Pittsburgh, PA (March 17, 2009) - Leaders from community groups, the business sector, local government and the higher education community, working together on the Pittsburgh Climate Initiative, today launched a new citywide campaign, "The Black and Gold City Goes Green," the first-ever attempt by any city in the nation to run a citywide citizen action campaign to cut global warming. The goal of the campaign is to work together to reduce heat-trapping gases from global warming, with a significant measurable decrease expected by January, 2010.
Today's event unveiled the community portion of the campaign, which includes a series of monthly actions, all with little or no cost, that families and individuals can take that will make a measurable reduction in the heat-trapping gases they produce. A new website, www.TheBlackandGoldCityGoesGreen.com allows participants to keep track of the environmental improvement they are making, and see how the rest of the city is doing. Pittsburghers without access to the Internet will be able to report their contributions to the campaign by postcard, which will be available through community organizations, houses of worship and at public buildings and institutions.
"This exciting project will make history, not just in Pittsburgh, but around the nation," said Joylette Portlock, western Pennsylvania outreach coordinator for Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future (PennFuture), which is coordinating the community outreach campaign. "The plan is designed to empower the people of Pittsburgh through their community and public interest organizations; civic groups; churches, synagogues and mosques; sports fans and players; the news media, and any other group to make Pittsburgh even cooler by going green. Together, we will save energy, save money, build green jobs and save the planet - all by taking a few simple actions.
"This month, the Black and Gold City is going green by all doing one thing - changing a light bulb or two," Portlock continued. "If every household in Pittsburgh changes just one outdated incandescent bulb to a newer compact fluorescent light bulb, we will reduce our contribution of heat-trapping gases that cause global warming by 24 million pounds (or 12,000 tons) each year. And we'll be well on our way to becoming the nation's greenest city."
Community organizations, houses of worship and other public institutions have signed on to the Black and Gold campaign, agreeing to distribute materials and urge their members and supporters to join the campaign. The campaign will supply these groups with fact sheets, camera-ready articles, and discounts for services that they can share with their supporters. Each month's action will also include names and contact information for local experts on that action, and information about training in green jobs. This month, participants are encouraged to contact Conservation Consultants, Inc., of Pittsburgh's South Side, for questions about switching to more energy efficient light bulbs.
Similar energy savings projects are being planned for Pittsburgh's municipal government and authorities, the region's institutions of higher education and the business community. Representatives of those sectors were at today's campaign launch. The organizations leading each sector include the office of the Mayor working with Pittsburgh City Council for the municipal projects, the Steinbrenner Institute for Environmental Education & Research at Carnegie-Mellon University for higher education, and Sustainable Pittsburgh for the business community.
The Black and Gold City Goes Green is part of the Pittsburgh Climate Initiative (www.pittsburghclimate.org), which is coordinated by the Green Building Alliance. The Initiative grew out of the work of Pittsburgh's Green Government Task Force, which conducted a citywide greenhouse gas inventory and then created a Climate Action Plan. The inventory and plan are available at www.pittsburghclimate.org. Last year, Pittsburgh City Council unanimously passed a resolution of support for implementation of the plan.
For more information about the Black and Gold campaign, the list of proposed monthly actions and a fact sheet on compact fluorescent light bulbs, check out the website at www.TheBlackandGoldCityGoesGreen.com or call PennFuture at 412-258-6680.
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