To celebrate the 100th anniversary of environmental pioneer Rachel Carson's birth in Springdale, the Rachel Carson Homestead Association is honoring her with a program that will, among other things, reduce sooty school bus exhaust, buy local produce and possibly install low-flow toilets in area hospitals.

Tonight at the Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center, Homestead Association Executive Director Patricia DeMarco will announce that those initiatives by the Pittsburgh Public Schools, Parkhurst Dining Services and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center are among the first 20 Rachel Carson Legacy Challenge commitments.

"There are a lot of people building monuments and gardens in memory of Rachel Carson and that's fine, but her legacy was getting people involved," Ms. DeMarco said. "We've challenged these prominent Pittsburgh companies and institutions to take some action that will make their own lives more healthy, more sustainable and more environmentally friendly."

The Pittsburgh Public Schools will use a newly established Healthy School Bus Fund to retrofit up to 350 school buses with devices to reduce sooty exhaust by 90 percent. The fund will be seeded with $500,000 from The Heinz Endowments, but will also seek grants from Allegheny County and state.

"This is an important community commitment to tackling the air quality problem in this city where particulate pollution is among the worst in the nation," said Heinz Endowments President Maxwell King. "We're going after diesel [emissions] because that's something we can do something about."

UPMC has committed $5 million to a "green action fund" that will be spent throughout the health system on such environmentally friendly projects as energy efficient heating and cooling systems, low-flow plumbing, and replacement of products and chemicals to reduce toxic exposure.

"We want to protect the environment, reduce waste and promote healthy lifestyles," said John Innocenti, chief operating officer of UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside. "We're looking for payback in terms of benefits to the community and our employees."

Parkhurst Dining Services, which has contracts with universities and corporations, has committed to making at least 20 percent of its $36 million annual food purchases locally.

All 20 of the challenge participants will be recognized at a reception tonight in the Heinz history center. The event will follow a daylong conference, "Women's Health & the Environment," sponsored by Teresa Heinz Kerry, The Heinz Endowments and Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC.

Ms. DeMarco said the program will continue through May 27, 2008, the centenary of Carson's birth, when she hopes to have signed up 100 major commitments.

"Rachel Carson was instrumental in turning environmentalists from passive lovers of nature into activists," she said. "Her message was you have to get involved in the public process and make a change."