As 2015 draws to a close, the team at DECO Resources would like to take some time to reflect on some of the things we accomplished this year, thank those who have helped us, and provide a glimpse into the next year.

Our team worked on a wide variety of projects with our partners and clients throughout the Pittsburgh region. As a mission-driven for-profit, our goal is to help our clients get the best results while using best sustainable practices. Our work allows our clients to focus on their products and services while we focus on improving their environmental and social impact.

Sustainability Planning

We worked with our partner company Clean Energy Resources to provide sustainability consulting for the Thrival Music & Innovation Festival in September. Thrival, which was held on a remediated brownfield in Hazelwood, brought local startups together with music, art, and food. The event was hosted by startup incubator Thrill Mill and you can follow the story on Twitter using #EnergizeThrival.

Environmental Consulting

DECO works with a number of local laboratories in Pennsylvania and Ohio to analyze air, soil, and water. We were excited to join Grow Pittsburgh in a pilot study for testing vacant city-owned lots for potential contaminants. The project is being evaluated and supported by a variety of experts in environmental assessment, like Field Environmental. Our goal is to provide data to help protect residents looking to grow community gardens in the vacant lots.

Green Infrastructure

Our team installed nearly a dozen rain barrels this summer as part of our effort to combat the combined sewage overflow problem in Allegheny County. We worked with the Allegheny River Towns Enterprise Zone to install rain barrels in six communities north of Pittsburgh. We also interviewed local experts on Green Stormwater Infrastructure in the City for the Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority.

Maker Education

With all of the work our team does in the fields of science & technology, it makes sense for us to provide educational opportunities to local students. We enlisted interns from Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh to provide educational opportunities. We also led youth education workshops at the Millvale Library, Sharpsburg Library, and the Allentown Learning & Engagement Center. Because of this work, we were selected by Avonworth School District to pilot a STEM curriculum through the Ed-Tech Refinery.