Greater Cincinnati Earth Coalition

10/01/2026

Celebrating Community Resilience in Action

On September 23, Green Umbrella, Groundwork Ohio River Valley, and the City of Cincinnati’s Office of Environment & Sustainability hosted the first Climate Safe Neighborhoods Resilience Summit, highlighting the grassroots work of and progress in neighborhoods in the city. A standout from the night was a discussion panel featuring representatives from the CSN Community Groups in Avondale, Bond Hill, North Fairmount, and Lower Price Hill, where panelists shared what it was like connecting their lived experiences with climate data.


Marisha from Lower Price Hill described seeing the connection between her neighborhood’s lower air quality and the lack of tree canopy, saying “We see the national data, the state data, and you see – we ain’t got no trees. Trees give you oxygen. No wonder we can’t breathe.”

Climate Safe Neighborhoods works to provide an equitable community engagement model for neighborhood-led resilience, centering residents’ lived experiences to develop actionable solutions for lasting progress.

09/30/2026

This just in from Building Value,

"September 2026

Building Value Wins
Employer of the Year Award

We're honored to share that Building Value has been recognized as Employer of the Year at this year's Workforce Champion Awards, hosted by the Workforce Council of Southwest Ohio!

Our amazing Business Development Manager, Brieann Sherlock, accepted the award on behalf of our organization (pictured here holding the award).

This award reflects the work of our entire team—from our Construction Training Program instructors to our deconstruction crews to our retail staff—all committed to our mission of preparing individuals facing economic and employment challenges for careers in the construction trades.

Congratulations to everyone at Building Value and to all the winners. And thank you to the Workforce Council of Southwest Ohio for this incredible honor!

From Rafters to Retail
The Story Behind Our Old-Growth Cedar Beams

Every piece in our Northside retail outlet has a backstory. This one starts on Cincinnati's west side.

Picture a classic mid-century modern home: long, low rooflines, tan brick walls, ribbon windows that pull in the afternoon light, and a ceiling crossed by rich, red-toned cedar beams. For decades, those beams held up the roof over family dinners, holidays, and everyday life.

When the property owner decided it was time to clear the lot, they called Building Value. Instead of sending the whole house to the landfill, our crew took it apart piece by piece. Those ceiling beams, old-growth western red cedar averaging 23 feet long, are now sitting in our lot at 4040 Spring Grove Ave., on sale for $3.75 per board foot.

Old-growth western cedar beams can be seen in their original mid-century modern home context.

Traditional demolition is fast and blunt. Heavy equipment knocks a building down, and nearly everything inside it gets hauled to a landfill: the good lumber, the light fixtures, the cabinets, all of it.

Deconstruction flips the order. Before any machines roll in, our crew goes through the building by hand and carefully removes anything that can be used again.

Old-growth lumber like this is genuinely hard to find today. Trees of this age and size just aren't harvested anymore, so the tight, dense grain and rich color in these beams can't be replicated with modern-growth wood.

The beams average 23 feet long and 5.5 inches deep, and that unmistakable cedar aroma still comes through decades after they were first milled. Cedar is also naturally resistant to rot and insects, which makes it a favorite for pergolas, mantels, benches, and exposed ceiling beams.

In a conventional demolition, these beams would have been splintered and thrown away. Deconstruction gave them a second chance.

But keeping good materials out of the landfill is only half the story. We are a social enterprise powered by Easterseals Redwood, and our mission is to accelerate life-changing careers in construction for people facing economic and employment challenges.

Every deconstruction job and every purchase in our retail store helps fund that mission.

There's a benefit for property owners, too. Usable materials we remove for resale are donated as a charitable contribution, and on a full-house project like this one, the estimated value of donated materials can be substantial.
Building Value has old growth cedar beams for sale

Our Retail Manager Jerome Wilson showcases these massive beams in our Rare Finds video series.

But you don't need to tear down a house to be part of the reuse story. Here's how to get involved:

Shop with us. The old-growth cedar beams are available now for $3.75 per board foot, along with a constantly changing mix of salvaged lumber, fixtures, cabinets, doors, and more.
Donate materials. Remodeling, replacing, or clearing out? Your pre-owned materials can find a new home at Building Value.
Hire us. Planning a demolition, renovation, commercial cleanout, or property turn? Our team can make it happen. Contact us at [email protected] or (513) 475-6783.

Learn What Building Value Can Do For You

13,347,000 pounds of materials saved from landfills (and counting!)

LOCATION 4040 Spring Grove Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45223

HOURS Monday-Friday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Support our mission? Like what we do?

Building Value offers sustainable deconstruction, recycling, and job training in Cincinnati. Visit our Northside shop for reclaimed materials.

09/25/2026

This just in from the Common Orchard Project

As we near fall, I'll admit it was getting hard to trust that things were ever going to cool off.

A core part of our work centers on trust. The industrial food system fragmented what used to be a relational act between a person and their place: you reach out to a tree, you pick an apple, and for the most part, you could trust that interaction. As production got cheaper, trust got more complicated, and we started having to pay for it through organic certifications, "Made in the USA" labels, and the rest.

We believe the highest and best use of the fruit we help grow in neighborhoods is right there, at the moment of greatest trust: picking a slightly ugly apple right off the tree. You know there's no pesticide on it. You know it won't rot on the way to your mouth, because it wasn't sitting in a warehouse for eight months first. There might be a k**b, a blemish, a bug bite, but you know it doesn't touch the flavor. It might be the best peach you've ever had.

We're under no illusion that 50 community orchards across the region are going to feed everyone. But we're trying to narrow these circles of trust, small enough that we remember our place can provide for us, and that we can rely on each other.

Get out and enjoy the fading summer,

Chris Smyth

Common Orchard Project Director

https://www.commonorchard.com/about-us

08/22/2026

Hi Ohioans,

I am writing to you with the latest news on solar in Ohio! Yesterday, the Ohio Power Siting Board approved the application for Hamden Energy, a solar project in Vinton County. This is a 149 MW solar and 149 MW battery storage project that will make a huge impact, with 149 MW being enough energy to power nearly 26,000 homes. During a time of soaring energy prices around Ohio, projects like these are vital to bringing sustainable, affordable, and dependable energy online.

OEC has actively intervened in this case and celebrates the project’s use of reclaimed mining land. This project faced no opposition and is a great example of the benefits clean energy brings to our grid and communities. The reclaimed land will be used to generate energy responsibly and is expected to bring significant tax revenue to Vinton County.

I want to express my ongoing appreciation to our Energy Team and our partners who support these projects and many like it. From policy work at the statehouse to regulatory work at the Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB) and Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO), they work to advocate for all Ohioans’ right to clean, affordable, and reliable energy. I also want to express my thanks to our members who plug into our work, share their voices, and donations that help push the movement forward.

While this is a positive development, building clean energy remains significantly difficult in Ohio due to inconsistent decision-making at the OPSB and de facto clean energy bans in at least parts of 38 counties across the state. Without reform to the energy siting process, energy costs will remain high, and we will continue to see energy prices rise along with demand. We acknowledge this win, while also recognizing that we have much more work ahead.

Yours in the fight,

Carol Kauffman

CEO of the OEC

08/10/2026

This message just in from Howard Miller, City of Cincinnati, Office of Environment & Cincinnati Office of Environment & Sustainability "With more things being delivered to residences in boxes, we are seeing a real shift in our recycling to more cardboard. About 20% (in tonnage) of what we collect across all the recyclable material in a our single stream system is cardboard.

Many times these are big, bulky boxes that are hard to just simply put into a cart so residents can bring them to a public drop off site that has dumpsters.

Either way we need to break the boxes down first. Not doing that uses up valuable space in the recycling container, and we end up paying for the collection of mostly air. Worse, we see empty boxes piled up next to recycling containers because they wouldn’t fit inside. We then have to spend time and funding to clean up the mess. And it makes our community curbs and drop off locations look bad.

I’ve seen it put elsewhere that the rise in boxed deliveries needs more than recycling behavior change, it needs a recycling systems change. I agree with that.

In a recent fly-by audit on a Sunday at one of our more popular drop off sites, it was obvious that all four recycling dumpsters were more than 90 percent full with more than 90 percent cardboard. Thankfully the boxes looked mostly broken down.

I want to give a big shout out to the people using the site, taking the time to break their boxes down and place them inside the dumpsters - keeping our drop off site clean for everyone."

07/06/2026

Good news from Doug today, "Here's your Good News for the month!

Sources: In case you're curious, I get my info from many sources. But most of it comes from these three, in case you want to follow them as well. They're each on multiple platforms.
Clean Technica
John Raymond Hanger
Assad Razzouk

Milestones in the US:
- April 2026 was the first month when wind and solar combined, produced more electricity than natural gas.
- May 2026 was the first month when solar generated more electricity (12.8%) than coal (12.1%).
- March, April, and May 2026 is the first time renewables and nuclear combined, generated more than 50% of US electricity for three consecutive months.

Other US
- A unanimous federal appeals court blocks Trump's attempt to eliminate federal limits on fine particulate pollution.
- Federal court rules Trump admin's termination of $2.8 billion climate and environmental justice program was illegal.
- Trump admin's appeal of the federal court ruling that voided the nationwide freeze on wind permits was dismissed.
- Battery additions overall surged 54% in Q1 2026 compared to Q1 2025, a new record. Residential storage shot up 86% in the same period.
- electric truck sales surged by 37% in 2025.
- y-on-y Jan-Apr of 2025 to 2026, utility solar up 12%, BTM (behind the meter, e.g. rooftop) solar up 12%, coal down 11%.
- 96% of new power generation added in the US for Q1 2026 was clean. 60% solar, 31% battery storage, 5% wind, 4% natural gas.
- Solar generation in May 2026 increased by 17% y-on-y.

Texas: solar and wind are providing 61% of Texas' energy needs. Solar is 35%, Wind 26%, natural gas 32%, coal 9%.
Virginia: has reentered the RGGI (Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative) . When Virginia first joined in 2021, power plant emissions dropped 22% in three years.
New York: has officially surpassed 8 GW of installed rooftop and community solar
Kentucky: Perry County (coal country) is building an 80-MW solar farm. 200 construction jobs are being filled by trainees at local Hazard Community College.
California: In March 2026 solar produced 45% of California's electricity vs. 30% in March 2023. For the first 5 months of 2026, solar out-produced natural gas, and that's without counting rooftop solar. California is the world's 4th largest economy.
California: On 6/24 wind/water/solar exceeded demand for nearly 10.5 hours and supplied more than 80%of the 24 hours demand.

Cincinnati: There's a large apartment building on Red Bank road, just south of Madison road, advertising available rental units. They have five large yard signs advertising various amenities. One of the signs said "EV Chargers".

Global: In 2025 investment in clean energy was double that of fossil fuel investment, $2 trillion vs. $1 trillion.
Global: The world's wind turbines collectively saved 1.1 billion tons of carbon dioxide last year, equivalent to shutting down all of the US coal plants for one year
Asia: solar has overtaken natural gas in power generation
Europe: As of January 2026, battery storage fleet grew by 45% y-on-y.
Europe: For June 2026, solar power generated more electricity than gas and coal combined.
EU: For 12 months ending April 2026, EVs outsold gas-only cars for first 12 month period ever.
UK: same as EU just above.
Turkey: Got 72% of its May power from renewables as coal sank to a 22-year low of 17%.
Ethiopia: is planting 5 Billion trees every year to reverse climate change.
UAE: has switched on the World's largest single solar farm covering 300 square Kilometers of desert.
Australia: The 1st, 3rd, and 6th top selling cars were EVs
Wales: GHG emissions have dropped 44% since 1990 and 9% since 2024.
China: Electric truck sales doubled from May 2025 to May 2026 to 30,000 units in one month. They are now at 41% of all new truck sales.
China: EV's were 63% new car sales in May.
China: Installs a new wind turbine every 40 minutes.

Keep working!
Doug"

06/03/2026

As the flagship event of Cincinnati’s first-ever Climate Week, this year’s Midwest Sustainability Summit will bring together more than 600 attendees for a full day of climate solutions, collaboration, art, performances, interactive experiences, and connection.

The program includes nearly 100 speakers across 20 breakout sessions, plus an exhibitor expo, EV showcase, networking reception, and more.

Check out this year's program and register to secure your spot.

And if your work intersects with education and schools...Climate Week continues the following day with the Green & Healthy Schools Symposium, focused on greener, healthier, and more resilient schools across Greater Cincinnati.

Hope to see you there!

The Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit is the region's premier sustainability conference! The Summit brings together businesses, government representatives, experts, non-profits, and ordinary citizens committed to building a more environmentally sustainable and economically vibrant region.

05/27/2026

🌍 Greater Cincinnati Earth Coalition (GCEC) Board Meeting Recap | May 21, 2026
Catch up on the GCEC's May board meeting as we review the successes of this year's Earth Day Festival, discuss areas for improvement, and start laying the groundwork for an even better event in 2027!
📈 Meeting Highlights
🚗 EV Showcase Success: We crushed our goal with 94 total rides/drives! Reserving a dedicated lot drastically improved safety. Next year, we hope to use the EV school bus for actual passenger rides.
🎶 Entertainment & Venue: The SCPA marching band was a major highlight! For 2027, we are exploring upgraded sound system options to better project across the park and will be adding more seating.
🍔 Food Trucks: Some of our vendors completely sold out! Next year, we’ll improve signage to better direct attendees to their locations and look into adding a coffee vendor.
📣 PR & Board Updates: A warm welcome to David Taylor, bringing 40 years of corporate communications experience to lead our PR! We’re also moving the GCEC Earth Day Awards nomination process to December/January for maximum visibility.
🤝 Volunteering & Green Jobs: Huge thanks to our volunteers who collected 12 bags of litter during the cleanup! Moving forward, we are adjusting our outreach timeline to connect with school "green teams" in August/September and coordinating closer with the Green Jobs Summit to boost career fair attendance.
💰 Financials: All festival expenses have been processed, leaving a healthy account balance
📅 Looking Ahead to 2027
Tentative 2027 Festival Date: Sunday, April 25, 2027 (Washington Park)
Next Regular Meeting: October 2026
Note: A special planning meeting will be held in July/August specifically for school outreach coordination.

🌍 Greater Cincinnati Earth Coalition (GCEC) Board Meeting Recap | M...

04/26/2026

Hi to all the guests and exhibitors that attended the Greater Cincinnati Earth Day Celebration Festival at Washington Park, Sunday April 19,

It was a great day and from all I heard, everyone had a great time and are looking forward to doing it again next year. Of course there are some things we can improve and we want to hear all of them!

One of the most difficult things is promoting the event. With the incredibly fractured media, there is no major media outlet we can turn to. We'll certainly purchase the City Beat back page ad next year but two weeks earlier! It made a great inexpensive program with the inside back cover Directory as well. We're also going to continue to improve our social media, with our newsletter containing ready to post items for FB, IG, TikTok, LinkedIn, etc. with hashtags. Lastly we'll fine tune our free PR efforts. Did anyone see our JumboTron ads at Washington Park Fountain Square and the Convention Center?

So give me an earful and I'll work with our team to make the weather even better next year!

Our goal is to make this event as well attended as the 2026 Health Expo in Washington Park, yesterday. I couldn't make it so if you went, let me know what you learned. https://closingthehealthgap.org/health-expo/

Please sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of any of our pages http://www.cincinnatiearthday.org We've only got one wrap-up email left and we'll take the Summer off.
--
Chuck Lohre, Chair
Greater Cincinnati Earth Coalition 501c3, producer of the Greater Cincinnati Earth Day Celebration Festival
[email protected], 513-260-9025
535 Windings Court, Cincinnati, OH 45220

The vibrant metabolism of our city was on beautiful display at the 2026 Greater Cincinnati Earth Day Celebration Festival in Washington Park April 19th! Attendees converged from the urban core, across Northern Kentucky, and all the way to our northern suburbs to participate in this shared celebratio...

04/22/2026

Nancy Jennings, "Hi, I am a professor at UC and am conducting an online survey with some students about Cincinnati gaslights. Would you be willing to share this with your community on your FB page?"