Must Hear, Watch, and Discuss this Weekend! The Inside Story of a True Hero Who Exposed Dow and Monsanto’s DIOXIN Fraud and Coverup in the film The People Vs Agent Orange
Get details below but TODAY at 5 pm (Fri Oct 22) Carolyn Harding will be interviewing the modest and brilliant protector of forests from herbicides, Carol Van Strum, along with film directors Alan Adelson and Kate Taverna.
Our own Bill Lyons will be there to explain how you can watch the film this weekend and join a discussion of the film at 2 pm Sunday on Zoom. Background on Grassroot Ohio’s show on 94.1 FM WGRN show here.
Register to watch the film and join the discussion on Sunday at 2 pm here.
Review: The People Versus Agent Orange
A Harrowing Yet Hopeful Exposé of Agent Orange’s Assault on America
“Most Americans think of Agent Orange as something from the distant and disagreeable past—as dated as hippie vans and tie-dyed T-shirts. But the truth is that Agent Orange is still with us. And will be for decades to come.” ~ Gar Smith Review here. Includes a clip of the 80 year old Carol Van Strum receiving the David Brower Lifetime Achievement award at the Public Interest Environmental Law Conference. She was introduced as the “Soul Sister of the Lorax.” 🙂
Co-sponsored by Simply Living and the Ohio Community Rights Network
Zoom Discussion: Sunday, October 24, 2021, 2:00 PM EST
You will have 48 hours to watch the film prior to the discussion!
Two women, one American and one Vietnamese, fight to hold the chemical industry accountable for a devastating legacy. Nearly 60 years following the use of Agent Orange in the Vietnam War—the deadliest use of chemical warfare in history—the devastating after effects of the toxin remain lethal, demanding attention both in Vietnam and at home in America. The People vs. Agent Orange closely follows two activists as they take on the chemical industry, and demand accountability for the pernicious legacy caused by the use of this poisonous herbicide.
More info here. Register here. Please consider a donation of $5 per film or $20 for the series to help defray the cost of the film, and support the work of OHCRN and Simply Living.
Tired of the Consumer Society Run by Global Corporations? Ecosystems exploited for Profit? Is there an alternative? Yes!
To help you decide if our new Sustainable U course is for you, spend some time on LocalFutures.org and if time permits, watch the award winning film, Economics of Happiness. It’s free to watch online and the issues addressed in the film will be explored in the course. Details below or Sign up here.
Tuesdays Starting Oct 26th 7-8:30 pm
Is there an alternative to Neoliberal Economics
and the Global Consumer Economy?
How can we scale up promising local alternatives?
Can we invest in people and communities at the levels needed
to transition to a sustainable society in this decade?
Come delve into these issues and learn from innovative thought leaders like Charles Eisenstein, David Korten, Stacy Mitchell, Michael Shuman, Helena Norberg Hodge, Judy Wicks, et al. Read short articles, interviews, watch films and discuss them with each other using the following course topics.
Course schedule (attend all, or as you choose)
October 26 – Introduction and orientation
November 2 – Globalization
November 9 – Local Economy
December 7 – Community Localization
December 14 – Big Picture Activism
Course facilitator is Chuck Lynd. Details and Registration link here
“What’s our favourite documentary of all time? The one film we wish everyone could see? Hands down, this is it. It is truly one of the most important and useful films for inspiring change that has been made in a generation.” – Films for Action –
Community Meeting for Transit Justice
Event by Sierra Club Ohio, Simply Living and Sunrise Columbus
Please join Columbus transit riders as we meet together to improve our bus service. We’ll learn about current transit initiatives, share our experiences and ideas, and take action for change! Food and beverages will be provided.
Please mask while in pavilion for meeting.
The OEC Emerging Leaders Council invites renters to engage with us and our partners about how to live sustainably and advocate for equitable living conditions as a renter. Register here: bit.ly/envirorent
Hear from advocates and experts from Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO), Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO), Simply Living, Ohio Student Association, 3 Tree, and GreenSpot.
There will be break-out rooms to debrief, discuss, and hear thoughts about each of the topics presented. Leave with actionable steps you can use to push your home toward sustainability. Bring a friend or two! Let’s explore sustainable living and renting and learn from one another.
Spirit and Money – This is a pre-recorded webinar course. Self paced.
Introduction to Solar PV – This is an online course. Spirit and Money – This is a pre-recorded webinar course. Self paced.
Residential Solar Installation and Design – Online. Spirit and Money – This is a pre-recorded webinar course. Self paced.
“Future generations, if there is a liveable world for them, will look back on this epochal transition we are making to a life-affirming society. And they may well call this the time of The Great Turning.
It is happening now.” ~ Joanna Macy
TUES NOV 9 @ 5:30 pm. Register
AUTHOR TALK ON GLOBAL WARMING AT WHETSTONE LIBRARY Join author Paul Robinson at the Whetstone Library meeting room for a presentation and discussion of his new book: Global Warming: Can It Be Stopped? We will discuss and explore the science, psychology, and the morality of climate change. Join us! Books will be available to purchase.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM SIMPLY LIVING’S BE THE CHANGE COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Fri Oct 22nd 2:00pm – 3:30pm (EDT)
Co-produced by the Institute of Noetic Sciences and the Scientific and Medical Network Register Now (Free)
Please register even if you can’t attend live and you’ll receive a link to the recording. More on our Calendar here.
In The Wisdom Principles: A Handbook of Timeless Truths and Timely Wisdom Dr. Ervin Laszlo, an authority in the fields of new science, consciousness, and spirituality, bridges the chasm between our understanding of science and the truths of spirituality, bringing an essential and timely message of wisdom to the world. Laszlo offers principles of empowerment that will guide the choices we can make for years to come, and allow us to move confidently towards a better future.
Join SWACO and dozens of local partners for National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, held annually in April and October each year. This event is conducted in partnership with local law enforcement and communities throughout Franklin County at collection events which provide families, residents and seniors a safe, convenient and responsible way to dispose of unused or expired prescription drugs. Free. All Drop Off locations are listed on our calendar here.
NEXT WEEK: LIL’ RED and the ROOSTER back from Chicago!
Sun Oct 24th 5:00pm (EDT)
Many Ohioans are kept from full participation in our communities because they lack a car. Citizens will share their stories of attempting to use the existing transit options and how the lack of efficient public transportation is impacting their lives. Info & Registration here.
Wildlife Victims of Our Plastic Explosion
Tue Oct 26th 6:30pm – 8:00pm (EDT)
This program is free and open to the public, but you must register in advance using the link below to receive the Zoom link. See you there (virtually)!
audubon.zoom.us/j/99300427281?pwd=ZHlzcTI1NlZFejk4MVVoa0k5ZTE2UT09&from=addon
Background info on Dr. Root on our calendar here.
Community Connect — an online networking event!
Tue Oct 26th 8:00pm – 9:30pm (EDT)
Join us for a fun and informative virtual gathering for people interested in intentional community.
Imagine a sweet gathering in the common house, but online and with communitarians across the world. Welcome to Community Connect — a monthly networking experience all about intentional communities.
Wed Oct 27th 5:00pm (EDT)
Three Ways to Reduce Your Environmental Impact Today webcast! We invite you to join us for Webcast Wednesdays in September, October, and November to learn about accessible changes you can make to reduce your ecological footprint, engage in collective action with your fellow Green Americans, and get motivated to finally stop shopping on Amazon. Registration is required!
Info and registration for each event are on our calendar here.
Wed Oct 27th 6:00pm – 9:00pm (EDT) #Party
Join us for an exclusive (socially-distanced) preview party of select pieces that will be featured in Wild Art Columbus the following day. We’ll have a cash bar, complimentary horderves and a raffle to win free rental space at Wild Goose Creative and more. Members of Wild Goose Creative get first look from 6:00-7:00pm and discounted admission to the event. Not a member? Become one for as little as $5/month. More info and registration on our calendar here.
“A simple line painted with the brush can lead
lto freedom and happiness.” ~Joan Miro
Are you curious about gardening in your community? Gardening can be a great way to bring people of all backgrounds together to improve their community and grow healthy food. Please join us to hear from folks who are doing incredible gardening work in their community.
We are excited to welcome Roberta Eaglehorse-Ortiz of the Wombyn’s Wellness Garden; Michael Chaney of Project Sweetie Pie; and Gary Oppenheimer of AmpleHarvest.org to our upcoming Green American webinar. Each of our guests will share their organization’s story and model for how they build community through gardening. REGISTER
We’re very excited to be hosting Bartow Elmore for a reading and discussion of his new book, Seed Money: Monsanto’s Past and Our Food Future .
Elmore is a writer and professor of environmental history at OSU who writes about the impact that large corporations have on our environment. His newest book, Seed Money (which just dropped last week!), is an in-depth investigation of the outsized influence that Monsanto has had on our food and on our planet. The book is on our shelves now! So swing by the store to pick up your copy or order it here, and don’t forget to register for the event.
NEWS + RESOURCES
FOR LIVING LOCAL
Each week Annie & Jay Warmke present a radio program (which appears on WOUB radio (NPR) and WGRN (Pacifica). The program is also syndicated on the Pacifica Radio Network.
When the BioMass Hits the Wind Turbine is a serious, but not too serious, look at issues surrounding sustainability and sustainable living.
Link to Podbean Hosting of Podcast
Listen live on 94.1 FM Fri 11:30 am or Sat at 8:30 am. More at WGRN.org here.
RECONNECT with Nature: Heritage Trail Park
The future is local. There is a growing international movement to resist the dominant paradigms of globalization at all costs and unbridled capitalism, to restore strong local economies and tight-knit communities. But in order to have strong local economies and communities, we have to address the destructive nature of the automobile.
The food we waste (about a third of all food produced!) is responsible for roughly eight percent of global emissions. In addition, meat-centric diets contribute to about one-fifth of global emissions. How can we reduce the pressures on ecosystems and land, while meeting the growing demands for food and fiber worldwide? Matt Scott, lead of storytelling at Project Drawdown, hosts this edition of Project Drawdown Dialogues, featuring Leah Lizarondo (412 Food Rescue), Alexandra Garcia (World Central Kitchen), Tony Lee (Pinterest’s PinCuisine), Caesaré Assad (Food System 6), and Regina Anderson (Food Recovery Network). Learn how we can shift the ways we produce, consume, and use (or waste) food for physical and planetary health. Tune in to Drawdown Dialogues
“Having a place means that you know what a place means…what it means in a storied sense of myth, character and presence but also in an ecological
“The Great Turning is both the individual awakening to the light of the soul and the spiritual emergence of humanity. It is the shift from our war-weary adolescence as a human species to our conscious adulthood.” ~ Craig Schindler
Why this blatant “sales pitch” for Bill Cohen’s annual “songs of gratitude” concert is not outrageous
by Bill Cohen
For 8 years now, some musical friends and I have put on a Black Friday concert of songs that express gratitude for many of our blessings: friends, family, freedom, nature, art, music, laughter, our bodies, and our emotions.
We’ve used the free event to declare: instead of joining the day-after-Thanksgiving buying frenzy, let’s be grateful — not for glitzy, high-tech things — but for the simple, intangible aspects of our lives that give us true joy.
Heck, it’s almost as if the folks at Simply Living dreamed up this event. After all, when Simply Living was created, one of the driving founding ideas and ideals was — if we stopped buying so much shiny plastic junk to keep up with the Joneses, we could all be less stressed and more happy, plus the environment would be cleaner. Read the full blog here.
Time to revisit the limits to growth! Learn more and plan now to join this hybrid event here
Making Concrete More Sustainable
How Do I Get Rid of My Old Barbecue Grill?
How To Start a Regenerative Garden in Your Backyard
Did you learn something new today?
Please Support Earth911 database updates so we can help others recycle!
Listen on your radio or online anytime!
CALENDARS!
LIVE LOCAL, BUILD COMMUNITY #SIMPLYLIVING
Good, Cheap, Fun
- Howl at the Moon Grand Opening Party
- KidsLinked.com’s Columbus STEM & Arts Expo
- Kelton House Museum: 19th Century Life and Underground Railroad Stop
- Pumpkin EVERYTHING at The Great Circleville Pumpkin Show
- Safe Trick-or-Treat and Trunk-or-Treat in Columbus
- National Prescription Drug Take Back Day
- Over 265 free or cheap events this weekend in Columbus!
- Crew Fest, Crew Spooktacular, and Columbus Crew Games and Promos
- Trunk or Treat and Halloween Movies at the South Drive In Theatre
- 2021 Schedule for Trick or Treat in Columbus
- Gahanna Fall Fun, CORA Outdoor Refreshment, and more
- The Great Westerville Pumpkin Glow features 1000’s of carved pumpkins
- Haunted Woods, Haunted Houses, and more around Columbus
- 15 Spooky Ghost Tours around Columbus in 2021
- Over 80 events celebrating Fall and Halloween in Columbus
- Over 85 Indoor Play Places and Activities for kids around Columbus
- Celebrate a traditional 1890’s Halloween at All Hallows’ Eve at Ohio Village
Check out Wes Williams and the landscaping services he offers:
https://www.plantconnections.net/
COLUMBUS UNDERGROUND
Mega Weekend
A Spooky Weekend with HighBall, Ghostbusters, Nightmares and More
Here’s a rundown of fun things to do this weekend. Tig Nortaro is coming in January and tickets go on sale Friday at 10am. Enjoy your weekend!
Spooky Events
Make candles and watch Night of the Living Dead.
Learn the ‘Tales of the Arena District.‘
Watch Ghostbusters at the cemetery. Paint pumpkins.
What is Creepy Columbus? Make a spooky terrarium.
Shop the Cult of Curiosities Market.
Attend NEVERMORE, an evening of haunted verse, then later, BLOODBATH.
Enjoy HighBall Halloween, this Saturday at ExpressLIVE!
Fun Things to Do
The Wizards & Wands Festival is happening.
Easton Unplugged features Paisha Thomas.
There’s a Speakeasy at Samson’s.
Uptown Worthington hosts their Fourth Friday event.
Buy books from Bookspace.
Enjoy Circleville Pumpkin Show by Saturday.
Check out new music festival Manifestavibe.
Shop Sunlight Market.
Go to Crew Fest. Enjoy the No Time to Die Beer Tasting.
ENJOY EXPLORING ART
Fright Club will be there live.
ROOTS takes over Franklin Park Conservatory’s The Wells Barn.
Wil Haygood has events about his new book this weekend.
Young Frankenstein continues at The Garden Theater.
The Columbus Symphony presents Brahms & Dvořák.
Are you attending Art for Life?
Streetlight Guild opens Personal Mythologies, an art show curated by April Sunami.
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO
THIS WEEDKEND?
There’s a comedy show at Brothers Drake.
See Heather McMahon on tour at the Palace.
Tom Papa is in town at the Lincoln.
It’s open mic night at Freedom a la Cart.
There’s a comedy tour at Pretentious Barrel House.
The Citadel has its Grand Opening on Saturday.
Columbus Crew SC takes on New York.
Help paint a fence in Schiller Park.
Do yourself an early new year’s resolution and
sign up for a class with Hanif Abdurraqib.
Thanks for reading and enjoy your weekend! A great community is an informed community. Want to help keep our news free for all and support our small, local company?
Your support helps Columbus Underground further our mission.
We can pay the ecological debt by changing economic models, and by giving up luxury consumption, setting aside selfishness and individualism, and thinking about the people and the planet Earth. ~ Evo Morales
edited by Connie Hammond (pictured above).
Email cmhammond11@att.net to subscribe to her Community Calendar or share meeting info.
Friday, October 22, 2021, 12:00 PM. Homeward Bound: Refugee Return and Local Conflict. As the number of refugees worldwide has risen to unprecedented levels, the international community touts refugee repatriation as the preferred solution and endpoint to displacement crisis. But conflict between returning and non-migrant populations is a nearly ubiquitous issue in post-conflict societies from Iraq to South Sudan to Guatemala. University of Southern California Professor Stephanie Schwartz argues that refugee return creates new social divisions between those who fled and returned, and those who stayed. OSU Mershon Center. Register here.
Friday, October 22, 2021, 10:00 PM. Arna’s Children with the Palestine Foundation. Join the Palestine Foundation for a screening of Arna’s Children and a discussion with the Friends of the Jenin Freedom Theatre. Register here.
Friday, October 22, 2021, 4:00 – 5:00 PM. Honk and Wave for Our Revolution. Join us at the pedestrian bridge overlooking route 315 (near Whetstone Park) as we wave to the folks on their way home for the weekend. bring signs and a smile and a wave! Location: 4261 Olentangy River Rd, Columbus, OH 43214. Register with Our Revolution here.
Saturday, October 23, 2021, 12:00 PM. Opposing Militarism: A Key Task For Climate Justice. Anti-militarism/peacebuilding and climate justice intersect in many ways: from shared roots in capitalist extraction to manifestations in endless wars to protect access to fossil fuels and enrich weapons manufacturers. The Pentagon is both the single largest institutional polluter on the planet, and the largest enforcer of fossil fuel greed at the expense of our land and futures. The confluence of the climate crisis and rampant militarism — two existential crises — demands our attention and centering in our work. Massachusetts Peace Action. Register here.
October 23-31, 2021. Host a Virtual Meeting with Coalition of Immokalee Worker Leaders for your organization. CIW leaders will be available for virtual presentations about the dual threats posed by the COVID pandemic and deadly heat waves to essential farmworkers in our country’s fields, and how the award-winning Fair Food Program has added new, life-saving protections to its award-winning human rights standards to address these dangers. CIW leaders will be going on a (virtual) speaking tour through Wendy’s hometown of Columbus, Ohio, from October 23-31 to raise awareness about the urgent need for real, enforceable human rights protections for hundreds of thousands of essential farmworkers in corporate supply chains, and the unique power of the Fair Food Program to monitor and enforce farmworkers’ fundamental human rights. We’re counting on our supporters in Columbus to help us connect with local leaders, so if you’re a professor or part of a student group, congregation or community organization and would like to host a CIW farmworker leader for a presentation while we’re virtually touring your city from the grassroots, fill out this form to get it on our calendar today.
Monday, October 25, 2021, 2:00 – 3:30 PM. What is Fueling Climate Change? COP26 will open at the end of October. The 2021 UN Climate Change Conference will bring together parties for two weeks in Glasgow to accelerate action toward the goals of the Paris Agreement. Since the recent urgent warnings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the increasing extreme weather, the public awareness of climate change is rising. A recent poll shows that now only 18% of the U.S. public denies or is skeptical. Whether governments will be willing or able to take serious action will depend on public pressure. As we prepare for COP 26 we will hear from three experts from different parts of the world about some of the factors that are fueling climate change. Manuel Pérez-Rocha of the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington DC will explain how trade agreements are designed to protect the interests of fossil fuel investors regardless of the effects on the public. Lucia Barcena of the Transnational Institute will talk about the Energy Charter Treaty We also go to South Africa where geographer Patrick Bond will show us how his government is adding to climate change. And then Canadian oceanographer Paul Snelgrove will discuss the impact of climate change on the world’s oceans.The earth’s climate has reached tipping points that are changing the natural world in ways that add even further to climate change. For example, the warmer climate has warmed the oceans and that results in more intense hurricanes and heavier rainfall. Draught leads to wildfires whose smoke adds greenhouse gasses that traps even more heat in the atmosphere. In the earth’s natural system everything is interconnected so that climate change produces further climate change. This webinar is part of a weekly series featuring thought provoking speakers on a variety of social issues. The Center for Global Justice is devoted to research and learning for a better world. We offer these webinars every Monday at 1:00pm. Tune in at www.globaljusticecenter.org. You can also view past programs there.
Tuesday, October 26, 2021, 12:00 PM. Ohio Environmental Council Training. Advocacy in Your Backyard: How to Make a Difference in Your Community.There are tons of ways cities and counties can take action to protect our environment. Getting involved right in your backyard can be a good way to help spur action. We’ll take a look at how you can use public meetings, letters to the editor, and other tactics to get your community to make positive changes for our environment. Join us to learn more about how the decisions our cities and counties make impact our climate, our parks, and our waterways. Register here.
Tuesday, October 26, 2021, 1:00 – 2:00 PM. ICE Detention is Expanding: Where We Are and How We Advocate to End Detention. Since entering office, the Biden administration has nearly doubled the number of people locked in U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention; extended existing contracts with private prison companies in some communities that have explicitly rejected ICE detention; started a contract to detain immigrant youth; and signed an agreement to open a new massive, for-profit immigrant detention center. Join us for updates on these troubling developments in the U.S. immigration detention system and how you can get involved in ongoing efforts to resist this harmful expansion. Register for the National Immigration Justice Center webinar here.
Tuesday, October 26, 2021, 7:00 PM. Worthington Interfaith Neighbors presents: Sharing Our Stories. Spiritual But Not Religious – What’s That? With Linda Mercandante. WIN is pleased to offer a topic exploring an important aspect of current American culture – the movement of many in our population away from organized religion – presented by a pre-eminent researcher in the subject. Linda Mercadante, Ph.D. (Rev.) is Distinguished Research Professor Emerita at Methodist Theological Seminary of Ohio (MTSO) and Founder of HealthyBeliefs.org. She focuses on the intersection of belief and culture, especially in the “spiritual but not religious” movement. Author of 5 books and hundreds of articles, her most recent is the award-winning Belief without Borders: Inside the Minds of the Spiritual but not Religious (Oxford). As an internationally-known public speaker, she has been featured on NBCs The Today Show, The New York Times, WOSU, and many other media outlets. Her husband, Joseph Mas, is a criminal defense attorney and Vice Mayor of Worthington, OH. The surging “spiritual but not religious” (SBNR) movement is the hottest “religious” news in many decades. Although the U.S. was once the most devout nation in the industrialized West, now religious affiliation is rapidly declining. In order to make sense of this, we will consider: Who are the SBNRs? What do they believe? And what might this mean for the U.S.? All are welcome. There is no charge for this program. To request your Zoom invitation and meeting ID number, please email windiversity@gmail.com.
Wednesday, October 27, 2021, 7:00 PM. Ask an Ohio Abortion Expert. Wondering how to support abortion providers, funders, and patients? Concerned about what’s on the horizon for abortion access in Ohio? Will Ohio follow Texas’ lead? Join NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio and Preterm on October 27th at 7pm for a virtual Q+A, with panel support from our friends at Women Have Options-Ohio and Patients to Advocates. Whether you have a specific, medical-based question, or you’re wondering about why activists call themselves “pro-abortion”, these experts will be there to answer all the questions you have about abortion but may have not had the space to ask. You can submit your questions, even the hard ones, over the next few weeks through our event registration, each respective organization’s Instagram stories, or the supplemental Google Form in the Facebook Event. More information and link to registration on Facebook.
Wednesday, October 27, 2021, 12:00 PM (program). Columbus Metropolitan Club: Who Represents Who? Redistricting and Gerrymandering in Ohio. With the results of the 2020 U.S. census in hand, U.S. lawmakers are now redrawing the lines of 429 House districts in 44 states and 7,383 legislative districts across the country. In Ohio, the state’s 11.8 million residents will now be divided into 15 congressional districts, down one district due to the Buckeye State’s slower population growth. Ohio is also using a new redistricting system this cycle designed to make redistricting fairer and less partisan, although the process is unproven, and it will likely involve as much back-room horse trading as public debate. How is Ohio’s demographic landscape changing? What are the implications of redistricting on free and fair elections in Ohio, and what does a gerrymandered legislative map mean to Ohio voters already skeptical that their votes matter? Featuring Kyle Kondik, political analyst and author of ”The Long Red Thread: How Democratic Dominance Gave Way to Republican Advantage in US House Elections,” Jen Miller, Executive Director, League of Women Voters of Ohio, Sam Gresham, Chariman, Common Cause Ohio and Principal, Sam Gresham International (SGI), and Terry Casey, Republican Consultant, with host Jessie Balmert, State Government Reporter, Cincinnati Enquirer. More information and registration for the luncheon and in person meeting here. You can also still join us on the CMC YouTube Channel to view and participate in the community conversation during this livestream event.
MORE LOCAL CALENDARS
Columbus Free Press Activists Calendar Editor Bob Roehm
WCBE Arts & Life Calendar
BE THE CHANGE: BROWSE OUR COMMUNITY CALENDAR
