June 21, 2023 - View online

Sustainability Spotlights

Cincinnati Attorney Helps Settle "Forever Chemical" Lawsuit

Robert Bilott is the subject of the 2019 film Dark Waters (starring Mark Ruffalo as Bilott), which follows Bilott's case against DuPont after poisoning a West Virginia town with PFAS.

Green Umbrella Board Member Robert Bilott is one of the plaintiffs' attorneys in a recently settled lawsuit against three chemical companies - DuPont, Chemours, and Corteva - that asserted their products contaminated public water systems with PFAS, or "forever chemicals".

The companies are set to pay $1.19 billion to a water district settlement fund. Green Umbrella celebrates Bilott & the rest of the legal team for this milestone achievement in holding companies accountable for actions that harm people and the environment.

PFAS do not naturally appear in the environment and are used in thousands of products, from fast-food wrappers to raincoats to nonstick pans. A 2015 study reported that 97% of the American population has PFAS in

the bloodstream, including newborn babies, a number that reflects how widely contaminated water sources are with these chemicals. PFAS do not break down in the body and accumulate over time. They can cause cancer, birth defects, and fertility issues, and can disrupt hormonal & immune systems.

Local Candidate Education Nights

This July, Green Umbrella, in partnership with the Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund, will present educational events about sustainability action and policy for local political candidates. Candidates are welcome to register campaign staff as guests (these are not public events; they are exclusively for candidates and their staff).

Event dates:

July 20 - confirmed Cincinnati City Council & School Board candidates

July 27 - confirmed Greater Cincinnati Mayoral, City Council, & Commissioner candidates

Regional sustainability leaders will discuss how to prepare communities to act, where resources and elected champions are needed for continued progress, and how to leverage forthcoming state and national funding.

For more information, contact Savannah Sullivan, Green Umbrella Senior Director of Programs.

Dive into the Green Cincinnati Plan

Sustainability is the future of cities, and Cincinnati is leading the way with the 2023 Green Cincinnati Plan (GCP). At the Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit, local leaders discussed the development of the GCP and how they will utilize it in the coming years as a guide for the growth and development of Cincinnati across multiple sectors including community & equity, jobs & innovation, and even as a tool to address the housing crisis.

Green Umbrella and the City of Cincinnati are co-hosting a free virtual event on July 25th where you can hear more about the details of the 2023 Green Cincinnati Plan and ask follow-up questions of our local elected officials.

Featured speakers include:

Meeka Owens, Cincinnati City Council Member
Liz Keating, Cincinnati City Council Member
Denise Driehaus, Hamilton County Commissioner
Oliver Kroner (Moderator), City of Cincinnati Director of Environment & Sustainability

National Pollinators Week

This week is National Pollinator Week! 75% of the world's flowering plants and about 35% of food crops depend on pollinators, and it's not just bees - wasps, butterflies, spiders, birds, bats, and more are all pollinators.

Pollinators are in trouble. Their habitats are decreasing, natural disasters are increasing, and temperatures are rising - all related to climate change. Supporting healthy ecosystems and mitigating climate impact will help pollinators locally and across the world.

This June 19-25, you can celebrate National Pollinators Week by visiting some of our

local parks with pollinator gardens; supporting organizations like the Queen City Pollinator Project; and taking action in your own backyard to create a healthy environment for pollinators of all kinds.

Does your organization have a green success story that you want to share? Email our Communications Coordinator at kelly@greenumbrella.org with details and you may be

featured here in Green News or on Green Umbrella's social media!

Sustainability in the Headlines

Community Input Inspires the “Spoke” 4th Street Bridge Design - Soapbox Media

Cincinnati Zoo Helps Reduce Sewer Overflow Into the Ohio River - Fox19

Miami Gets Recognition for Sustainability Practices - Oxford Observer

Cincinnati Startup Aims to Revolutionize Health Care - Soapbox Media

Cincinnati Metro Rolls Out New, On-Demand Service in Two Neighborhoods - WLWT

How One Hack-a-Thon is Driving Sustainable Innovation & Business Ventures - Cintrifuse

Freestore Foodbank Opens New Riverside Facilities - WVXU

Featured Events View our full events calendar

One-Time Events:

June 22:

The Emergence of Agrivoltaics 12:00 pm, Green Energy Ohio

USGBC Leadership Awards Celebration 5:00 pm, U.S. Green Building Council

June 24:

Third Annual Repair Fair 1:00 pm, Imago

2023 Co-Op Fest 4:00 pm, Co-Op Cincy

June 25: 4th Sunday History Tours 12:00 pm, Cincinnati Observatory

June 28: 75th Anniversary at Smale Riverfront Park 1:00 pm, ORSANCO

June 29: 40th Anniversary Party Summer Soiree 4:00 pm, Alloy Growth Lab

June 30: Horticulture Team Work Day 9:00 am, Civic Garden Center

July 1: Volunteer Day at Camp Washington Perennial Farm 10:00 am, Common Orchard

Summer Series:

Hub Garden Classes, Botany Bistro - Civic Garden Center

Wild Wednesdays, Art in the Park, Thursday Science Series - Kenton County Parks and Recreation

Tech-Free Tuesdays, Kindness in Motion, Living Green - Warren County Parks

Kayak Basics - Great Parks

Cooking Improv - La Soupe

Yoga in the Arboretum - Boone County Arboretum

Professional Development and Grant Opportunities

Great Parks is looking for proposal bids for their mechanical, electrical, and and plumbing system audit of three Great Parks destinations. Persons interested in bidding to provide the 2030 District MEP Audit must complete and submit the Bid Proposal Packet linked here by June 30. Any questions prior to the proposal deadline can be directed to Stephanie Bacher.

Applications are now open for the new City of Cincinnati's Environmental Advisory Board. The EAB will serve a key role in advancing policy recommendations of the Green Cincinnati Plan. Members of the EAB are responsible for advising the City Manager and Council on environmental issues. Apply here and select "Environmental Advisory Board" among the listed options.

The Cincinnati Permaculture Institute is offering a Permaculture Design Certification training to be held at Antioch College over three weekends from July 14-30. This training is accessible to beginners as well as experienced home gardeners, farmers, artisans, nature enthusiasts, and more.

The U.S. Department of Energy announced its Building Upgrades Prize, which will award more than $22 million in cash prizes and technical assistance to teams across America with winning ideas to accelerate widespread, equitable energy efficiency, and building electrification upgrades. Phase 1 submissions will close on July 18.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has recently announced the PROTECT Program (Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation), a new opportunity to fund fund projects addressing climate resilience of transportation systems, including improving highways, public transportation, ports, and intercity passenger rail. Application deadline: August 18, 2023.