Building Local Capacity for Sustainability Best Practices: The Student Conservation Association’s (SCA) Green Cities Corps fellowship program was developed in 2008 to assist cities in the implementation of local climate action plans. Fellows in the Green Cities Corps create and lead implementation of projects with local government and nonprofit agencies to measurably mitigate climate change and increase sustainability. Fellows are young professionals who gain hands-on project experience while bringing capacity to local partners, solving global sustainability issues through local best practices implementation.

The Green Cities Corps program has placed 16 AmeriCorps members with organizations throughout Pittsburgh in 2012. Green Cities AmeriCorps members implement best practices and innovative solutions across a range of sustainability issues. By placing highly trained Fellows with strategic partners, SCA’s program brings new perspective, new skills, and greater capacity to local, long term environmental stewardship.

Initiatives address core environmental stewardship solutions: local government sustainability, urban sustainable agriculture, regional food security, residential and commercial weatherization, urban forestry to reduce asthma rates in disproportionately impacted neighborhoods, household energy and water conservation, sustainable business practices, vacant land reclamation, storm water management, air quality improvements, waste diversion and composting, energy efficiency in redevelopment, green building best practices implementation, multi-modal transit, sustainable neighborhood design, and corporate social responsibility.

Regional Capacity through SCA’s Green Cities Corps Fellows: Program partners consistently express the value that SCA’s program bring to the Pittsburgh region’s environmental stewardship collaborations.

A neighborhood partner has said, “The bright minds and work ethics that have come to the redeveloping neighborhood of East Liberty through the Green Cities program have transformed our neighborhood in real tangible ways, adding tremendous value to our community and organization...Through tree plantings, storm water mitigation, steep slope cleanup, green roofs, and many other green initiatives, residents and staff alike have learned from our Green Cities Fellows the value of sustainability while they have learned the value of community process.”

Key impacts from the 2011 Green Cities Corps include: Local governments staff engaged by Green Cities Corps projects 505; Citizens engaged by Green Cities Corps projects 4,240; Sustainability workshops 139; Households visited with conservation tools 569; Greenhouse gas reductions from conservation tools in households 1,335,985 Lbs; Businesses certified through local sustainability program 90; Businesses enrolled in Green Workplace Challenge 47; Waste diverted from health care waste stream 5,065 Lbs; Vacant land reclamation community design charrettes 12; Native plants/trees planted in vacant lots 2,373; Volunteers coordinated at service projects 2,068; Storm water mitigation projects installed 18; Newly installed recycling bins in local government offices 226.

Expanding Opportunities to Serve: Young adults demonstrate overwhelming interest in hands-on environmental stewardship experience, particularly in a positions that address urban sustainability. SCA’s Green Cities Corps saw over 300 applicants for its 16 AmeriCorps positions for 2012.

SCA is expanding the opportunities for hands-on environmental stewardship service through the Green Cities Corps: the program has grown from 2 members in 2008 to 16 AmeriCorps positions in 2012.