An Ambassador Holiday Tale Posted on December 11, 2014 by Grounded Strategies An Ambassador Holiday 'Twas the eve of December 10 and all through the venue, GTECH Ambassadors shuffled in, bearing dishes to add to the menu. An old-fashioned potluck was all that was promised, But, boy oh boy, were those Ambassadors in attendance astonished! See there were 6 generations of Ambassadors present that eve, With 16 communities being represented, I do believe. They chatted and laughed -- sharing stories and tips aplenty, About building gardens, comfy homes and filling lots that were empty. Miss Lisa…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 Ways to Give Back your Energy This Holiday Posted on December 3, 2014 by Grounded Strategies Here are a few of my favorite ways to give back your energy this Holiday Season: Seal any air leaks If it feels like Jack Frost is blowing at your window, it is time to seal up your windows. Plastic and a little caulk can go a long way for not a lot of money. Anywhere you feel a little air coming into your home means that you’re losing energy! Don’t pay to heat the outside, find these spaces and seal them up.…Read More
Hilltop residents taking action Posted on December 1, 2014 by Grounded Strategies Hilltop community members know what it takes to reclaim vacant land. This past month we released a mini documentary that sheds light on the issue of vacancy in the City of Pittsburgh, focusing on the people that are doing something about it in the Hilltop neighborhoods. "The people that live here are the ones that really know the issues and assets here. They know what the people really want to see in their neighborhoods. That's what we want - people to have…Read More
Happy Thanksgiving: What are you thankful for? Posted on November 25, 2014 by Grounded Strategies We asked staff, "What are you thankful for this year?" Andrew: "I am thankful for having such an incredible team of hardworking, creative, gumption-filled GTECH'ers to work with. (I'm also grateful for the people reading this post - cause they make it worth it all.)" Cassandra "I am thankful for my family, friends and my relationship with God! I am thankful for a reasonable portion of health for my loved ones and myself." Ellie "I'm thankful for having my own…Read More
This Cyber Monday make us smile with AmazonSmile Posted on November 21, 2014 by Grounded Strategies AmazonSmile is that easy & free way to keep to have your online gift giving give back. The Monday following Thanksgiving come to be known as "Cyber Monday". On this day many people shop online to take advantage of the holiday deals. If you shop at the online retailer, Amazon and sign up for AmazonSmile -- GTECH gets 0.5% back on your items purchased. It isn't a whole lot, but every little bit helps. It’s very easy to use, especially if you…Read More
3 Surprising Effects of Community Gardens Posted on November 8, 2014 by Grounded Strategies A community garden is a wonderful idea for a vacant lot. The benefits outside of fresh produce, became very real to Lisa Freeman after founding the Manchester Growing Together Community Garden in 2011. Just a few blocks from her home in Pittsburgh's Northside, the garden has had a lasting impact not only on her, but the surrounding community as well. Gardens Are a Tool for Crime Prevention Lisa had a hard time ignoring the illegal activities happening on the corner near her garden. She would…Read More
Happy Book Lovers Day! Posted on November 1, 2014 by Grounded Strategies The first Saturday of November is Book Lover's Day! In honor of that we are encouraging you at attend an upcoming Inspired Speaker Series bookclub event. Blue Mind by Wallace J. Nichols About the book: "Combining cutting-edge neuroscience with compelling personal stories from top athletes, leading scientists, military veterans, and gifted artists, Nichols shows how proximity to water can improve performance, increase calm, diminish anxiety, and increase professional success." Join GTECH, Green Building Alliance and other water lovers, for…Read More
Preserving a Piece of Pittsburgh’s Incline History Posted on October 31, 2014 by Grounded Strategies Pittsburgh is the only city in the United States that still has two operational inclines — you know them as the Duquesne and the Monongahela. Back in the heyday of steel milling and coal mining along the three rivers' shores, dozens of inclines connected downtown with the housing on the hills. Not only did they serve as people carriers, they also hauled freight, horses and buggies and, later, cars. One such incline that is no longer in use is the Knoxville…Read More
Vote for Your Favorite GTECH Jack-o-Lantern Posted on October 28, 2014 by Grounded Strategies Halloween is just around the corner and the GTECH staff got into the spirit by carving up a few pumpkins. Take a moment and vote for your favorite pumpkin. The winner will be announced on Friday. And the winner is... Katherine! Thank you to all who voted. Have a safe and happy Halloween!Read More
Metabolic: A Systems Approach to Action Posted on October 23, 2014 by Grounded Strategies What if you could revitalize a brownfield not only in a ecological way, but also create an active, useful, economically-viable, creative space? What if all the building were made of entirely recycled material and waste wasn't disposed of, but rather reused? This morning Eva Gladek, CEO and founder of Metabolic -- a clean tech development and systems consulting firm based in Amsterdam, spoke to a group of GTECH staff, SCC members and partners about a project that embodied just that. The De Ceuvel, or Cleantech Playground,…Read More