Devastation and Renewal: Water, Air and Land in Pittsburgh Environmental History

This talk will focus on the metabolism of cities as a concept through which to view the environmental history of Pittsburgh. In many ways, the history of Pittsburgh, perhaps more than that of any other city in the nation, reflects the impact of industrialism and of urban infrastructure on environmental quality. The talk will explore these effects and attempts at remediation through a slide lecture that will examine three domains: water supply and wastewater disposal; smoke and air pollution; and land contamination.