Job opportunities: Tiny Seed Farm

Tiny Seed Farm in Allison Park is hiring for field crew and market teams: 

https://www.tinyseedfarmpgh.com/come-work-with-us

 

Questions?  Email Todd Wilson at Todd@Tinyseedfarmpgh.com.  

 

Job opportunity: Communitopia

 Communitopia is seeking a new Director of Education.

Here's the scoop!  

Job opportunity: Fair Shake

Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services is seeking a new Executive Director.  All the information is here:  

https://www.fairshake-els.org/blog/2022/1/5/fair-shake-environmental-legal-services-announces-search-for-new-executive-director 

Hazelwood woods/Woods controversy

The 116th Sustainability Salon will be all about protecting and preserving Pittsburgh's urban and peri-urban forests.  A patch of woods in Hazelwood (a hilly neighborhood on the Monongahela River) is being threatened by developers (ironically named Oak Moss) who renovated the oldest residence in Pittsburgh (built in 1792 for the Woods family) into a Scottish pub called Woods House (in itself a fine thing to do).  Matt Peters, a local activist and Hazelwood resident, crafted this letter detailing the situation.

From: Matt Peters 
Date: September 5, 2021 
To:  URA public comment, the local City Council member, several other City officials, and Hazelwood Initiative staff

Subject: Woods Village proposal

To the Board of the URA, an open letter for the public record,

My name is Matt Peters, and I am a resident of Hazelwood since 2010 when I bought my small house with a big yard, just what I was looking for! It is a joy to live here, both for the people I've met and befriended and for what initially attracted me, the abundant forests that give our neighborhood such a vital part of its soul and character. 

In my time here I have been an active participant in the civic life of my newfound community, joining in the neighborhood Planning process (we published Our Hands, Our Plan and you can find it on file with the city's Planning Commission), bringing my experience and perspective to the Sustainability committees and Green Infrastructure discussions, and learning about city-living issues like transportation, housing, and other considerations of city life from attending the other sessions and listening to my new neighbors. 

During these years I have also been active with our neighborhood's Urban Agriculture Team, serving in a volunteer leadership role since its inception and for these last four years employed part-time by the Hazelwood Initiative to manage the community garden interests they own, mainly the former YMCA. My letter is written not with that hat however, but wearing the hat of my other part-time job, Administrative Coordinator for Heartwood, "People helping people protect the places they love".

Heartwood is a network of grassroots forest activists throughout the eastern United States, the eastern hardwood heartland forests that once stretched unbroken from the Atlantic seaboard to the Mississippi River valley. From the Ozarks to the Great Lakes, up into New England and the Canadian shield, a squirrel could roam the continent and never touch the ground, for the canopy forest that supported an assortment of indigenous nations whose population number into the inestimable hundreds of thousands. These ancient forests were consumed within a century or two after the arrival of European colonizers, by the charcoal and tannery industries that built the early Pennsylvania economy. Since about the end of World War II, these forests have been recovering, with national forests expanded and public lands management guided by the ecological sensibilities of the 1970s. Heartwood has focused on public lands management since our founding in 1990, and by virtue of my involvement since I was a student at the University of Pittsburgh in 1992 I have become more than casually familiar with the intimate details of the forest ecology of this Appalachian region.

I am writing today to tell you that further consideration of the Woods Village housing proposal on the site proposed, would be irreparably devastating to our neighborhood's Green Infrastructure and to the City Of Pittsburgh's forest ecology integrity as a whole. This patch of forest is an essential part of a connecting corridor, a bio-highway if you will, that links the habitat core of Schenley Park (such as it is) to the core forests of Hazelwood's officially designated Greenway, the hill at the top of Elizabeth Street on the other side of Hazelwood Avenue (currently receiving attention from teams of Goats and other active forest restoration initiatives!). This connecting corridor consists of the forests along Sylvan Avenue up to Gladstone Avenue, from behind the Gladstone school all the way to Greenfield Avenue a bit under a mile away as the hiker trods, and these forests have been the subject of much attention over the controversial Mon-Oakland Connector proposal, Phase 2 of which would seek to re-open the decommissioned section from Home Rule Street to Greenfield Avenue for driverless automated shuttles, a privately-owned competitor to our city's public transportation system. I believe there are ways to provide for our neighborhood's need for housing stock in this ecologically sensitive area without losing the broad range of ecological services that these young and recovering forests provide, to Pittsburgh's human as well as nonhuman wildlife residents. The Woods Village proposal as presented is not one of these ways. 

The particular patch of forest targeted in the Oak Moss proposal can be generally described as a stand of nearly pure Black Locust, Robinia pseudoacacia. This is a native species, common in Pennsylvania's early successional or pioneer stage forests, along with black cherry, red maple, and alas far too many invasive non-native species. Remarkably, this site is relatively clear of canopy invasives like Norway Maple, the common Mulberry, or Ailanthus.  The understory is a mix that includes Japanese Knotweed and Mugwort on one side, and the half towards Berwick street is a bit more diverse with more native plants present, and some interesting trees recruiting beyond the seedling/sapling level. In short, these forests are in pretty good shape, considering what they've been through.

In our community discussions on this topic I have often heard the counterargument presented, "but it was houses 50 years ago".  Attached is a photo of a Pittsburgh hillside from the time when there were houses.  This is from the History Center's archives, early 1900s, almost exactly one hundred years ago. We can do better today. We have environmental laws (and forest management guidelines) that say, don't cut trees on steep slopes, because you'll get flooding and landslides. Lightweight, prefabricated modular houses are not suited to a hillside on the move that has been recently denuded of its trees, and looking to soon suffer further such indignation. 

We also have the City's recently adopted Climate Action Plan, which states unequivocally the need to "HALT the loss of forest canopy to development" and that is exactly what is happening here. It should be clear by now beyond a doubt, between the wildfires out West and the recent flooding of the New York City subway system, that climate change is here, it's just getting started, it's going to be a lot worse a lot faster than originally anticipated, and it's going to cause a lot of suffering. 

It is also clear beyond doubt that forests offer our best mechanism for mitigating and surviving these changes. I refer you to the most recent report issued from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC. Included herein by reference is the full report, not just the summary. 

This patch of forest is immediately adjacent to the officially designated Greenway, but on the City's online map the site is marked with an orange polygon that indicates, "Held for Greenway", an intermediate category where it is being considered for inclusion in the greenway system. I suggest to this board that the City's resources may have other priorities in the budget in the 40 years or so since the Greenway system was created, and that not a lot of effort and energy has been spent on making sure that our city's forest inventory matches on paper what we have on the ground. Since the Greenway system was originally established in the 1980s, the gradual decline of Hazelwood in the wake of the departure of the steel industry has afforded this forest resource a chance to invest the time to begin developing a viable structure that cleans the air, holds up the slope, absorbs stormwater, and provides habitat for songbirds. I will spare you the links to the scientific studies and peer-reviewed journal publications that show the link between songbird abundance and real estate housing prices; suffice to say it is amazing what one can find with the online tool Google Scholar. 

In this letter I hope I am successful in introducing the complexities and subtleties of the ecological arguments for protecting these young forests and allowing them to mature into part of our city's Green Infrastructure. I would like to briefly acknowledge the housing side of these considerations, and start off by saying that I recognize the need to begin replenishing Hazelwood's housing stock. I say to you, let's start with our truly vacant lots, and save our forests for last! That is the prudent and truly "conservative" thing to do. Housing is happening, we are going to build 62 units and more in the Gladstone building. There are empty lots throughout the neighborhood that need attention, and it is the right and proper role of a functioning government grounded in a sane set of ethics to help a community-minded developer who is doing his best to do things right to overcome the challenges prevented by a dysfunctional housing and real estate market. I hope the URA is able to see beyond the false dilemma cartoonified in the worn-out "jobs vs. the environment" blather and recognize that we can have our forests and our housing, too.

I would also like the URA to understand that this proposal is not consistent with our officially adopted Neighborhood Plan. "Our Hands, Our Plan" states that we want our business district to be focused on main street, and we want our residential areas to be quiet and peaceful. To suggest that a "satellite" strip of rental retail space a mere two blocks away is in any way consistent with the goals of the Plan is not a tenable argument. The goal of the proposal being to draw traffic up to the retail space is directly counter to the goals of creating a quiet residential space. Our Neighborhood Plan also has a whole chapter on how we want to improve and expand our forests and Green Infrastructure, which is consistent with the goals set forth in the aforementioned Climate Action Plan. 

And a final point, although beyond the scope of the discussion before us here, I say that the URA can best support the revitalization of our neighborhood, and the expansion of all the housing we could ever possibly need, affordable and otherwise, by helping uproot the automated vehicle laboratory from our bottomland field. The irony that this stalled acreage of a development touted as "sustainable" would be driving the destruction of forests must be included in the official record before I can conclude this letter in good conscience.

Thank you for including my comments in your deliberations on this matter. 

Forever wild, 

matt peters 

Job opportunities: CIEL

The Center for International Environmental Law is hiring two Program Associate positions for their Plastics campaign. More info is below, and both roles can be applied for at this link. Please share this with your networks and any candidates you have in mind!

👉 Program Associate: Plastics & Petrochemicals: support CIEL's Climate & Energy team's collaborative work to halt the petrochemical infrastructure buildout that threatens the global climate and the health of communities across the US Gulf Coast and Appalachian region.  Experience with frontline and directly impacted environmental justice communities is a must. 

This role will be based out of CIEL's Washington, DC office, with allowance made for remote work for the right candidate in Appalachia or on the Gulf Coast.

👉 Program Associate: Plastics Policy: assist the Environmental Health team to implement strategies and activities to protect human rights and the environment from the full lifecycle impacts of plastic, with a particular focus on its toxic impacts.  The position works within a cross-program team to advance campaign objectives, including extensive drafting of materials for a range of coalition partners, communications platforms, and internal purposes. 

This role can either be based out of CIEL's Washington, DC or Geneva, Switzerland offices.

CIEL is an equal opportunity employer, deeply committed to becoming and being an organization that is as diverse as the communities they stand in solidarity with around the world - so please keep that in mind as you share with your networks.

Job opportunity: GASP executive director

GASP Executive Director Position Profile (preliminary)

The Group Against Smog and Pollution, Inc. (GASP), one of Pittsburgh’s oldest and most well-respected environmental education and advocacy organizations, is seeking a new executive director to lead the group.  Founded in 1969, GASP is a non-profit, membership organization working to improve southwestern Pennsylvania air quality to safeguard human, environmental, and economic health in the region.  To achieve our environmental goals, GASP advocates, educates, serves as an environmental watchdog, mobilizes action, and litigates when necessary.  Learn more about our work at www.gasp-pgh.org  

The Executive Director is a full-time position that reports to the board of directors and works closely with them and the staff. 

The Executive Director is responsible for oversight of the entire organization and will be helping the organization implement its recently launched three-year strategic plan, a brief overview of which is at: www.gasp-pgh.org/about    

Primary Responsibilities include:

• Work with board in order to fulfill the organization’s mission
• Oversee and assist in the development of all educational and advocacy programs of the organization
• Write testimony and deliver comments on a variety of air quality policy issues 
• Meet with local, state, and federal governmental agencies to advance air quality improvement
• Act as the spokesperson for GASP at media and educational events
• Assist with the planning of fundraising events and educational workshops
• Build and maintain lasting, strategic, and productive partnerships with varied stakeholders including other non-profits, communities, governmental organizations, and academic institutions in the region. 
• Work with the board to develop the yearly budget, strategic plans, and organizational policies
• Review and approve contracts for services
• Perform grant writing and grant reporting, and periodically meet with foundations to ensure continued funding and compliance with expectations
• Conduct other fundraising activities to cover operating expenses
• Track organizational progress in achieving short, medium, and long-term goals
• In consultation with the board, establish employment and administrative policies and procedures for all functions and for the day-to-day operation of the nonprofit
• Supervise and collaborate with organization staff, currently three other full-time and three part-time employees
• Perform other tasks or duties as assigned by the President, or by the board via resolution

Requirements:

The ideal candidate is passionate and knowledgeable about environmental issues, 

about protecting public health and the environment, and improving southwestern Pennsylvania’s air quality.  It’s not necessary the candidate be an expert on air quality issues.  

• Education and professional experience consistent with the expectations of the role. College degree highly desirable and a minimum of 3 years of experience in non-profits, community-engagement, environmental advocacy, or similar enterprise.
• Experience with nonprofit organizational structures, professionally or as a community volunteer.
• Strong leadership and communication skills (written & oral) and comfort speaking in front of a group.
• Ability to present ideas and vision in a way that makes others passionate and supportive of them. 
• Previous leadership experience managing a staff and volunteers.
• Commitment to working with diverse communities, elevating equitable and inclusive practices. 
• Work ethic that includes working flexible hours and non-traditional hours. 
• Demonstrated competence in managing nonprofit finances and budgets. 
• Nonprofit experience with program assessment, creation and evaluation.  
• Understanding of the governance model of nonprofit Boards and the relationship with the Executive Director.  

Compensation:

The annual salary for this position is $45,000 - $50,000, determined by previous experience.  GASP provides medical insurance, paid holidays, generous and flexible benefit days, a hybrid remote/office work option and a pension plan (beginning after one year of employment).

How to Apply:

Send a cover letter, resume, and names and contact info for three references to hiring@gasp-pgh.org 

Deadline to apply is Friday, July 30, 2021.  

GASP is an equal opportunity employer, committed to hiring and supporting a diverse workforce.  Qualified individuals who bring a wide range of perspectives and represent marginalized communities are especially encouraged to apply for the position. 

STAND WITH SCIENCE: OVER's response

Mr. Fitzgerald: OVER thanks you for your June 17, 2021 response to the community petition (http://tinyurl.com/mlfitz2).

Despite our disagreements, we were happy to find that we also have some common goals.

• We’re glad you want to help people use less single-use plastic.

• We agree that "permanent" plastics will be needed for the foreseeable future.

• We agree that the ACHD should be supported and strengthened so it can reduce air pollution.

• Like you, we worry about climate change, for ourselves and for our children.

• Like you, we don’t want to turn off fossil fuels tomorrow: “cold-turkey” is just an industry talking point.  We want to aggressively ramp up renewable energy generation, and use it to replace fossil power production.

• We’re glad you support the Biden climate plan: America needs to gather the political will to make it actually happen.

• We agree that the world needs a chemical industry.  But a petro-chemical industry will soon conflict with the need to reach a zero carbon footprint.  The problem is as much the "petro" as the "chemical".

• We commend you for the County's sustainability initiatives; they are great!  But, the elephant in the room is the Shell petrochemical plant, and the improvements you’ve made inside Allegheny County are small potatoes compared to the giant carbon footprint that Shell is creating.

Good, But Not Far Enough.

On the economic front, you accuse we petitioners of ignoring the large investment that Shell has made in the region ($7 billion of construction salaries and investments).  We plead guilty.  First, because we prefer to look forward, rather than backwards.   And, as we see it, Shell is coming to the end of its investment phase, and is ready to exploit its investment.

And, second because we’ve seen studies that show that the side effects of fracking outweigh the financial benefits.  While there are easily visible benefits to some people, and there are even larger health, climate, and economic costs, some of which haven’t even happened yet, and are less obviously visible.  People and good jobs move away when an area is too polluted.  We feel obligated to emphasize the costs because otherwise nobody may notice them until it’s too late.

Up to now, the Shell cracker plant has seemed to be a good neighbor.  It employs 6000 construction workers and pays them good union wages; and it generates no pollution because it hasn't been turned on yet.  That seems ideal.  But, in about a year, the construction will be done, and things will change.  From our viewpoint and yours, that plant will change from an asset to a liability.

Once construction is complete, nearly all of the construction workers will be laid off.  The permanent staff will be one tenth the size of the construction crew.  Less money will flow into the region, and local businesses in the area will soon feel a pinch.  And don’t expect increased tax revenue to smooth the pain, because the Commonwealth has already waived most taxes on that plant.

And, then Shell will turn the plant on, and we'll have to deal with the resulting pollution.  We're sure you know the basic numbers: 2 million tons of carbon dioxide, 500 tons of volatile organics every year, et cetera. It will be one of the largest polluters in the region.

The plant will require 2.5 million tons of ethane gas as feedstock every year.  To get that ethane, someone will need to frack about 26 million tons of natural gas per year.  But our natural gas infrastructure leaks at least 2% of fracked gas: almost a million tons hisses out into our air every year.  As a result, the network of wells that is needed to feed the plant puts far more volatile organic pollution into our air than the plant does directly.  This indirect pollution is measured in thousands of tons of VOCs per year, and is not accounted for in the EPA’s and DEP’s official estimates of the environmental impact of the plant.

The infrastructure also leaks methane, which – given its high global warming potential – doubles the plant’s contribution to the climate crisis.  Overall, this single plastics plant will match Pittsburgh in terms of pollution, and there may well be several more petrochemical plants built in our region.  Our area will be having an impact on a global scale, and not in a good direction.

From where we stand, this plant feels very much like a bait and switch operation: money now, pain later.  So, if you come out against it soon, you’ll be prescient, because that Shell plant is going to be much less popular in 2024.

Or, consider speaking out against the next petrochemical plant.  That’ll be a bait-and-switch operation too, but it’ll have less time to operate and generate revenue before the inevitable fossil-fuel ramp-down cuts off its feedstock.   Ramping down fracking is an essential part of the Biden Climate Plan (or any science-based climate plan), but it will be hard to ramp fracking down if there’s a cluster of big petrochemical plants demanding to be fed.

Father’s day is a good time to think about the future, and the legacy we leave for our children.  Climate change is the issue that defines our future and our children’s future.  Jobs come and go, but carbon dioxide lasts (nearly) forever in the atmosphere.