner will receive $50,000 in cash and the rest as a charitable family trust. According to the contest website, “In the spring of 2012, 20 semifinalists and five finalists will be chosen based on the originality, creativity, passion and clarity demonstrated in their applications. And the winner will be chosen from among the five finalists by a vote of the people of Pittsburgh.”

The contest has already attracted the attention of The Atlantic Cities with an article headlined, “Would You Move to Pittsburgh for $100,000?” (Really, if you knew us, it wouldn’t seem like such a dare.) But that is the challenge: Making people at least consider Pittsburgh. We know we can more than handle their dreams…

Seedlings in peet pots , a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from Jackal of all trades’ photostream

The Sprout Fund was created ten years ago by Cathy Lewis Long and Matt Hannigan to provide seed money to foster grassroots community projects. Their main emphasis has been on artistic and environmental initiatives. While the Richard King Mellon Foundation is a main contributor, The Sprout Fund works very closely within communities and gives opportunities to the kinds of people and projects who wouldn’t normally receive larger, conventional grants. They’ve mostly concentrated on providing modest financial awards that support community-based projects spread throughout neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, and Fayette and Greene counties. While many of their grants have been small-scale, their impact has been large. According to a recent Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article, they’ve “seeded 450 projects at a total value of $4 million.” And, we’re talking about public projects that all can enjoy. These include 55 neighborhood murals and those sculptural bike racks seen in commercial areas. They’ve also helped fund such diverse projects as the politically themed Conflict Kitchen; Burgh Bees, a nonprofit organization that teaches people how to keep bees; the crafters fair Handmade Arcade; and the documentary series “East of Liberty” by local filmmaker Chris Ivey.

Then, there’s all the grants that they’ve given to help make Pittsburgh a more bike-friendly city. These include helping BikePGH get their start. The bicycle advocacy organization had a $500 budget before they received a grant for the bike racks. The Sprout Fund further assisted with their first fundraiser: Bike Fest. Ten years later, BikePgh has 1,500+ members, it’s own employees, and works with the city to help all cyclists. Additionally, The Sprout Fund provided a grant to produce “3 Rivers on 2 Wheels” — a bike explorer’s guide to our city.

The Sprout Fund has also given monies to some larger scale projects including $50,000 to develop the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium’s ReefBot which teaches children about reef conservation. Now, in celebration of their tenth anniversary they are about to embark on their most ambitious project to date. They will announce later this month who will receive a $100,000 commission to create a signature public artwork to be installed on the Law and Finance Building on Fourth Avenue in Downtown Pittsburgh.

To get an idea of the full impact of The Sprout Fund, here’s former county Executive Jim Roddey as quoted in the Post-Gazette:

He called Sprout’s impact “enormous” and said the economic benefit from $4 million dispersed over 10 years is “probably 10 times that. It’s grown in reputation and popularity, it’s been a marvelous success, and I’m really proud of her.”

Happy Tenth Anniversary, Sprout Fund!

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

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.

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

Apple is good at lots of things, but they can’t make the screen bright enough when it’s sunny outside…, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from Ed Yourdon’s photostream

If you’re reading this, you probably believe that democracy would be better if it was, well, more democratic — that local government would be better if it had more input by locals. That the way to improve our city is not by hiring consultants to tell us what to do, but hiring consultants to listen to people and tell us how we can make their vision happen. CEOs for Cities is working hard on taking the consultants out of the picture and putting the people into focus by fostering direct connections between residents and city government. CEOs for Cities has produced web apps which help create a culture of civic engagement.

Acknowledging that most people aren’t willing to spend much time, if any, on participating in the public process of democracy, they first helped produce the Give a Minute project. Give a Minute literally asks city residents to spend just a minute coming up with a suggestion on an important urban issue. The first project was Give a Minute Chicago and it asks for input on what would make Chicagoans walk, bike or ride transit more often. People can respond online or by mobile phone by jotting down their thoughts on an electronic Post-it^®-style note.

Did you know they have free hi-speed WiFi all over Bryant Park? This place rocks!, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from Ed Yourdon’s photostream

Change by Us is a new project which evolved out of Give a Minute. Change by Us NYC asks residents of New York City, “How can we make our city a greener, greater place to live?” Change by Us has the same post-a-note look, but it takes the idea a step further. From The New York Times:

City officials described the project as “a social network for grass-roots leaders.” They said their goal was to exploit the opportunities offered by social media to spur professionals, volunteers and city employees to share information about ways to improve conditions and team up for specific projects.

Change by Us NYC will help users raise money to start projects like community composting or creating a new open space. The city’s Department of Environmental Protection will use the site to identify and guide projects that could be eligible for a program that disburses millions of dollars in grants to beautify neighborhoods, reduce sewer overflow into New York Harbor and undertake other infrastructure projects, for example.

In less than a year, this new model for citizen participation has gone from asking for ideas, to creating projects and raising funds for their implementation. Perhaps when people see actual results from their engagement, they will be more prone to participate and put democracy into action. We can have a 24/7 town hall that produces results.

Tomkins Square Park, Apr 2010 – 17, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from Ed Yourdon’s photostream

Also launched this year is Neighborhoodland. It’s basically the same concept — asking city residents for their thoughts and input on improving their communities. Neighborhoodland was created by Civic Center which wants to “make cities more comfortable for people.” Neighborhoodland currently serves neighborhoods in the city of New Orleans.

Finally, while the technology of crowdsourcing and mobile apps is relatively new, the issue of citizen participation goes back to the very founding of our country. “A Ladder of Citizen Participation” by Sherry R. Arnstein was first published in the Journal of the American Institute of Planners (JAIP) in 1969, but it’s still instructive for today. The author looks at the levels of citizen participation to see where the power truly lies and comes up with the following “eight rungs on the ladder of citizen participation.” Let’s hope that new technology makes that climb a lot easier.

CMU: Walking to the Sky, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0)image from ajstarks’ photostream

What makes a city desirable as a place in which we want to live? Is there a new American Dream in terms of how we live? These are some of the big questions tackled by a CEOs for Cities Strategy Session last month in Portland, Oregon. CEOs for Cities believes that “quality of talent, quality of place, and quality of opportunity, driven by quality of leadership” is what determines the success of a city and they attempt to nail down the facts on those factors. About 100 urban leaders from across the country gathered in Portland to look at how innovation is shaping cities and to learn why Portland has become a model for attracting talented young people. Councilman Bill Peduto was invited to attend and has been involved with the group since 2007. He has also served as a presenter previously.

The real turnaround for Portland occurred when they demolished a waterfront freeway to make it now largely pedestrianized. As Robert Liberty, Executive Director of the Sustainable Cities Initiative put it, “We changed course not because we are different but became different because we changed course.” Some of that change in course included investment in light rail, streetcar, aerial tram and bicycle infrastructure. Alex Steffen, a world leader on sustainability, futurism and walkable urbanism, noted that, “Being able to live without a car is the gold standard for young people” and “If your city doesn’t offer this option anywhere within it, young people will not move there.” (More reason to celebrate Pittsburgh recently being rated as ”one of America’s safest metropolitan areas for walking.”)

It’s about asking “How can my city be the best version of itself?” Relying less on cars has obvious benefits for the environment, but it also helps to build community when we get out of our individual, private cars and meet our neighbors on the sidewalks and on public transit. But, it’s more than just about lessoning the traffic — it’s about building a culture of DIT (Do It Together). That involves residents relying on each other, such as when a “cluster economy” grows when a particular industry has success and other spin-off companies are created to support it. It also means that the citizens are active in making their city the best that it can be. It means cities which cater to people and people who are enabled to participate in the planning of their cities — placemaking.

The video below features Carol Coletta, who just stepped down as CEO of CEOs for Cities. In it, she talks about the need for a new “American Dream.” One that’s not automobile-centric. One that’s better suited to our new reality and which takes advantage of the ability of urban environments to enact “innovation, opportunity and efficiency.”