News from BG: April 21, 2021
EARTH DAY EVE

Tomorrow, April 22nd, marks the 51st anniversary of the first Earth Day Celebration. We, and our community partners, are disappointed that we are not able to celebrate with you as we normally would. We look forward to next year when we can come together again! This week's "Earth Day Take Over" of the eNews is full of ways you can celebrate today and every day.
RENEWABLE ENERGY
Since the 1940’s, Bowling Green has owned and operated the Electric Distribution and Transmission System in and around the City. As a public power community, decisions are governed by the local Board of Public Utilities and City Council.

As a member of American Municipal Power (AMP), Bowling Green is one of 135 municipal members who have partnered together to expand our ability to provide a reliable, sustainable, and cost competitive electric system for the benefit of our customers. This membership has allowed Bowling Green to build renewable energy projects and provide the Efficiency Smart program and the EcoSmart Choice program.

The Bowling Green community has supported these efforts for clean energy and environmental stewardship. In a typical year, every Bowling Green electric customer can expect to receive up to 40% of their electric energy from renewable resources which exceeds averages. As a comparison, 3% of generation in the State of Ohio came from a renewable resource in 2019 and 19% of generation in the United States came from a renewable resource in 2020.

For its efforts, Bowling Green is one of three cities in Ohio to be designated a Smart Energy Provider by the American Public Power Association (APPA).
SCHEDULE A HOME ENERGY AUDIT
Columbia Gas customers, residing in Bowling Green, are eligible for a Home Energy Audit at a discounted rate. A Certified Home Energy Auditor will evaluate the home, and customers will receive free energy saving products, a safety check of their furnace, an infrared scan to detect existing insulation levels, and a personalized energy report. After the audit, the customer will receive rebates based on the recommendations. Customers pay no more than $300 for all recommended improvements (such as attic insulation, wall insulation, and air sealing) installed by a participating program contractor.

Efficiency Smart & the Utility Insights programs both offer online tools that can be completed as well.
JOIN OUR NATURALISTS
WILDFLOWER WALK
Wintergarden/St. John’s Nature Preserve
Thursday, April 29
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Join Cinda Stutzman for a Wildflower Walk as we celebrate National Native Plant Month. Enjoy a leisurely walk around the preserve as we discuss the diversity of flowers found at the nature preserve and beyond throughout the growing season. Tips and tools to enhance your plant identification skills using your smart phone will be explored while on the trail. For questions and to RSVP, contact Cinda Stutzman, [email protected]
BIRDING WITH CHRIS
Join naturalist and birder Chris Gajewicz for a morning of birding EVERY Friday from 7:30 am to 9:00 am at Wintergarden Park beginning April 16 through May 21. Adult birders of all skill levels welcome. Binoculars and field guides are available for use. Chris will lead the walks and you will have his ear to ask questions about migration, identification, ranges, and life histories of the birds we will likely be seeing. This activity is free and open to the public. Masks and social distancing will be strictly enforced even though we will be outside.

We will only cancel in the case of rain.
LITTER LOAN BOX VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
Looking for a volunteer opportunity? The City has a Litter Clean Up Loan Kit, which contains garbage bags, gloves, litter tongs, safety vests and all the supplies needed for a successful litter cleanup. Throughout the year, the Sustainability Coordinator works with local volunteers to target and clean heavily littered areas. The Public Works Department assists with the removal of the collected litter and pays the cost of disposal. To coordinate a cleanup, call 419-354-6222 or email [email protected].
Recycle Right

Our Public Works Department is committed to continuing safe collection of curbside refuse and recycling. Recyclables are delivered to Republic Services where additional safety measures have been implemented in their sort facilities to protect workers.  Residents can help keep these workers safe by recycling right. We ask that you take this time to review the list of accepted materials HERE

Most importantly:

  • Do NOT bag your recyclables! Bagged materials require additional handling and in many cases are treated as garbage.
  • Empty and clean your recyclables. Food and beverage left in containers makes it difficult for optical scanners to read and sort the different types of plastic.
  • Gloves, masks, tissues, & wipes are NOT recyclable. Bag these items and place them in your refuse container.
  • Items left outside of containers will not be collected.
  • To avoid litter, drivers are not permitted to empty containers that are open and/or overflowing.

Want more tips? Check out our Recycle Coach app HERE
Conserve Energy & Water

Spending more time at home and noticing an increase in electricity/water usage?
Now's a great time to check out Utility Insights! 

After creating an account, customers complete a series of questions about their home or small business that can help them to understand their energy and water usage. Answers are used to provide recommendations for reducing usage and saving money. A personal savings plan will be created based off the completed profile & recommendations! Users can then keep track of projects, create a to-do list of the energy and water saving actions they plan to do, mark off which tasks they’ve already completed, and see estimates of how much their efforts can save... MORE

Our Efficiency Smart program is a great way to implement some of the energy saving recommendations made by the Utility Insights program! Whether you’re looking for rebates to help make energy efficiency projects more affordable or need advice on what improvements are the most cost-effective, Efficiency Smart can help with your energy efficiency needs... MORE
Remote Earth Day

It's not the same as a community event, but below are some resources to help celebrate and recognize this important day!

Looking for ways to help keep our local waterways and Lake Erie clean? Check out the Clear Choices Clean Water website!

The Recycling Partnership has created a  Virtual Earth Day Celebration  – this page is dedicated to online Earth Day content – including tips, facts, games, and more – for residents and communities.

Visit Earthday.org for a full list of resources to help engage students in fun, interactive and educational activities.

Join the Nature Conservancy for their virtual Earth Day event "Change Starts Here"
Co-hosted by CEO Jennifer Morris and Chief Scientist Katharine Hayhoe, which will celebrate today’s environmental heroes, feature a musical performance by Aloe Blacc and include appearances from Danni Washington, Justin Long, Bill Nye, and more.

Be sure to unplug and enjoy our parks! The Great Outdoors remains open. There are almost 400 acres of parkland in the City; a park within 1.5 miles of every resident.
PILOT FOOD WASTE DROP OFF
To help reduce the amount of food waste being sent to landfills, the City of Bowling Green has launched a 6-month Pilot Residential Food Waste Drop Off. The Drop Off opened to Bowling Green residents on Friday, March 26, 2021. The City is working with GoZero to place 64-gallon containers behind the Public Works garage, near the public Yard Waste Drop Off, on Tarragon Drive.

The area is clearly marked with signs identifying where to drop off residential food waste and brochures are available listing the accepted materials and program guidelines....MORE
TREE PHOTO CONTEST
The City of Bowling Green Tree Commission has announced its 4th annual photo contest. The Commissioners want to raise awareness of Bowling Green’s Urban Forest that is found both on public and private property.

We are asking citizens to submit photos highlighting trees in all four seasons of the year: winter, spring, summer, and fall.

The contest runs through October 31, 2021. In November the public will vote for the top photo in each category. The top photo will receive a $25 gift certificate from a local nursery or garden center. For more details and to submit a photo click HERE.
NATIVE PLANTS
Ohio has lead the effort to make April 2021 National Native Plant Month!

Now the goal is to spread the word and encourage everyone to celebrate by hosting native plant educational programs, planting trees, removing invasive plants, working with school children, replacing lawn areas with new native plant habitats, supporting pollinators, and pulling together as a country this April to support our ecosystems.... MORE
STORIES IN THE WOODS
“Stories in the Woods” introduces the environmental history of the Wintergarden/St. John’s Nature Preserve
 
Bowling Green State University graduate students in Dr. Amilcar Challu’s environmental history seminar class developed a community-based history told along the hiking trails of the Wintergarden/St. John’s Nature Preserve in Bowling Green, Ohio. Funded by a grant from Ohio Humanities, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, “Stories in the Woods” introduces the public to the fascinating environmental history of this local nature preserve.

From April 10-May 31, 2021, ten signs located along the green trail of the Wintergarden/St. John’s Nature Preserve will narrate historical features of the park, from indigenous occupation, to farming, to the present preserve.....MORE