Our growing history with biosolids

That small corn patch you see in this photo, which is growing—indeed, thriving—in the middle of Ohio State’s Columbus campus, is part of a wider, sustainability-related project meant to show how biosolids—processed human waste from sewage—can be (and historically have been) used to help grow food. Get the full poop in our latest CFAES Story.

Connecting farms and food to communities

London, Ohio’s Procter Center Farm, which in addition to raising chickens, pigs, and veggies is opening a farm-to-table storefront in a rural food desert, hosts the Community Outreach and Education Farm Tour on Saturday, Aug. 24.

Part of the 2019 Sustainable Farm Tour and Workshop Series, the tour is being presented by CFAES. Join us.

Study: Air polluters still polluting low-income, black communities

New research by Kerry Ard, a CFAES environmental sociologist, shows that despite an overall improvement in American air quality over the past 70 years, air pollution remains a serious health problem in low-income communities, especially communities of color. Read the story.

‘Environmental justice and equity for all’

The Environmental Professionals Network, a service of CFAES’ School of Environment and Natural Resources, is co-hosting the Ohio Public Interest Environmental Law Conference on Sept. 13 in Columbus. The theme of the event is “Environmental Justice and Equity for All.” “Throughout the day,” the event’s website says, “you’ll hear from speakers sharing stories of past injustices—and the legal actions taken to fix the problem.” Registration is $10 but is free for college students. Learn more.

Workshop to focus on bioprocessing

Registration is open for the Advanced Biosystems Workshop, “Bioprocessing and Commercialization,” set for Sept. 10 in western Ohio. Featured will be six presentations by industry and university experts on topics related to bioprocessing, the turning of biological materials—farm crops, for example—into useful and possibly commercial products.

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A focus on students of water and fish

Suzanne Gray, assistant professor of aquatic physiological ecology in CFAES’ School of Environment and Natural Resources, recently earned the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture 2019 Educator Award. The award, its website says, recognizes individuals “whose efforts represent the very best in agricultural higher education.”

Gray, who studies and teaches about fish and how water quality changes affect them, is a previous winner of Ohio State’s Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching. She’s pictured here in 2014 with students at the Olentangy River.

Read our 2018 Q-and-A with Gray. (Photo: Ken Chamberlain, CFAES.)

They’re turning things bluer and greener

Thirteen Ohio boat marinas earned Ohio Clean Marinas certification for their environmental efforts in 2018. Read the story.

The Ohio Clean Marinas Program is a partnership between Ohio State’s Ohio Sea Grant program and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Find out more. (Photo: Lake Erie off of Cleveland, Getty Images.)

How they got started farming flowers

Hear how young farmers got started in their business, and a colorful business at that, on the Sunday, Aug. 18, Cut Flower Farm Tour, part of the Sustainable Farm Tour and Workshop Series. Find details, including how to register.

CFAES, one of the series co-presenters, is the specific presenter of this tour. (Photo: Rudbeckia flowers, Getty Images.)