ReClaim South Ambassadors ’14 The 2012 Green Toolbox Report conducted for Hilltop communities identified over 400 acres of vacant land in those neighborhoods, including two former public housing sites. The Ambassador program is one way that GTECH and the Hilltop Alliance is addressing this opportunity. Ten residents will participate in a vacant land focused training program and create their own green project on vacant land. Research shows a greener environment has a positive impact on the perception of a place as a good location…Read More
Northside Data Collection & Analysis Not all vacant lots in Pittsburgh are created equal. Have you ever wondered what exactly a “vacant lot” is? The category of “vacant lot” in Pittsburgh is a catch-all for any parcel, city- or privately-owned, which not only includes overgrown lots, but also community gardens, wooded hillsides, maintained side yards and even the occasional parking lot. In other words, not all vacant lots are created equal. Our goal is to identify parcels in the greatest need of some TLC; the…Read More
Knots on Lots Japanese Knotweed, Polygonum cuspidatum, was introduced in the United States from Asia as a decorative plant, but soon grew out of control. Because knotweed loves moist environments and can grow in poor soil quality, it can be found all over the Pittsburgh’s region riverbanks and has spread to roadsides, lawns, and, of course, vacant lots. (Most of the 27,000 empty lots in Pittsburgh have Knotweed growing on them.) Currently there is no great way to deal with the Knotweed, besides…Read More
ReFuel Program ReFuel PGH was a program of GTECH that focused on a waste-to-energy solution that aimed to reduce air and water pollution and help fuel local economies by recycling waste cooking oil into a cleaner burning fuel. In 2010, ReFuel PGH in partnership with Give Energy and Whole Foods, installed their first oil drop-off bin outside the Whole Foods Market in East Liberty. The second one was installed in partnership with Oakland Planning and Development Corporation (OPDC) during the fall of…Read More