MAYOR PARTNERS WITH THE PITTSBURGH PROJECT TO GREEN UP ABANDONED BASEBALL FIELD

Mayors green team, neighborhood group, transform vacant field
into 1.2 acre community urban farm

(PITTSBURGH) June 13, 2008 - Mayor Luke Ravenstahl tomorrow will join the Pittsburgh Project and community members for a Fathers Day planting at the largest Green Up site to date. More than 50 community stewards, and many father-son teams, will join the Mayor in kicking off the planting of fresh herbs and vegetables at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, June 14, at 2534 Crispen Street, turning the ball field, once riddled with weeds and overgrowth, into a community gem.

For nearly one year, the Mayors Green Team and Redd Up Crew, the Pittsburgh Project, the Penn State Cooperative Extension and neighborhood volunteers have been preparing the approximately 5 acre site for todays planting of summer crops to be consumed by the local community.

Press Release

MAYOR CREATES GREEN TRUST FUND

Fund to lay foundation for expansion
and creation of City greening initiatives

(Pittsburgh) June 18, 2008 – With environmental leaders in tow, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl today expanded the City's green efforts with a $100,000 dollar check for a new trust fund that will further Pittsburgh's position as one of the nation's top green cities.

"Though we’ve already made great strides in reducing our City's carbon footprint, the creation of this green fund demonstrates how serious City government is about being green," Mayor Ravenstahl said. "Whether it's greening dozens of vacant lots, running diesel engines with clean-burning bio-diesel, or retrofitting traffic lights to make them more energy efficient, we have the momentum it takes to take this City to the next level of green."

Press Release