Win a prize package of pastries by signing up for the Simply Living Annual Meeting!
There’s no better time than now to sign up for Simply Living’s Annual meeting. If you register by 11:50 p.m. this Friday, April 16, you will be entered in a raffle to win one of three prize packages that includes tasty pastries from Freedom a la Cart! The package also includes a set of organic cotton face masks from Naturepedic of Cuyahoga Falls provided by Ohio Sustainable Business Council, and a copy of the latest YES! Magazine. READ THE FULL BLOG POST.
Sunday, April 18 from 5 – 7 pm
Simply Living’s Virtual Annual Dinner Meeting
to Recognize Local Leaders, New Board Members, 2021 Plans, and more!
REGISTER NOW – FREE!
It’s that time again! It has been quite a year since we last convened for the Simply Living
Annual Meeting. We are excited to welcome our members, allies, and the public as we share our
progress and goals for this onward year. Register for this online event at http://bit.ly/SimplyLiving2021
MEET SIMPLY LIVING’S NEW DIRECTOR
CATHY COWAN BECKER
AND OUR 2021 AWARD WINNERS
Cathy Cowan Becker is a longtime leader on environment and sustainability issues in Columbus and Ohio. Most recently, she has chaired the Ready for 100 campaign, asking cities to move to 100% renewable energy. Cathy led the campaign in Columbus from 2017-2020, when it was instrumental in advocating for putting Community Choice Aggregation for 100% renewable energy on the city ballots of both Columbus and Grove City. She also works with Ready for 100 teams in Dayton, Toledo, and more.
Last year we awarded Cathy Cowan Becker the Carol Fisher Award for Community Service, and this year Cathy will pass the community service torch in recognizing exemplar Claus Eckert of Green Columbus who will receive the 2021Award for Community Service. We will also recognize bright beacon Rita Haider as Outstanding Volunteer, unwavering anchor Lisa Kreischer as Outstanding Staff Member, and social-media-post-savvy Savannah Smith as our on-board social media amplifier. In addition, we have added a new award called the Momentum Award to recognize organizations, and will recognize Sunrise Movement Columbus Hub for their momentum in the sustainability movement. Hub leader Vicky-Abou Ghalioum will be on hand with several of the hub’s members.
MEET OUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS!
owner of Green Roots, LLC
owner of Sloan Saxbe Creative
We are pleased to announce that Kai Landis and Robert H. Sloan have agreed to join its Board of Directors.
Kai Landis is founder and CEO of Green Roots, LLC, a women-owned and MBE/EDGE certified small business located in Columbus. Green Roots is a sustainability-minded consulting firm helping clients meet their event and project goals while taking into consideration the environmental, financial, and social impact.
Robert H. Sloan is owner at Sloan Saxbe Creative, Columbus, Ohio. Sloan Saxbe creative strives to boost clients’ brands and help build revenue with great graphic design and promotions, having been in business since 2016. Bob is a down-to-earth graphic designer and writer with extensive print, print purchasing, curriculum design and web design, including corporate and agency, experience.
Read the full press release here & Register free here
2040: Join the Regeneration
VIEW THE FILM MONDAY, APRIL 19
JOIN THE Q&A PANEL DISCUSSION
TUESDAY, APRIL 20 AT 7 PM
Sign up on Eventbrite: tinyurl.com/jdsvjna
Donations of $1 or more are requested. More info here
Conversation in the Woods:
Guided Nature Walks with Cindy Lanese
Sunday, April 25 at 2 pm at Riverlea Woods
$10 donation with all proceeds to support Simply Living
Details and registration here
Invisible Hand: The Rights of Nature
Sunday, Apr. 25, 2021, 2 PM
Must See Film! Register
Free $5 donation requested
From Executive Producer Mark Ruffalo comes the world’s first documentary film on the Rights of Nature Movement, a “Paradigm Shifting” story about the current global battle between capitalism and democracy where the fight for our survival is at stake. Sponsored by Simply Living and the Ohio Community Rights Network. More info about this important Democracy film series here.
Link and password to view the film will be sent out Saturday, April 24.
The film will be available for a 24 -hour period before the Q&A,
which starts promptly at 2:00 pm on Sunday the 25th.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM SIMPLY LIVING’S BE THE CHANGE COMMUNITY CALENDAR
and important role young people play in building a sustainable future. More here
JAVA CENTRAL CAFE
20 State Street, Westerville 43081
Dianne will emphasize her zero waste, sustainable, regenerative, lifestyle and the edible food forest she has cultivated in her suburban backyard.
Details and link to the virtual gathering here
Overall Economic Impact Study of ECDI’s Lending to Ohio Entrepreneurs by Bill Lafayette, Ph.D.
SWACO Plastics Expansion 2.0 Recycling Webinar with Rumpke Waste & Recycling Details and Registration
Weds April 21 4 – 5 pm
Our April webcast will introduce you to regenerative gardening: what it is; how it works; and how you can transform your window planter, balcony, lawn, or a nearby vacant lot into a space that captures CO2 and produces healthy food. more here
Weds April 21 6 – 6:15 pm
An Earth Day celebration of local and global efforts to protect and restore the monarch butterfly.
Details and Registration here
Thursday April 22 from 2-3 pm
Join us for virtual community conversations as we continue to discuss race and social justice in Columbus and in America.
Thurs April 22 7 – 8:30 pm
Details and Registration here
The events listed above are a fraction of those listed just this week. There are many more!
Browse now. Select the Monthly View to find events quickly.
NEWS + RESOURCES
FOR LIVING LOCAL
Want solar training? Get a discount!
We are super excited to announce a new partnership to provide a $50 discount for Simply Living members who sign up for online solar classes offered by Annie and Jay Warmke of Blue Rock Station.
The online classes include:
Introduction to Solar PV
For those new to solar. How solar works, system options, parts of the system, and how to determine if your location is right for solar. (10 hrs) Cost: $99.
Residential Solar Installation & Design
Complete system design and installation course for residential PV systems. Prepares for industry certifications. (46 hrs) Cost: $199.
KISS THE GROUND EARTH MONTH NEWSLETTER
REGENERATIVE EDUCATIONAL TOOLS
SEVEN PATHWAYS TO LEARNING
- READ: dive into our downloadable resources
- WATCH: check our our full Video Library
- LISTEN: enjoy our weekly conversations on the Kiss the Ground Podcast
- EXPAND: choose a Stewardship or Partner Course that fits your focus
- QUESTION: find out what’s so important about soil anyway
- CONNECT: join the KTG Community on Mighty Networks
- JOIN: our passionate community of members for behind-the-scenes access into the regenerative movement
KISS THE GROUND EDUCATIONAL CUT
This month, the National Science Teachers Association is releasing the Kiss the Ground movie curriculum along with the free 45-minute long school-version of the film to over 250,000 science teachers. This will be the first time drawdown, carbon biosequestration, and regeneration are taught in schools as part of an NSTA curriculum, and already 8,690 schools, parent-teachers and other learning institutions have registered for the free educational cut.
2 young physicians looking for a rental house, apartment, or condo
2+ bedrooms > 1.5 bathrooms
2 parking spots with available street parking for guests
Flexible lease duration, would love 6 or 9 month option
Lease start date in July or august
Within 30 minutes driving to pickerington, new Albany, and Ohio state medical center
<$2500/month
Natural light, storage, and space for a dining table
In unit washer and dryer (not just hookups)
Please contact us at: stevenandjanaki@gmail.com.
There is still time to join us in celebrating Earth Month and take action on Project Drawdown’s 80 most substantive solutions to reversing climate change. Sign up today and join our global Community team, or join a team with your friends and family, work, school, or place of faith.We have over 7,000 people participating right now – help us get to 10,000 and add to the collective impact through your actions. SIGN UP NOW
The easiest thing you can do to help avoid climate catastrophe: Support upcycled foods
Food waste accounts for more than 8 percent of all human-made greenhouse gas emissions, making it a big contributor to climate change.
What happened at the April Free Press
Second Saturday Cyber-Salon
Mark reminded the group that Earth Day is in April and went over the history of the celebration and how indigenous people have been the target of environmental racism and how they’ve fought back, particularly recently over the DAPL pipeline. He quoted Chief Seattle: “The Earth does not belong to us, we belong to the Earth.” Lynn Stan shared a link for the city’s urban forest plan and Cathy Cowan Becker recommended the site Murdered & Missing Indigenous Women and the Stop the Money Pipeline website.
The first speaker was WGRN 94.1 community radio programmer and Free Press/Central Ohio Green Education Fund Board member Tim Chavez.
Four producers spoke about their programs and the importance of community radio: Annie Warmke from “When the Biomass Hits the Wind Turbine,” Evan Davis of “Conscious Voices,” Joe DeMare from the show “For a Green Future,” and WCRS producer Bryan Curtiss celebrating 10 years of his show, “The DJBC Happy Hour.”
Mark introduced Cathy Cowan Becker, the new Executive Director of Simply Living. She talked about Simply Living and everything that organization offers. They are co-sponsoring a solar workshop and you can get a discount if you’re a Simply Living member. You can visit their online marketplace or donate to Simply Living and/or attend their (virtual) annual meeting.
Our weekly newsletter is out! We are partnering with Green Bexley to help you celebrate this Earth Month!
And so much more. Have a read and see you soon! https://conta.cc/3tnNgFY
Come in to the store to make a pledge!
RECYCLE: BAGS Bringing your own bag and donate to a cause
REFILL: Have you refilled your household soaps yet?
There are so many ways to celebrate Earth Day and honor our beautiful planet. If you’re raising young stewards of the Earth,
consider starting an Earth Day tradition that the whole family can revisit each year. We have some ideas to get you started. more…
Has your plastic shower curtain seen better days? While recycling options are limited, we have plenty of reuse ideas
as well as suggestions for greener replacements. more…
No worries! You can watch it here: https://youtube.com/watch?v=Z34AfT2D5aE
(left to right clockwise – chamomile, nigella, malva, poppy, calendula, larkspur,
snapdragon, celery, blanket flower, bee balm).] Read the blog by Jodi Kushins
Late winter and early spring have been so much richer since I started growing seedlings a decade ago. Indoor seed starting gives me months more pleasure watching things germinate and tending to plant babies in the nursery. This year was no different. I started right around New Year’s and now the basement seeding station and high tunnel are packed with product for our 5th Annual Pollinator Lovers’ Plant Sale with Bernadett’s Farmacy and starts for our CSA.
I feel at once like the soundtrack for my life in this moment could be Aerosmith’s “Back in the Saddle Again” and The Beatles “Here Comes the Sun’.” This time of year is really busy on the farm and it’s also a time of rising up from winter’s slumber. We’re savoring the last days of “soup season” and enjoying the bright fresh herbs and greens. I’m working on this idea of holding conflicting ideas in my head at once. It’s a theme that seems to keep popping up for me.
Read the full blog and enjoy lots more great pictures from Over the Fence Farm!
Stratford Ecological Center in southern
Delaware County an eco-friendly oasis
Naturalist Jim McCormac wrote an article in the Dispatch about Stratford, one of Simply Living’s favorite local gems! We wrote a blog with excerpts from his article and a link to the full article here.. We added some information about our own relationship to Stratford. Check out the blog here.
FRIENDS OF PUBLIC BANKING WEBSITE
https://friendsofpublicbanking.org/
As the public banking movement continues to surge forward, everyone can now learn about banking in the public interest and declare your support for the creation of public banks. Check it out now
“Like music and art, love of nature is a common language
that can transcend political or social boundaries.”
—Jimmy Carter
Tuesday, April 20 at 7 pm
A Conversation with Legendary Guitarist/Songwriter Richard Thompson!
Join the profoundly influential guitarist and songwriter Richard Thompson as he shares his beautifully written memoir, Beeswing: Losing my Way and Finding my Voice, an intimate look at a period of great cultural tumult, and his own pivotal years of 1967 to 1975. Richard will be interviewed by music devotee Alec Wightman, whose Zeppelin Productions has promoted national act singer-songwriter concerts in Columbus since 1995. Alec is a board member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, where he served as Chair from 2013 to 2016.
Registration is on Eventbrite for this Zoom Webinar event. A general admission ticket to access the event is $5; a ticket that includes Beeswing waives the admission fee and is $30, which includes tax. Registration closes at 5:00 pm on the day of the event. Zeppelin Productions and Natalie’s are Gramercy’s Community Partners in presenting this program.
Listen on your radio or online anytime!
CALENDARS!
LIVE LOCAL, BUILD COMMUNITY #SIMPLYLIVING
In This Issue…
- Over 105 free or cheap events this weekend in Columbus
- Taste of Greece brings Greek favorites in May for carryout
- Planetarium at Ohio State is closed; explore Space with at-home programming!
- Specials and events for Earth Day in Columbus
- Breakaway Music Festival returns to Columbus in September
- Mitchell’s Berries Daffodil U-pick and Special Farm events
- Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit in Columbus
- Sign up with Columbus on the Cheap on Facebook HERE
COLUMBUS UNDERGROUND
Mega Weekend
Sunlight Market, Cleanups, and Sports are Back!
Let’s see what is happening this weekend. Support Black Lives Still Matter at the Ohio Statehouse on Saturday. You have lots of opportunities to help clean your community up! Pick up your Urban Living Tour ticket. Sports are back. Have a great weekend.
Shopping and Food
Stop by the Pearl Market Mini-Market tonight at The Nicholas.
Echo Spirit has a launch party for their Pineapple Rum.
Try some pizzas in Grove City. 3060 Artworks has a Saturday Art Brunch. Bookspace has a sale.
Enjoy an afternoon of shopping along Gay Street and a nice brunch at Due Amici during the Sunlight Market on Sunday. 400 Square as a Spring Arts Fest on Sunday.
Community Cleanups
You can help clean up the MPACC Box Park.
Clean up trash along Broad Street in Highland West.
Help Friends of Goodale Park give the park a clean up.
Do some spring cleaning at the Kelton House.
Clean up with Community Grounds Coffee House.
ENJOY EXPLORING ART
Ohio Shorts play at the South Drive-In tonight.
View some animations and films with CIF+VF.
CATCO’s gala is virtual on Friday. CAPA’s ApART Together concerts continue.
Take in a Columbus Symphony performance. Tune in for Nighttime Symphony. ProMusica’s SpringFest continues.
JAGtv welcomes Alexa Tarantino.
Congratulations to all being recognized in the Short North Gala.
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO
THIS WEEDKEND?
Learn about Greenlawn Cemetery and then go on a bike ride on Saturday.
The Clippers have exhibition games that are open to the public.
Sign up to share your Love Story at Secret Studios.
What’s going on with COTA + LinkUS?
Ohio State’s Spring Game is Saturday.
Life is better with you here visits Sole Classics on Saturday.
Enjoy watching Face/Off with a beer.
Columbus Crew SC takes on the Philadelphia Union in their home opener.
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.
Friday, April 16, 2021, 5:00 – 5:30 PM. GrassRoot Ohio With Carolyn Harding. Our mission is to profile every-day people working on important issues and to connect them with other folks who want to help. Conversations with every-day people, working on important issues here in Columbus and all around Ohio Justice: environmental, social, racial, economic, w/ folks on the front lines. LISTEN TO 94.1 FM and stream US online at WGRN.com. You can find all GrassRoot Ohio podcasts/shows on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-42674753. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/grassroot-ohio/id1522559085 and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAX2t1Z7_qae803BzDF4PtQ.
Saturday, April 17, 2021, 10:00 AM. Fighting Corruption in Ohio. Ending the Political Influence of Wealthy Individuals and Corporations in State Government. The 2020 First Energy scandal was unprecedented in scale, yet the big money involved symbolizes the consistency in which the wealthy corporate entities shape public policies, preempt local control, and prevent Ohioans from having our voices heard and our needs met. It doesn’t have to be this way, and it shouldn’t be this way. Hear from strong pro-democracy state legislators and friends and supporters of Move to Amend about efforts to fight corruption in Ohio. Speakers: Ohio Senator Nickie Antonio and Ohio Representative Mike Skindell. Move to Amend Ohio State Network. Register here.
Saturday, April 17, 2021, 1:00 – 3:00 PM. Climate & Militarism Teach-In Series. Part 3. Roots: Digging deeper into the ideologies that feed these structures — imperialism, racism, US exceptionalism, patriarchy, etc. Though the climate crisis has become something clearly worth addressing for so many of us, our understanding of what caused, perpetuates, and is caused by the crisis could often stand to be deeper. Particularly for those of us who grow up in the U.S., one aspect of the crisis that we rarely understand is how it is intertwined with militarism. The U.S. is perhaps the most violent empire in history. Its tentacles stretch to almost all corners of the world, and it concerns itself with maintaining supremacy at very high costs. Yet, we in the core of empire rarely see it for what it is. Therefore, we also fail to see how U.S. militarism is deeply intertwined with the U.S. role in the climate crisis. Fully addressing the crisis cannot be done until militarism is understood and dismantled. More information and registration here. More information and registration here.
Sunday, April 17, 2021, 2:00 PM. GrassRoot Ohio With Carolyn Harding. Our mission is to profile every-day people working on important issues and to connect them with other folks who want to help. Conversations with every-day people, working on important issues here in Columbus and all around Ohio. Justice: environmental, social, racial, economic, w/ folks on the front lines. LISTEN TO 94.1 FM and stream US online at WGRN.com. You can find all GrassRoot Ohio podcasts/shows on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-42674753. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/grassroot-ohio/id1522559085 and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAX2t1Z7_qae803BzDF4PtQ.
Monday, April 19, 2021, 9:00 AM. Ohio Virtual Advocacy Day. Ohio Moms Demand Action’s Advocacy Day is our chapter’s biggest legislative event of the year where we join together and call on lawmakers to address the public health crisis of gun violence. This year, we’re meeting with state lawmakers virtually rather than in-person to ensure everyone’s health and safety. We’ll hear from expert panelists including state lawmakers, learn about legislative advocacy and gun violence prevention policy, and take what we’ve learned to meetings with members of the Ohio State Legislature. Join Us–All Day, Part of the Day or On-Demand! We’d love to have you join us in whatever capacity you can. Only able to join for part of the day? That’s great! Unable to attend on April 19? Register for the event and you will receive access to our online Advocacy Day platform all week long! Access the platform to view recorded videos, information on gun violence.
Tuesday, April 20, 2021, 5:30 PM. Clintonville Area Progressives Happy Hour. Our guest will be Ty Marsh, head of SWACO to discuss recycling. This is an important opportunity to discuss how the City and County are confronting disposal issues. Meeting: https://ashlanduniversity.zoom.us/j/92908262225. Meeting ID: 929 0826 2225. Dial by your location: +1 646 876 9923 US.
Tuesday, April 20, 2021, 4:30 PM. Unequal power sabotages workers’ ability to protect themselves. Workers at risk of coronavirus infection and harm in the workplace received neither adequate protection from their employers nor compensation for their added risks during the pandemic. This can only be understood as a consequence of unequal workplace power. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the law that created it have also failed workers. Willful inaction in deference to employers and the weaknesses in the law have proven that these basic protections—as essential as they are—are inadequate for many of the hazards in workplaces of the 21st century. The pandemic laid bare two major worker-safety misconceptions that jeopardized workers’ health and economic well-being, especially for low-income and Black and brown workers. Unequal power in the workplace deprives workers of the ability to protect themselves from injury, illness, and death on the job. Similarly, lopsided employer power prevents most workers from obtaining adequate compensation for the inherent health risks they face at work. This webinar will delve into the overhaul needed to bolster OSHA and increase worker bargaining power, so workers across the country can obtain good health and safety on the job. Economic Policy Institute. Featured speakers: Peter Dorman,Emeritus Professor of Political Economy, Evergreen State College. Leslie I. Boden, Professor of Environmental Health, Boston University. Ann Rosenthal, former Department of Labor General Counsel, OSHA. Discussant:
Randy Rabinowitz, Executive Director, OSH Law Project. Moderator: Bernice Yeung, reporter, ProPublica. Register here.
Wednesday, April 21, 2021, 6:00 PM. Race & Redistricting: The Voting Rights Act & Ohio Mapmaking. Join Fair Districts Ohio, League of Women Voters of Ohio, Common Cause Ohio, the League of Women Voters of Ohio, and the Ohio Council of Churches for a discussion of the federal Voting Rights Act and its impact on map-making in Ohio in 2021. Moderated by Brandi Slaughter from the Ohio Council of Churches, panel members will include Celina Stewart of LWVUS, Alora Thomas of ACLU Voting Rights Project, and Dr. Lisa Handley, international expert on race and democracy. Register here.
Wednesday, April 21, 2021, 12:00 PM. Challenging Colonialism in Literature. Conversations with The Nation. Join one of America’s most highly regarded writers in conversation with Katrina vanden Heuvel talking about his own experience as a refugee in America, how we’ve seen anti-Asian violence through history, and some of the ways he thinks people can help their communities. Tickets are $10. There will be ample time devoted to audience questions and conversation. All proceeds directly support The Nation’s journalism. More information and registration here.
Wednesday, April 21, 2021, 3:00 PM. Local Solutions to address Climate Change. Local Solutions to Climate Change: A conversation with Rachael Belz, executive director of Ohio Citizen Action and Carla Walker, Climate and Environmental Justice Advocate. How can we address climate change with community-driven solutions? How can we preserve local parks and green spaces, ensure clean air and water, and reduce carbon emissions that are undermining our children’s futures? Yes, the Paris Climate Accord, Biden Administration and Congress have key roles to play. But what can we do in our own back yard to make progress in the battle against climate change? Register here.
April 22 – May 2, 2021. Climate Reality Leadership Corps Virtual US Training. With a new president and a new Congress ready to act, 2021 is our moment for change. To face the climate crisis devastating the planet. To confront the systemic racism destroying dreams and lives across the US. More information and registration here.
MORE LOCAL CALENDARS
Columbus Free Press Activists Calendar Editor Bob Roehm
WCBE Arts & Life Calendar
READ OUR BE THE CHANGE COMMUNITY CALENDAR
The hierarchical, top-down power structures
that ruled the world for thousands of years
are collapsing before our eyes. ~ Kalle Lasn
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