GreenSpot Conversations

1. Winter Backyard Birding. Winter is almost here and that means it is a great time to see birds! But, how do you attract those fine, feathered friends to your yard, what is the best food to feed them, and what are some good books/guides to use? Fear not! Birding experts Nicole Jackson (Columbus Audubon), Allison Clark (Grange Insurance Audubon Center), and Suzan Jervey (Columbus Audubon) will answer these questions, your questions, and more!
When: Wednesday, November 10th
Time: 1-1:45pm
Register: email GreenSpot@columbus.gov with “bird” in the subject line.

2. Comfy home, full wallet. Having an energy efficient home means having the same comfort but not paying higher electric bills or heating bills. Learn some beginning steps to have an energy efficient home from guests Ebony Williams (IMPACT Community Action), Sarah Poe (Columbia Gas), and Robert Williams (Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission).
When: Wednesday, November 17th
Time: 12-12:45pm
Register: email GreenSpot@columbus.gov with “energy” in the subject line.

3. Recycling at work. Whether your place of employment has an established recycling program or you are investigating starting a program, register for this Conversation with SWACO to learn how to refresh an existing program, develop and implement a new program, and how to assure the program is a success.
When: Friday, November 19th
Time: 1-1:45pm
Register: email GreenSpot@Columbus.gov with “recycling” in the subject line

If you missed any of the past GreenSpot Conversations you can catch them on the GreenSpot website!

Going green for the holidays

It is that time of year where all the holidays seem to pile up on one another. Let’s talk about some things to have a “green” holiday season! The list below is not exhaustive but rather some ideas to think about what makes the most sense for your holidays.

• Reuse decorations from years past. Fighting the crowds to buy new decorations is a headache, it costs money that could go elsewhere, and creates more clutter.
• Break out the real plates and utensils! It classes up the event and means less trash in the landfill.
• Buy foods from a local farmer, grocery, etc. Buying local means the product travels less and produces less greenhouse gas emissions.
• Have vegetarian and vegan options at the get together. In general, eating vegetarian and/or vegan has a lower carbon footprint than meat.
• Skip the crowds and eat at home. Covid is still out there and eating at home can reduce the spread.
• Take a hike. That’s right, Columbus and Franklin County have awesome parks that you can go wander for hours on end. Walk off some of that big holiday meal.
• Thank-yous. Homemade “thank you” cards can go a long way in showing appreciation for a gift a loved one got you.
• If you use holiday lights make sure they are LEDs (easy to find) and turn them off when you go to bed.

Check online for more ideas of how to have a more sustainable holiday season. Finally, don’t forget to have fun!

Keep Columbus Beautiful

From the “did you know file,” Keep Columbus Beautiful is a City of Columbus community improvement program and a national affiliate of Keep America Beautiful. KCB focuses on public education and volunteer service related to quality of life environmental issues including litter, recycling, and beautification. They are housed at Columbus Department of Public Service. You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.