Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto makes his monthly visit to the show. He talks about this week's educational summit in Pittsburgh focusing on sustainable urban development and how it will establish Pittsburgh as "the city of the future" as well as the city's new bike share program.
Peduto says that, after a long period of managing decline, it's time to help the city grow. When looking at sustainability, however, he says we still have to proceed carefully.
"We don't want to put too much salt in the soup. We want to be able to make sure that the growth enhances what we already have... We want to be able to hit standards that exceed world standards, or at least match them, to make Pittsburgh a world leader once again on a global scale."
Also in today's show, Margaret Krauss throws back to opening day 80 years ago, when the Pittsburgh Crawfords were the best name in baseball. President of the Senator John Heinz History Center Andy Masich reveals the contents of John Brashear's time capsule, found beneath the Pittsburgh factory where he worked as a leader in developing scientific tools.
Mayor Peduto (starts at 0:00)
Peduto says that looking towards enhancing sustainability provides the city with an opportunity to distinguish itself.
"It looks at place: the unique things that make a city a city. The way that you can look at New Orleans and it feels like New Orleans, the way that you can see Paris and see it as Paris. How can you use public space to really create identity?"
Saving Lives With Soap (starts at 23:15)
A trip to Cambodia last summer to build fish ponds in rural villages resulted in an inspired idea for Pitt Environmental Studies student Samir Lakhani. Samir came to the realization that many of the Southeast Asian nation's deadly hygiene problem could be solved by recycling soap. We'll hear from Samir, in his own words, how the concept of Eco Soap came about and the difference it can make in the lives of many in Cambodia.
WESA Celebrates Inventing Pittsburgh: The Pittsburgh Crawfords (starts at 29:05)
The baseball season that opened Monday is radically different from 80 years ago, when the nation's pastime was segregated and the best team in baseball could be found in Pittsburgh, on the Hill. Margaret J. Krauss reports.
John Brashear's Time Capsule (starts at 33:05)
Despite a modest upbringing, Pittsburgher John Brashear was one of the leading creators of telescopes and scientific instruments in the world. President and Chief Executive Officer of the Senator John Heinz History Center Andy Masich tells us about John Brashear and the time capsule of items recently uncovered from his North Side factory.
More Essential Pittsburgh segments can be found here.
