Lifestyle

Education, Energy, Lifestyle, Sustainable Living, Sustainable U

Solar PV Training in the Spotlight

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Solar PV Training LLC (SolarPVTraining.com) is an educational platform based in Ohio that provides accredited solar photovoltaic (PV) installation training, textbooks, and curriculum materials. The company specializes in affordable in-person, online, and hybrid courses designed for individuals entering the solar workforce, property owners wanting to install their own systems, and educational institutions looking to establish solar programs.

It offers self-paced online courses like Residential Solar Installation & Design, utilizing its signature textbook, Understanding Photovoltaics. It also provides comprehensive support materials to community colleges & trade schools, including free instructor desk copies, narrated online course access, lab booklets, sample syllabi, and administrative support to help schools become official ETA testing sites.

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Events, Lifestyle, News, Social Justice

VOICEcorps in the Spotlight

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VOICEcorps is an essential service for people with medical conditions that prevent them from using print material, providing a tool for independent access to information. Volunteers read aloud from current local & national newspapers, plus 200 other print publications & neighborhood shopping fliers. Check out the program listings and learn more about Audio on Demand.

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Events, Health & Wellness, Lifestyle

President’s Message: Reasons for Optimism

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Lately, I have been finding it difficult to maintain a good attitude about life. As if the news of current events isn’t bad enough, with the campaign season in full swing (yes, I know it’s only September), now I am forced to witness the smear campaign ads being run over and over and over. I’d stop watching the news, but I’ve always felt it is my duty as a responsible citizen to keep up with what is going on. And I won’t settle only for sources suggested by social media (which know me better than I am comfortable with) that just tell me what they know I want to hear. I wasn’t born with a naturally optimistic outlook. Yet, I realize it is important to my physical & mental health and spiritual wellbeing to stay positive. Recently, I’ve been to two events that have helped: the Columbus Arborfest and the Combined Charitable Campaign’s Kickoff Information Fair.

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Energy, Environment, Lifestyle

Break the Oil Addiction: Drive an EV

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Electric vehicles (EVs) offer some real advantages over gasoline-powered cars. They produce zero tailpipe emissions, cost less to run & maintain, provide instant acceleration, and allow for at home charging. If you are interested in learning more about EVs, contact the folks at Drive Electric Columbus, an independent non-profit grassroots organization that brings together central Ohio EV owners & enthusiasts for meetings, ride & drives, educational events, and other activities related to electric vehicles. It advocates for fair policies for all current & future EV owners.

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Environment, Events, Lifestyle, Recycling, Transition

Celebrate with Sustainable Delaware Ohio

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Sustainable Delaware Ohio (SDO) is a local, grass roots, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting environmental, social, & economic sustainability for the Delaware community through awareness, advocacy, & action. Sustainable Delaware Ohio is celebrating its 15th anniversary on Saturday, August 8th from 10 am to 1 pm at the Shale Hollow Preservation Park picnic shelter.

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Business, Economy & Finance, Climate, Lifestyle, Sustainable Living

Join the Local Economy Movement with AMIBA

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The American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA) is a nonprofit membership organization of local business alliances, affiliates, & supporters. It was founded in 2001 as part of a nationwide movement to support locally owned, independent businesses, encourage local purchasing, and address the competitive disadvantages that independent businesses often experience. The mission of AMIBA is to build a strong local economy movement by supporting the growth & development of local business alliances & networks that are committed to supporting local independent businesses in growing & thriving; building strong local economies that are diverse, inclusive, & equitable; and working to mitigate climate change and adapt to the damage brought on by global warming.

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Bioregionalism, Environment, Food, Lifestyle

Spotlight on Sustainability in the Columbus Dept of Public Service

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The Columbus Department of Public Service provides a variety of essential services that maintain & improve the traveling safety & quality of life for Columbus residents, and supports the growth & economic development of the City. It collects refuse from more than 340,000 households every week and, through a contract with Rumpke, collects yard waste & residential recyclable material from more than 200,000 single-family households and eligible condominium & apartment complexes. And it manages Keep Columbus Beautiful, which conducts litter cleanups and promotes recycling & community beautification.

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Culture, Events, Lifestyle

Want an Alternative July 4th Celebration?

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Are you not feeling especially patriotic this semiquincentennial summer? Not entirely proud of our good old USA? Perhaps some satire would lighten your mood! Simply Living encourages you to watch (or better yet, march in) the 43rd Annual Doo Dah Parade on July 4th! Celebrate liberty & lunacy in the Short North Arts District with weird costumes, customs, and funny opinions. Afterward, relax in the shade near the Goodale Park gazebo during the free live-music after-glow party.

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Food, Health & Wellness, Lifestyle

Considering a Whole-Food, Plant-Based Diet?

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The Whole-Food, Plant-Based diet is a lifestyle focused on eating foods derived entirely from plants in their natural or minimally processed states. It excludes animal products and heavily refined foods.
People follow the diet for heart health, disease management, weight control, and just to feel better, save money, and help the planet. It is often praised for lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and for helping to manage & reverse Type 2 diabetes. Because it leads to a higher fiber intake, which promotes satiety, it often results in sustainable weight loss.

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Environment, Food, Lifestyle, Sustainable Living

Changes Have Come to Blue Rock Station-part 2

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Blue Rock Station is a 38.2-acre sustainable living farm and education center near Philo, Ohio. It has served as a working model for eco-friendly living, offering workshops on green building, goat milking, and solar cooking. Founded by Annie & Jay Warmke, its mission has been to focus on environmental sustainability, self-sufficiency, and reducing waste through reducing, reusing, and recycling. Now, with the help of the Women’s Peacepower Foundation and The Farmer’s Land Trust, Blue Rock Station has transitioned to the Blue Rock Farmland Commons.

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Ecology, Energy, Environment, Lifestyle, Living Simply, Sustainable Heros

Changes Have Come to Blue Rock Station–Part 1

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Blue Rock Station is a 38.2-acre sustainability center located at 1190 Virginia Ridge Road, Philo, Ohio, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in southeastern Ohio. It features Ohio’s first Earthship, a unique living home made from used materials like tires, cans, and strawbales, and serves as a living laboratory […]

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Culture, Ecology, Environment, Lifestyle

Kokosing Nature Preserve for Green Burials

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The Kokosing Nature Preserve is located in central Knox County at 10620 Quarry Chapel Road, one mile northeast of the Village of Gambier and the campus of Kenyon College. It is a land conservancy around the college with 23 acres set aside for green burials. It is the first conservation burial ground in the nation to be affiliated with a college or university land conservancy. The Preserve, dedicated as a cemetery in October 2015, is Central Ohio’s first and only conservation burial ground. Amid rolling prairies planted with native wildflowers, remains are interred using biodegradable containers and without the use of harsh chemicals. It is a project of the Philander Chase Conservancy, a land trust dedicated to preserving the rural character of the Kenyon College’s surrounding environs.

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Ecology, Environment, Lifestyle

Make Your Yard a Pollinator Pathway!

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A Pollinator Pathway is a collaborative network of public & private pesticide-free, native plant corridors that provide essential habitat, food, and shelter for bees, butterflies, birds, and other insects. These projects connect fragmented green spaces, such as residential gardens, parks, and schoolyards, allowing pollinators to travel safely. Even the smallest green spaces, like flower boxes and curb strips, can be part of a pathway. Franklin County Pollinator Pathway (FCPP) is a local affiliate of the national Pollinator Pathway network. Its goal is to connect people & pollinator habitat in Franklin County. It works to expand pesticide-free corridors of native plants across Franklin County, linking yards, parks, schools, businesses, and community spaces so pollinators have safe, connected habitat.

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Climate, Culture, Ecology, Education, Environment, Events, Lifestyle, Living Simply

Welcome Rapid 5 to the Bioregional Movement in Central Ohio

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How can we live in deeper harmony with the land, water, and ecosystems that sustain us here in Central Ohio? That’s the question at the heart of the Central Ohio Bioregional Working Group, and it’s what we’ll be exploring together at our next gathering. The Central Ohio Bioregional Working Group, […]

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Climate, Community Update, Ecology, Environment, Events, Lifestyle

Be Inspired By The Good Work Of Delaware County

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Simply Living’s Salute to Sustainable Delaware Ohio On Saturday, August 16, 2025, Simply Living hosted a special tour as a Salute to Sustainable Delaware Ohio, celebrating the organization’s 15th anniversary. Founded in 2010, Sustainable Delaware Ohio is a grassroots community group that’s part of a broader network aimed at fostering […]

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