Community-driven design isn’t just for adults Posted on June 22, 2015 by wpengine The first Green Playces design is complete and will be installed near the Propel Northside school in the Pittsburgh's Perry South neighborhood. How do you take a vacant lot and turn it into a creative outdoor classroom? Step 1: Ask the Kids For starters, we asked a group of third graders, "what would you do with this?": These kids dream big, and we ended up with some pretty amazing ideas, like a giant pool party or even a ninja garden. Step 2: Make it real…Read More
Finding Common Ground on a Vacant Lot in Homewood Posted on May 20, 2015 by wpengine GTECH, the Pittsburgh Marathon, FedEx Ground, Operation Better Block and Whole Foods Market work together to reclaim a vacant lot along the marathon route. As a part of an annual partnership with the Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon, GTECH and community partners work to activate one of the hundreds of vacant lots along the marathon route. This year, GTECH partnered with FedEx Ground and Operation Better Block to activate and program a lot along Frankstown Avenue. To learn more about the project watch…Read More
Learning About Starbucks’ Sustainability Practices Posted on May 20, 2015 by wpengine Social Capital Council Members take a LEED Tour and Coffee Tasting with Starbucks Starbucks is creating more eco-conscious stores on a global scale from the design stage right through to construction and operations. Combined with their commitment to ethical sourcing, Starbucks is a global leader in sustainability. Thank you Paul Morack for giving Social Capital Council Members an inside look at Starbucks’ sustainability practices at their new LEED® certified store in One Oxford Centre. We had a great time exploring the store's sustainable building…Read More
Rediscovering America’s True North Posted on April 23, 2015 by wpengine The BLK SHP (black sheep) believe that, America’s institutions, be it capitalism itself, political and media institutions, as well as industries, are suffering from an extreme lack of leadership. We feel that American citizens deserve better and can offer more. Founded by Peter Sims, the BLK SHP is a loose guild of America’s leading creative thinkers, writers, policy makers, artists, and social entrepreneurs looking to support and disseminate cutting-edge thought leadership. This spring the BLK SHP are embarking on a bus tour to build relationships with…Read More
3 Must See GTECH Events in May Posted on April 23, 2015 by wpengine It is a busy, busy spring here at GTECH. We have 3 events during the month of May that we think you might like. Check them out on GTECH's event calendar by clicking the links below. ReClaim the Route MAY 3 @ 6:00 AM - 3:00 PM | Free As a part of an annual partnership with the Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon, GTECH and community partners work to activate one of the hundreds of vacant lots that line the marathon route. This…Read More
3 Reasons You Should Join the Social Capital Council Right Now Posted on March 4, 2015 by wpengine We think that 2015 is an advantageous time to be a part of the Social Capital Council. The Council is a cadre of energetic and socially conscious professionals who want to connect with community development activities, green economy issues and social entrepreneurship in Pittsburgh. 1. Attend Fun and Meaningful Events These events aren’t your typical networking events. Sure when you attend a GTECH event you’ll have the opportunity to mingle with community development mavericks, social innovators, and Pittsburgh changemakers, but you'll…Read More
Blue State of Mind Posted on December 10, 2014 by wpengine On November 13, 2014, over 130 people came out to the Inspire Speaker Series event to hear Lisa Schroeder of Riverlife and Dr. Wallace J. Nichols talk about the effect water has on the social, economic and environmental health of communities. There was a lot of social buzz about the event, including a blog by audience member Cheryl Speir. After the talk audience members, including GTECH Staff and Ambassadors who attended the event provided testimonials about what change they would…Read More
Resilient Pittsburgh Posted on December 5, 2014 by wpengine This week, The City of Pittsburgh joined The Rockefeller Foundation's 100 Resilient City Network. This means that The City will join the elite ranks of a few cities around the world whom are recognizing that the key to bouncing back from catastrophic events such as flooding, and extreme weather is to plan to "bounce forward." This means integrating public services, smart planning, investing in social networks, and prioritizing sustainable infrastructure in all domains. What is resiliency really about? Resiliency is the…Read More
5 Reasons We Are Working in McKeesport Posted on September 5, 2014 by wpengine ReClaiming Vacant Lots in McKeesport: 5 Reasons Why We are There. This fall, 10 McKeesport residents have the opportunity to clean and green vacant lots in their neighborhood. This is GTECH Strategies’ first vacant land Ambassador program outside of the City of Pittsburgh. In honor of that, James Snow, the project manager for ReClaim McKeesport, gives you his top five reasons why we chose to work with the City of Mckeesport to create new community green spaces. 1. The…Read More
Smart(er) Days: Things get real Posted on May 13, 2014 by wpengine So...everybody and their grandmother seems to ride a bike in Amsterdam. No joke. There are close 800,000 residents of Amsterdam and over 900,000 bikes. More bikes than humans...that is how this place rolls! Literally. Not only are there a lot of individuals in physical - self propelled movement, but also there are surging levels of energy from the entrepreneurs and start-up community focusing on sustainability, climate resiliency, renewable energy, smart energy and systems design and behavior change. To put this in…Read More
Smart(er) Days: Climate Change – Taking it to the Streets. Posted on May 9, 2014 by wpengine Day 2: Amsterdam & The German Marshall Fund Fun Fact: Amsterdam has a land mass of 64 square miles and around 800,000 people live here. Pittsburgh is around 55 square miles with around 310,000 people. (20% of Amsterdam’s Municipality is water - 4 % of Pittsburgh). Take away: 3x more people live a place the same size as Pittsburgh! (we like math.) *As a result, density, alternative transportation, intentional green space, smart policy and a thriving urban landscape is prolific. Amsterdam has focused around…Read More
Smart(er) Days in Amsterdam: Day 1.0 Posted on May 7, 2014 by wpengine ...building community awareness and climate literacy feels like a constant practice that transcends nationalities. - Andrew Butcher Thanks to the German Marshall Fund, I find myself amidst the city of canals, bustling bikeways, and light rail in the land of windmills and wooden clogs. The goal is to evaluate Amsterdam's and the Netherlands' sustainable energy, climate policy and smart city goals* with a delegation from Charlotte, North Carolina; Torino, Italy; and, of course, Pittsburgh. My partner from The Burgh is none…Read More