【35】Farmers’ markets...colorful and delicious @ Schenley Plaza, Phipps Conservatory Lawn, Oakland

Have you ever had an opportunity to stay on a farm? Do you still remember the crickets in the summer time, the smell of the earth, and newly picked cucumbers, tomatoes, watermelons,...... in the field?

Maybe or maybe not. The urban lifestyle we have more or less adopted have made us very distant from the earth and our food.

However, I have grown up in my grandparents’ village for the earliest 5 years of my life and would go back to that village twice a year before I settled in Pittsburgh. So deep in my memory and spirits, I long for the closeness of the farm. You see the daily toiling, nurturing, and humbling experience of farmers at the mercy of the nature, yet a good year of harvest can make it all worthwhile. I am not saying the self-reliant economic model is all good, definitely not efficient. But we also have a saying  “ Haste is a waste”, do we? Also since traditional agriculture has been around for thousands of years before machines and mass production took over only couple decades ago, maybe it’s not that bad either.

The other day, I took a lunch break at work and wandered around and about with $5 in my pocket. At Wendy’s, I was astounded when the person at the register handed me a box of Chili, a Crispy chicken sandwich and a cup of black team along with 95 cents change.  More surprisingly was that that lunch was so delicious that I absolutely enjoyed every bite!  Is the fact that those fast food offerings are too delicious to be real at such a low price a problem?

Anyway, before I digress furthermore, my point is that when I encounter Farmer’s Market in two locations in Oakland, I felt such a thrill. Although the organic goodies are slightly more expansive than those in supermarkets, I still had $10 dollars to buy one tomato, zucchini, onion, apple, and two donuts. The people who owns those stances were very genuine people too. They didn’t judge me by how much money I spent, rather how much I appreciated the good food they provided.

Beer winning trivia @ Farmer’s Market

1. There are many farmer’s markets in Pittsburgh other than the two mentioned in this post. HERE is a list of those markets compiled by Albrecht Powell, a lifelong Pittsburgh resident. He and his wife have lived in several Pittsburgh neighborhoods, including Monroeville, Shadyside, Duquesne Heights, Greentree and North Fayette. They have been the About.com Guides to Pittsburgh since 2000.

Your ID @ Farmer’s Market

1. What are the names of the produces held by the lady and gentleman in the above pictures?

【34】Lost a day @ Phipps Conservatory, Oakland

My friend Jing Yang’s Mum came from China to visit her and her husband in July and stayed for about two months in Washington DC. and Harrisburg. As Jing showed her Mum around, they decided to come to Pittsburgh to take a tour.

As a two-year-old self-adopted Pittsburgher, I was proudly showing them around. It’s a hot summer day, so we decided to go to Phipps Conservatory to spend a day. It’s cool, exotic, beautiful, and full of life there.

Before this visit, I often witnessed those young marrying couples taking their wedding pictures or having their ceremonies in the Conservatory. I also often admired the beauty of the glass architecture and its reflections in the pond outside of it, as well as how nature in different seasons cast their prints onto this Victorian building in Oakland. Truly, beauty lies in everything we set our eyes upon. Yet Phipps Conservatory is a place that adds beauty to its surroundings even you are not looking for it with any efforts at all. It’s there, beautiful and quiet, but you just can’t move your eyes away from it and wonder “Wow, how can an architecture be so incredible.”

While you are in the building, wandering around and about, taking in those colors, shapes, and charms from the known and unknown plants from all over the globe, you couldn’t help but relaxing, giving yourself to the nature, and starting to be vulnerable allowing yourself to be attacked by any small incidence that come to your eyesight.

I talked to a staff member in its live building center, and was surprised by his knowledge of science, philosophy, and interest in Chinese culture.

It’s a wonderful experience with my beloved Chinese friends in such an extraordinary sight that can make you unsure about your own whereabouts, in both time and location. And It was added some extra unexpected sweetness by a stranger who had so many to offer and just wanted to strike a conversation.

Beer winning trivia @ Phipps Conservatory

1. The gardens were founded in 1893 by steel and real-estate magnate Henry Phipps as a gift to the City of Pittsburgh. Its purpose is to educate and entertain the people of Pittsburgh with formal gardens (Roman, English, etc.) and various species of exotic plants. Currently, the facilities house elaborate gardens within the thirteen room conservatory itself and on the adjoining grounds. In addition to its primary Flora exhibits, the sophisticated glass and metalwork of the Lord & Burnham conservatory offers an interesting example of Victorian greenhouse architecture.

Phipps is one of the "greenest" facilities in the world. The entrance pavilion of the Phipps Conservatory has silver-level LEED certification. Its Center for Sustainable Landscapes has received a Platinum certification along with fulfilling the Living Building Challenge for net-zero energy, and its greenhouse production facility has received Platinum certification, the first and only greenhouse to be so certified.

2. Lord & Burnham, a noted American boiler and greenhouse manufacturers, and builders of major public conservatories in the United States. The company began in 1849 when Frederick A. Lord, a carpenter, started building wood and glass greenhouses for neighbors in Buffalo, New York. It became Lord's full time profession in 1856 as production moved to Syracuse, New York and then to Irvington, New York to be closer to his customers in the large Hudson River estates. In 1872 Lord's son-in-law William Addison Burnham joined the firm. Their first major commission came in the 1876 when California philanthropist James Lick hired the firm to create a 12,000-square-foot (1,100 m2) conservatory. Its parts were fabricated in New York and sailed to California. After Lick's death, it became the Golden Gate Park Conservatory of Flowers. In 1883 the partnership incorporated as Lord's Horticultural Manufacturing Company, and in 1890 the name was changed to today's Lord & Burnham Company.

Your ID @ Phipps Conservatory

There are three sculptures outside of Phipps Conservatory (close to Panther Hollow Bridge side). Who are the three people those sculptures carved?

【33】 What’s your face in Kennywood? @ Kennywood

As a graduation gift, Matt took me to Kennywood for a day of fun. My niece Emily was excited about the idea of coming to Pittsburgh to go to Kennywood with us. So Nathan and Carol (my brother-in-law and sister-in-law) drove 6 hours from Newtown Pennsylvania to Pittsburgh. It became a family reunion.  When it comes to Matt’s family, it’s a long and complicated story that I am often stressed out about. Nevertheless, I cherish and am grateful for all his family because it’s a different experience that a person needs to go through in order to be really mature and responsible. Out of ashes, we are getting stronger after all. Over time, we found out that Nathan, Carole, and Emily are those we want and could include in our life for happy memories. I was glad they came and we had a great time.

This was my second time in 25 years playing at an amusement park, or first time at a real world-class traditional amusement park if not counting the temporary one I went with my parents and sister in 2006 during my senior year of high school. So I was especially happy and excited.

Nathan is a great Father. He pretended not to be scared or didn’t care to be childish so that Emily could have all the fun she wanted with her Daddy. Matt and Carol were kinda Party Poopers. They didn’t play that many programs, but knowing they were there and they were still part of the experience was a great homey feeling. Emily and I loved the Log Jammer and rode about 10 times in a roll.  We eventually got pulled over by three pairs of eyes full of love but more of questioning and unbelief at that time.

Actually before this Kennywood trip, my friend Chuck from CMU had lent me several videos about Pittsburgh to watch. Those were series productions that were developed by Rick Sebak from WQED. One of the most memorable was the one about Kennywood. Family wandering and chatting, kids playing, crying, laughing, screaming, eating, resting, and shopping. Kennywood has been a destination for many families during summer for over 100 years.The last sound I can recall in that video was kids’ crying because the park was about to be closed and all the lights started to be turned off, and they just didn’t want to leave……

Beer winning trivia @ Kennywood, Rick Sebak

1. The park first opened in 1898 as a "trolley park" attraction at the end of the Mellon Family’s  Monongahela Street Railway. After it was owned and run by the trolley company for about a decade, the park was purchased in 1906 by partner Frederick. W. Henninger and standing manager Andrew McSwigan and thus began the Kennywood Entertainment company that has remained a closely held family business for over 100 years. Since 2007, Kennywood Entertainment has been operated by California-based Palace Entertainment, a subsidiary of Parques Reunidos, an international amusement park company based in Madrid, Spain. Parque Reunidos is in turn a subsidiary of Candover Investments, an investment fund based in the UK. Kennywood  was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmarks in 1987. Along with Rye Playland Park in New York, it is one of only two amusement parks listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

2. If you want to understand Pittsburgh as it appears from the outside, Rick Sebak’s documentary films are highly recommended. He has put together eighteen individual special programs that make up what’s called the Pittsburgh History Series, including the very popular 1988 program titled “Kennywood Memories” about this wonderful old amusement park, 8 miles away from downtown Pittsburgh, locating in suburb west Mifflin, a show called “Pittsburgh A to Z, one titled “North Side Story”, and “Things that Aren’t There Anymore”.  

Your ID @ Kennywood

1. What’s the operating season for Kennywood? Is it May-October or April-September?

2. How many acres of land does Kennywood sit on? How many rides in total in the park? How many roller coasters? and How many water rides?

【32】Plant flowers with Pittsburgh Park Conservancy @ Parkview Ave & Blvd of the Allies, Oakland

How many times did you pass by a beautiful garden, benefit from the relaxation and good spirits it bring to you, and wonder about the people and efforts behind the creation of such beauty?

Honestly speaking,  I never did until I participated in creating the beauty in my neighborhood once with Pittsburgh Conservatory, +GlobalPittsburgh, and other +Americorp VISTA  volunteers on May 11, 2013.

We were planting flowers, pulling out the weeds, and watering the garden to make sure they would grow and bloom beautifully for the summer. It’s a fun labor work, because I knew I was part of something beautiful. During those chatters, I met a lady (in blue coat and jeans) who had been volunteering for many years in the neighborhood. She works in Oakland and would come out during lunch time to pull weeds and maintain gardens. She told me she had always loved working in the field being close to the earth since she was a child. Pulling weeds is her way of relaxing and meditating. She said, “It’s very therapeutic to me. I enjoy doing it, so I have been doing it for many years.”

Ever since the volunteer experience, I see more in those gardens I pass by everyday than what I did before. It’s very humbling. I am humbled.

Beer winning trivia @ Parkview Ave & Blvd of the Allies

1. The first part of the Boulevard of the Allies was dedicated on August 8, 1921, and the entire highway opened to traffic on October 2, 1923. One of the first interconnected traffic signal systems was installed a month later (November 13) on the Boulevard downtown as an experiment. Prior to completion, its cost was reported as $1.6 million per mile, the most expensive road in the world at the time. The Boulevard at Grant Street was once home to Pittsburgh's Chinatown until the 1950s.  The road is named in honor of the Allies of World War I. The Boulevard of the Allies was rededicated on June 29, 2008 as part of the celebration of Pittsburgh's 250th anniversary.

The road begins in Downtown Pittsburgh at its intersection with Commonwealth Place and an off ramp from Interstate 279. The road continues east through Downtown passing Point Park University and the Art Institute of Pittsburgh to Grant Street where it becomes elevated to transition from the flat plain of Downtown to the bluff that Oakland sits on. Before reaching Oakland, it passes by Duquesne University and Mercy Hospital along the edge of a cliff several hundred feet above the Mon River with spectacular views of the city's Sou (th) Side neighborhood and includes partial interchanges with Interstate 579 and 376. Upon reaching Oakland, it cuts through the southern portion of the neighborhood and leads into Schenley Park just bypassing the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University. Upon entering the park across the Anderson Bridge, the road's name changes to Panther Hollow Road and continues through the park to become Hobart Street in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood east of Schenley Park.

2. A now defunct Chinatown was located on Grant Street and the Boulevard of the Allies, where two Chinese restaurants remain. The Chinese population in Pittsburgh has grown recently and is now ranked 19th among the large city category with about 3,402 Chinese Americans, or about 1.1% of the population. Although newer stores exist in the Strip District with many other ethnic varieties, the Chinese grocery stores are scattered throughout the Pittsburgh metropolitan area with a presence in both the suburbs and inside the city. I wish a more concentrated Chinatown would be restored in the future!


3. The Pittsburgh Park Conservancy was founded in December 1996 by a group of citizens concerned with the deteriorating conditions of Pittsburgh’s parks. In 1998, the Park Conservancy signed an official public-private partnership with the City of Pittsburgh to work together for the restoration of the city’s four regional parks- Frick, Highland, Riverview, and Schenley. Since then, the Parks Conservancy has raised more than $60 million towards park improvements, and has recently expanded into other city parks as time and resources permit. By the numbers, 1700+acres are stewarded by the Parks Conservancy. In 2013, 1300 trees and shrubs have been planted, 1570 volunteers have been mobilized with 5, 498 volunteer hours contributed and in-kind $ 119,000 donated. (Check previous blog post ②First trip to Pittsburgh during 2009 India Day beer winning trivia #2 for all major parks in Pittsburgh)

Your ID @ Planting flowers in Oakland

How many races or ethnicity can you identify in the above pictures?

【31】Celebrating small victories, to be what you can see @ Carnegie Music Hall, Oakland

There is a flower that blooms twice a year. It blooms in August/September when students start their new year of academic voyage, and in May/June when students finish an academic year of toiling. Each year there are new students coming and old students graduating, so the flower seems to be so understanding and blossoms for a new start of life on both ends. The flower is called Phoenix flower. In Chinese culture, every parent would wish their sons to be as grand as dragons, their daughters as gracious as phoenixes, to fly high and soar.

I have come a long way from a small village in Middle west of China to the “Champion City” of America. Don’t know about whether or not the Phoenix flower had blossomed bigger and longer during my years of starting and graduating, but I do know that celebrating victories is a great way to move forward with confidence and direction. In Pittsburgh, I witnessed some and I participated in some. One celebration I witnessed was a week before I participated in one, with both taking place in the Carnegie Music Hall on Forbes Avenue.

+Three Rivers Youth had their annual Nellie Leadership Award Gala on May 10th, 2013. It’s a beautiful event with a lot of successful stories, dancing, champagne, carefully picked dresses and delicately served food. Local corporations and individuals were recognized for their championship/leadership in the community to assist Three Rivers Youth’s mission by being actively engaged in a variety of youth programs that bring empowerment into each and every life they touch. Bank of New York Mellon, where Frank works, was a recipient of the award. So I was fortunately given a ticket to attend this genteel event.

Heinz College had our annual graduation ceremony on May 18th, 2013. It’s a programmed series of procedures with emotional input from each student who was going through the stage and on-wards to a new phase of life. I was especially heartened to receive an award that recognized my humble contribution as an active Heinzer as well as an active resident for the broader Pittsburgh region. I told myself this honor only meant more responsibilities to continue moving forward. Matt and uncle John Pennello attended the ceremony. They are my family in this country.

May, a beautiful season, when the most wedding in the U.S. occurs, is also a special season for me. I witnessed so many people in the Pittsburgh community who have been dedicated to their belief and vision for making a better community for each and every one. I participated in my own celebration as well as cheering on for other peers. From both experiences, I saw the direction I shall head. Who once said, “You can’t be what you can’t see.”? I have my deep appreciation for each and every relationship I have in the City of Pittsburgh, for they let me see what I can do and what I shall be.

Beer winning trivia @ Three Rivers Youth, Carnegie Music Hall

1. Three Rivers Youth is an independent not-for-profit welfare agency advancing a mission of support, advocacy and success to benefit abused, neglected, troubled, homeless and runnaway youth. Three Rivers Youth traces its origins to the day in 1880 when a Pittsburgh preacher could not find a shelter, orphanage, or alms house to take in “Nellie”, a 4-year-old girl he found wandering the streets in a neighborhood that today is located in Pittsburgh North Side. Established as the home for Colored Children, Three Rivers Youth is the SECOND oldest organization in the U.S. providing foster care and related services for adolescent children of color. 

In 1853, the Children’s Aid Society was founded in response to the problem of orphaned or abandoned children living in New York. Rather than allow these children to become institutionalized or continue to live on the streets, the children were placed in the first “foster” homes, typically with the intention of helping these families work their farms. In 1874, the first case of child abuse was criminally prosecuted in what has come to be known as the “Case of Mary Ellen”. Outrage over this case started an organized effort against child maltreatment. In 1909, President Theodore Roosevelt convened the White House Conference on Child Dependency, which created a publicly funded volunteer organization to "establish and publicize standards of child care.” By 1926, 18 states had some version of county child welfare boards whose purpose was to coordinate public and private child related work. Issues of abuse and neglect were addressed in the  Social Security Act in 1930, which provided funding for intervention for “neglected and dependent children in danger of becoming delinquent.”

2. The original Carnegie Music Hall was constructed in 1890 on the North Side (Allegheny City), next to Allegheny City Hall (site of Buhl Planetarium today). Other music halls were soon constructed in Braddock (1893), Oakland (1895), Homestead (1898), Carnegie (1901) and Duquesne (1904). These Music Halls were parts of the Libraries that Carnegie was constructing, 2811 in all, but only the earliest libraries received a true, acoustically-perfect music hall.

The original Carnegie Hall and Library on the North Side was in operation until the late 1960s. Although demolition of the building was considered, the interior was renovated in a modern motif and reopened in the mid-1970s. The new theater in the Music Hall was christened the Theodore Hazlitt Theater and became the home of the new Pittsburgh Public Theater. The Public Theater remained in Carnegie Hall until December of 1999. The Hazlitt Theater is now being operated by the City of Pittsburgh for the use of local theatrical groups.

Carnegie Hall in Oakland, part of the Carnegie Institute, is still considered one of the finest music halls in the city, and is definitely one of the oldest and most ornate. It is a perfect place for a concert performance, and is the weekly venue for the Pittsburgh Chamber Music Society concert series. [Thanks to The Brookline Connection---a look back in time at our community website]

Your ID @ Carnegie Music Hall

What’s the name of Pittsburgh Public Theater today? Where is it located?

【30】A pursuit of healthful living and deep belief@ Schwartz Living Market , Sou Side

You can always find a group of people dedicating to their belief and vision regardless of the many setbacks along the journey. Elisa Beck and her team working on revitalizing Schwartz Living Market is such a group of people. I had the privilege to experience the project in April 4th, 2013.

It can be dated back to my connection with Pam and the GIS class I was taking at Heinz College. I am a firm believer that classroom should be expanded to community and real projects should be brought into classroom for students to work on while they are learning new skills. So when Dr. Will Gorr required a project for his GIS class, I contacted +Pamela Barroso (Pam) to seek a real project to work on. That's how I was first introduced to Schwartz Living Market project.

Schwartz Living Market is a building revitalization project based on the very notion that a market should be a community gathering place where people can feel relaxed and close to each other. At the same time, the building that houses this market should be self-sustainable and green itself. Elisa started this project three years ago when her husband proposed to sell this family real estate. She told her husband “Wait, let’s see what we can do about it.” The rest became her journey in the past three years working with a group of volunteers to bring the healthy urban living concept into this building on 1317 East Carson street, South side.

The day, when I was in the building on the 4th of April, a brand new water fountain was just installed. An native Indian priest was invited to give a water ceremony for this accomplishment. Besides the water ceremony, there were several potential vendors in the market to showcase their products and services. Frankly speaking, everything was still under planning and nothing was established yet despite the high spirits and contagious enthusiasm of the project owner. However, the spirits around the audience was so welcoming and warm, which made me believe that something great was about to happen, sooner or later.

I received a music therapy treatment from musician Stephanie. While she was playing the harp, I laid on the bed that was connected to the music instrument. Besides hearing the music flow in the air, I felt the music and vibration move through my body. It’s such a relaxing session that made me think of those kids with special needs who I had attended back in China. They might be better off with music in their building, for the strong healing power in music notes. Stephanie told me that music therapy had been applied in many medical areas to treat patients.

The other experience I couldn’t help but sharing is the Native Indian water ceremony led by priest David Smith. The priest's voice was leading me go far away, away from stress, away from thoughts and to reach a state of tranquility. The words of the ceremony indicated the wisdom of the people who created them, their wisdom for managing the land, their wisdom for having a relationship with nature, and their wisdom for explaining visible and invisible aspects of each event.  As David said, “Water flows underground that you don’t see, but you can see the trees, the grass, and the flowers above the ground. Water frozen in the winter that you don’t see those life beneath it, but you see fishes jumping in the air when spring comes…..”

Frankly, I cried during the ceremony as if all my problems would be taken care of by the universe thereafter and I had no weight on my shoulder. I walked out of the Living Market as if I had a meditation. Energy had been restored in me and I can proceed and conquer again.

I also bought two flow-poetry (flow-etry) CDs from Kevin(Phil-osophical) and he trusted me to wire him the money after I got home with his CDs. One of the CDs was really good because that was created after his bicycle trip across America searching for the essence of sustainable urban culture. Traveling is also inspiring. It definitely showed in Kevin’s poem.

As of today, Schwartz Living Market has opened to the public. Many vendors have claimed their stands in the building. Elisa, the owner of the building as well as the driven force behind this project, has been busy as usual with organizing events, and writing blogs to raise the awareness of her project, especially the concept of healthy living in an urban setting. If you have chance to meet her, you would know her energy has come along way and will continue to proceed, further.

May the project the most success, for IT IS an oasis in the society jungle where people can shop, relax and feel close to each other, and ourselves again.

Beer winning trivia @ Living Building, Historic District, Sou side

1. There are two other Living Building Challenge projects taking place in Pittsburgh. The center for sustainable Landscape of Phipps Conservatory is working to meet the Challenge, so is the Frick Environmental Center, which will be rebuilt soon after a fire burned the building to the ground more than a decade ago. The Frick Environmental Center will be built in a historic area in Frick Park, but not an urban historical area.

2. In Sou side, 10th street to 17th street is considered a historic district, where all exterior building reconstructions or revitalization will need to follow certain building codes. This adds many challenges to some already challenging projects.

Your ID @ Schwartz Living Market

What’s the name of Elisa’s blog for this Schwartz Living Market?  Is it +1317EastCarsonStreet ? How many posts are there as of November 9th, 2013?

Note: Watch this video on Youtube and see the Living Market for yourself. :)

【29】 The discovery of Yinzerita@Steel Cactus, Shadyside

“Yinzerita? I have been born and lived in Pittsburgh and served drinks all my life, but I have never heard of Yinzerita. You must be kidding or somebody just made this name up when you ordered that drink. No, sorry, we don’t have Yinzerita and I don’t believe its existence at all.” This was what a 30 some year old bartender told me not too long ago when Rebecca Gilbert, from CMU Alumni advancement department as well as a social entrepreneur, the founder of vegan’s resources guide, YummyPlants.com, offered to buy me a drink during a +GlobalPittsburgh  get-together in strip district.

I am here proving that gentleman wrong and want to wholeheartedly remind him of the fact that Pittsburgh is such a dynamic place that no one would ever so confidently claim that they have experienced it all. This is another message this blogger wants to convey through the “A+ Pittsburgh Experience” blog name: There is always one more new experience about this place and it’s super, so staying curious. The Yinzerita I had back in January in Steel Cactus with my fellow Heinzers was super and proving the bartender mentioned at the beginning of this article wrong is also very fulfilling.

Yes, there is such a drink called Yinzerita, which is similar to Margarita, but with a whole bottle of beer hanging over the cup. As you drink the “Margarita” in different flavors, the beer continues to be poured into the cup and adds a new flavor. Since “Yinz” is used as "You" in Pittsburgh's dialect, Yinzerita might highly possibly be a very local invention. It’s something special among Pittsburgh's many drinks, and it's so special that even a Pittsburgher bartender didn’t know. Well, +Josiah Vincent and +Susan Andrzejewski recommended this to me during our first System Synthesis team Happy hour and I liked it immediately. Never mind I am not a drinker, it’s always nice to be willing to try something out and then decide whether or not you like it.

Having an experience is better than not having any. Just like having a bad system synthesis experience is better than not having one at all. You learn something, you gain a diploma, and you carry on with life with more understanding, tolerance, or even indifference, which can easily and positively be transformed into the notion of focusing on those real important things and people.

Yinzerita winning trivia @ Margarita, Steel Cactus

1. The margarita is a Mexican cocktail consisting of tequila mixed with Cointreau or similar orange-flavored liqueur and lime or lemon juice, often served with salt on the glass rim. It’s the most common tequila-based cocktail in the U.S. The drink is served shaken with ice (on the rocks), blended with ice (frozen margarita), or without ice (straight up).

2. Steel Cactus is a Mexican bar and restaurant, where serves many Mexican cuisine. I liked good tacos there, meaning the size was manageable, the taste was good, and the price was reasonable. I remember +Rosa Rendon , who came from California to attend Heinz College, offered food on her plate  to everybody, which reminded me of the similarity between Latin American culture and that of China. Gregarious, hospitable, and always take care of guests by providing good food. ver, tenemos mucho en común.

Your ID @ Steel Cactus

Where is Steel Cactus located?

【28】 No more “living hell”, but “most livable city” with clear air @ Miller Gallery, Carnegie Mellon University

On January 20th, 2013, a friend of mine, +Pamela Barroso (Pam), from the Local Government Academy, invited me to go to Miller Gallery on CMU campus with her. Pam is a very active person who has many interests and a curiosity for a lot of things. Especially she has a great empathy for international student who live and try to start a life somewhere far away from their land of home.

Miller Gallery is about green, sustainable, and human-centered design in many arenas. Food and health issue were exhibited as the foundation of many discussions that triggered those designs in the gallery.

I was especially surprised by a map showing the air quality around the global (see below, the lighter the blue color is, the better the air quality is). America has become one of the two cleanest countries on the North America continent, if not in the world. At the same time, don’t forget before 1970s (since late 1800s), America was the dynamo of the world’s industrial production, among which Pittsburgh and its adjacent areas were the center of the center. In many media channels or poems, Pittsburgh once was referred to as “Smoky City” or  “Living Hell” when the evening sky was lighted by those steel mills.

On the other hand, China has become the country where the air quality is ranked among the worst in the world. I worry for my parents, my family, and many other Chinese people breathing the air, especially those newly-born babies. Not too long ago, some news stuck me to the extreme, in Harbin, the capital city of Heilongjiang province where also is a concentration for China’s heavy industry, the smoke was so bad that the entire city was invisible to people living there anymore. At the same time, the officials claimed that the smoke was caused by the cold weather and special circumstances. Not a word about air pollution.

From the map we can see that as those heavy industries move outwards from China to other Asian and African countries, the air quality in those places would also gradually worsen. This is a theory of economic development that capital will direct itself to improve the infrastructure of those least developed places so that over time all places will be developed to a higher level than their original stage. Well, thinking of the air quality alone, I beg to differ. Too many discussions about where to develop, far less discussions about how to develop, let alone, to what extent development shall be purposefully constrained.

Beer winning trivia @ Air quality in Pittsburgh

1. Several authors referred Pittsburgh once as a “Living Hell” and the poem often used for this comparison was Dante’s Inferno. Dante’s Inferno, widely hailed as one of the great classics of Western literature, details Dante’s journey through the nine circles of hell. The voyage begins during Easter week in the year 1300, the descent through Hell starting on Good Friday. After meeting his guide, the eminent Roman poet Virgil, in a mythical dark wood, the two poets begin their descent through a baleful world of doleful shades, horrifying tortures, and unending lamentation. I remember when I was reading the Divine Comedy; In Hell, the most dominant feeling was misery and pain. In the Inferno, it was fighting, struggling, and in Heaven it was a striking sense of newborn. The light from the Divine blacked out all the pain, misery, and struggling only leaving a pure sense of being. For some reason, I feel Pittsburgh’s industrial history and modern transformation fits this comedy very appropriately.   

2. Air quality in Pittsburgh has had a dramatic improvement since earning the name of the “Smoky City,” complete with pollution levels that killed people and turned daytime black. Average soot pollution has dropped by about a third at monitors around Allegheny County from 2000 to 2011. By 2014, Allegheny County projects it will meet federal clean-air standards for the first time since their 1997 creation. But the county's forecasts are just that. They rely on business trends and certain rules that are in flux. During an air quality conference held in May 2013 in Pittsburgh, scientists showed some concerns that the air quality in Pittsburgh is still risky and may have potentially contributed to low birth weights, early deliveries, cancer risks, heart and lung diseases, and etc. In a nutshell, we still have much work to do as a community. [thanks to Timothy Puko’s media press on TribLive for the conference.]

Your ID @ Air quality, Miller Gallery

1. You can check your local air quality index through this website and find out Pittsburgh area or other region’s air quality.

2. Who is the creator behind the Miller Gallery at Carnegie Mellon University?