CINCY GREEN

10/10/10 World's Largest Day of Practical Action to Fight Climate Change

2010-10-07T18:51:00.000-07:00

Sustainability activists and community leaders will meet this Sunday in OTR for what will be a great event to support environmental initiatives throughout the world. The "Nati Work Party" will be one of thousands of events going on around the world initiated by 350.0rg. Starting at 10am, the event will include speeches by local leaders, an ecofair, and a volunteer work project for our city's urban farms!

Ecofair participants will include Central Ohio River Valley Local Food , Civic Garden Center, Home Energy Check-up, Park + Vine, MoBo Bicycle Coop, Keep Cincinnati Beautiful, Ohio Citizen Action, and Pick Up America. Scheduled speakers include Ken Stern (Findlay Market Urban Farm Manager), Larry Falkin (City of Cincinnati Office of Environmental Quality Director), State Representative Denise Driehaus, and United States Congressman Steve Driehaus.

The event will be held at Findlay Market's urban farm at the corner of Elm and Liberty. At 4pm, an after party will begin at Neons on 12th and Main that will feature live music and great spirits!

Hope to see you all there!

Buy Green: timed power strips

2010-09-27T18:57:00.000-07:00

Electronics and appliances can use valuable electricity even when they're turned off. Timed power strips eliminate this problem by shutting off the power to electronics and appliances when they aren't being used. Timed power strips are inexpensive and offer a quick return on investment through energy savings.

Cincinnati State provides training for a green workforce

2010-09-22T19:06:00.000-07:00

Cincinnati State Technical and Community College has quickly become the region's leader in sustainability education. As the number of green jobs in the U.S. continues to increase, access to quality instruction for professionals is becoming important. Many times, those looking for sustainable education opportunities are forced to commute long distances to receive training. Hopefully the availability of these classes will make Cincinnati a hot spot for green education and job growth in the future.

Cincinnati State currently offers a range of different sustainable education opportunities. Students can major in areas of study like renewable energy/energy efficiency, or they can choose to take certification courses at the Workforce Development Center. Certifications can be received in energy auditing, sustainable building (LEED), and solar panel installation.

Picture by 350.org

http://www.flickr.com/photos/350org/with/4038774628/

References: Green Home Improvement

2010-09-20T15:48:00.000-07:00

In Green Home Improvement: 65 Projects That Will Cut Utility Bills, Protect Your Health and Save the Environment, Daniel Chiras gives clear, succinct instruction on how to make your home more sustainable. Chiras is well known for his many published works on creating healthy, green homes.

Xavier University lecture series focuses on green urbanism

2010-09-13T17:57:00.000-07:00

In a couple of weeks, Xavier University will be kicking off its 2010-2011 lecture series, Ecology and Sustainability: Green Urbanism. Lasting until April 2011, the lecture series will focus on the strategies and challenges of creating a sustainable urban environment.

Will Allen, an urban farming expert, will be speaking on September 26 at 7:00PM. Allen is well known for his Milwaukee non-profit, Growing Power. Because of his efforts Allen received the 2008 Macarthur Genius Award.

Check out the entire lecture series schedule. Admission is free and open to the public.

Photo by: Travis Estell

http://www.flickr.com/photos/taestell/

Buy Green: Envi Home Energy Monitor

2010-09-13T17:05:00.000-07:00

The Envi Home Energy Monitor ($120) makes tracking home energy use fun and easy. Attaching the monitor to your electrical box allows you to receive real time information about how much energy your home is consuming.

The monitor has some really great features. The monitor itself is wireless and can typically be taken anywhere around the house. The monitor updates energy usage every six seconds, making it easy to tell which appliances are using the most energy in your home. These features alone make this a great buy, but the coolest thing about this monitor is that it can connect to Google Power Meter, an application that allows you to track your home's energy usage on the internet.

Mark your calendars!

2010-09-12T21:14:00.000-07:00

There are some great events happening around town in the coming months!

9/15: Greening your roof

9/16: Healthy Cleaning Seminar

9/18: Park and Vine Dolly Brigade

10/2-3: Ohio Solar Tour

10/17 Healthy and Green Expo

The Village Green Foundation

2010-09-07T08:03:00.000-07:00

Though the outdoor growing season is coming to a close, now is still a great time to learn about gardening. The Village Green Foundation, located in Northside, is a blossoming coop where people of all skill levels can come together and garden in an urban environment. For $40 and 5 volunteer hours annually, anyone can gain access to a plot of land behind the foundation's green house. Green house space is also available upon request. The Village Green Foundation is a great place to meet new people and share knowledge about sustainable food growth.

1415 Knowlton St.
513-541-0252

Resources: The Urban Homestead

2010-09-06T06:59:00.000-07:00

Learn how to grow your own food and live sustainably in an urban environment.

The Urban Homestead: Your Guide to Self-Sufficient Living in the Heart of the City
Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen

Buy green: kilowatt meter

2010-09-06T06:23:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wandered how much electricity that old refrigerator in your basement uses? You may be surprised that many of your old appliances can be costing you up to $75 a month! Buying an inexpensive, portable kilowatt meter can help you save a ton of cash in the long run by showing you how much energy each of your appliances is using.

Cincinnati Habitat's first green build progressing

2010-08-29T17:54:00.000-07:00

Cincinnati Habitat's first green rated home is progressing nicely and should be ready for shingles and siding within the next couple weeks. The house is located in College Hill on 1141 Homeside and is slated to receive green building certifications from the National Association of Home Builders and Energy Star.

The design for the home came from a contest held by Habitat affiliates in Ohio and the Ohio American Institute of Architects Committee on the Environment. Architects around Ohio entered hoping to have their green designs built by Habitat. Allison Beer and Jessica Farmer of SHP Leading Design won the contest and their design is the one currently being built in Cincinnati.

Check out Cincinnati Habitat's Green Building Blog for progress updates and green building info!

UC Re*use market

2010-08-26T15:51:00.000-07:00

UC will be holding another Re*use market from Aug.30-Sept. 1. The Re*use market occurs at the end of each term when students and teachers are typically getting rid of extra stuff. Anyone can go to the market and donate or pick up items for free! All extra stuff is donated to charity. It's a great way to prevent perfectly good items from taking up space in our landfills! 12:00pm-6:00pm daily at Old St. George on Calhoun.

DIY: Installing a low-flow shower head

2010-08-26T08:22:00.000-07:00

Installing a low flow shower head is easy and can save up to 2/3 of your water during showering. Take a look at these easy installation instructions. Make sure to also pay attention to the instructions provided with your new shower head.

Green directory addition: Cincinnati Maintenance

2010-08-25T14:17:00.000-07:00

Looking for an eco-friendly cleaning service? Cincinnati Maintenance offers a variety of green, healthy cleaning services for homes and businesses.

Cincinnati Maintenance

Green buy of the week: GCEA energy audit

2010-08-25T13:50:00.000-07:00

Request a $50 home energy audit from the Greater Cincinnati Energy Alliance. Comprehensive energy audits usually cost $300-$500. Take advantage of this great subsidy provided by GCEA. Once your audit is complete, energy experts can determine if any energy upgrades are needed. GCEA also provides financial incentives for these upgrades.

Healthy Cleaning Seminar

2010-08-24T08:13:00.000-07:00

Learn about green, healthy cleaning strategies with Cincinnati Maintenance and Greener Stock on September 16th at 6:30pm.

Do it yourself: Make your own cleaning products

2010-08-22T09:27:00.000-07:00

Take a look at these great, non-toxic cleaning formulas.

Make your own cleaning products

Cincinnati becoming more bicycle friendly

2010-08-19T08:19:00.000-07:00

Over the past year, Cincinnati has been making steady improvements in infrastructure and initiatives aimed at making the city more bicycle friendly. In 2009, neighborhoods like Clifton, Northside, OTR, and East Walnut Hills made improvements to bicycle infrastructure. In June 2010, City Council approved Cincinnati's first comprehensive bike plan. The plan includes legislation that protects cyclists and adds 329 miles of bike friendly street infrastructure over the next 15 years. Some of the legislation has already been implemented throughout the city. Take a look at the progress!

Northside bike Corral (pictured above)

Located on Hamilton and Lingo, this recently installed bike corral can hold up to 12 bikes in one automobile parking spot. More of these should be coming to commercial areas around Cincinnati in the future. Northside has also added 28 other bike racks to the business district.

Parking garage ordinance

All new or expanded parking garages in Cincinnati will now have to provide 1 space of bicycle parking for every 20 spaces of automobile parking. Bicycle spaces max out at 24.

Safe distance law
Passed in late June, this legislation requires all drivers to give cyclists at least 3 feet of space when passing. The law also prohibites people from driving and parking in bike lanes. I can tell you from personal experience that this legislation was much needed. Hopefully the city has an advocacy or signage plan so everyone actually knows about the law.

Clifton bike parking
29 bike racks were installed on Ludlow Avenue during the sidewalk renovation. Every parking meter has a metal ring for locking bicycles.

Dana bike lanes
Two automobile lanes were removed from Dana Avenue between Madison and Griggs to make room for the addition of bike lanes.

Ohio River Trail
Construction has been moving along on what will be 23 miles of trail from Coney Island to Sayler Park. The trail will eventually connect to the Little Miami Scenic Trail, which will connect all the way to Lake Erie when completed. http://ohioriverway.org/ohiorivertrail/

Sharrows
Yes, those arrows with the bikes on them do have a name. Sharrows were painted on areas of Clifton Ave., Ludlow Ave., and Madison Ave. as a pilot project by The City to test their effectiveness. The pilot project showed that bike ridership went up when sharrows were put in place.

Queen City-South Mill Creek Greenway Trail
Construction has already begun on this biking/hiking trail along the Mill Creek. When the first three phases are complete (around 2012), it will stretch from Mitchell Ave. to the Mill Creek Rd. Bridge. Over the next five years, plans involve connecting the trail to the Ohio River Trail at US 50.

Bicycle Maps!

Food for thought...
Does Cincinnati have inherent qualities that make it more or less bicycle friendly?

Green directory addition: MOBO Bicycle Coop

2010-08-19T05:57:00.000-07:00

MOBO bicycle coop has been added to the green directory! Located in Northside (1415 Knowlton), the coop's mission is too make cycling more practical and accessible for those in Cincinnati. For an annual fee of $20.00, you can use the shops tools and resources to work on your own bike. You can even adopt a donated bike.

MOBO Bicycle Coop

Natural Awakenings: Cincinnati's ReLeaf Program

2010-08-16T13:15:00.000-07:00

Read about Cincinnati's ReLeaf Program!

Natural Awakenings Green Living

Do it yourself: Seal air leaks

2010-08-12T07:24:00.000-07:00

Learn how to find and seal a variety of air leaks in your home.

Seal air leaks

Green buy of the week!

2010-08-11T18:50:00.000-07:00

Save potable water by watering plants with rain water.

Simply Rain Barrels

Local energy incentives: part III

2010-08-09T07:52:00.000-07:00

Until the passing of the new Home Star legislation (fingers crossed), this will most likely be thelast post about local energy incentives. If you want to do some research on your own about energy incentives, you can visit Dsireusa.org.

Cincinnati property tax abatement for green buildings
Any building in the state of Ohio that achieves LEED certification is eligible for up to 15 years of property tax abatement. This incentive is capped at $500,000 dollars unless the building receives LEED Platinum in which case the incentive has no limit. Unfortunately, this incentive only applies to homes if they are new construction. LEED does not have a certification for home renovations.

Hamilton County Property Improvement Program
This legislation has been around for years, but it can really make energy efficient upgrades more affordable. The Property Improvement Program allows home owners to acquire a loan for home improvements and repairs. The interest rate for the loan is set at 3% below the lowest rate that a bank would normally offer. The loan could be used for energy efficient upgrades and the addition of renewable energy. When the price of an energy efficient upgrade is spread over a loan, pay back occurs much sooner. The incentive is capped at $50,000 and is only available to properties worth less than $350,000.

Residential energy efficient tax credit
This tax credit applies to the installation of energy efficient products and systems into an existing home. The credit equals 30% of the cost of energy efficient HVAC, roofing, insulation, water heaters, biomass stoves, windows, and doors. The limit for the credit is $1,500 every two years. The equipment must be in compliance with the stipulations set forth by the Federal Government.

Check out my earlier posts about energy efficient incentives for more info!
Part I
Part II

Photo provided by Darren Hester
http://www.flickr.com/photos/darrenhester/3937449949

OTR Homegrown

2010-08-05T07:33:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, I stumbled across some of the Over-the-Rhine Homegrown gardens while taking photos for the blog. I spoke with Mark, who told me a little about the program and how it works.

OTR Homegrown is a group dedicated to providing organically grown, healthy produce for the community. Through community involvement, the organization spreads the word about healthy eating and sustainable living. In 2010 OTR Homegrown has teamed up with Findlay Market, the Civic Garden Center, the Cincinnati Human Relations Commission, and the City to increase production and distribution of healthy food.

Both gardens are on Pleasant st. just south of Findlay Market. OTR Homegrown is at Findlay Market Sundays 10AM-3PM and Tuesdays 3PM to 6PM. For information about volunteering and other initiatives , please visit the OTR Homegrown website.

Thanks to Mark for letting me in to take pics!

The 411 on Cincinnati's new recycling program

2010-08-02T18:24:00.000-07:00

Check out this week's Natural Awakenings article about Cincinnati's new recycling program.