Sunday, March 21 6:30 – 8 pm
Care & Share Time Bank Gathering
Special Program on Neighborhood
Community Solar Power
Planning a Local Community Solar Project in Columbus
Art Yoho will talk about plans to build solar arrays at a local school and on several 3-4 acre properties in the area. Art and other Simply Living members (SL is an affiliate member of the Time Bank) have met with the City of Columbus (Councilman Emmanuel Remy and various aides) to explore how the city might support their project. It has the potential to become a model community solar project serving 80 local homes as well as schools, and could be replicated in other neighborhoods to meet the city’s goals in their Climate Action Plan.
Art shares, “Community driven and distributed renewable energy is a new model for electric power. It offers the ability for individuals to share in the ownership and benefits and by Doing so contribute to the common good. Caring and sharing in the context of this project has ecological, social, and economic concerns and is wide open for sharing. Practically and perhaps poetically everything we can contribute came from the Sun and now we can receive and contribute even more. This is a great time to be involved.”
The zoom link: us02web.zoom.us/j/86011723899?pwd=RmxQbE9pcy9Ua25TeHdCTFo4YmV2QT09
CSTB website: cstimebank.org More here.
The Role of Small Businesses in the
Columbus Climate Action Plan
Thursday, March 25 @ 11 am – 12 noon
The Ohio Sustainable Business Council, in partnership with Simply Living, is hosting a virtual discussion around The Role of Small Locally Owned Businesses in the Columbus Climate Plan. Businesses, entrepreneurs, the self-employed and residents are invited to attend. Join us to hear from two speakers from the City of Columbus:
In February 2020, Mayor Ginther announced a bold and ambitious goal for the Columbus community to be carbon neutral by 2050. In order to achieve this goal it will take the entire community rallying together from individual residents to large businesses to change the way energy is produced and used, how we get around town, and how we dispose of food and other materials that often end up in the garbage. We want to make this transition in an equitable way that benefits all residents by furthering climate justice, environmental sustainability, human health, and economic prosperity.
The City of Columbus is drafting a Climate Action Plan to serve as a roadmap to meet the 2050 carbon neutrality goal and realize community-wide benefits. Download a copy of the draft Climate Action Plan here.
The City of Columbus wants your input!
Community feedback is essential to help define how we will reach our goal. We want to center and invest in our historically disenfranchised communities and envision an inclusive, prosperous, sustainable future together. We are seeking resident input from November 2020 through March 31, 2021.
More information is available on the Climate Action Plan webpage at https://www.columbus.gov/sustainable/cap/
Sign up for this free online event here. A virtual meeting link will be sent to you 24 hours before the meeting.
Conversation in the Woods: Guided Nature Walk
with Cindy Lanese
Sunday, March 28 at 2 pm
Meet in a wooded area in Riverlea (near the Olentangy River)
Join Earthwalker Cindy Lanese for a very special walk in the woods. Cindy is experienced in The Work that Reconnects and is an Ecopsychology facilitator. Each Guided Walk will open your mind and senses to different seasonal experiences. This Nature Walk will be held in a wooded area in the village of Riverlea, located between Worthington and Columbus, west of N. High St. Please register on the Simply Living Marketplace: https://give.simplyliving.org/ under Classes. More information and detailed directions are provided here. Tickets are $10. All proceeds will be donated to benefit the work of Simply Living. Dress appropriately. Limited to 8 participants.
Cindy’s lifelong love and pursuit of connection with nature along with her deep respect of indigenous practices and rituals are threads that are woven deeply into the tapestry of her life. Her love of nature is embodied in her experience of living. Certified at the School of Lost Borders Wilderness guide training, she has been on solo and group vision quests in Utah, Colorado, Ohio and has section hiked the Appalachian Trail and the El Camino in Spain. Cindy guides and walks with others to find a deeper soul connection, remembering that we are interconnected with the natural world and carry within us the intelligence of the earth as our teacher.. if we listen. REGISTER
The Ohio Community Rights Network
and Simply Living Present
The Democracy Film Series
See the website here for details and registration links
Sun March 28 at 2 pm
What is Democracy?
and
Sunday April 25 at 2 pm
Invisible Hand
WHAT IS DEMOCRACY?
INVISIBLE HAND
Documentary on the Rights of Nature
THE DEMOCRACY SERIES CONTINUES!
The New Corporation – Sunday, August 29, 2 pm EST
Discussion to follow with Move to Amend Outreach director, Greg Coleridge
We the People 2.0 – Sunday, October 24, 2 pm EST
Discussion to follow with CELDF community organizer, Tish O’Dell
See the new brochure on all 4 documentary films!
$5 donation is requested. Both films are virtual and a link to the film will be provided to watch the film 24 hours in advance of the Discussion and Q&A. Details and discussion leaders on both films are HERE.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM SIMPLY LIVING’S BE THE CHANGE COMMUNITY CALENDAR
More here
Why: Hosted by Humans United in Mutual Aid Networks, in order to come together to learn from and support each other in mutual aid efforts. Our goal is to create means for everyone to discover and succeed in work they want to do, with the support of their community. We act on our belief that everyone deserves a lively humanhood, and we support each other to live our highest and best life. More here.
Overall Economic Impact Study of ECDI’s Lending to Ohio Entrepreneurs by Bill Lafayette, Ph.D.
20 S State St, Westerville, OH
Fridays – 7-9:30 PM. – OPEN MIC (considered one of the best around)
Gotta love our Simply Living Calendar of Community Events Search by keyword, scroll and browse, or display by month which lets you see ALL the upcoming events for the coming weeks and months!
Browse now.
NEWS + RESOURCES
FOR LIVING LOCAL
Global Climate Strike at the Ohio Statehouse downtown Columbus.
SEE all the sponsors of the SUNRISE MOVEMENT HERE.
Climate Solutions 101—presented by Project Drawdown—is 100% free, full of hope, and streaming today. Filled with the latest need-to-know science and fascinating insights from global leaders in climate policy, research, investment, and beyond, this video series is the world’s first major educational effort focused solely on solutions.
Rather than rehashing well-known climate challenges, Project Drawdown highlights game-changing climate action based on its own rigorous scientific review and assessment. This course, presented in a six-part video series along with in-depth conversations, combines our trusted resources with the expertise of inspiring thought leaders from around the world. Enjoy a brain-shift toward a brighter climate reality—and spread the word. Watch now
Humanity’s greatest challenge is also our greatest opportunity. With Project Drawdown Executive Director Jonathan Foley as your co-pilot, explore the last 50 years of stunning change to see our current climate inflection point in context. Hear more about emissions sources and sinks, and take a step back to see the critical importance of centering human equality in the race to shift climate solutions to global action. What role will you play in building a better future?
- Unit 1: Setting the Stage
- Unit 2: Stopping Climate Change
- Unit 3: Reducing Sources
- Unit 4: Supporting Sinks and Improving Society
- Unit 5: Putting It All Together
- Unit 6: Making It Happen
SIGN UP NOW
DOWNLOAD TOOLKIT FOR TEAM CAPTAINS
Too much Zoom? See if this helps.
Four Reasons Why Zoom Can Be Exhausting
A new paper explains why videoconferencing exhausts the mind and body and how to protect yourself.
By Vignesh Ramachandran | March 10, 2021
Link to article with tips and pointers here.
are available for preorder!
Pick Up Days: March 25th-28th and April 1-4th
*Help us and order early! Order by Wednesday each week!
Petals that Inspire is a social enterprise that supports Star House Columbus. Petals that Inspire supports the organization financially and through volunteering to teach classes in creativity to students.
Bouquet options:Petite Bouquet: $20
Springtime Sensation Bouquet: $30
Bundle of Blooms (includes mason jar & bamboo tag): $35
Spring Centerpiece: $70
All bouquets are wrapped in signature brown paper and black and white striped ribbon
Get all the news from Bexley Natural Market HERE – new products, recipes, and open Easter Sunday!
enjoy fun facts about the 1st Dat of SPRING and celebration around the world.
The path to an ecological civilization is paved by reclaiming the commons—our common home, the Earth, and the commons of the Earth family, of which we are a part. Through reclaiming the commons, we can imagine possibility for our common future, and we can sow the seeds of abundance through “commoning.”
In the commons, we care and share—for the Earth and each other. We are conscious of nature’s ecological limits, which ensure her share of the gifts she creates goes back to her to sustain biodiversity and ecosystems. We are aware that all humans have a right to air, water, and food, and we feel responsible for the rights of future generations. Read the full story
As MORPC works to update the Regional Sustainability Agenda, residents and stakeholders
can offer their opinions on the proposed content. An informational session is also planned.
Read more
Microscopic engineered nanomaterials are being used in consumer products like cosmetics, medicine, and clothing. Should you be concerned?
more…
Getting ready to start a DIY project? Check out these tips to help you make sure that your projects tread lightly on the planet.
more…
If you are an outdoor enthusiast, you understand the value of caring for the natural world.
But not everyone realizes the need for ethical behavior when visiting the outdoors.
The Leave No Trace principles offer essential guidance for anyone who spends time in nature.
more…
Peripatetic Poets Featured Reader & Open Mic – Virtual March 21 @ 6:30 pm EDT
Peripatetic Poets Featured Reader & Open Mic Peripatetic Poets (Virtual) Featured Reader and Open Mic. meets on the 3rd Sunday every month at 6:30 pm. per•i•pa•tet•ic: A person who walks or travels from place to place, or (P) one who follows the teachings of Aristotle, who taught philosophy while walking about the Lyceum of Athens Get all the details on Nita’s calendar here.
Listen on your radio or online anytime!
CALENDARS!
LIVE LOCAL, BUILD COMMUNITY #SIMPLYLIVING
In This Issue…
- Columbus Metro Parks Easter Eggstravaganza
- Sign up for Kids Bowl Free this Spring and Summer
- Free KidX Club Fun at Polaris Fashion Place
- Over 80 free or cheap events this weekend in Columbus
- Visit rescued animals at Open Barn Days at Sunrise Sanctuary
- Safe Outdoor Dining: Igloos, heated patios, and more
- Hilliard and Reynoldsburg Free KidsLinked.com KidsFest events
- Easter Basket Filler Ideas for all ages
- The Best Accessible Playgrounds in Columbus for all abilities
- St. Patrick’s Day Festivities at Fadó Irish Pub Easton
- Skate Zone 71 Discounts and Skate Parties
- Hit the Trail! Volume 6 of the Columbus Ale Trail has begun
Sign up with Columbus on the Cheap on Facebook HERE
COLUMBUS UNDERGROUND
Mega Weekend
Spring, Food & Volunteering
Have a great weekend! Enjoy the welcoming of Spring. Do a litter cleanup in your neighborhood.
Go on Fairfield County’s Sweet Tooth Trail.
Spring is here!
Help beautify the Community Grounds Pocket Park.
Welcome spring by performing 108 Sun Salutations!
Food Events
Shop the Beechwold Farm Market Community & Food Abundanza!
Learn to make brunch with The Sustainable Kitchen.
Saturday’s Pleasures of the Cup is Monocles & Brandy.
Order a Frida inspired meal from The Kitchen.
S’wich Social has opened in Italian Village.
Boxwood Biscuit Co has opened in the Short North.
The Blonde Bomb Bakery is doing a popup at Cultured Craft Brewing.
Try some beer & cupcakes at Olentangy River Brewing Company.
ENJOY EXPLORING ART
Secret Studio has a popup show of work by Brian Reaume on Friday.
Enjoy a production of Monty Python’s Spamalot.
Aries Spears performs at the Funny Bone.
Friday is the last day for An American Sunrise at The Vanderelli Room.
The Columbus Symphony’s Masterworks performance is Schubert’s Welcome to Spring.
There’s also a Six Strings Concert.
BalletMet presents Rainbow Etude. Hear The Paperweights.
Saturday is Chihuly Nights. Enjoy Jazz and the Struggle of Freedom.
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO
THIS WEEDKEND?
The Forum Columbus has some music Sunday night.
There’s another discussion about the Kossuth Street Garden.
Do a yoga & brew event at Play:CBUS.
Watch Happy Gilmore and drink beer with Grandview Theater.
Celebrate Mardi Gras in March with New Basics Brass Band.
Thanks for reading and enjoy your weekend!
edited by Connie Hammond (pictured above).
Email cmhammond11@att.net to subscribe to her Community Calendar or share meeting info.
Saturday, March 20, 2021, 10:00 – 11:30 AM. Central Ohio Workers Center New Member Orientation. What can you do in 2021 to advance the rights of immigrants and workers in Columbus? Join us for an online new volunteer and membership orientation. In this training you will learn about the key issues facing workers and immigrants today, understand the Central Ohio Worker Center’s mission and strategy for making Columbus a place for all people, and learn what you can do to have an impact. The orientation is a prerequisite for COWC membership but is open to all residents who wish to learn more about the COWC and about grassroots social justice organizing. RSVP on Facebook.
Saturday, March 20, 2021, 12:00 – 1:00 PM. Occupy for Our Revolution. Join Our Revolution each Saturday at the intersection of North Broadway and High street to demonstrate for peace and justice. Bring a mask and a sign or two in solidarity. Register here.
Saturday, March 20, 2021, 2:30 PM. End the Endless Wars: US Troops Out of the Middle East! 18 years after President Bush invaded Iraq on March 19, 2003, the US remains at war in Afghanistan and Syria. President Biden bombed Syria on February 25. The US continues to support the wars in Yemen and Libya, stations troops in Iraq and Somalia, and is selling arms to its allies Saudi, UAE, and Israel as they prepare to confront Iran. Syria and Iran are heavily sanctioned, including new “Caesar Act” sanctions which are devastating Syria’s civilian economy, and President Biden’s team is moving much too slowly to rejoin the Iran Nuclear Deal. Presidents change but the endless wars continue and escalate. Massive military budgets have driven massive inequality in the US. We need to divert those funds to pay for COVID relief, health care, infrastructure, and jobs, and to rapidly confront climate change. Candidate Biden said it is time to “end the forever wars”, but President Biden’s response has so far been cautious. Join a day of action March 20 to demand withdrawal of US troops, weapons and bombs from Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Syria, Iraq and all Middle Eastern countries, and an end to sanctions and threats against Iran and Syria. We demand an immediate military budget cut of at least 25%. This End the Endless Wars webinar will be accompanied by an online petition, social media toolkit, and local actions. Register here.
Monday, March 22, 2021, 7:00 PM. Water, Health and Human Rights: Marking World Water Day, from the U.S. to Palestine. Keynote: Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), sponsor of Emergency Water is a Human Right Act. The UN designated March 22 as World Water Day in 1993. In the years since, various UN agencies have declared water to be a human right that “should be treated as a social & cultural good, and not primarily as an economic good.” The UN General Assembly formally recognized water as a human right in 2010. These declarations have not stopped large corporations from turning water into a commodity to be bought and sold for a profit. In Indigenous lands in the U.S. and around the globe water resources have been plundered and polluted, with devastating consequences for traditional ways of living and the environment. The ongoing seizure and diversion of water to drive Indigenous peoples from their land have been tools of colonial domination from the Americas to Palestine and beyond.In the U.S. communities of color have disproportionately faced the poisoning of their water and environment. In some American cities water shutoffs for nonpayment of bills have forced people to leave their homes, paving the way for gentrification. Wars are already being fought over water and this is only going to continue as we confront the devastating effects of climate change. Texas recently experienced a ‘Gaza Strip’ moment, when the impact of a freezing storm and deregulated grid left people without power and drinkable water. The era of the Covid-19 pandemic has brought many problems into urgent focus, and access to clean water is one of them. Find out how you can get involved in campaigns for water justice. Register here.
Monday, March 22, 2021, 2:30 PM. This is Apartheid. Israel’s largest human rights group, B’Tselem, recently published a report ‘A regime of Jewish supremacy from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea: This is apartheid’. Palestinians have been pointing out the apartheid reality they live in for years, but B’Tselem’s declaration remains hugely significant. We’ll be speaking with B’Tselem’s executive director Hagai El-Ad, and renowned Palestinian lawyer and commentator Diana Buttu. Register here.
Tuesday, March 23, 2021, 7:00 PM. Equitable Public School Funding: Why it Matters & How to Get There. Learn how the FAIR SCHOOL FUNDING PLAN will provide an equitable, comprehensive, transparent funding model that will change the face of public education for 600+ School Districts and 1.7 million students across Ohio. Hosted by REAL TALK, in partnership with League of Women Voters Ohio, Ohio Education Association, Ohio Federation of Teachers, Ohio PTA, and WKSU Learning CurveMore Info: www.RealTalkLWV.org. Facebook.
Tuesday, March 23, 2021, 2:00 – 3:00 PM. Columbus Metropolitan Library Speak Up/Speak Out: Conversations About Race. The Color of Law. In The Color of Law, Rothstein describes how American cities became so racially divided through federal, state and local governments that systematically imposed residential segregation that includes racial zoning, public housing that segregated previously mixed communities, subsidies for builders to create whites-only suburbs, tax exemptions for institutions that enforced segregation and support for violent resistance to African Americans in white neighborhoods – policies that influence tragedies in places like Ferguson and Baltimore. Learn more at columbuslibrary.org/speak-up-speak-out. Register here.
Wednesday, March 24, 2021, 12:00 PM. Columbus Metropolitan Club. Solving the Affordable Housing Puzzle. According to a September 4, 2020 article in the ColumbusUnderground, “There have been plenty of reports and studies in the last several years on the shortage of affordable housing in Central Ohio. And last year, a $100 million housing fund was established and Columbus voters approved a $50 million bond package to address that shortage. A new effort was unveiled this week which aims to lay out a clear strategy both for the allocation of those types of resources and for making sure that the burden of tackling the challenge doesn’t fall solely on the shoulders of Columbus – that the many suburbs, towns and smaller cities throughout the region also take part. Featuring Lark Mallory, General Counsel and Director of CDFI Investments at Affordable Housing Trust for Columbus and Franklin County; Aaron Schill, Director of Data and Mapping, MORPC, and Jennifer Gorsuch Walters, President & CEO, Gorsuch Community of Companies. Host to be announced. Live on YouTube. More information here.
Wednesday, March 24, 2021, 7:00 PM. Death Penalty Action Webinar: Mothers, Daughters & Death Row. In recognition of Women’s History Month, Death Penalty Action is proud to uplift the voices and stories of women whose lives have been changed forever by the death penalty. Our panel will include: Sabrina Butler-Smith, the first woman exoneree, Lisa Brown, the mother of Christopher Vialva who was executed on September 24, 2020, Bethany Bourgeois-George, whose father, Alfred, was executed on December 11, 2020, and Melinda Dawson, who lost her mother to murder and her husband was wrongfully accused. Register here.
Wednesday, March 24, 2021, 5:00 PM. OSU’s President & Provost’s Diversity Lecture & Cultural Arts Series — featuring Dr. Robin DiAngelo. President Kristina M. Johnson and Provost Bruce A. McPheron invite you to attend the twenty-second annual, spring semester, Diversity Lecture and Cultural Arts Series at The Ohio State University. This program offers the campus and the Columbus community opportunities to benefit from some of the most eminent scholars, artists, and professionals who discuss and exemplify inclusive excellence through diversity. More information and registration here.
Wednesday, March 24, 2021, 7:00 PM. WEBINAR: Black Resistance in the Belly of the Beast. Join Dissenters for this online conversation on Black resistance in the “belly of the beast.” From chattel slavery to the violent enforcement of Jim Crow segregation, and from the brutal policing of Black communities to the disproportionate deportation of Black immigrants, Black people in the heart of U.S. empire have long faced the militarized violence associated with upholding racial capitalism on this land and beyond. And for just as long, Black folks have resisted empire, broken free from chains, built community and movements that transcend borders, and forged understandings of ourselves and our position in the world in a global context. More information and registration here.
Thursday, March 25, 2021, 7:00 PM. Your Rights & Risks under New Ohio Protest Laws. Protesting pipelines, fracking wells, power plants, and other polluting and dangerous “critical infrastructure sites” just got a lot harder now that Ohio SB 33 is law. What does this mean for you if you engage in public witness events? What are the new rules about liability for organizations, non-profits, churches, grassroots groups? How are the four new bills recently proposed in the Ohio Senate and House (SB 16, SB 41, HB 109, HB 22) designed to make it even more complicated to engage in public witness in the streets, sidewalks and at the Statehouse? Though the focus will be on Ohio, similar bills are making their way through state houses across the country. Guest Speakers: Tadd Pinkston, Pinkston Law and member of the Board of the Unitarian Universalist Justice Ohio and Rev Joan VanBecelaere – Executive Director of Justice Ohio. This program is part of Move to Amend, Central Ohio’s Speaking of Democracy series. Register here.
Thursday, March 25, 2021, 5:00 PM. ACLU Webinar: Everything You Need to Know About Redistricting. Every ten years, Ohio lawmakers redraw our state and congressional districts to reflect shifting populations as captured in the decennial census. However, this process will be different in 2021 than in decades past. For the first time ever, Ohio will redraw state and congressional districts in accordance with two constitutional amendments that were overwhelmingly passed by the public in 2015 and 2018. This webinar will focus on how Ohioans can expect this new process to unfold and how this new process can inject fairness and accountability into the historically partisan and secret process of redistricting. Register for the zoom link here.
MORE LOCAL CALENDARS
Columbus Free Press Activists Calendar Editor Bob Roehm
WCBE Arts & Life Calendar
READ OUR BE THE CHANGE COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Be the Change: Join Simply Living Individual membership rates have been reduced to $25 annually. Seniors, $20. Students only $10. Business memberships starting at $100 now include membership in the Ohio Sustainable Business Council.
Sign up online here or email HELLO@simplyliving.org