Author: strausbaugh.76

Sustainability at the ‘Shoe

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OSU Sustainability Specialist talks on SWACO podcast

The Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO)’s WastEd podcast featured The Ohio State University’s Environmental Sustainability Specialist (and Green Team ERG Advisor) Cecil Okotah, to discuss how the university practices environmental stewardship at the Horseshoe.

 The Zero Waste initiative started in 2011 and has grown exponentially since then. Game days are filled with prominently displayed zero-waste stations and recyclable or compostable food ware. A new edition was installed in 2024 to further implement recognizable zero-waste bins in the club spaces. This campaign aims to divert 90% of the waste created during game day from the landfill.

Thank you, Cecil for everything you do to promote sustainability at OSU!

 Click HERE to listen to the full podcast episode! 

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Looking for more sustainable tips during football season? Check out these tips from SWACO:

Upcoming EPN Events

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The EPN’s autumn 2025 season begins with an EPN Breakfast on Friday, September 26th 

Ohio is home to thousands of environmental professionals who work every day to make the world a better place. The Environmental Professionals Network (EPN) is a service of the School of Environment and Natural Resources (SENR) that seeks to connect, grow, and inspire environmental professionals through in-person and online formats.

Check out highlights and statistics from the EPN’s September 2024 through July 2025 event series at go.osu.edu/epn_annualreport25. 

Looking ahead, EPN is excited to announce three upcoming breakfast events, a film screening, and our signature winter event.  View all here.

The EPN’s autumn 2025 season begins with an EPN Breakfast on Friday, September 26th at the Ohio Union: From Policy to Practice: Navigating Shifts in Federal and State Environmental Policies. Undoubtedly, recent policy shifts have significantly affected environmental professionals’ abilities to carry out their work. This breakfast event, which immediately precedes the Ohio Environmental Council’s Public Interest Environmental Law Conference, will provide a forum to discuss need-to-know takeaways from today’s complex environmental policy arena. To register, visit go.osu.edu/epnsep25.

Then, later that evening (September 26th), we invite you to join us back at the Ohio Union from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. for one of the first U.S. screenings of the documentary, Revealed: How to Poison a Planet (IMDb). This free evening screening features a Q&A with a renowned environmental attorney and documentary cast member, Rob Bilott. Learn more and register for this screening at: go.osu.edu/epnfilm25.

Sign up now for the rest of the EPN autumn schedule:

  • Breakfast – Tuesday, October 14th: Sustainable Finance: Values-Based Investing for Environmental and Financial Health. This event will explore three domains of sustainable finance: individual investment portfolios, institutional-level investing, and funding sustainability strategies to launch and scale climate solutions. Register today at go.osu.edu/epnoct25.
  • Breakfast – Thursday, November 13th: Emerging GIS Applications for Community and Environmental Health, with the OSU Center for Urban and Regional Analysis (CURA). Save the date at go.osu.edu/epnnov25.
  • Evening Event – Wednesday, December 10th: Building Pathways for Pollinators and Pathways for Community, featuring poster presentations from SENR capstone students. Save the date at go.osu.edu/epndec25.

Free Curbside Composting Pilot

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The Compost Exchange in Columbus will be launching a FREE pilot program for the Clintonville, Olde Towne East, Westrville, Powell, and Delaware Neighborhoods. The program includes free four week curbside pickup for composting material!

This program will run from Sept 22 through the week of Oct 27.

Service includes:

  • Weekly pickup at your service address.
  • One (1) 5-gallon container with airtight lid.
  • Fresh compostable liners provided each week.
  • Free compost for your garden each year.

Pilot details:

  • This is a free trial program starting on September 23rd, 2025 and lasting for four (4) weeks.
  • You will automatically be billed after the pilot ends on October 28th at the rate of $23/month.
  • You can cancel anytime during the pilot, and we will collect your bucket on the next service day.

The Compost Exchange will continue it’s program for drop-off through this pilot if you are not in one of these neighborhoods.

Sign up before Sept 21 for the Fall Pilot Programs in your neighborhood.

Learn How to Divert Items from the Landfill

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Office Cleanouts with Facilities Operations and Development make a sustainable difference

In 2024, the Recycling and Refuse Services team helped divert more than six tons of hard cover books from the landfill through our hard cover book recycling program, thanks in large part to faculty and staff who reached out during office cleanouts.

These cleanouts provide an excellent opportunity to responsibly recycle large volumes of materials that accumulate over time. Whether you’re moving offices, clearing out storage, or just doing a bit of spring, or (fall) cleaning, Ohio State’s Zero Waste team is here to help make your efforts more sustainable.

Planning an Office Cleanout? Here’s How We Can Help:

If you’re preparing for a cleanout – big or small – contact the Recycling and Refuse Services at recycle@osu.edu to request additional recycling and disposal capacity. They can provide extra containers for collecting recyclable items and coordinate pickups to keep your workspace clear.

Commonly recycled items from cleanouts include:

  • Office paper and file folders
  • Soft cover and hard cover books
  • Cardboard
  • Magazines and journals
  • Certain office supplies and packaging

By working together, we can ensure that reusable and recyclable materials stay out of the landfill.

To request support for your cleanout, contact recycle@osu.edu.

Let’s build on last year’s success and make this year even more impactful!

More Information and Resources

Local Bench Creator Featured on Podcast

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Meet the creator of Marble Plastics who built our Earth Day Park benches from donated plastics that you provided!

Hopefully, you have heard of Earth Day Park by now. This park was created as a green space on the medical campus for everyone to enjoy. (Read more here.)

The Green Team ERG has been requesting the donation of #6 plastics to help local sustainable businessman Joseph Klatt create beautiful furniture pieces through his company Marble Plastics. You can see his benches at Earth Day Park made entirely from hard to recycle plastics.

Recently, Joseph Klatt was featured on the local SWACO podcast WastEd, a monthly waste and recycling education podcast. In this episode Joseph talks about the process of turning discarded materials into stunning countertops, furniture and building materials.

The Green Team ERG is so proud to partner with this company and showcase their creations on campus.

Listen to the full podcast.

Sierra Club Webinar: AI and Climate

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Sierra Club is hosting a August 20 webinar about the hidden climate costs of AI and data centers.

Why it matters:

  • ⚡ Data centers, running AI and crypto demands, can consume as much electricity as cities.
  • 💰 Utilities that power data centers are relying on more coal and gas, which means higher energy bills and stalled climate progress.

📈 Data center growth is exploding — hundreds of new data centers are being built nationwide, with estimates showing that they could use as much power as 67 million homes by 2030.

If you can’t make it, RSVP anyway, and they’ll send you the recording.

This webinar will equip you with the facts and tools to push for accountability, from demanding new clean energy to insisting data centers pay their share for the power they use.

RSVP

Volunteer Opportunities with the City of Columbus

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City of Columbus Recreation and Parks is looking for volunteers!

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Pollinator Field Day

Saturday, Aug 23

10 a.m. to noon

​Get your hands dirty for something that matters! Join us for Pollinator Field Day, one of our favorite volunteer events of the year! We’ll meet at the prairie at Whetstone Park. We’re looking for volunteers to help remove invasive species and maintain the pollinator habitat. We’ll provide supplies—you bring the energy. Register for your slot today!

Columbus ArborFest

Saturday, Aug 23

Noon to 5 p.m.

Happening at Whetstone Park, this event will include tours and tree ID walks; food trucks; exhibitors; live entertainment for all ages and more!

​Pollinator Documentation Program

Now through September; Virtual

 Learn how to track pollinator activity using the iNaturalist app. They will send you all the tools you need to get started when you register for the virtual training.

CFAES August Tip: Keeping It “Fresh” All Year Long

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College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences shares tips on food preservation

With the summer comes gardens flourishing with fresh produce. It can be difficult to keep up with the harvest, resulting in unpicked veggies going to waste. A wonderful way to prevent such food waste and to enjoy the fruits, or vegetables, of our labor all year long is to preserve them. There are multiple food preservation techniques that are suitable for even the novice.

The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) shares some of the most popular food preservation techniques including canning, freezing, and other tips to keep food fresh. 

Check out the full blog here. 

Live Healthy Live Well and subscribe for more great tips and articles!

Original Article

Written by: Jennifer Little, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences and Elizabeth Burkhalter, Dietetic Intern, OSU Extension, Hancock County.

Reviewed by: Shari Gallup, Assistant Professor, Family and Consumer Sciences, OSU Extension, Licking County

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Back to School in a Sustainable Way

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Tips from SWACO for a sustainable school year

It is officially back to school season, and whether you are stocking up on school supplies or adjusting to a new routine, we can help you do it in a sustainable and cost efficient way. Here are some quick tips to help you get an A+ in sustainability and savings.

– Reduce carbon emissions and material waste. Walking, biking, or even carpooling to school can make a huge difference in the reduction of traffic and your carbon footprint.

– Buy second-hand and donate what you no longer need.  Second-hand and resale shops can offer excellent value and keep old clothes, sports equipment, and technology out of the landfill.

-Pack to prevent waste. Cut down on lunchtime waste by using a reusable lunchbox and water bottle, and reduce packing waste by avoiding pre-packaged foods.  You can even have your child bring leftovers home for tomorrow’s lunch or the garden compost.

– Utilize SWACO’s resources for schools. We offer grants, landfill tours, lesson plans, games, and educational resources for students, teachers, and schools.

Learn about SWACO’s Resources for Schools

Also see below for some great events hosted by SWACO this month!

For more information, visit https://www.swaco.org/

Guided Tree Walk at Secrest Arboretum

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Secrest Arboretum on the OSU Wooster Campus is hosting a guided tree walk on Wednesday, August 13 from 1:00pm to 2:30pm.

A variety of topics will be covered, including proper selection and planting, insect pests and diseases. Please dress for the weather. Walks will cover large trees and small trees within the arboretum. These walks are led by arboretum staff. Registration encouraged but not required, it is helpful if we need to cancel the event due to severe weather events.

Guests will meet at the Secrest Welcome and Education Center.

For more information or additional dates click here.