Looking at the third UN Sustainable Development Goal — Good Health and Well-Being — it is clear that health is a major contributor to building prosperous societies and creating a better world. After all, healthy communities are closely connected to ending poverty and hunger, contributing to economic growth, providing quality education, and achieving other global priorities.
Penn State student Capricia Williams said she learned something this past semester that she could not find in a book, or a classroom. She was searching for her niche, and her internship with Sankofa Village Community Garden — part of her enrollment in the City Semester Pittsburgh program — opened the door for her to find it.
During a recent session of our City Semester Urban Sustainability class, students read Sustainability by Design: A Subversive Strategy for Transforming Our Consumer Culture, by John Ehrenfeld, and discussed the roots of unsustainability and possible ways to address it.
The Pittsburgh Studio course connects students to a local community to address place-based issues through design. This past spring semester, students in the studio focused on the Triboro Ecodistrict of Millvale, Etna, and Sharpsburg.
Robert and Patty Tunno’s CITY (Community Innovation Training for Youth) program at the Penn State Center Pittsburgh has been creating unique and engaging experiences for local youth since 2016. The program served its last group of students in 2020 and will no longer be held.
One of the biggest questions facing our world today is “how can people still be hungry when there is so much food available?” The short answer: poverty and lack of resources. Though there is enough food in the world to feed everyone in it, many individuals cannot afford food for their family.
How is poverty connected to sustainability? How does one affect the other? Why is it important and relative to all, not just those experiencing poverty? The issue is a multifaceted relationship that requires us to look at the structural economic, environmental, and social causes and impact of each.
Throughout the year, Penn State Center Pittsburgh hosts the National Green Infrastructure Certification Program (NGICP) for industry professionals interested in engaging with their peers and learning more about local trends in green infrastructure. The comprehensive program covers the design, installation, inspection, and maintenance of green stormwater infrastructure relating to the Pennsylvania Best Management Practices manual and positions certified professionals for possible career advancement opportunities.
Registration for the spring 2021 City Semester program is now open. This program for undergraduate Penn State students provides the opportunity to spend an entire semester studying urban sustainability, interning virtually or in-person with a Pittsburgh partner, and making valuable connections to community leaders and potential future employers.
Penn State Center Pittsburgh’s City Semester students are working virtually on the Pennsylvania Solar Center’s Renew PA Works campaign in an effort to educate Pennsylvanians about the benefits of renewable energy, including job creation. Sharon Pillar, founder and executive director of the Pennsylvania Solar Center — a nonprofit organization committed to helping Pennsylvania businesses, nonprofits…