Sustainability

Environmental Issue: The redesigned entrance to the Industrial Park, now called the Green Room, played an important role in the revitalization of this particular brownfield. Avtex Fibers filed for bankruptcy in 1986 and many jobs were lost. Many of the buildings were fire damaged, and there was significant contamination from carcinogens. Cleanup of the site, which included excavating contaminated soils, was completed in 1995, making this the first Pennsylvania state superfund site of its kind. The Industrial Park has renovated over 800,000 square feet of building space and is a state model for brownfield redevelopment.

Brownfields are located across the United States. In fact, up to one third of all commercial and industrial sites in the urban core of many big cities fall into this category. Brownfields are developed usually on abandoned industrial areas that are not being used to their full potential because of real or suspected pollution. For many years, no one was interested in redeveloping brownfields, but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency took an interest in this environmental issue and, with the Superfund Act, began to redevelop brownfield sites across the United States. Federal and state programs now promote brownfield recycling. Redeveloped brownfields help revitalize cities, create hobs, and prevent needless destruction of open space.

Road Sign Flowers

Environmental Issue: Many of the supplies in this project were reused or recycled materials. Recycling is the reprocessing of discarded materials into new and useful products, which includes composting: the breakdown of organic matter such as old banana peels or peanut shells, under oxygen rich conditions. Reusing is cleaning products and using them again without spending money and energy to make a new product with the material of the old. Reducing is of using fewer products and packaging and is the most sustainable of the three ideas! Some cities, such as Berkeley, Calif., have required fast food restaurants to use biodegradable packaging to reduce litter. Biodegradable means that microorganisms decompose the materials quickly.

Three Sisters Farm

Description: This farm, which has been in operation since 1989, grows and markets organically grown produce from a solar greenhouse and gardens. It uses a permaculture design in the solar greenhouse, which uses heat and carbon dioxide from compost to enrich the soil. The farm offers educational seminars and consultation about permaculture.

Environmental Issue: Organic farming is farming without synthetic pesticides and conventional fertilizers, helping promote and enhance biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity. Research has shown that on organic farms, there is reduced soil erosion, lower fossil fuel consumption, less leaching of nutrients into groundwater, greater carbon sequestration, and little to no pesticide use.

Description: Harmony Homestead is located in Slippery Rock and is run by Slippery Rock University. The Harmony House is actually a turn of the century farmhouse that was renovated and enlarged in 1990. The original hardwood framing, solid wood flooring, and sandstone foundation were preserved, while a solar greenhouse, office, and library were added. Environmentally friendly products included fiberglass superinsulation, low-E windows, non-toxic finishes, a composting toilet, greywater recycling, and a wood fired masonry heater. Also on the site are permaculture gardens, small scale municipal composting and a three-story straw bale timber frame storage building.

Environmental Issue: Harmony House uses green building design, in which buildings are designed, constructed, and operated to meet all occupants' needs while performing at optimum efficiency. Green buildings are based on energy efficiency, resource efficiency, and worker health. Some concepts in the design may sound strange, but they are safe, economical, and sustainable.

Greywater recycling is the reuse of household wastewater which includes water from showers, tubs, bathroom sinks, washing machines, and sometimes kitchen sinks. Greywater recycling is safe, conserves valuable water, a dwindling natural resource, lowers household expenses, and helps to preserve landscaping vegetation. It can also help reduce septic system loading and sewage treatment costs for municipalities. About 60% of household wastewater can be recycled through greywater recycling.

Composting toilets are self-contained systems that convert human waste into nutrient-rich humus. Humus is a black or brown, nitrogen-rich soil like substance. These toilets compose the waste in an aerobic environment, containing oxygen, and produce compost with no smell. It is the natural source of soil organic matter and makes great fertilizer for shrubs, flowers, and trees. Composting toilets use oxygen decomposition to break down human waste into humus. This is a sustainable alternative to conventional sewer or septic systems in many locations.

None available now.