Oct 12: GASP's 50th Anniversary Gala

GASP's work today is as important as when we first started. Remaining strong and relevant for 50 years is no small task. It’s time to celebrate our accomplishments and this momentous occasion.

GASP will be celebrating this special occasion at the historic Rodef Shalom Congregation in Oakland. Guests will enjoy live music, food and drinks, and a silent auction, followed by the Michelle Madoff Award of Environmental Excellence Ceremony recognizing five amazing women working to improve the environment.

GASP’s 50th Anniversary Celebration will serve as our annual fundraiser, with all proceeds helping to fund our education, advocacy, and legal work.

5-8:30 at Rodef Shalom, 4905 Fifth Ave., 15213. Tickets $75-$125; please register here! (and you can let folks know you'll be coming on Facebook)

Oct 5: March for Peace

1. We demand an immediate end to all forms of war in which the United States is currently engaged. 

2. We demand an immediate reduction of the U.S. military budget by at least half, including nuclear weapon divestment, with reinvestment into social & infrastructure programs. 

3. We demand an end to the militarization of domestic law enforcement organizations. 

Gathering at 11 a.m. at Schenley Plaza.  Check for updates on Facebook.  For more information, email PghAntiWar@gmail.com .

Endorsers include the Anti-War Committee of Pittsburgh, Council on American Islamic Relations (Pittsburgh), Veterans for Peace Chapter 47, Extinction Rebellion (Pittsburgh), Black Political Empowerment Project, St. James Church Peace and Social Justice Committee, Coalition Against Violence, Green Party of Allegheny County, International Workers of the World (Pittsburgh), 350 Pittsburgh, and the Women’s International League for Peace Freedom 

Oct 4: Protect Black Women march and rally

In response to the recent attack on black women at an Exxon gas station on the North Side, and the release of a University of Pittsburgh study that confirmed that Pittsburgh is the worst place for Black women to live, we are asking the community and allies to come march, protest, make noise, and let the rest of the city know that the we will no longer stand for the injustices toward black women in this city, nation and world. Please come out, and help center black women, girls, trans women, and non-binary folks.

6-9 p.m., gathering at Penn Ave. and Main St. (Bloomfield/Lawrenceville).  Updates on Facebook.

Oct 3: The Island President film screening

The Wicked Problems Film Series at the CMU School of Design is a film series and discussion on the most complex issues of our day. The topic of this discussion is climate change.

THE ISLAND PRESIDENT: After bringing democracy to his country, President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives, the lowest-lying country in the world, takes up the fight to keep his homeland from disappearing under the sea.

5-7 p.m. in room A11 of Margaret Morrison Hall on the Carnegie Mellon campus.

Discussion Co-Facilitators:

Dr. Neil Donahue is University Professor of Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, and Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University. Professor Donahue has a PhD in meteorology and his current research focuses on atmospheric particles. He is also the director of the Steinbrenner Institute for Environmental Education and Research at CMU.

Hilary Schenker is an illustrator, animator, and owner of Green Comma Media, a design firm that works with solo entrepeneurs and nonprofit organizations. She is also a group leader of the Pittsburgh chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby, a nonprofit organization that seeks to empower individuals to push for political action on climate change.

Oct 2: Plastic Paradise screening

Have you seen the film Plastic Paradise yet?  (everyone should!)  If not, here's one more opportunity:  the Izaak Walton League of America (Allegheny County chapter) is hosting a free screening in Point Breeze.  We featured this amazing documentary at the 60th Sustainability Salon, along with a discussion about the plastics manufacturing hub planned for our region;  it bears watching and re-watching -- and we're now almost three years further along into the petrochemical buildout.

Thousands of miles away from civilization, Midway Atoll is in one of the most remote places on earth. And yet it’s become ground zero for The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, syphoning plastics from three distant continents. In this independent documentary film, journalist/filmmaker Angela Sun travels on a personal journey of discovery to uncover this mysterious phenomenon. Along the way she meets scientists, researchers, influencers, and volunteers who shed light on the effects of our rabid plastic consumption and learns the problem is more insidious than we could have ever imagined.

A brief discussion and presentation will follow the film showing, on how we as individuals, communities, and our local governments can refuse and reduce our single-use plastics footprint.  Please come join the conversation!

7-9 p.m. at Point Breezeway (7113 Reynolds St., 15206)

Our Allegheny County Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America (IWLA) is in the midst of a campaign to restrict and ban single-use plastics.  Our campaign includes community educational forums, possible legislation and resolutions at the borough, city, county and state levels, as well as the potential for law suits. This whole issue has become particularly acute and will reach crisis levels concerning our health, with the building of a new petrochemical facility 30 miles north of Pittsburgh, and the plans for 4 more such facilities in the region – going exactly in the WRONG direction from where we need to be going on the issue of plastics and recycling.