As the inevitable changing of seasons begins and spring commences its slow march in, Pittsburgh will once again become a vibrant place to live and work. The snow has melted and the ground is starting to thaw. Plants will eventually poke their heads out of the soil (much to the chagrin of anyone with spring allergies). We are proud to announce that we have already spotted signs of life in the Peace Garden and in the DECO Water Garden that is housed at Fresh From the Farms Juices & Salads, both in the Southside.

With mint, marjoram, and strawberries already starting to grow and several goldfish now thriving, Fresh From the Farms has become the first food establishment in Pittsburgh to grow their own food with aquaponics. This is a big step for Pittsburgh and we’re humbled to be able to have a part in the process. Please stop by to check it out and pick up some of their juice while you’re there! My personal recommendation is the Limey Green with Black & Gold following in second place (although I can honestly say I’ve never had a bad juice there).

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Pic 1: Aquaponic mint. Pic 2: Aquaponic marjoram (center) and strawberry (top right).

The first food establishment in Pittsburgh to grow their own food with aquaponics.

While it is not currently practical for most restaurants or eateries to produce all (or even a majority) of their own food, shortening the supply chain with local food has an enormous effect on the businesses environmental impact. A number of local restaurants have already “partnered with local farmers to emphasize local and sustainable foods,”  as mentioned in a piece by Albrecht Powell. Other local cities, like Columbus, Ohio have also embraced the practice. DECO Resources will continue to work with local restaurants and non-profit organizations to help increase the amount of locally grown food available.

Beta Test II Announced:

What is Beta Test II?
We have been testing out the netgreen project since November of 2013. The first half of the beta test launched January 15th 2014 and officially came to a close Saturday, March 15th. While we gained solid information and received a tremendous response, there is still a lot of testing to do. Hence: Beta Test II. The second half of the beta test will go from Monday, March 31st to June 2nd 2014.

What is a beta test?
After the alpha test, where a rough version of a software program is created to prove it does what it is supposed to, a team can perform a beta test on their product. The beta test is when the program is given to a limited audience to evaluate how it might work with the general population.

Goals for Beta Test II include helping to grow GreenerPittsburgh.com as the online platform to locate greener products and services within the Pittsburgh region, to grow netgreen‘s community of green business leaders, and to help the local business community profitably implement sustainable, green practices. DECO Resources is looking for local companies to help us test the netgreen program. If interested, please contact us.

To learn more about netgreen, read more HERE. You can also like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for more information on green happenings around the city.
Facebook.com/DECOResources
Twitter.com/DECO_Resources

Water and Energy at Phipps

DECO Resources will be attending the Water-Energy Nexus: Conservation, Innovative Technologies, and Practical Solution, the Sustainable Pittsburgh event being held at Phipps Conservatory on Thursday, March 27th. The event is recommended for “business executives, sustainability professionals, engineers, community leaders, and others interested in conservation, innovative technologies and practical solutions related to energy and water.”

Phipps Roof

Phipps Conservatory is possibly the best place to discuss the interconnectedness of water and energy in Pittsburgh, the state, or even across our nation. The new Center for Sustainable Landscapes is “one of the greenest buildings on earth” achieving the highest levels in the Living Building Challenge, LEED, and SITES. It was listed as one of  the top 55 Botanical gardens to see. We have also been extremely fortunate to work with Phipps in the assessment of their water catchment, treatment, and reuse system since it opened in 2013.

In short, we have a lot coming up over the next few months and we’d like you to be involved. We want to hear from you with any thoughts you might have about netgreen, DECO Resources, or being green in Pittsburgh. We hope you are wearing o’ the green on this greenest of holidays, we would like to wish you a happy St. Patrick’s Day.