Simply Living is creating a sustainable and compassionate community by connecting people to each other and to diverse learning opportunities.
On April 20 the School of Environment and Natural Resources at Ohio State University organized an Earth Day event called Time to Act on Climate Change. On tap was a long list of distinguished speakers including university President Kristina Johnson, slated to receive the Chadwick Award for efforts to address […]
by Martin (Mort) Schmidt for Simply Living Boxelder is the Rodney Dangerfield of Ohio maples; It don’t get no respect. Unlike the October 2021 Tree of the Month, Sugar Maple, Boxelder’s weed-like growth and weak wood make it unloved for landscaping or lumber. Boxelder can be tapped for maple syrup, […]
Our Executive Director, Cathy Cowan Becker (right), recently received a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work in Bonn, Germany, for ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, a global network of more than 2500 local and regional governments committed to sustainable urban development. She will be stepping down from her role at the […]
By Martin (Mort) Schmidt for Simply Living One of the most beautiful trees native to Ohio is the Flowering Dogwood. Its lovely flowers withlarge white petals are a welcome harbinger of spring, even if the petals aren’t really petals. But first, another tree with white flowers makes its appearance in […]
In case you needed help getting started. By Sarah Lazarovic Sarah Lazarovic is an award-winning artist, creative director, freelance animator and filmmaker, and journalist, covering news and cultural events in comic form. She is the author of A Bunch of Pretty Things I Did Not Buy. Reprinted from the Winter 2022 issue […]
By Martin (Mort) Schmidt for Simply Living Occasionally the Tree of the Month article will feature topics related to, but not strictly about trees. Mistletoe would be an appropriate subject for the December issue, but I wanted to release this article before I lost touch with Daniel and Gigi, who […]
Fascinating information about the great White Oak trees, by Mort Schmidt.
By Elissa Yoder MannSierra Club Ohio Chapter The statewide plastics campaign kicked off the year with a presentation hosted by Jess Boeke and Sarah Pottle from Rust Belt Fibershed, we wanted to share resources from our webinar covering the topic of plastics and textiles. Here is a link to the […]
Job Title: Sustainability Internship Reports To: Executive Director and Volunteer Leader Hours: 5 to 20 per week With 30 years of history and more than 3,000 members and supporters, Simply Living is one of the longest-serving and best-known local sustainability organizations in Central Ohio. Our mission is to provide learning […]
Fellow Steward of the Earth: You may think this is just a chain letter, but, I assure you, it is a whole lot more! The climate crisis is accelerating! Globally storms are bigger and stronger; destructive floods, droughts and fires are occurring worldwide; Refugees are escaping starvation and brutality – […]
This is a 4 week discussion course based on the 4-part article “The Path to an Ecological Future for Humanity.” The article links here. It is not necessary to read the article but it will be helpful. Week 1: The Cultural Creatives – a Third Force in the Radical MiddleWeek […]
by Martin (Mort) Schmidt for Simply Living Oaks, the trees of the genus Quercus, are among the most important hardwood trees. There are approximately 500 species of oaks worldwide and a little under 100 in the United States, but they are found primarily in the northern hemisphere. Oaks provide a […]
Online Solar PV Course Now Available This course is designed for those new to solar. Ideal for folks wishing to install a system on their home or business, understand what they are getting into if they wish to hire someone to install a system, or enter the rapidly growing PV […]
Columbus Climate Action Plan Released GreenSpot will play a critical role in section 1.1 of the Plan: “Empowering a Community of Climate Leaders.” Over the next several months and years GreenSpot will work with residents, business leaders, academia, government, and nonprofits to increase climate change awareness, solutions, and making sure […]
Environmental coalition cited as instrumental in setting city’s climate goals in line with climate science Thursday, December 9, 2021 Contact:Cathy Cowan Becker, cathy@simplyliving.org, 937-271-1247Chad Stephens, chad.stephens@sierraclub.org, 216-322-6998 COLUMBUS, OH — Today Sustainable Columbus unveiled the city’s first Climate Action Plan (CAP), with an ambitious overall goal of reducing carbon emissions […]
On Monday, December 6, the Ohio legislature’s Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR) heard testimony on regulations proposed by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to manage disposal of oil and gas waste. Executive Director Cathy Cowan Becker testified on behalf of Simply Living and the Ohio Sustainable Business […]
Co-Creating the Eco Future: Presentation & Discussion on Zoom Monday, December 6 at 7 pm Localizing Our Communities!Learn from examples around the worldand here in Columbus and central OhioTuesday, December 7 at 7 pm on Zoom We will explore the many ways our communities benefit when localization is a priority. […]
A Simple Thanksgiving Grace (or for any meal)O Great Spirit, soul of all creatures great and small, we are thankful for this meal; it is the work of many people, and the sharing of other forms of life. Enjoy your Thanksgiving weekend, and don’t miss Bill Cohen’s Songs of Gratitude […]
by Martin (Mort) Schmidt for Simply Living Holly has long been associated with the holiday seasons. In fact, the name “Holly” is derived from the word “holy” because of this association. Holly is primarily a southeastern tree, but its natural range does extend into the southernmost counties of Ohio. Left […]
This is Part 1 of a longer essay by Chuck Lynd published in 4 parts on Medium.com. You can read the full essay here. Part 1. The Path to an Ecological Future for Humanity As Yogi Berra observed, “It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future.” We chuckle, but […]
