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In-person events
Join the Green Team and FOD for a Litter Pick-up and Walk
May 21: Litter Pick-Up While Walking or Jogging
Join Ohio State Facilities Operations and Development (FOD) Landscape Services team on May 21 for some campus “plogging” fun to pick up litter while walking, jogging or running. Time slots are available from 11 a.m. to noon and noon to 1 p.m. Share your #BuckeyeLove for the environment while enjoying the benefits of physical activity and spending time outdoors.
Register online and meet at Meiling Hall on May 21 to pick up supplies.
Earth Day Park Grand Opening
Celebrate World Bee Day and the Earth Day Park Grand Opening with Ohio State’s Green Team Employee Resource Group, featuring our new bench made from recycled materials from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center! We’ll also recognize Claire Bollinger, PhD, recipient of the “2024 Woman of the Year” Green Team ERG award in recognition of her outstanding commitment to education and excellence in sustainability.
When: 9 a.m. May 20
Where: Earth Day Park (348 West 8th Ave. behind the 9th Avenue Parking Garage)
To build the bench, the Green Team collected #6 plastics (Solo cups, CD cases, clear plastic drinking cups) from some Ohio State staff and worked with Marble Plastics to rework and build the bench from those materials. Each bench requires about 150 pounds of #6 plastics. There are plans for future benches to be added to the park, but the cost of this initial bench is covered by an Ohio State Energy Partners Wexner Medical Center Sustainability grant.
#6 plastics aren’t typically recyclable through conventional recycling programs. If you’re looking for another way to recycle these plastics, you can check out the Hefty ReNew program, which has partnered with Rumpke Waste & Recycling in central Ohio.
EPN Earth Day event: ‘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!
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.
Celebrate Earth Day with your Community
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: Hilliard Earth Day Celebration 2024
- When: April 13 @ 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
- Where: Franklin County Fairgrounds, Gate 5
- More information: Go Green Hilliard; An Earth Day celebration with a walk, and many recycling drives!
- 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 you’ll do: Assist with conservation efforts such as tree plantings, park cleanups and more.
- Available shifts:
- April 20, 9-11:30 a.m., Art Cleanup at McKnight Outdoor Education Center
- April 20, 9 a.m.-noon, Tree Planting at Academy Park
- April 26, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Earth and Arbor Day Celebration at McKnight
- April 27, 9 a.m.-noon, Tree Planting at Mock Park
- 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.
Donate # 6 Plastics Today!
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
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.
Clean Up America with ACC at The Ohio State University
The American Conservation Coalition (ACC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to mobilizing young people around environmental action through common-sense, pro-innovation, and limited-government principles. nonprofit organization dedicated to mobilizing young people around environmental action through common-sense, pro-innovation, and limited-government principles.
The ACC has branches all across the country including a branch at The Ohio State University! About ACC at OSU: Our branch strives to make Climate Change a topic that all feel welcome to converse upon by broadening the scope of who is generally involved in those conversations. Particularly we do this by changing the narrative on climate change through our large community events and our extensive community collaborations. This allows us to garner the attention needed as well as the means necessary to change the narrative around climate change in the Columbus community.
On April 21 ACC OSU and ACC Hoosiers are organizing a branch showdown to clean up America!
About the Challenge: On the first day of Earth Week (April 21st), join us for a three-hour action blitz as ACC Branches and individuals across the nation rally together to make a tangible impact in their communities. Participants will engage in clean-up activities to remove litter and waste from parks, streets, waterways, and anywhere our communities have been polluted!
Competition Details: Clean Up America is not just about participation—it’s about making a difference for our homes. Teams or individuals will track their progress by dividing the number of attendees by the number of full 13-gallon trash bags collected during the event. At the end of the competition, we will have a winning team and a winning individual! The winning team and individual will be determined based on this ratio and announced at the completion of the challenge (after April 21st).
How to Get Involved: Ready to join the Branch Showdown? Gather your friends, family, and fellow conservationists to register to Clean Up America today! Let’s show the power of our united movement.
Learn more about the ACC at The Ohio State University by listening to this podcast!
Do a Happy Little 5K for Earth Week
Join the Green Team April 22-26, 2024, in running for the trees!
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) is hosting the Run for the Trees Happy Little 5K event again this year.
Inspired by the late artist Bob Ross and his love for the beauty of nature, this 3.1-mile virtual event will take place between Earth Day (April 22) and Arbor Day (April 26). Participants can complete the 5K on foot or by bike, skate, paddle or mobility device at any pace and any place outdoors.
Registration is $36 and participants will receive a Happy Little T-shirt (if registered by March 1), a commemorative bib number, and a finisher’s medal. Registration is encouraged by March 1 for these items to be delivered in time for the event. Registration closes April 1.
Grab some friends and get moving for the trees!
— By Beth Strausbaugh