Chatham College, United Jewish Federation, East Liberty Development and Sustainable Pittsburgh
Nearly 2 million pounds of heat-trapping gases avoided since campaign began in March.
(Pittsburgh, PA - December 16, 2009) - The Black and Gold City Goes Green Campaign, a citywide effort to encourage Pittsburghers to take a series of monthly actions, all with little or no cost that will make a measurable reduction in the heat-trapping gases they produce, today announced the winners of the Black and Gold Community Challenge. They include Chatham University, for community partner with more than 100 members; United Jewish Federation, for those with 50 to 99 members; East Liberty Development, Inc., for 10 to 49 members; and Sustainable Pittsburgh, for those organizations with one to 9 members. During the two months of the competition, the winners prevented the release of about 800,000 pounds of heat-trapping gases.
"These great community partners are proof that Pittsburghers can clean up their act for a great cause – saving the planet," said Joylette Portlock, western Pennsylvania outreach coordinator for Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future (PennFuture), which coordinates the campaign. "By inspiring their members, supporters and employees to take simple common sense actions to stop wasting energy - from changing their outdated light bulbs to driving smarter to washing clothes in cold water to greening their holiday celebrations - these community partners showed that thinking globally but acting locally really pays off."
During the community challenge, which began on October 12, 2009 and ended on December 11, 33 new organizations with 137 new participants joined the campaign, vying to have their organization or neighborhood named "Greenest of the Green." Since the overall Black and Gold City Goes Green campaign began on St. Patrick's Day, 2009, nearly 500 Pittsburghers have reported their global warming-busting actions to the campaign, with a total of reduction of 1,874,932 lbs. of carbon dioxide. That is equal to taking 156 cars off the road or planting 20,935 tree seedlings and allowing them to grow for 10 years.
In 2010, the Campaign will be announcing new actions and new competitions to continue the drive to cut heat-trapping gases. More information about the campaign is available online at www.TheBlackandGoldCityGoesGreen.com, or by calling 412-258-6680.
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