Health Effects of Unconventional Shale Gas Development on Children

Please attend the August meeting of Sustainable Monroeville at the Monroeville Public Library on Monday evening, August 6, 2018 from 7:00 to 8:30 pm. The program will cover the health effects of fracking on children and adults in communities where unconventional shale gas development (fracking) is occuring. Some of the  amazing speakers include Lois Bjornson, Dr. Ned Ketyer, and Kelly Yagatich. We'll hear an update on the state of the oil and gas ordinance in Monroeville, PA and will share the map our municipal manager, Tim Little prepared showing the proximity of both active and proposed well pads in Plum and Penn Township to Monroeville, PA. Existing Murrysville well pads are not yet on this map. Flyers will be available detailing the Environmental Health Registry for people who live within five miles of a well pad which already includes some of the population in Monroeville and likely will include all who live in Monroeville once all of the proposed pads are built likely within the next few years.

Lois Bower-Bjornson is the mother of four and lives in the most heavily fracked county in Pennsylvania Washington County. Lois is a field organizer for Clean Air Council. She works on the local, state, & federal levels to address communities concerns of living with oil and gas and their backyards.

Dr. Ned Ketyer has special interests in developmental pediatrics and preventative medicine, specifically how nutrition and the environment affect health. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Vermont and his medical degree from Northwestern University Medical School. He completed his residency at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. As one of the founding physicians of Pediatric Alliance, PC, Dr. Ketyer served as its president from 1997-2004. He has been practicing general pediatrics at Pediatric Alliance since 1990. Dr. Ketyer and his wife have three boys and live in Pittsburgh's South Hills. 

Kelly Yagatich works for Clean Air Council and is a resident of Monroeville. Kelly will be informing us of the petrochemical build out of Shell's new proposed ethane cracker plant 30 miles north of Pittsburgh and sharing the same airshed as Pittsburgh, PA.

SAVE the DATE: There will be an event co-sponsored by the Environmental Health Project, ProtecT PT and Sustainable Monroeville on Wednesday, August 29, 2018 at the Penn Area Library Multi-Purpose room from 10 am to 2 pm in Harrison City, PA 15636 to register with the health registry

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please share this information widely. We are depending on you the community to spread the word and bring your friends as neighbors to this informative meeting. 

Thanks so much!

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Hydraulic Fracturing aka Fracking and associated infrastructure is upon us in Monroeville, PA and the Eastern Suburbs

Hello and Happy end of June 2018! What's new in Monroeville, PA and surrounding communities in the Eastern suburbs. A lot of active and proposed hydraulic fracturing wells and associated infrastructure including the injection well just approved for Plum, PA...

Please come to the July 2, 2018 at 7:00 PM meeting of Sustainable Monroeville at the Monroeville Public Library to learn more from Gillian Graber and what action items you can take.

Modeling our Regenerative future and taking care of Mother Earth 🌏 is what we all are learning by spending time at Boyce Park at the Meadow on Indian Hill. The beautiful brown-eyed Susans are in full bloom! We learn how to give back to the earth by putting plants in the ground that are good for pollinators like 🦅 birds and 🐝 bees. We understand we can reduce the amount of grass in our yards and parks and instead plant wild flowers and food. We learn to steer clear of herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides on our yards and in our food and water.

In conjunction with all we learn, we must understand why it’s of utmost importance that Monroeville PA put an oil & gas ordinance in place with specific restrictions on noise levels, light levels, air and water pollution monitoring and more. So far Monroeville Council and the Mayor do not agree. What is your opinion? Please join us for the Monday July 2, 2018 at 7:00 pm meeting of Sustainable Monroeville at the Monroeville Public Library (MPL) to learn from Gillian Graber, Executive Director of Protect PT for updates about proposed fracking sites in two of our neighboring communities Penn Township and Trafford. Ms. Graber will also cover what we as individuals can do to protect ourselves.

Other Save the Dates: Thursday, July 5, 2018 for Citizens Night and Tuesday, July 10 at 7:00 pm for the council meeting at the Monroeville Municipal building Wednesday, July 18 6:30-8:30 for Clean Air Council’s Groups of 10 at the MPL. Free, open to the public & All are welcome!

Put August 29, 2018 on your calendar as a tentative SAVE the DATE for the EHP coming to Monroeville, PA to sign folks up for the health registry. We are within 5 miles, most of us, of an active pad in Plum, I think....The proposed well pad just over into Westmoreland County beyond the bike path on Saunders Station is 0.2 mile from the Monroeville Municipal pool. About 1.2 miles from Ramsey Elementary and closer to Crossroads Pre-School.

See you on Monday, July 2, 2018 at 7:00 PM to hear genius Gillian Graber of ProtecT PT educate and activate all of us!

Elisa Beck :)

sustainablemonroeville@gmail.com

SustainableMonroeville.blogspot.com

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Clearing the Air in Monroeville with the Clean Air Council, ProtecT, and Protect Our Children

On July 18, 2017 we'll meet with the Clean Air Council at the Good Shepard Lutheran Church to learn about clean air in Monroeville!

Please note, the meeting will be at the Good Shepard Lutheran Church in Monroeville, PA.

Happy July everyone! :)

Here's the link with details: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByMeKDxLK264SEdpWTVCZ3ZIV2Nhem90TmtRNkF2MnlkQUFv/view

Ingredients: The Local Food Movement Takes Root at the October meeting of Sustainable Monroeville; 6:00 PM Plant based pot luck; 7:00 PM documentary screening

Monday evening, October 7, 2013, Sustainable Monroeville will show the documentary: Ingredients: The local food movement takes root

6:00 PM Pot Luck with locally sourced plant based food; Pack in and out so bring cutlery and plates!

7:00 PM Film~Screen time is 67 minutes with discussion following

Thanks to Amy Baer for suggesting we screen this film! We are looking for sponsors to pay the $100.00 fee. Contact us if you'd like to donate. There will be a $5.00 suggested donation at the door. Proceeds will be sent to the filmmakers.

To Great Health!

The Monroeville Food Garden is behind the Monroeville Public Library. This amazing garden has supplied 500 pounds of fresh vegetables to four local food banks for the third year in a row! Kudos to Councilwomen Lois Drumheller, the Monroeville Public Library, the Municipality of Monroeville and all of the tireless volunteers!

Garfield Community Farm in Pittsburgh, PA

Solar panels on new bioshelter at Garfield Community Farm

Hops

Children running in Garfield Community Farm Garden

Black Snake crossing Frick Park

 Rooftop in eastern Pennsylvania

Lavender Buddha & Sage 

Sunflower from the home garden

The Joys, Trials, and Tribulations of a Permaculture Landscape in the Suburbs! Wednesday evening, September 11, 2013, at 7:00 PM at the Monroeville Public Library

Join Sustainable Monroeville on Wednesday evening, September 11, 2013, at 7:00 PM at the Monroeville Public Library. As the founder of Sustainable Monroeville in February, 2009, I will talk about the wonders and joys and challenges of the Permaculture Landscape at our home in Monroeville. Bring along a locally sourced plant based snack to share, if you'd like. All meetings are free and open to the public. Join Us!

Here's some photos to enjoy in the meantime.  If you are interested in seeing our almost 20 year old Permaculture Landscape prior to the meeting for a half hour tour beginning at 6:00 PM, please contact me by messaging me through the Sustainable Monroeville Facebook page, and join me for the grand tour of our suburban Monroeville landscape.

Jewelweed, antidote for Poison Ivy

Delicious Kale 

Delicious Apples

Maple & Tulip Poplar Trees

Echinacea

Hibicus flowers

Rain barrel

Our family attended the North American Vegetarian Society Meeting on the University of Pittsburgh's Johnstown Campus this summer. We enjoyed the T-shirts that said: Only KALE will save the world! We sure enjoyed growing it in our front yard this season and eating and juicing it too!

Alaina Conner of the Allegheny County Health Department speaking at Monday August 5, 2013 at 7:00 PM meeting of Sustainable Monroeville!

Alaina Conner of the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) will be our guest speaker at the August 5 at 7:00 PM meeting of Sustainable Monroeville.  Alaina is an Air Pollution Administrator at the Allegheny County Health Department and a University of Pittsburgh graduate. She will speak about the Air Quality / Pollution Control Program in our county. 

“The Allegheny County Health Department Air Quality Program is responsible for protecting the public's health by regulating air pollutants within Allegheny County, enforcing federal pollution standards, and permitting industrial sources of air pollution.” ACHD.  There are 18 air monitoring sites throughout the county with headquarters in Lawrenceville.  One of the most challenging areas is Clairton because of the coke plant located at the base of the valley.  

Alaina will speak about certain weather conditions generating an inversion layer which makes the situation worse! There are six air quality responsibilities at the state and local level: Manage Air Quality, Measure Air Quality, Regulate Pollution Sources, Plan Transportation Controls, Develop Overall Plan, and Track Emissions.

The staff seeks public participation.  Contact them at 412-687-ACHD or go to their web site, or contact Alaina 

Allegheny Cleanways on April 1, 2013 at Sustainable Monroeville's April Meeting!!

Join Us for a double feature! Myrna Newman, the Executive Director of Allegheny Cleanways will present the work of their Non Profit at the Monday evening April 1, 2013, from 7:00 to 8:30 PM meeting of Sustainable Monroeville at the Monroeville Public Library. 

Michelle Johnson, the Chief Executive Officer of the Spectrum Charter School in Monroeville and co- founder of Sustainable Monroeville's Recycling Committee will give an update on the Recycling Committee's work and also talk with us about the Spectrum Charter School's participation in the Green Schools Academy.

The meeting on April 1, 2013, will take place in the downstairs program room of the Monroeville Public Library from 7:00 to 8:30 PM. Free and open to the public! Please bring along a friend or neighbor or two!

Stan Beck speaking about Sprouting techniques at last months meeting of Sustainable Monroeville. We sampled sprouts and green juice and learn from one another!

The Power of Food To Heal: Bethany's Story with Janet McKee and Raw Vegan Pot Luck!

"Let Thy Food Be Thy Medicine." ~Hippocrates

Sustainable Monroeville is proud that the Monroeville Food Garden, that sprouted from Sustainable Monroeville, produced 500 pounds of fresh vegetables for five local food banks for the past two summers. Lois Drumheller, Third Ward Councilwoman in Monroeville is the one leading the way with many local helpers from Sustainable Monroeville and beyond.

Things are changing! We are honored and excited to screen the newly released film Bethany's Story at our Fourth Anniversary Meeting of Sustainable Monroeville in the downstairs program room of the Monroeville Public Library on Monday evening, February 4, 2013. The Executive Producer of the film and local Pittsburgh region Holistic Health Counselor and Food Educator, Janet McKee, will join us to discuss the film. How exciting!

At 6 PM on Monday evening, February 4, 2013, we will have a mostly Raw Vegan, locally sourced, if possible, pot luck dinner. Please bring your place setting as this will be a zero waste event. We will screen the film from 7:00 to 8:15 PM. 



The film is about the power of food to heal. Bravo to our local celebrity Janet McKee, her dedication and her great work! This meeting will be in partnership with the Monroeville Public Library to support the film and facilitate Sustainable Monroeville bringing the film to Monroeville and the library. Thanks so much Monroeville Public Library! Payment is not required, but donations of $5.00/person are suggested. Nobody will be turned away.

Paraphrased quotes from the movie trailer:

“Diet and Lifestyle induced dis-ease has never been reversed by surgery.” “Doctors are the fourth leading cause of death in the United States!” “You can actually reverse the aging process. It is the foundation for all healing. “

“Doctors are never taught this information. What the doctor is telling them, is killing them. Food plays a large role, and not just a small role…What is more basic than eating food?"

We are in the worse shape we’ve ever been in. Now, a number of people that are saying, ‘Wait a Minute.’

The body wants to heal itself. Is this diet for everybody? No! Why? Because you have to want to heal yourself. And does everybody want to do this? To love themselves enough to heal themselves? The answer is no.”

We look forward to seeing you on Monday evening, February 4, 2013 at the Monroeville Public library. 

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Neighbors Lawn Weed Control: What to do?

Our next door neighbors just had their lawn sprayed. How do I know? Our windows were open. I heard it, saw it, felt it and smelled it. It smelled more than I have yet experienced from next door in my years living here in Monroeville, that is since 1993. I wondered why they went from the granular stuff, even though the contents are similar, to the spray...The applicator man was on a segway-like machine riding around and spraying the lawn. I went next door to ask what he was spraying. I told him it smelled more than I had ever smelled from this type of application. "Fertilizer and weed control, that's all." "And what is in the weed control, I asked?" I do not have to tell you because you are not on the government list." This applicator man went on to say, "I know where you're coming from, I'm not even wearing any kind of protection." I mentioned he ought to and he said his employer does not give him any protection and he was just doing his job.

Many years ago these same neighbors asked me to donate to the American Cancer Society. Do they see any connection between lawn chemicals and cancer, so many years later? When I see my neighbors tomorrow, I plan to suggest they start using an organic lawn care service.... I will not ask them to consider moving towards a permaculture landscape, just to use an organic lawn care service. Do my neighbors understand that even though these chemicals are legal in this country that some of these chemicals are the reason their landscape is sterile, without earthworms and life under their monoculture green grass lawn? Do my neighbors ever think about what their landscape company is doing with their grass? Do any of us realize that humans are part of the ecosystem and that what we do to our grass winds up in all of us, circulating through our blood?

Our neighbors on the other side of our home had their lawn sprayed by accident about three weeks ago. A lawn care company made a mistake and sprayed their lawn even though they were supposed to be spraying a lawn a block away with a similar address. This neighber was upset and came over and told me so. She did not know what to do. She and her family are cool. She got an in-home and outdoor composter from her family for Mother's Day this year. She told me our family has influenced her to make changes. They do not put any granular or liquid weed control on their lawn anymore. That made me feel really good. Positive change takes time and can be painful, but it is possible and after awhile it makes you feel good and understand yourself and others more deeply. Sensibilities change over time if we take the time to educate one another and teach by example.

And the BP workers at all levels are doing their job to provide our American population with cheap oil and the Marcellus Shale folks are doing their job to provide cheap gas. And what is our job to facilitate the health and healing of ourselves and our planet? How must we proceed?
I believe in the precautionary principle. Check out www.healthandenvironment.org for details on the precautionary principle. Let's figure out how to power down together in Transition! Google Rob Hopkins and In Transition, the movie, to learn more about permaculture and moving from peak oil to resilience.

Protect the Alfalfa

I, Elisa Beck, worked for the United States Department of Agriculture when I was an undergraduate at the University of Maryland studying Biology with an emphasis in Ecology back in the early 1980's. We isolated the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) from the environment and worked with it in our laboratory. Bt was used as a biological insecticide at that time. Its commercial name was Dipel. My understanding at that time was that it was an excellent alternative to chemical insecticides as it will biodegrade, or disappear from the environment within a short time period. I believe it was Monsanto that then incorporated Bt into the genetic code of corn and created Bt corn.

I remember panicking and calling the scientists I worked with at the time, Phyllis Martin and Russell Travers, both Ph.D.'s and employees of the USDA. I knew the physiology of how Bt worked. It disrupted the gut of lepidptera larvae (moths and butterflies) and basically blew the animal larvae to pieces.

What would happen to our butterfly and moth populations, I wondered? And how would it affect the human population and all other living species in between?

Phyllis Martin reassured me not to worry, that baby food would always be protected. She did mention that there would certainly be unintended consequences. These unintended consequences are happening in our world every moment now. Whenever the pollen from Bt corn is ingested by a butterfly or moth it not only kills that individual insect, but prevents that insect from pollinating other flowers.

The huge experiment that is being conducted by Monsanto (most recently they want to start a new experiment with Alfalfa) is unacceptable. Once the population at large begins to grasp the enormous complexity of what is going on and how this company called Monsanto is experimenting with the genetic structure of humanity, I am certain any human being that can will express a resounding "NO" to Monsanto's plan. I urge you to go this link and work to to reject Monsanto's application to market GMO alfalfa.