The Hilliard Environmental Sustainability Commission (ESC) is an advisory group for Hilliard City Council, focused on promoting environmental sustainability by reviewing green policies, advising on programs, and engaging the community through initiatives to reduce waste, conserve resources, & improve local green spaces. The Commission advises City Council and staff on sustainability initiatives, reviewing environmental policies, practices, & proposals.  It helps implement programs like Go Green Hilliard to educate residents & businesses on reducing waste, reusing materials, and composting.

The Central Ohio Reuse Coalition (CORC) is made up of nonprofit organizations, local sustainability groups, green businesses, faith-based organizations, and committed individuals who live & work in central Ohio. CORC envisions a central Ohio where reuse of food & drink containers in businesses & schools is the model of choice and is supported by a reuse infrastructure. Starting in 2024, the CORC researched reusable cup providers and decided on Okapi Reusables, an app-based service that rents cups to cafes.  The Okapi Reuse Program is a simple, borrow-based system wherein users order their beverages in high-quality stainless steel reusable cups, and drop them off at any participating shop.  Coffee shops take care of the cups, users save money, and the community gets greener.

Hunger and food insecurity in central Ohio have reached record levels, with local leaders describing the current situation as the worst in decades.  Despite the region’s overall growth, rising costs for housing, groceries, and childcare have forced many families to rely on emergency assistance.  Over 11% of Franklin County residents, exceeding 147,000 people, are food insecure, with nearly half of these individuals earning too much to qualify for federal assistance.

On Friday, January 31st, twenty members of the Simply Living community enjoyed a Workshop on Recycling in Central Ohio led by Matthew King at the Urban Farm Church in north Columbus. The workshop was lively, informative, and enlightening, even for those who have been recycling for years and who have had past opportunities to ask Matthrew questions. 

Persimmon is Ohio’s hardest native hardwood. A true ebony, it even has black heartwood – if you wait long enough. And Persimmon provides a tasty, plum-like fruit. So tasty that the Latin name, Diospyros, means “fruit of the gods”.