Biophilia Network
Join Pittsburgh’s new network of creative minds working together to strengthen the bond between people and the natural world.
Biophilia: Pittsburgh is the pilot chapter for a global Biophilia Network. Read on to learn about our next event!
Biophilia: Today’s Youth Safeguarding Tomorrow
IMPORTANT NOTE: This week’s biophilia meeting will be returning to our Café Phipps location.
"Young people – when informed and empowered, when they realize that what they do truly makes a difference – can indeed change the world." -Dr. Jane Goodall.
Join us Thurs., Feb. 6 at 6 p.m. for a conversation with a group of young people who are making a difference – the past and present members of Phipps’ Youth Climate Advocacy Committee (YCAC)! YCAC is a youth-led climate advocacy program for highly motivated high school and college-age youth who are passionate about climate change and environmental justice. Youth on the committee develop and implement environment-related projects of their choice within the Pittsburgh community. Committee members also meet and work with other passionate youth, build leadership and project planning skills, learn about environmental and climate justice and delve deeper into their favorite environmental topics. Listen to students discuss their current projects and see what our alums have gone on to do since leaving the committee.
Not able to join us in person? We will also be streaming the event via Zoom! Register here.
Meetings are free to attend; however, advance registration is required via email. Click the button below to reserve your spot today.
Information for virtual attendees: The Zoom meeting will begin promptly at 6 p.m. (EST), 3 p.m. (PST). After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Designed as a series of posts on the Phipps blog and a hashtag for use on Twitter and Instagram, #bioPGH is a new social call-to-action for people throughout the region to more closely examine the beauty and importance of the nature around them.
The Biophilic Mind is a blog focused on presenting primary-source articles at the intersection of human health and the natural world. The Biophilic Mind aims to highlight high quality, recent research about the connections between well-being and nature.
Inspired by the Biophilic Cities initiative, the Biophilia: Pittsburgh Directory seeks to present an overview of the biophilic organizations, events, activities and projects in Pittsburgh, to aid the public in enhancing their connections to nature and discovering collaborative opportunities.
In this archive, you may access presentation materials and video recordings from previous installments of our monthly Biophilia: Pittsburgh meeting series. Additions will be made often, so visit regularly for the latest materials to deepen your Biophilia: Pittsburgh experience.
Biophilia: Pittsburgh meets monthly at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens where, over delicious small-plates and light refreshments, an expert guest speaker discusses ways of connecting people to nature and showing how these connections can improve our lives in the interest of sharing ideas and identifying opportunities.
Our Goals
• To welcome and inspire others with the concept and principles of biophilia
• To foster collaboration and learning between professionals from a wide variety of disciplines
• To communicate biophilic principles in action-oriented ways to a wider audience for exponential and regional impact
What Is Biophilia?
The term “biophilia,” which literally means “love of life,” was coined by social psychologist Erich Fromm and popularized by biologist E.O. Wilson, who defined it as “the innately emotional affiliation of human beings to other living organisms.”
The implications of biophilia extend across a vast array of disciplines including design and engineering, nutrition, psychology, public health, education, biology and the humanities. Biophilia is expressed all over the world every day, through complex collaborations such as the design and construction of buildings and landscapes; and intimate, personal encounters including nature hikes and home gardening.
Photo © Paul g. Wiegman, Phipps staff
