GreenSpotLight Awards Celebration-save the date

Currently we are reviewing the GreenSpot business members’ annual reports to see who will win a GreenSpotLight award. This year the virtual awards celebration will take place on Friday, March 25th from 2:30pm-4pm and be a mixture of pre-recorded messages and live discussions. For more information check out our Facebook event page. Closer to the date more information will be emailed.

GreenSpot Conversations webinar series-biking around Cbus

Columbus has many trails and dedicated bike lanes to get around the city. How can you safely navigate the trails and streets? What to look for when buying a bike? What if you can’t afford a bike? Learn the answers to these questions and more as we talk with Erin Sync with Yay Bikes!, Chet Ridenour with CoGo Bike Share, and Scott Ulrich with Columbus Public Health.

When: Wednesday, November 10th
Time: 1-1:45pm
Register: email GreenSpot@columbus.gov with “bike” in the subject line.

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

Is there a sustainable/environmental topic or issue you would like to see on GreenSpot Conversations? Let us know; email GreenSpot@columbus.gov with “topic” in the subject line.

Member benefit: Tour a vernal pool with an expert

It is that time of year where the doldrums of winter are fading and spring rains melt the snow and fill up those temporary wetlands called “vernal pools.” GreenSpot will be leading FOUR tours of vernal pools this year:

• Saturday, February 26th from 9:30am-10:30am
• Saturday, March 26th from 1-2:00 pm,
• Saturday, April 30th 1pm-2:00pm, and
• Saturday, May 14th 1pm-2:30pm* (more of a hike to the pools)

You’ll learn and see what dwells in these temporary pools, their importance to the watershed and clean water, and have a fun time in nature! Three of the tours will take place at a vernal pool in northeast Columbus. This pool is owned by Columbus Recreation and Parks, accessed only by permit. The first tour (February 26th) will take place at Coyote Run near Pickerington.

RSVP required; email GreenSpot@columbus.gov with the subject line “Vernal Pool” and let us know which date you are rsvp’ing for. Space is very limited for each day, so first come, first served. This is for GreenSpot members ONLY. David Celebrezze, GreenSpot Coordinator and vernal pool expert, will lead three of the tours and David Hague will lead the Coyote Run vernal pool tour. Please note that the March, April, May visits have on-street parking and the vernal pool is at the bottom of a slight slope. There is no boardwalk or path. The Coyote Run vernal pools are back in wooded areas.

Member benefit: virtual tour of the landfill

Have you ever wondered what happens to your trash after it leaves your curb? SWACO and Columbus GreenSpot would like to invite you to join a virtual Landfill Tour on February 28th at noon to learn more about how we can all make a difference by reducing the amount of waste we send to our landfills. During the conversation, we will discuss how to reduce waste, the environmental benefits of recycling, how to recycle right, and the great feats of designing a modern-day sanitary landfill.

When: Monday, February 28th
Time: noon-12:45pm

Questions? Email GreenSpot@columbus.gov. Register here.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Earth Day 2022

Earth Day 2022 is rapidly approaching! Green Columbus invites you to celebrate Earth Month with volunteer events starting April 1st and ending with our 15th Annual Earth Day Columbus Celebration on April 23rd. Service sites will include projects like tree plantings, litter clean-ups, community garden plantings, and more. Interested in hosting a service site? Check out the Green Columbus Earth Day GivePulse page and submit your event.

Conservation Mini-Grant program

Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District’s annual Conservation Mini-Grant program continues in its ninth year by offering up to $2,000 to three organizations that demonstrate the need and ability to carry out on-the-ground conservation projects.

All local conservation projects within Franklin County, Ohio will be considered and encouraged. Franklin Soil and Water’s 2022 preferred projects are those directly benefitting underserved communities.

Save the Date! Simply Living Earth Month EcoChallenge

This April 1-30, consider joining Simply Living to celebrate Earth Month with an EcoChallenge. We are building a team to participate in the national sustainability competition organized by EcoChallenge.org. Throughout the month, team members will commit to taking actions in areas such as electricity, food, transportation, industry, buildings, health, and more. Each action creates a measurable improvement to sustainability, and taking actions as a team multiplies our collective impact. Want to be the first to know when the Simply Living EcoChallenge team is ready to launch? Sign up for our weekly newsletter here.

Reducing plastic in the bathroom

Plastic is ubiquitous in our society. It is durable, easy to make, and is cheap. However, plastic leaves a trail of pollution and harms our environment. There are some steps you can take to limit the amount of plastic you use. Let’s take a look at the bathroom. Below are some plastic alternatives:

• Soap. Is that bar of soap wrapped in plastic? If so, consider purchasing soap that is sold in a paper wrapper or cardboard or wrapped in nothing at all. Additionally, ditch the plastic soap dispenser and put out a bar of hand soap. Natural foods stores usually carry this type of soap. There are also many online vendors.
• Shampoo. There are shampoo bars you can use that will displace that plastic shampoo bottle.
• Mouthwash. Check with your dentist, but a simple solution of xylitol, water, and a couple drops of essential oil can do that trick. No more plastic mouthwash bottles to deal with.
• Dental floss. Skip the plastic and go for the compostable silk floss.
• Toothbrush. You can purchase a toothbrush with a bamboo handle or one that has replaceable heads. As much as a billion plastic toothbrushes are thrown away each year.
• Shaving. Try a shaving bar instead of shaving cream that comes in a plastic tube or bottle and skip the plastic razors and try a safety razor instead.
• Toilet paper. Some toilet paper comes wrapped in plastic. Ditch it and go with TP that is wrapped in paper. Don’t wipe out virgin forests.
• Deodorant. This is probably the most difficult. There are alternatives that come in tins, metal spray cans, or you can make your own (search the internet). Smell good for the environment :)
• Cleaning. To clean the toilet bowl the lazy person’s way simply spray a mixture of water and vinegar around the bowl. Next, sprinkle baking soda around. Then spray more vinegar and dump 1 cup of vinegar in the bowl. Wait about five minutes and then scrub and flush.

Recycling updated

You may have heard the news, the Columbus residential recycling program now accepts cups made from plastic, paper, and aluminum. Some guidelines:

• Plastic lids should be reattached to plastic cups for recycling.
• Plastic lids from paper cups should be removed and discarded.
• Straws and stoppers are not accepted.
• Colored Solo brand cups are not accepted. These cups are made from polystyrene. We currently do not have a secure, long-term end-user for this material.
• Solo, ceramic and glass cups are not accepted.
• K-cups are not accepted.

GreenSpot appearance

GreenSpot Coordinator David Celebrezze will be a guest on Simply Living's March First Friday to talk about 2022 initiatives, actions you can take to reduce your carbon footprint, take questions, and banter back and forth with Keep Columbus Beautiful manager Aryeh Alex. More information here. 

Your GreenSpot eDashboard

Each GreenSpot member has access to an electronic dashboard where they can check in on their commitments as well as enter data on other commitments. This is a great way to track success, print out and post for employees and customers to see, and celebrate your accomplishments. To log in, simply go to the MyGreenSpot page. If you need assistance please contact GreenSpot at GreenSpot@columbus.gov.

GreenSpot social media

Are you on social media? Let’s be friends! GreenSpot posts (almost) daily on ways to go green, upcoming events, and fun facts about sustainability. We are on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (sorry no TikTok at this time).

GreenSpot Advisory Board

The GreenSpot Advisory Board (GSAB) had much success in 2021 despite the pandemic. They promoted Earth Day events, assisted with the GreenSpotLight Awards Celebration, planned 19 GreenSpot Conversations, assisted in a tree giveaway, reached out to minority youth, updated the New Homeowner Green Guide, and promoted the Plastic-Free July campaign.

We are proud of our board members. There are citizens as well as several organizations such as Grange Insurance Audubon Center, The Ohio Nature Conservancy, Smart Columbus, OBLSK, MORPC, Green Columbus, Franklin County Public Health, Franklin Park Conservatory, Hikma, COSI, Councilmember Remy's office, Columbia Gas, Sierra Club Ohio Chapter, The Ohio State University, Huntington Bank, Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services, Sage Sustainable Electronics, Bronzeville Growers Market, OhioHealth, Ramboll, and several city departments.

Moving forward in 2022 the GSAB is looking at developing a community of climate leaders along with the Columbus Climate Action Plan, assist in efforts to reduce recyclables that go to the landfill, assist with increasing the tree canopy, updating the GreenSpot Sustainable Business course, highlighting ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) and B Corp designations, develop a "What is GreenSpot" video, student outreach, and increasing the benefits of membership.