What is the most Eco-friendly neighborhood in Pittsburgh? (Butler, Liberty: fit in, credit)

[greenhomespgh]

Just looking for opinions on which neighborhoods in or around the city rate as the most environmentally friendly, and let me know the reasons you pick a specific place.

[Drover]

Based on what criteria?

[tmorrisn]

Do you mean the people that live in the neighborhoods are very eco-friendly or that the buildings themselves are eco-friendly?

[BrianTH]

I could list what I consider "eco-friendly" about my area, but I really don't have any basis for comparing my area to other areas. And a lot of what is going on in Pittsburgh with respect to these issues crosses neighborhoods. For example, there is a citywide effort to make it more friendly for bicyclists. I consider that an "eco-friendly" development, but it doesn't really credit to one neighborhood over any other.

[greenhomespgh]

I am just looking for ideas of where a person who was interested in living in the most environmentally friendly way in Pittsburgh would be happiest to live.

This is a question open to interpretation. From my perspective, it would include things like the ability to get many of your services within walking distance or a short commute, a location that is central or has access to good public transportation to reduce driving or trails, a location that would have other eco-friendly neighbors, maybe a place where people are renovating their homes with environmentally friendly materials. Those seem like they would be some of the most important criteria but I am interested in hearing what others here in the city think.

[Kate88]

I feel like I remember reading somewhere that Butler St through Lawrenceville was chosen as the "greenest" shopping district in Pittsburgh.

[BrianTH]

Again without really seeking to draw comparisons, I would note that in my general area (in the vincinity of Regent Square/Park Place) we have walkable neighborhoods and good public transit, Frick Park, Construction Junction, the East End Food Coop, an environmental-themed charter school, and the Nine Mile Run Watershed Association. In fact, I might even mention Legume, which likes to buy local.

[groar]

there are also some organizations in the regent square/point breeze area working on specific green initiatives. i heard that the co-op, construction junction, agrecycle and some other area businesses are trying to start some kind of "green business district" thing. and there's a new nonprofit in wilkinsburg called the institute for ecological innovation that wants to do some green housing projects, although that's a ways off in the future. there are also a few different organic farming/community garden/eco fuels projects going on in various formerly vacant lots in wilkinsburg.

the area is also pretty flat and dense, fairly walkable and VERY bikeable, as well as having access to the busway and lots of street bus routes.

so yeah, this area is a pretty good one for green living i suppose. i'm sure other areas have things going on that i don't know about though.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by groar

so yeah, this area is a pretty good one for green living i suppose. i'm sure other areas have things going on that i don't know about though.

Yep, that is exactly what I am trying to be clear about: being in the neighborhood I know about some of this stuff, but I think it is a fair assumption I just don't know about a lot of similar things elsewhere.

In fact, I was reading up on development plans in East Liberty the other day (more out of curiousity than anything else), and it seems like they are really pushing LEED-certification and other green ideas as they redevelop. Again, my assumption is this is going on all over Pittsburgh.

[Morningsider]

The "greenest" home is one that already exisit. Most of the waste and the carbon output from a building is produced during the cosntruction. Therefore, based on your metric, the greenest neighborhoods are those with an existing housing stock and walkable amenities.