Residents participating in the Forest Park Community Advisory Group finished their workshop with an idea showcase on April 23 that presented strategies for making Forest Park a healthier, more resilient place to live. Residents cultivated and researched their ideas over 5 weeks; strategies presented include expanding tree canopy, supporting energy affordability, prioritizing flood resilience, and strengthening local food systems. 

Community Advisory Groups are part of Climate Safe Neighborhoods (CSN), a partnership between Green Umbrella and Groundwork Ohio River Valley that helps residents understand how climate change impacts their neighborhood and develop ideas for making their communities healthier and more resilient. Learn more about Climate Safe Neighborhoods here.

Love ice cream, hate climate change? Us too, so we’re throwing our first ever Ice Cream Social. We’re partnering with Jeni’s Ice Cream at Factory 52 in Norwood on Thursday, June 11 from 4:00-7:00 pm. This is a chance to connect and socialize during Cincinnati Climate Week, and the perfect excuse for ice cream. This event is family-friendly, with a coloring craft for kiddos, a raffle, and information about our climate action work.

Make sure to get a couple of scoops from Jeni's because 25% of all purchases will go back to support Green Umbrella!

This event is free and open to the public. See you then!

This weekend, it’s time to head back to the farm! Camp Washington Perennial Farm – home of the Common Orchard Project – has volunteer days every third Saturday of the month. It’s the perfect opportunity to for a peaceful day outside, connecting with nature as you wrestle young trees, repot plants, turn compost, and anything else that needs to be done on a spring day to support a region of mini-orchards. No experience is required, just closed-toed shoes (please note the farm is not wheelchair accessible), a bottle of water, and a good attitude. Learn what it’s like to volunteer on the farm at the link here and register for your volunteer day here.

Cincinnati Climate Week is June 8-14 – only a few weeks away! It’s time to start planning your schedule. Here’s an example of what your week could look like:

Plan your week and check out the full calendar of events here.

There’s still time to add your organization’s event to the Cincinnati Climate Week Calendar! Visit the link here to add yours.

“Events like the summit are important because they help us garden the mind. Our thoughts shape our reality, and when we cultivate our thinking – rooting it in generosity, humility, compassion and the intelligence to care for the Earth, we can go out into the world and create change.” – Dr. Lyla June Johnston, 2025 Summit Keynote Speaker

Remember how great last year’s Summit was? We do! Click here to read reflections on the 2025 Summit from Movers & Makers, and click here to learn what it’s like to spend a day at the Summit.

The Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit features 20 breakout sessions to choose from throughout the day, ranging from topics like solar energy and data centers to healthy soils and the green burial movement. Visit the full program here and register today to secure your spot with early-bird tickets – prices go up on May 15!

Join Green Umbrella and the Cincinnati Zoo horticulture team for a Garden Party at Rockdale Academy's Learning Garden, featuring self-guided tours, horticulture stations, networking, exhibits, student displays, and interactive spaces. Refreshments and lite bites will be served in the garden.

In addition to a keynote by Children & Nature Network's Brenda Kessler, the Green & Healthy Schools Symposium will feature a plenary panel on Green Career Pathways, a farm-to-school lunch, interactive exhibits and a garden party. Learn more and register here

In 2022, Working In Neighborhoods (WIN) announced its plans for a Near Net Zero Urban Village in South Cumminsville, with the goal of bringing energy efficient and affordable homes to the neighborhood. Two of the first new homes in the project have just been finished, complete with solar panels, modern energy efficiency measures, and other features that earned the homes LEED Gold certification.

The Near Net Zero Village will eventually have 25 similar houses in South Cumminsville, either with new construction or by rehabbing existing vacant homes.

In addition, WIN hopes to provide energy efficiency retrofitting for 25 homes currently inhabited by South Cumminsville residents. It's done 15 of those so far for seniors in the neighborhood.

Paddlefest is a favorite annual event for many local outdoor enthusiasts, but this year is going to be even more special. This August 1, organizers will attempt to set the Guinness World Records title for “Largest Paddle Craft Party”. To achieve the record, Paddlefest must surpass 1,105 human-powered watercraft on the river simultaneously for at least 15 minutes. A Guinness World Records adjudicator will be onsite to observe the event (and hopefully confirm the record). More than 700 people have already signed up for this year's event, but there is still room for more. Learn about this year’s Paddlefest and sign up here.

Starting this month, Red Bike announced its users can connect their accounts to Metro’s Transit App, allowing riders to check Red Bike availability and reserve their bikes, all while staying up-to-speed on Metro bus arrival times. This change makes it even easier to use public transportation by potentially connecting riders to other routes and destinations that lack bus service. It also makes it easier to purchase Red Bike passes, adding that capability directly to the Transit App. Both Red Bike and Metro say this update makes it easier for commuters to take part in active transportation throughout our communities.

June 13, 2026 | 8:30 AM-5:00 PM

Join us for an energizing event dedicated to district-wide green sustainability while fostering the well-being of communities across our region and beyond!

The Green and Healthy Schools Symposium will bring together visionary leaders, educators, students, foodservice champions, and partners to explore strategies for building green schoolyards, green career pathways, and school community wellness throughout a school district. (Fun fact: Cincinnati Public School educators can earn up to 8.5 professional development hours for attending the symposium!)

Click here for a full description of keynotes, breakout sessions, and how to register!

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

This is our very first year launching Cincinnati Climate Week (June 8-14), and you can help us make it awesome. We’re looking for ambassadors to amplify the movement: people who are excited to spread the word, share events, and bring more voices into the conversation around climate action in our city. We’re also looking for a limited number of volunteers to assist with check-in at the Midwest Sustainability Summit – the cornerstone event of Climate Week. See here for more info and how to get involved.

The Executive Director serves as the strategic and operational leader of Green Umbrella, responsible for advancing the organization’s mission, executing its strategic plan, and ensuring long-term sustainability. This role comes at a pivotal moment for the organization. With a strong strategic foundation, a highly engaged and values-driven team, and a respected position within the regional climate ecosystem, Green Umbrella is well-positioned to deepen its impact and influence. To learn more about the role, click here!

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.