GreenSpotLight Awards Luncheon

Come join the free party on April 26th at 11am! We'll be celebrating three local businesses and their sustainability efforts at the GreenSpotLight Awards Luncheon from 11:00am-12:30pm. Sponsored by VS Engineering and the amazing Grange Insurance Audubon Center! You'll have the opportunity to hear from local leaders and businesses, while also enjoying a free lunch and networking opportunities.

Fill out this quick RSVP form to reserve your spot. Bring a friend who also love our community and the planet! 

Member Benefit: Lawn Mower Exchange

THIS SATURDAY! Old, polluting, gas-powered mowers are bad for health, water quality (spilled oil, gas, etc.), and climate. Make the switch to a clean battery-powered mower this April. GreenSpot has ten rebate “spots” available for GreenSpot members only. The rebates cut the price to $199 (plus tax). The mower is the Kobalt Gen4 20-inch cordless electric mower with a 40V battery, charger, and bag included (model #KPM 1040A-03). Here are the requirements:

• Must be a Columbus or Franklin County resident.
• A working gas mower must be exchanged at the time of the event.
• The gas mower must be started at the exchange (or video provided).
• Limit 1 mower per household.
• No substitutions; can’t be combined with other offers.
• City of Columbus and Franklin County employees are not eligible.

Email GreenSpot@columbus.gov to claim your “spot” and we will follow up with you. This program is made possible by Columbus Public Health, Franklin County Public Health, Columbus GreenSpot, Lowe’s Home Improvement, and Ace Iron & Metal.

Send us an email if you are interested in touring our landfill with SWACO, or our recycling center with Rumpke, as well. These tours will occur on April 29th and May 14th, respectively. The scheduling window is 10am-1pm, so the tours will take place in that window. Once you're confirmed for the tour(s), we will email you the exact time slot our group will be touring. All are welcome, but seats fill up fast! Please email GreenSpot@columbus.gov by one week before each tour to join the group.

Youth Climate Action Fund coming to Columbus!

Young people have the most at stake in the fight against climate change – and it’s critical they help lead the way. We’re thrilled Mayor Ginther and the City of Columbus are joining Bloomberg Philanthropy's Youth Climate Action Fund, receiving investment and expertise – delivered in partnership with United Cities and Local Governments and Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University –  to mobilize young residents in designing and driving urgent climate solutions in our communities!!

More to come but ask us any grant application questions in the mean time at GreenSpot@Columbus.gov. We look forward to supporting and uplifting 14-24 year old YOUTH led initiatives this year! Especially as they align with Columbus' Climate Action Plan goals.

Green Columbus Volunteer Worksites and Genoa Park Earth Day Celebration

Earth Day Volunteer Worksites: Green Columbus is looking for volunteers to help with Earth Day Columbus 2024 projects! There are over 100 service sites to choose from. Activities range from neighborhood clean-ups and gardening to tree plantings and river cleanups. To see all volunteer opportunities and sign up visit https://www.earthdaycolumbus.org/volunteer.

Earth Day Columbus at Genoa Park: Celebrate Earth Day with Green Columbus and the Central Ohio Community on April 27th at Genoa Park. Saturday will be an all-day celebration from 11am - 8pm where visitors can eat, drink, and relax after all of their efforts during Earth Month. There will be food trucks, live music, and lots of activities for people of all ages to participate in. We hope to see you there! https://www.earthdaycolumbus.org/2024

Happy Earth Month, Columbus!

Started in 1970, Earth Day has grown into a worldwide movement with millions of people participating in various activities, from tree planting and clean-up campaigns to advocacy efforts and policy discussions. Earth Day serves as a reminder of the need for collective action to protect the Earth's ecosystems and promote sustainability.

Fun Earth Month events happening in Columbus:

1) Encourage your friends and family to sign up to be members at columbusgreenspot.org! As you know, GreenSpot is a City of Columbus program housed in DPU right here at 910 Dublin Road. GreenSpot inspires, educates, and recognizes households, businesses, and community groups that adopt green practices. GreenSpot is a free membership-based program that provides a framework to think about sustainability and a way to log your successes on your personal dashboard! It is free to join and there is no fee or cost ever.

2) Plant native plants to make a rain garden and plant your own pollinator garden or pocket prairie in your yard! You can even use plant container pots on a patio to help our biodiversity. Check out CommunityBackyards.org for rebates on plants!

3) Join one of the dozens of volunteer events around the 614 by checking out the calendar and signing up with Green Columbus at GreenCbus.org.

4) Go on a litter clean up with Keep Columbus Beautiful! Or learn where your trash goes by taking a free tour of our landfill and recycling facility with SWACO and Rumpke.

5) Volunteer with organizations like Friends of the Lower Olentangy Watershed or Friends of Alum Creek and Tributaries at olentangywatershed.org and friendsofalumcreek.org.

6) Volunteer with Food Rescue or other programs to help divert usable food from restaurants and organizations - sending it straight to places in need and helping reduce waste going to our landfill! Learn about food waste solutions at SaveMoreThanFood.org.

7) Go 100% clean energy and save money on bills! Enroll or confirm your participation in Clean Energy Columbus, the City’s voluntary aggregation program. Participants saved over $38 million while supporting a clean energy future for Columbus.

Stay in touch with Sustainable Columbus and GreenSpot by subscribing to our enewsletters and following us on socials! @SustainableColumbus and @ColumbusGreenSpot.

SWACO Webinars: Recycle Right

Celebrate Earth Day – Be More Sustainable at Work April 22 at 11:30am: Businesses that want to engage with SWACO and educate their employees about recycling are encouraged to participate in this session with other Franklin County businesses supporting Earth Day Celebrations.  Schedule a watch party with employees or join individually. This 30-minute session will cover recycling tips and ways to increase your commitment to recycling more.  While it’s important for you to recycle, it’s also important to Recycle Right. By taking just a few minutes to recycle the right way, you help reduce pollution, contribute to cleaner water, conserve limited natural resources, support our economy, and reduce central Ohio’s reliance on landfill. Register here.

Don’t Waste This Earth Day – Commit to Recycling More! April 22 at 12:30pm: We understand the confusion that recycling can bring. Fear not! SWACO is here to provide you with the answers you need to feel confident when recycling including those harder-to-recycle items such as appliances, scrap metal, and Styrofoam. Most items have a way to be diverted from the landfill and SWACO can help you determine the best method to reuse or recycle those materials. Bring your questions and let the experts help you recycle even more! Register here.

GreenSpot Member Highlight: Gohio/MORPC

Celebrate Earth month by commuting sustainably! Gohio Commute helps you explore all of your different sustainable commute options for getting to work – including carpooling, vanpooling, transit, walking, and biking.

When you commute sustainably in Central Ohio, you’re eligible for Gohio Commute rewards. From 4/1-6/28, log your trips on our website to be automatically entered into our Make Your Miles Matter: Spring Challenge raffle drawing! Two lucky commuters will win a $50 digital gift card that can be redeemed at their retailer of choice. Register now at gohiocommute.com/morpc!

If you’re an employer interested in learning about our sustainable commuter benefit program consultations, reach out to our team at gohio@morpc.org.

Happy commuting!