sustainability

Use Water Wisely During Dry Weather

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ODNR Urging Wise Use of Water Resources Due to Dry Conditions

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Water Resources is urging the public to use water resources wisely due to dry conditions across Ohio. During periods of drought, it is imperative that Ohioans use water wisely. The Division of Water Resources is providing education and information to a variety of business sectors that rely on water. The resources will aid in water conservation and encourage consideration of downstream users, water quality, drinking water supply, and wildlife in operational planning.

Water conserving practices to improve water efficiency at home include:

  • Abstaining from or irrigating lawns and landscaping only during the coolest part of the day and observing local watering restrictions, such as designated watering days/times.
  • Repairing leaks quickly and updating old fixtures to more efficient types
  • Reducing shower time, which saves 5-7 gallons of water per minute.
  • Only running the dishwasher and washing machine with full loads. This saves hundreds of gallons annually per household.

All of the resources and educational materials are available on ODNR’s Water Conservation Website.

Currently, 77.8% of the state is under varied drought conditions. The U.S. Drought Monitor indicates the majority of the state is currently experiencing abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions, with several counties affected by severe to exceptional drought. The drought is predicted to persist in southern and eastern Ohio and continue to develop in central, northern, and western regions. To view the current conditions, visit https://www.drought.gov/states/ohio.

 

Plastic Free Every Day

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Plastic Free July is ending, but habits to remove and reduce use of plastic can continue year-round. 

Plastic is literally everywhere, and it can be overwhelming deciding where to start. PlasticFreeJuly.org has great resources on getting started; plastic free at work;  at events; and more!

A recent article from Sierra Club discusses your plastic-free kitchen and provides tips such as utilizing glass jars; reusable produce bags; alternatives to plastic wrap; and thinking twice about what and where you buy.  “Until we have regulatory policies that ensure all chemicals are safe, we will still have toxic chemicals in our homes. Focus on a few things here that will improve your life and reduce your exposure. Don’t try to seek perfection, says Schreder, which is ‘too much on us on the individual, instead of holding the industry and government accountable enough.'”

LiveHealthyOSU.com also recently posted an article, Pass on Pesky Plastics, with information and simple ideas.

Buy whole produce –  Instead of buying half a vegetable such as a cabbage, or pumpkin wrapped in plastic, many people are choosing the whole thing.  By planning meals ahead and making a double batches of meals such as pumpkin soup it’s easily to find ways to use it all and freeze a meal as well.

Avoid plastic cleaning products – Choose plastic free cleaning products and homemade alternatives.

Swap bottled soaps with bars – Swapping out liquid soap in plastic bottles to bar soap is a popular way to reduce plastic waste. Bar soaps can be found without packaging in bulk food, health, and organic stores. Supermarkets also offer bar soaps wrapped in paper packaging, providing eco-friendly options almost everywhere.

***Did you know that you can host a Zero Waste Event with OSU? Learn more and order your Zero Waste Event Kit here!

How to Dispose of Household Hazardous Waste

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The Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) drop-off facility for Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) located at 645 E. 8th Ave. in Columbus is expanding its hours, and will now be open Monday through Friday and on the first Saturday of every month.

New HHW Drop Off Hours

  • Monday through Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  • The first Saturday of every month: 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Accepted Items

  • Household cleaners and bleach
  • Paint strippers
  • Batteries
  • Gasoline
  • Fluorescent bulbs
  • Motor oil
  • Pool and lawn chemicals
  • Propane and other types of cylinders, and more

The facility currently does not accept ammunition, appliances, asbestos, tires, or medical waste, and is only available to residents, not businesses.

 The site also accepts latex or water-based paint for $1 per gallon, or these paints can be dried out and disposed of in regular household trash for free.

Visit SWACO’s Household Hazardous Waste webpage for a list of accepted items at the free HHW collection site, information about upcoming mobile HHW collection events, and how businesses can dispose of their hazardous waste.

 You can also learn how to properly recycle many common items at RecycleRight.org.

*** For information on hazardous waste disposal at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, visit My Tools and select Material Disposal Guidelines

Steps toward Sustainable Travel

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Live Healthy Live Well blog shares ideas on how to take steps toward sustainable travel this summer.

Regardless of where travelers head to, tourists effect the people, economy, and environment they travel to. When crossing any national, ethnic, cultural, or state border it is important to consider what impact travel can have on both parties. One way to ensure each party has as little negative impact on each other as possible is to travel more sustainably.

The United Nations World Tourism Organization defines sustainable tourism development as travel that compares the negative to the positive social, cultural, environmental, and economic impacts of the travel in the host nation.

Here are some first steps you can take:

  • Check your travel options. Check for airlines that offset their carbon dioxide emissions. Beware of greenwashing campaigns.
  • Select a sustainable destination. From international travel guides and news outlets, many sources have done the research regarding some of the most sustainable destinations.  Cities across the globe are focusing on reducing waste, zeroing their carbon footprint, or building more sustainable infrastructure.
  • Look for alternative modes of transportation. Plan ahead. visit attractions within walking distance to your hotel/lodging. Check for cycle rentals at your destination. Try renting a hybrid or electric vehicle, instead of a gas powered one. Look into utilizing public transport or checking on train travel instead of flying.
  • Educate yourself. Learning about social issues, cultural differences, and current events allows the traveler to be aware of spots to visit and locations to avoid. Keep researching sustainable options.

More information can be found at: 10 Methods Of Transportation, Ranked From The Least To The Most Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Transportation and Fuels.

Read the full article on LiveHealthyOSU.edu here.

Donate Plastics and Make a Bench!

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Throughout June, Chadwick Arboretum is partnering with the Green Team Employee Resource Group at OSU to create a locally-made bench from recycled plastics! This bench will be placed at Earth Day Park near the Medical Center Campus.

If you would like to contribute to the construction of the bench, sort through your plastic pots, trays, and other hard-to-recycle items to find ONLY #6 plastics; clean them, and drop them off ANYTIME to the barn compound behind the 4-H Center.

*Note: There will be a horticulture plastics recycling event in July, so save your other pots for later!

What: #6 Plastic Recycling Drop Off

When: June 1-30, 2024, anytime

Where: Chadwick Arboretum Hoop House

2201 Fred Taylor Drive (behind the 4-H center)

*signage should be posted at this location soon to help direct you to the gaylord boxes where the plastic can be donated.

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.

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!

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!

It’s Farmworker Awareness Week!

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OSU Libraries has recently put together a U.S. Farmworker Awareness Library Guide to provide insight on this important topic.

This guide hosts a list of books, web resources, and videos which may be of use in understanding the history of farmworkers in the U.S.

National Farmworker Awareness Week usually takes place the last week of March and honors the contributions of farm laborers while promoting awareness of the difficulties farmworkers face. This annual week of recognition began in 1998 – founded by a nonprofit organization called Student Action with Farmworkers (SAF).

Special Thanks to Alpha Psi Lambda who recently shed light on this topic with a recent event: Rooted Resilience: Exploring Latinx Studies & Farm Worker Advocacy Movements.

Additionally thank you to University Librarian Leticia Wiggins for sharing this information and providing resources!

Yard Waste Tips for Spring

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Spring Cleaning means sprucing up those yards for the warmer months. Fortunately, the Green Team ERG is here to help provide tips and resources on Yard Waste.

1. Curbside Pick-up

Most Columbus addresses have yard waste curbside pickup. This is probably the most convenient form of disposal. Use the Collection Day Lookup to see if and when your address is eligible for curbside yard waste pickup.

The City of Columbus also provides information on yard waste collection such as what is accepted, what is not accepted and how to prepare your yard waste for collection.

Be sure to avoid plastic bags, food waste, rocks and dirt.

2. Yard Waste Drop-Off

Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO) subsidizes the cost for Franklin County residents to be able to drop off their yard waste materials for FREE at processors who turn yard waste materials into compost and mulch. Visit swaco.org/yardwaste for a list of those drop-off locations as well as a list of the materials accepted and hours of operations.

3. Food Waste and Compost

Only stems, roots and leaves can be collected for the above mentioned collections, so what to do if you have food waste such as fallen fruit? The most sustainable solution is to compost. Compost bins can also include many particles that are also seen in yard waste such as leaves, grass clippings, and sticks.

Want to learn more or become more active in Sustainability? Check out OSUMC’s Green Team ERG.

Or sign up to be a member!