Month: April 2024

EPN Earth Day event: ‘Eat This Earth Day! Ohio’s Native Plants for Food’

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Eat this Earth Day! Ohio's Native Plants for Food

The Ohio State University’s Environmental Professionals Network is holding an event from 4:45 to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, April 22, examining “our place among Ohio’s native food web and explores the work of leading gardeners, educators, herbalists and foragers, amateurs and other groups stewarding native plants for food.”

Learn more about the free event, available in-person but also livestreamed, at epn.osu.edu.

Earth Day Film Festival!

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Celebrate Earth Day with The Environmental History Initiative on April 18 at 7:00 PM. Taking place in University Hall, this film is a contribution from Ohio State’s Environmental History Initiative to the broader campus-wide Earth Day celebration. It is free and open to the public.

A meditation on the complex history and future of the coal industry, the communities it has shaped, and the myths it has created. A spectacularly beautiful and deeply moving immersion into Central Appalachia where coal is not just a resource, but a way of life.

The film will be followed by a Q&A.
Learn more here.

Recycle Right with SWACO

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April is Earth Month, and to help you celebrate Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) curated an impressive lineup of educational webinars and home recycling tips to help you go green and stay green all year long.

Don’t Waste This Earth Day – Commit to Recycling More! April 22nd at 12:30 p.m.  Webinar.

Take the guess out of recycling and start recycling with confidence! SWACO is here to provide you with answers. Whether it’s about hard-to-recycle items such as appliances or Styrofoam, we’ll help you determine the best method for reusing or recycling. Register!

Recycle Right at Home with these Tips

  • Packaging is Key – Purchase products with minimal or recyclable packaging to reduce the amount of material sent to the landfill.  
  • How Clean Should They Be? Don’t obsess over how clean your recyclables are. The main goal is to make sure they’re empty and give them a quick rinse if needed.
  • Go Paperless – Opt for an e-receipt when at the store and consider digital subscriptions for your favorite magazines.  
  • Size Matters – Items such as bottle and jug caps and metal can tabs are too small to be recycled alone. Either leave them on bottles and cans and recycle them together or discard individual caps and tabs in the trash.  
  • Recycle Solar Eclipse Glasses – Drop off your gently used eclipse glasses at one of these participating locations and help make the future brighter and safer for young stargazers.   

https://recycleright.org/

Celebrate Earth Day with your Community

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The Green Team ERG understands that you can’t make all of the events that OSU and the medical center have to offer, but you can still make an impact in your community. Many of these events are also kid-friendly and a great way to begin instilling a love and appreciation for the Earth in growing minds.

  • What: Columbus Zoo Earth Day Celebration and recycling drives
  • When: Earth Day Celebration: April 20-21, 2024, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  • Earth Week Donation Drives at the Zoo: April 22 – 26
  • Where: Columbus Zoo; 4850 W Powell Rd, Powell, OH 43065
  • More information: Earth Day with the Zoo; Learn about little things that you can do in your daily life that will add up to make a big difference for all living creatures. There will be lots of Earth Day activities focusing on conservation, including games, crafts, Animal Enrichment, Character Ambassadors and Meet & Greets, and more! Watch the animals receive special Earth Day treats and enrichment throughout the day.
    • Battery Donation Drive: April 22
    • Handheld electronics donation drive: April 23
    • Styrofoam Recycling Drive: April 24
    • Electronics Drive: April 25
    • Item Donation Drive: April 26

  • What: Grove City EcoFest
  • When: Saturday, April 20 | 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Where: 3359 Park St., Grove City Town Center
  • More information:  Discover Grove City; All ages learn about sustainability, spring Farmers’ Market and eco-friendly practices through hands-on activities, crafts, vendors, games and more.

  • What: Earth Gathering (24th-annual festival)
  • When: Sat, Apr 20, 2024  11:00 AM   – 6:00 PM
  • Where: 1 Enderlin Circle (Yoctangee Park), Chillicothe, OH 45601
  • More information:  Earth Gathering; Earth Gathering is a juried-invitational art festival with an Earth Day theme designed to enlighten, entertain, and inspire the public with Earth-friendly art, music, food, products, and ideas. Inclement weather date is the following day (Sunday April 21). EG is a family friendly event with art activities for children.

  • What: Seeds of Caring’s Kids as Planet Protectors: An Earth Day Celebration
  • When: Saturday, April 20 10:00 AM  2:00 PM
  • Where: Grange Insurance Audubon Center; 505 W Whittier St, Columbus, OH 43215
  • More information: Seeds of Caring; Join Seeds of Caring for this FREE Earth Day celebration where kids ages 2-12 can participate in environmental activity stations such as nitrogen demos with COSI Science Live, worms and composting with Franklin Park Conservatory, and bee-keeping with Ohio Queen Bee! This is a rain or shine event in partnership with Grange Insurance Audubon Center and Presenting Sponsor Amazon Web Services. Registration is free but required.  Come learn how to be kind to the earth and plant a tree (we’ll have 250 of them)!

  • What: Bexley’s Earth and Arbor Days
  • When: Sat, Apr 20, 2024; 10:00 AM (Eastern)
  • Where: Schneider Park, 2130 Astor Ave, Columbus, OH 43209, USA
  • More information: Sierra Club Ohio; City of Bexley’s Sustainability Department, Green Bexley, and the Bexley Tree & Public Gardens Commission, you’re formally invited to participate in our 2024 Earth and Arbor Days Celebration, a community event for vendors to educate and inspire attendees with actionable items for protecting the planet and planting more trees!

  • What: Wetland Earth Day Planting @ Shepherd’s Corner
  • When: April 20 @ 9:00 am – 3:30 pm
  • Where: Shepherd’s Corner Ecology Center; 987 Waggoner Road, Blacklick, OH 43004
  • More information: Wetland Earth Day Planting; Dig holes and help plant 250 native trees and bushes!

City of Columbus Recreation and Parks Featured Earth Day Conservation Events

  • What: OCNA Earth Day Event!
  • When: April 24th from 12-1PM
  • Where: Outpatient care New Albany, Meet near West Staff Entrance (to the side of the Medical Office Building)
  • More information: OCNA Earth Day Event! Please join Surgical Specialties for a lunchtime walk around our OCNA paths to tidy up our work community & refresh yourself. Known as “Plogging”: Swedish term for the simple act of picking up litter while you run, hike, or walk in your community.

  • What: City Nature Challenge: Columbus
  • When: April 26 – 29, 2024
  • Where: varied
  • More information: Earth Day Columbus; Join Green Columbus and other organizations across Central Ohio to document the vast plants, fungi and animals that we have. Let’s appreciate the biodiversity of these vast waterways, forests, and micro-habitats within Columbus, Ohio.

  • What: Arbor Day at Dawes Arboretum: Festival and Spring Plant Sale
  • When: April 27 @ 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
  • Where: Franklin County Fairgrounds, Gate 5
  • More information: Dawes Arboretum; Admission is free all day thanks to our presenting sponsor Park National Bank! Help us celebrate all things trees with hands-on activities, a tree giveaway (while supplies last), tree climbing, music and more! Food trucks will be on site, and the spring plant sale will feature Ohio native plants.

  • What: 3rd Annual Earth Day Celebration!
  • When: Saturday, April 27 | 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • Where: Lynd Fruit Farm, 9399 Morse Rd, Pataskala Ohio 43062
  • More information:  Monarch Meadows; This is a non-ticketed event. Everyone is welcome! We will have food trucks, Birds of Prey, kids crafts, live music, raspberry plants, apple trees, and of course NATIVE PLANTS!

  • What: Genoa Park Earth Day Celebration
  • When: Saturday, April 27, 11am-8pm
  • Where: Genoa Park 303 W Broad St, Columbus, OH 43215
  • More information: Earth Day Columbus; This family-friendly event will feature local music, fun activities for children and adults, food, and drinks, and booths from a diverse array of sustainability-focused vendors and nonprofits.

Volunteer at Columbus Mobile Produce Markets

  • What you’ll do: Interact and support the community as we distribute fresh produce to our neighbors. Help prep and pack produce in reusable grocery bags.
  • Available shifts: Thursdays and Fridays, 1:30 p.m.

Recycle Your Used Eclipse Glasses

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The Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) and partners including the city of Columbus, Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks, and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium are partnering to collect these used but undamaged eclipse glasses for reuse. Through a partnership with Solar Eclipse USA the glasses collected from central Ohio will be sent to schools in Latin America and distributed to school-aged children so they can view the October 2024 Annular Eclipse. You can make a difference.

Drop off your gently used solar eclipse glasses at one of the following locations before April 30, 2024 and help make the future brighter and safer for young stargazers. Collection locations include:

SWACO Recycling Convenience Center, 2566 Jackson Pike, Columbus
Columbus Waste & Reuse Center, 2100 Alum Creek, Columbus
Participating Columbus & Franklin County Metro Parks at: 

  • Battelle Darby Creek, 1775 Darby Creek Drive, Galloway
  • Blacklick Woods, 6975 E. Livingston Avenue, Reynoldsburg
  • Blendon Woods, 4265 E. Dublin Granville Road, Columbus
  • Glacier Ridge, 9801 Hyland-Cory, Plain City
  • Highbanks, 9466 Columbus Pike, Lewis Center
  • Homestead, 4675 Cosgray Rd., Hilliard
  • Prairie Oaks, 3225 NW Plain City – Georgesville Rd., West Jefferson
  • Sharon Woods, 6911 Cleveland Ave., Westerville

 Together, we can make a difference for central Ohio’s environment and the lives of children around the world.

Spread the word!!

SWACO.org

Health Risks of Climate on Aging Adults

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A series of research articles collectively outline several risks that climate change poses for aging well.

Common Risks include:

  • Risk of worsening Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias
  • Decrease in disaster preparedness
  • Increased vulnerability to extreme heat and rising temperatures
  • limited support systems
  • Increased risk of water-borne diseases

Learn more with additional articles below.

Underestimated climate risks from population ageing

Aging Population To Be Major Driver of Future Climate-related Deaths

Studying the impact of climate change on older adult health and well-being

Climate Change and Older Adults: Planning Ahead to Protect Your Health

Climate Change and the Health of Older Adults

Climate Change Threatens the Health of Aging Adults, Researchers Say

Webinar Series: Gardening for Conservation

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Are you passionate about preserving our planet’s natural beauty and biodiversity? Curious about how you can make a difference right from your own backyard?

We’re thrilled to announce our Gardening for Conservation webinar series, brought to you by The Nature Conservancy and Ohio State University Extension. Learn how to create wildlife-friendly habitats, manage invasive species and promote sustainable practices right in your own green space while engaging with experts who will share their insights on practical conservation strategies tailored for your local environment.

All events held on the fourth Wednesday of each month from 6:00 to 7:15 pm ET.

Wednesday, April 24th

Homegrown Conservation: Gardening for Bees, Butterflies and Birds

Wednesday, May 22nd

An Update on Ticks for 2024

Wednesday, June 26th

Growing Your Own Food for Conservation

Wednesday, July 24th

Rooting Out Trouble: Managing Invasive Plants in Your Landscape

Wednesday, August 28th

The Good, The Bad and the Hungry: Dealing with Wildlife in the Garden

Wednesday, September 25th

Everyone Loves Free (plant) Food!

Donate # 6 Plastics Today!

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We have broken ground in Earth Day Park! This park is located on the medical campus on 8th Ave (near Michigan Ave) behind 9th Ave East Garage and next to 9th Ave Garage West.

The Green Team Employee Resource Group (ERG) has been working to develop this plot of land for over 2 years to create a peaceful oasis for the both the Ohio State community and the neighborhood that we border. In May 2023, the Green Team ERG celebrated a ribbon cutting ceremony with the promise to plant at least 1 native pollinator garden in the space.

In addition to multiple pollinator gardens, the park will have an ADA accessible sidewalk, a sensory garden and 2 benches.

The benches will be made by local company Marble Plastics using 100% recycled plastic! That’s where YOU come in!

The benches need #6 plastic (no styrofoam). These are RIGID plastics as seen in the picture. Items made from rigid plastic #6 include disposable plastic cups, lids for paper coffee cups, CD and DVD cases, clothes hangers and plastic utensils.

Drop off any #6 plastics at any Green Team Earth Day event happening this month.

Earth Month with the Green Team

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Earth Day, a nationally recognized day that seeks to inspire and garner appreciation for the environment, is on Monday, April 22. This year, the Green Team Employee Resource Group is hosting some virtual and in-person events in honor of Earth Day.

Join us in celebrating Earth Day this month by participating in these activities throughout The Ohio State University during Earth Week 2024 and throughout the month of April…

Available to all:

  • April 5: Register for a lunch hour webinar (noon-1 p.m.) with Dr. Vidya Raman to learn about how the medical center is Greening the Operating Room.
  • April 10: Register here for a lunch hour webinar (noon-1 p.m.) with medical students Shuchi Sharma and Ankit Annapareddy to learn more about the Planetary Health Report Card.
  • April 22-26: Join the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to run the Run for the Trees Happy Little 5K!

For Ohio State employees:

  • Fill out the Green Team survey and be entered to win a prize!
  • April 1-30: Join the medical center team on the One Healthcare EcoChallenge. We have been invited by Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic and Peace Health to participate in a new EcoChallenge designed just for health care employees – the One Healthcare EcoChallenge. During this monthlong challenge during April, health care organizations will come together to support our caregivers in taking actions that promote individual, community and environmental health. By signing up for this free challenge, you can select which actions you want to take during the challenge in the following categories: at work, at home, in our communities, health & well-being and for one health care. You can sign up for up to 6 actions, or just do 1!
  • April 22-27: Pick up a free tree sapling or native plant at multiple locations listed below. This giveaway does not require a reservation, and all events will be first come, first served. See the plants available.
    • April 22: EPN evening event – learn more and register here.
    • April 23: 6:30 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Herrick Transit Hub or the south side of the 4-H Center parking lot
    • April 24: 1-4 p.m. at the Earth Day Fair in 115 BRT
    • April 25: 6:30 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Herrick Transit Hub or the south side of the 4-H Center parking lot
    • April 26: 6:30-9 a.m. and noon-5 p.m. at the south side of the 4-H Center parking lot
    • April 27: 8-11 a.m. at the south side of the 4-H Center parking lot
  • April 24: Earth Day Fair from 1-4 p.m. at BRT 115. Learn more about local sustainability efforts, earn prizes and meet vendors like Green Columbus, GreenSpot, GreenScope Consulting, Shaw, Stryker Sustainable Solutions, Medline, the Sustainability Institute, a cooking demonstration by SpiceBush and so much more!
  • April 26 from 6:30 a.m.- 9 a.m. and noon-5 p.m. and April 27 from 8-11 a.m.: Ohio State Employee Recycling day at the south side of the 4-H Center parking lot. Bring your confidential documents for shredding and old electronics, batteries, tennis shoes, #6 plastics (clean/rinsed Solo cups, coffee lids, old CD cases) and eyeglasses for recycling!

We hope you’ll join us for these events and help us celebrate Earth Week. If you’re interested in making a difference in our environment and receiving updates, sign up to be part of the Green Team. For questions, reach out to sustainability@osumc.edu.

Don’t be a Fool! Join the Green Team for the EcoChallenge

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This is no April Fool’s joke! In celebration of Earth Day April 22nd, the Green Team ERG will be hosting a variety events all month including webinars, plant giveaways, and a cooking demo.

 Find the list of events here

To kick off the month, we invite you to participate in the events below!

Fill out the Green Team survey and be entered to win a prize!

April 1-30: Join the medical center team on the One Healthcare EcoChallenge. We have been invited by Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic and Peace Health to participate in a new EcoChallenge designed just for health care employees – the One Healthcare EcoChallenge. During this month-long challenge during April, health care organizations will come together to support our caregivers in taking actions that promote individual, community and environmental health. By signing up for this free challenge, you can select which actions you want to take during the challenge in the following categories: at work, at home, in our communities, health & well-being and for one health care. You can sign up for up to 6 actions, or just do 1!