There’s welcome news in Roselawn: the neighborhood’s Save A Lot will remain open! Locally owned by David Pearson since 2011, the store is the closest grocery option for many residents of Roselawn, Golf Manor, Bond Hill, and Amberley Village. Earlier this year, Pearson shared that he was ready to retire and had been unable to find a buyer, raising serious concerns that the neighborhood could once again become a food desert.

Since then, community members, city leaders, and advocates have rallied around the issue—including Green Umbrella’s Food Policy Council, which helped amplify community concerns and elevate the importance of keeping a grocery store in the neighborhood. While final details have not yet been made public, city leaders, Pearson, and Save A Lot Corporate are now working toward a solution to keep this critical community resource in place.

We’re excited to share that Cincinnati’s wild-fermentation brewery, Urban Artifact, is now the sponsor of the Mount Airy Cure Orchard. With a deep appreciation for local fruit culture and a business rooted in fermentation craft, Urban Artifact is a natural partner for Green Umbrella’s Common Orchard Project and the community-centered work of growing and caring for orchards across our region.

We’re grateful for Urban Artifact’s investment in neighborhood orchards and the role they play in creating spaces that provide fresh fruit, strengthen community connections, and deepen our region’s relationship to local food. Interested in sponsoring an orchard? Reach out to our Director of Engagement & Strategic Partnerships, Charlie Gonzalez, at charlie@greenumbrella.org.

Green Umbrella’s Greenspace Alliance closed out Q2 by bringing more than 20 partners together at Gorman Heritage Farm to align on priorities, identify where progress is gaining traction, and chart the next steps for collective conservation work across the region. The conversation focused on what is working, where efforts have stalled, and how the Alliance can best support partners as they move implementation forward.

That discussion is already shaping the Alliance’s next chapter. The newly renamed Grant Implementation & Funding Working Group will begin developing collaborative, location-based projects that can help unlock funding for conservation work across the region. The RPP/Policy Working Group refined its focus areas to strengthen outreach around the Regional Prioritization Plan, and the Research and Implementation Working Group will begin coordinating with Green Umbrella’s Climate Research Incubator to increase the visibility of natural resource priorities in local research efforts.

Each year, Green Umbrella’s Climate Action Fellowship reminds us how much can happen when emerging leaders, local governments, and community partners come together around climate action. As this year’s cohort reaches the midpoint of the program, we’re excited to celebrate the progress Fellows have already made and the meaningful work underway across our region. In just a few short months, Fellows are helping advance climate planning and projects with Anderson Township, the Village of Mariemont, the City of Covington, the City of Cincinnati, Hamilton County, and Green Umbrella programs, including the Greenspace Alliance and Green & Healthy Schools.

Join us on August 12 from 3:30–5:00 PM for the Climate Action Fellowship Showcase, where Fellows and their partners will share the projects, insights, and progress they’ve developed this summer. Then keep the conversation going at Green Drinks at Somerset OTR from 5:15–7:15 PM for an evening of networking and community connection. Both events are free and open to the public.

The nation’s largest paddling celebration returns to Cincinnati in just three weeks! Paddlefest is a beloved summertime tradition, bringing thousands of paddlers and spectators together on the Ohio River for a day of outdoor adventure and community connection. To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Paddlefest organizers will attempt to set the Guinness World Records title for the Largest Paddle Craft Party. Participants can choose between the traditional 9-mile paddle or a 4.5-mile half-distance option. Learn more and register for this year’s record-breaking event here.

A bold vision for the future of outdoor recreation and connectivity is taking shape across Northern Kentucky. The newly unveiled Northern Kentucky Regional Trails Plan outlines a proposed 934-mile network of paved and natural-surface trails connecting communities, parks, schools, businesses, and other destinations across Boone, Campbell, and Kenton counties.

Developed through collaboration among local governments, nonprofits, and community partners, the plan demonstrates the power of regional cooperation to create healthier, more connected communities. By expanding opportunities for walking, biking, and exploring the outdoors, this shared vision can support recreation, transportation, conservation, and quality of life across the region. Learn more about the plan and hear the conversation about the future of regional trails on WVXU’s Cincinnati Edition.

For the third consecutive year, Cincinnati residents are leading sustainability projects through the Green Cincinnati Plan Seeds of Change Grant Program. This summer, 14 new projects will launch across 23 neighborhoods, creating opportunities for residents to engage in initiatives ranging from habitat restoration and green job training to solar installation.

Led by the City of Cincinnati’s Office of Environment and Sustainability and co-funded by community partners, the program supports resident-driven solutions that advance a more sustainable and resilient city. In the first round of 2026 funding, $204,775 was awarded, bringing the program’s total investment to $914,226, supporting 173 projects across 47 neighborhoods since its launch. Explore project outcomes and stories through the GCP Seeds of Change Storymap.

Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval took note when Intel announced a $28 billion investment to build two chip factories in Licking County, Ohio. Pureval was impressed that they chose the Ohio River Valley for its access to freshwater and climate resilience. The mayor told Smart Cities Drive, “Once a large investment like that was made with those considerations in mind, it became real for me to say that if private companies are making such a potentially risky bet on our region, that could be a harbinger for things to come.”

In May, Cincinnati’s Office of Environment & Sustainability (OES) released the Climate Migration Readiness Plan. Oliver Kroner, the director of the Cincinnati OES, believes it is the nation’s first municipal guide to prepare for climate migration. The plan focuses on preparing for an expected increase in residents displaced by climate change while ensuring current residents are not displaced. It lists Cincinnati’s abundant freshwater, lower climate risk, relatively affordable cost of living, and strong economy as factors that could attract more than 500,000 new residents to the region by 2050. City leaders highlight the need to invest in affordable housing, public transit, resilient infrastructure, and social services so growth benefits everyone and does not worsen existing inequities.

As Ollie Kroner said, “This is an opportunity if we prepare for it but a risk if we don’t,” emphasizing the importance of proactive planning for climate migration. Read the full article here.

Join Green Umbrella and Anderson Township on Wednesday, July 22, for an evening celebrating local greenspaces, community connections, and regional sustainability efforts. Start the afternoon with a Meet a Greenspace Hike exploring the Forestlake to Eight Mile Greenway with the Greenspace Alliance and Anderson Township staff, then continue the conversation at Green Drinks at Wandering Monsters Brewing. Whether you’re interested in conservation, local climate action, or simply meeting others who care about a greener region, this is a great opportunity to get outside, learn more about Anderson Township’s greenspace work, and connect with the Green Umbrella community.

Have an event to share? Green Umbrella members can submit events here. To learn more about the benefits of becoming a member, click here.

Sustainable Mariemont is looking for a few volunteers to help with their plastics recycling program. Volunteers will sort #1 plastics and other recyclable materials for approximately 1-2 hours each week. Hours are flexible and work can be completed on volunteers’ own time. See how to get involved here!

Here is an exciting opportunity to manage a recycling program while helping shape the future of plastics recycling in our community! The Hub is hiring a General & Plastic Waste Stream Coordinator, part of an innovative team implementing new in-house processing systems that transform recovered plastics into raw materials—and even finished products. Help turn waste into valuable resources while advancing the circular economy - see more information 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.