January 2023 - View online

A Message from our Climate Action Director

Happy January everyone! Our Climate Action team is already well on our way to an action packed 2023 with the Regional Climate Collaborative in full swing. Applications for Collaborative memberships are still open. We’ve had several communities join already including Fairfield OH, Covington KY, and more. We look forward to welcoming your local government or nonprofit–if you haven’t already, apply by February 28th to receive a Founding Member discount.

Some first Collaborative actions of 2023 will include our first working group meetings (dates to come!), a workshop with the Urban Equity Climate Compact, and a funding tracker for members. We’re looking forward to participating in this year’s Data for Equity cohort alongside partner Scioto Analysis to forecast climate health impacts across Greater Cincinnati, host community listening sessions, and support the Collaborative  in the development of solutions for the forthcoming Regional Action Playbook. Through the Climate Safe Neighborhoods Partnership with Groundwork Ohio River Valley, we will be hosting two more Climate Advisory Groups in Southwest Ohio (Avondale and Norwood) and expanding into Northern Kentucky.

Savannah presents at the Green Umbrella Annual Meeting in December 2022.

And if you haven’t already, be sure to register for this year’s Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit! The Collaborative will be hosting its first in person Bi-annual Regional Meeting during the conference, featuring regional to national partners and opportunities.

As always, thank you for your interest in and support of this work. Until next time!

Savannah Sullivan, Climate Action Director
savannah@greenumbrella.org

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Check out these Climate Action highlights from the end of 2022

• We hosted 8 listening sessions and a racial equity training with Race Forward. These informed the formation of 5 working groups for the Regional Climate Collaborative. 

• We were a key partner in the implementation of the Green Cincinnati Plan Focus Area Subcommittee and Equity Committee Meetings. Check out the draft plan, which is now open for public comment.

• Savannah attended the National Adaptation Forum in Baltimore and Urban Sustainability Directors Network Midwest Meeting in Indianapolis, and Tyeisha attended the National Zero Waste Conference and the Residential Retrofits for Energy Equity Summit!

SPOTLIGHTS

Join the Greater Cincinnati Regional Climate Collaborative TODAY!

Membership & Partnership applications for Green Umbrella’s new Regional Climate Collaborative (RCC) are open! Counties, cities, universities, NGOs, villages, districts, and more can join the RCC. Members & Partners will receive access to special climate trainings, funding attained by the RCC, and more.

The RCC will take action through five working groups: Building Local Capacity, Community Listening & Engagement, Elected Officials,Preparing Partners & People, and Regional Funding & Resources. To see the RCC's projects, visit the link here. 

Click here to learn more about joining the RCC! The Founding Member/Partner discount has been extended until February 28th–join your peers and sign up today!

Perks of Joining the Greater Cincinnati Regional Climate Collaborative

Last year we heard from regional communities that they want support building political will for climate action, developing collaboration opportunities, and creating funding opportunities. We’ve also heard that they want their local governments to create comprehensive sustainability plans. This is where Green Umbrella’s Regional Climate Collaborative comes in where membership can support your

community’s progress on sustainability, equity, and resilience. Check out all the perks that come with membership here. Are you gearing up to address green infrastructure, zero waste, resident engagement, or other key needs in your community? You receive two consultations with certified experts!

Learn more here or email Savannah with any questions.

Success Stories from Regional Climate Collaboratives Across the Country

Earlier this month, the Greater Cincinnati Regional Climate Collaborative joined three other collaboratives at a national panel to discuss success stories and learn from each other. Edith Makra of the Greenest Region Compact shared how 144 out of 275 of Greater Chicago’s municipalities have agreed to work to achieve sustainability goals in their community and in collaboration with other municipalities 

since 2007. BayCAN in Greater San Francisco highlighted how they provide adaptation resources, consulting services, webinars, and more to local governments across the Bay. The Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact, which is a decade old collaboration across four counties, showcased their recently published Regional Climate Action Plan 3.0. Green Umbrella joined to share the perspective of a recently launched collaborative and the innovative activities we’ve undertaken, and plan to kickstart this year–see our About and Projects pages to learn more.

FEATURED COMMUNITY

Colerain Township, OH

This quarter we’re excited to feature Colerain Township, Ohio! Colerain Township and Colerain Chamber of Commerce teamed up with other government, nonprofit, and private partners to create a cross-sector collaborative sustainability group–Team Up to Green Up Colerain. In their first year, the group launched an adopt-a-block clean up program, committed more than $50,000 to street trees, and engaged dozens of residents to take action. In Spring of 2022, the Township Trustees approved a plan to provide

for the diversion of nearly 30% of the energy usage from the Colerain Senior and Community into a new solar array. 60 solar panels are going to be installed for this project. The Township has also analyzed existing zoning code to determine how it supports or hinders solar development, and began tracking solar permits issued through our monthly dashboard and through an online map. Check out Colerain’s 2022 “Clean, Green, Prosperous & Safe” strategic plan and budget to learn more. Congratulations, Colerain!

NEW ON THE CLIMATE ACTION BLOG

Highlights from the Greater Cincinnati Regional Climate Collaborative Survey

Alex Weintraub, Climate Action Intern

Check out some key findings to date from our open climate preparedness survey. If you haven’t filled out the survey, make sure you do so to ensure that your community is represented! Fill out the survey here.

GU Climate Action Team Hosts Three Interns from Oberlin College
Alex Weintraub, Ana Santos, and Elijah Busch, Climate Action Interns

In January 2023, the Climate Action team hosted three interns from Oberlin College. Every year, Oberlin students get to spend their January as a “Winter Term,” completing an independent project or internship with an organization or company. We were fortunate to host Alex Weintraub, Ana Santos, and Elijah Busch. Read on to hear about their background, what work they supported at Green Umbrella, and some key takeaways!

EVENTS

2023 Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit

Green Umbrella leads collaboration, incubates ideas and catalyzes solutions that create a resilient, sustainable region for all.