On July 17 and 18, Pittsburghers can learn how to enjoy Pittsburgh's great, big backyard during the Get Outdoors event in the lobby of Fifth Avenue Place.

From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., leading outdoor and environmental groups will be gathered in Fifth Avenue Place to showcase ways that Pittsburghers can play outdoors this summer.

Kayak Pittsburgh, the Rachel Carson Homestead Association, Venture Outdoors, Walls Are Bad and other organizations will be on hand to educate Pittsburghers about a variety of activities such as urban bike tours, riverfront walks, kayaking, community gardening and lunchtime fishing.

The Get Outdoors event is part of Fifth Avenue Place's reTHINK/refocus /reSOLVE environmental leadership campaign to encourage individuals to rethink their practices, refocus on their environment and resolve to lessen their impact.

In April, Fifth Avenue Place hosted an Earth Day to Arbor Day event collecting more than 900 recyclable or reusable items. Fifth Avenue Place is also planning a health and beauty products event in September, as well as the second annual Environmental Leadership Days in December.

Fifth Avenue Place is committed to sustainable, eco-friendly and green principles, which include the use of compact fluorescent light bulbs; a recycling program for bottles, cans and paper; and the use of environmentally-friendly, Green Seal certified cleaning and paper products.

For more information, go to the Fifth Avenue Place website.

7/11/2008