Communitopia

Proud of these incredible youth advocating for climate action! Yay, Vanessa and Mathilda!

We’re excited to introduce two youth speakers for the World Affairs Institute for Youth Changemakers!

Vanessa G. and Mathilda T. are two high school students involved in Pittsburgh Youth for Climate Action (PYCA). PYCA is a youth group hosted by Communitopia that provides high school students from across Southwestern PA a chance to collectively take action on climate change.

Vanessa and Mathilda will join as speakers during our session, “Youth-Adult Partnership for Climate Action.”

Learn more about the Institute and our other speakers at worldpittsburgh.org/institute.

We’re excited to partner with Rotary International and Sustainable Pittsburgh on this event.

Meet our Gold Sponsor, 3R Sustainability Consulting 3R Building Sustainability


3R Sustainability’s mission is to provide consulting services rooted in science, supported by data, and driven by innovation, education, and continual improvement, delivering full-service sustainability solutions to clients to achieve material business goals. By working within the pillars of climate, sustainability, and green buildings, 3R Sustainability hopes to promote a world that is better for people and the planet.

Thank you 3R for supporting our mission of providing transformative climate change education to youth and families across the region.

Visit https://www.3rsustainability.com/ to learn more.

Thank you to our incredible sponsors for making the 3rd Annual Pedaltopia event possible! Thank you 3R Building Sustainability, Shift Collaborative, Eis Solar, Duolingo, Harvie, Oakmont Advanced Dentistry and Procopia Nonprofit Consulting for supporting climate change education.

Visit the link below to enter to win some awesome raffle prizes! T-minus 11 days until PEDALTOPIA! Sign up today!

🟩 https://go.rallyup.com/pedaltopia2023/Campaign/Details 🟩

✨ BikePGH Membership and Merch
✨ 2 ASCEND Pittsburgh Day Passes
✨ Justseeds Art, Postcards, Puzzles and More
✨ Wild Card Swag Bag
✨ Two Bike the Burgh Tickets + a Helmet from Trek Shadyside
✨ 3 Rivers Outdoor Co. Gear Coupon
✨ Patagonia Prize Pack
✨ For Coffee Lovers, Courtesy of Redstart Roasters
✨ Games Galore from Games Unlimited
✨ Two Month Subscription for Carbon Compost + Hanging Spider Plant

We are glad to make Pedaltopia accessible to all skill levels! Choose from two beautiful routes along the Three Rivers Heritage Trail.

🟨 The Spin 🟨 or ⬛️ The Coast ⬛️

See below for details or visit www.communitopiapgh.org

REGISTRATION IS OPEN! Head to the link below to sign up for Pedaltopia 2024

https://www.communitopiapgh.org/pedaltopia

Pedaltopia 2024!

It’s that time of year again! Each fall, Communitopia brings Pittsburgh communities together for a bike ride along the Three Rivers Heritage Trail. This event supports our youth programs and climate action work across the region.

Location: The Highline
Date: Saturday September 30
Time: 10 AM - 2 PM

Stay tuned for more details!

Communitopia is excited to be working alongside to promote zero waste gift wrapping this season! Today from noon to 3 PM, come see us at Patagonia in Shadyside for complimentary gift wrapping with any purchase. All donations will support Communitopia’s programming.

We are immeasurably grateful for our wonderful supporters--now and all year round. As we look towards a new year full of new opportunities, we hope that you'll join us in our efforts to GROW 🌿 ... to grow our organization, to grow our community of powerful climate advocates, and to grow our programming that brings equitable climate change solutions to our region. Thank you in advance for your support!

Click to donate!
https://www.communitopiapgh.org/how-you-can-be-involved

There are lots of simple at-home things that we can do to live a more sustainable life that helps our planet every day. Planting a garden, switching light bulbs to energy efficient types, using reusable grocery bags, and turning off lights when you're not using them are just a few ways to live a more eco-friendly life.

Check out even more ideas here:
https://www.theartofsimple.net/tips-to-go-green-at-home/

40 Ways to Go Greener at Home (Besides Just Recycling) Continuing our series during this final year of AoS [https://www.theartofsimple.net/finalyear/] of the top 12 published posts of all time (measured in simple traffic numbers), this one is number four. I wrote it ages ago, early in the blog’s life, and it still gets circulated frequently.

Get ready to Pedal for a Purpose this Saturday - Pedaltopia 2022 is only two days away! Thank you to our event sponsors: 3R Building Sustainability, Shift Collaborative, Argo AI,Duolingo, UMPC, Highland Electric Fleets, and Oakmont Advanced Dentistry. Their generous support of this year's event allows Communitopia to advance its mission of providing transformative climate change education through youth, educator, school district and community programming year round.

Pump up your tires and strap on your helmets– it’s time for our 3rd Annual Pedaltopia Bike Ride and Fundraiser! This Saturday, October 8th, join us as we bike along the Three Rivers Heritage Trail on the South Side to both raise funds for the organization and to raise awareness on innovative climate change. Thank you to our sponsors for making our climate ride possible: 3R Building Sustainability, Shift Collaborative , Duolingo , UPMC, & Oakmont Advanced Dentistry . See you on the trail!

Register here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Tx2oFyykr8VS2k_yDPg98Q92hmeulOAj/view?usp=sharing

Register for Pedaltopia 2022 and stay for the after party! Pedaltopia's post-ride reception is proudly sponsored by 3R Sustainability 3R Building Sustainability, a local woman-owned consulting firm providing sustainability/ESG and built environment services to businesses, corporations, architects, engineers, developers, and owners.

3R services are rooted in science, supported by data, and driven by innovation, education, and continual improvement, delivering full-service sustainability solutions to their clients. With a mission to create a direct, measurable impact on the environment and the companies and communities which they serve, why would you want to work with anyone else? Learn more about their projects and team at https://www.3rsustainability.com/.

Join Reception Sponsor 3R Sustainability for Pedaltopia 2022 on October 8 by registering today! (link registration https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pedaltopia-2022-tickets-404882453317)

Gardens are one of the best and most rewarding ways to be sustainable at home! Even though fall is coming, there are many veggies that thrive through the cooler temperatures. Don't hang up the towel just yet — check out this list of vegetables that can get you through the fall.

https://www.hgtv.com/outdoors/flowers-and-plants/vegetables/growing-winter-vegetables

Registration remains open through next week for PEDALTOPIA 2022! Grab a few friends, strap on your helmet and join us for a bike ride along the Three Rivers Heritage Trail on October 8th. All registration collections and donations will serve local students, teachers and communities as we work together to take climate action in Western Pennsylvania.

🔹There will be scenic views, incredible raffle giveaways and an afterparty at the Highline Patio where you can refuel with some food!

Sign up at https://www.communitopiapgh.org/events/pedaltopia 🌍💚

Communitopia Communitopia Pittsburgh Communitopia focuses on teaching environmental justice to all populations and empowering them using the actionable items taught through our activities or courses.

Pittsburgh buses are going green! 🌱🚌🌱
PRT (previously Port Authority) has committed to transtioning to a zero-emission bus fleet by 2045. They hope that the transition will bring health benefits to communities that have poor air quality. This is a unified effort to guide the Pittsburgh region toward a more sustainable future.

https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/pittsburgh-bus-fleet-to-go-zero-emission-by-2045/Content?oid=22376471

Pittsburgh bus fleet to go zero-emission by 2045 | Pittsburgh City Paper Pittsburgh Regional Transit has committed to decommissioning its fossil fuel vehicles by 2045 by transitioning to electric and possibly hydrogen-fueled buses.

Carnegie Mellon University is "walking the walk" when it comes to clean energy and sustainability. The U.S. Department of Energy has chosen to partner with CMU to host the 2022 Global Clean Energy Forum, which brings energy leaders from around the world together to discuss securing a more environmentally friendly future.

Learn more:
https://www.cmu.edu/news/stories/archives/2022/september/green-campus.html

'Walking the Walk' Toward a Cleaner Planet - News - Carnegie Mellon University Carnegie Mellon University's commitment to clean energy and sustainability is evident across its beautiful Pittsburgh campus.

THANK YOU to our Pedaltopia 2022 sponsors— Shift Collaborative, 3R, Duolingo, UPMC and Oakmont Advanced Dentistry. Without the support of our wonderful sponsors (and participants 🚴), our work would not be able to reach as many students, teachers, districts and communities. We can’t wait to share more about our programs and supporters in the weeks to come!

REGISTER to take climate action at Pedaltopia at https://www.communitopiapgh.org/events/pedaltopia

University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown is now a certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary - the first campus in Pennsylvania to have the certification. Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, a global leader in sustainability certifications, has recognized the campus for their efforts towards environmental stewardship, including having pollinator gardens and many native plant species throughout the school grounds.

Read more:
https://www.pitt.edu/pittwire/accolades-honors/pitt-johnstown-certified-audubon-cooperative-sanctuary

Pitt-Johnstown is now a certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary The certification recognizes organizations that demonstrate leadership and commitment in areas such as environmental planning, wildlife and habitat management and resource management.

Pedaltopia 2022 will offer TWO bike routes to choose from—The Spin and The Coast! Check out a description of each route below!

Which one will you choose?

📢REGISTRATION IS OFFICIALLY OPEN for Communitopia’s 3rd annual PEDALTOPIA!📢

Head to our website to sign up and become a part of our mission to provide transformative climate change education. Let the countdown to October 8th begin!🗓

"Marla Jones remembers skiing on the Allegheny River, dodging scum as she skimmed the surface." Our rivers are healing, but there's still a ways to go.

Read more about the work that has been done, and all the work we have left to do to make our rivers as healthy as possible:
https://www.publicsource.org/pittsburgh-three-rivers-waterkeeper-allegheny-kayak-venture-outdoors-pollution-health/

Kayaking the Allegheny River can be an environmental education Three Rivers Waterkeeper introduces paddlers to a river system that has improved since the region’s industrial era, but faces threats.

We know that there is no Planet B. It's up to us to make sure the planet remains as healthy as it can be for the benefit of our future generations.

👇Click the link below to see what you can do to get involved👇

https://noplanetb.org/

No Planet B — NoPlanetB.org – There is no Planet B. We must energize Plan A for Action. There is no Planet B. We must energize Plan A for Action to make the one planet we have safe and productive for future generations — with job creation not loss; with higher, not lower standards of living. All over the world, No Planet B is an increasingly heard call for action. We will answer the ...

A new home in Wilkinsburg has achieved a sustainability "Milestone". The house has a focus on being energy efficient and will be powered by solar panels to lower it's carbon footprint. The owner and designer say that they hope other people in the area will follow in their footsteps and help to make Pittsburgh even more sustainable.

Click to read more:
https://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/how-this-wilkinsburg-home-is-achieving-milestone-sustainability/

How This Wilkinsburg Home Is Achieving “Milestone” Sustainability | Pittsburgh Magazine The owner of Studio St. Germain says the design of the passive house may become the first single-family home in Pennsylvania to earn an EnerPHit certification.

Looking for some summer fun with the family this weekend? The Rivers of Steel Explorer riverboat not only offers a range of sightseeing opportunities in Downtown Pittsburgh, but is also the world’s first green passenger boat dedicated to river travel.

Check them out here:
https://riversofsteel.com/attractions/explorer-riverboat/

Explorer Riverboat Offering sightseeing tours, public and student programs, private events, and corporate charters, Explorer is the world’s first green passenger riverboat.

The Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) just got a bit more 🌱green🌱. They recently celebrated a full year of using their on-site natural gas power plant in combination with an 8-acre solar panel farm built on top of a landfill. PIT’s switch to a combination of natural gas and solar has led to the reduction of 8.2 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions in the first year of operations. Their hope is that other major airports will make the sustainable switch too.

Read more:
https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2022/07/sustainability-pittsburgh-airport-microgrid/

Sustainability and savings drive Pittsburgh Airport microgrid - Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) recently celebrated the completion of a full year’s operation of their unique microgrid project.

Climate change leads to all kinds of uncomfortable things, including hotter summers. Running the air conditioning for long periods of time can be damaging to the planet, not to mention your utility bills. There are far more Eco-friendly ways to keep your house cool, like using fans instead of A/C, having house plants, using renewable energy in place of traditional power, and more!

👇Click to read the rest of the list 👇

https://evapolar.com/blog/14-eco-friendly-ways-to-keep-your-house-cool-this-summer/

14 Eco-Friendly Ways to Keep Your House Cool This Summer There are a variety of ways you can cool your home beyond air conditioning. Following just a few of these suggestions can make a big difference.

Climate doom leads to inaction and creates feelings of hopelessness. Fortunately, climate experts are here to remind us that it's not too late to address climate change:

https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-61495035

Why is climate 'doomism' going viral – and who's fighting it? Climate "doomers" believe it’s far too late to do anything about climate change - but they're wrong.

This September, Pittsburgh will welcome delegates from around the world for the Global Clean Energy Action Forum. Pittsburgh’s own achievements in sustainability, its leadership in green technology and innovation, and its environmental transformations make it the perfect city to host this event. Learn more:

https://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/Op-Ed/2022/07/13/pittsburgh-climate-change-achievements-global-clean-energy-action-forum/stories/202207130016

Could mushrooms become an important part of the world's efforts to address plastic pollution?

https://www.upworthy.com/scientists-discovered-a-mushroom-that-eats-plastic-and-believe-it-could-clean-our-landfills

Scientists discovered a mushroom that eats plastic, and believe it could clean our landfills. What if this rare mushroom is a solution to the earth's plastic problem?