Twenty-seven candidates have filed for Cincinnati City Council, the most since 2021. Green Umbrella and partners invite you to join a virtual candidate forum about climate action and policy in Cincinnati for City Council and School Board candidates running for local office. All candidates will be invited to share their positions and plans on issues related to climate, environmental justice, and resilience.

What should we ask the candidates? Submit your questions by September 26 here.

The recently announced 2025 Green Workforce Development Grant Round of the Seeds of Change Program will support green workforce training and education initiatives.

At least two organizations will be awarded funding, with grants between $10k-$30k. Eligible projects may include expanding training capacity, enhancing or launching green job programs, or reducing barriers for trainees. Interested applicants can attend a virtual information session on September 8. Applications are due September 30. Learn more here.

This grant round is supported by an award made to Green Umbrella in service of the Green Cincinnati Plan’s goal to increase the number of green jobs in Cincinnati by 4,000.

What makes a building healthy? Why does it matter? How can you make your building healthier?

The Greater Cincinnati 2030 District is one of the only 2030 Districts in the country that has made an explicit commitment to helping building owners and managers to improve their properties on indices of occupant health and well-being. Our next Sustainability Breakfast will feature a panel discussion on the benefits of “healthy buildings”. Panelists include Jessica Glorius D’Angelo, MA Design; Yasha Ogg, Cannon Design, and Dawn Schwartzman, Enriching Spaces.

Join us for a morning breakfast buffet, mingle with other sustainability enthusiasts, and learn about how to make your building truly healthy. Learn more at the link here.

The 2025 Ohio Energy Conference in Columbus is the premier gathering for energy providers, technology innovators, and consumers looking to connect, collaborate, and stay ahead of the curve. Whether you’re seeking new customers, career opportunities, or insights into Ohio’s evolving energy landscape, this event offers unmatched access to the people and ideas shaping the industry’s future.

Hosted annually by the Energy Coalition of Ohio since 2021, the conference continues to grow in impact. Discounted tickets are available to friends of Green Umbrella (until they run out!). Use code COLLABORATE2025OEC when registering to receive your discount. Learn more here.

Great Parks is partnering with Cohen Recycling for residents to drop off old or unwanted electronics in Hamilton County this fall. This year’s electronics recycling dates are September 6 at Miami Whitewater Forest Harbor, October 11 at Woodland Mound’s Breezy Point, and November 1 at Winton Woods’ Harper Meadows. All events are on Saturday from 9:00 am-12:00 pm.

Items with cords, or that take cords, can be dropped off, including computers, cellphones, DVD players, video game systems, telephones, remote controls, batteries, laptops, tablets, fax machines, keyboards, microwaves and more.

Through their Community Solar Resilience Program, the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden has donated solar panels for two Talbert House communities. The two communities have 94 units, 49 of which house veterans. The solar panels are expected to save Talbert House more than $450k over the next 25 years.

The zoo’s Community Solar Resilience Program has also worked on projects at New Prospect Baptist Church, Rockdale Academy, Lincoln Heights Elementary, John P. Parker Elementary, and Frederick Douglass Elementary School. “These projects help reduce emissions, help improve our air quality, and help get those electricity bills down for trusted community organizations… that can really benefit from those savings,” said Megan O’Keefe, Sustainability Project Manager at the zoo. 

In an effort to educate residents and improve air quality by 2028, the Cincinnati Health Department and the Office of Environment and Sustainability collaborated to create the Cincy Air Watch Project, a subset of the 2023 Green Cincinnati Plan.

The initiative includes the installation of air monitors that collect data that appears online, allowing people to access information about the city’s air quality whenever they want. “Thirty-seven monitors have been placed so far with the goal to place one in every neighborhood. It was important to us that we place these monitors at locations that people go [to], so we have been very fortunate to have found wonderful community partners,” said Environmental Epidemiologist Meriel Vigran, MPH.

Although Cincinnati has rarely had “unhealthy” or “hazardous” air quality days within the last seven years, the city still deals with frequent air pollution, “highlighting a continued need for environmental vigilance and action,” says Vigran.

Sun Day is a nationwide celebration of clean energy sponsored by Th!rd Act, with local organization by Th!rd Act Ohio, with support from Just Earth - Cincinnati. Sun Day is designed to engage people all across the country in support of solar power and clean energy. Located at Cincinnati Public Radio’s new home in Evanston, the Sun Day Song and Solar Festival will feature an eclectic blend of musical performers as well as booths featuring solar experts and installers, related environmental groups, craft activities for children, and refreshments.

Click here for the full Events Calendar. Members can submit events in the Green Umbrella online portal here.

Help Imago put on their biggest event of the year! There are volunteer opportunities BEFORE the event and DURING the event. Volunteer activities include setting up, working registration, or helping bands carry equipment to the stage. See a full list of volunteer opportunity dates and times here.

Groundwork Ohio River Valley (GWORV) is seeking highly motivated candidates for Youth Employee and Youth Leader positions with the Green Team workforce development program. 

The Green Team program employs youth 14-18 years old to complete community-based environmental initiatives while training the youth in soft skills, environmental science, outdoor recreation, and environmental careers. The primary role of the Youth Leader is to lead day to day activities and professional development of the Green Team employees.

More information can be found on our Green Jobs board for both the Youth Leader and Youth Employee positions.

Have an event, volunteer opportunity, or job posting to share? Green Umbrella members can submit them via the online Membership Portal. To learn more about the benefits of becoming a member, click here.