OES Launches Social Media Accounts

Thank you to all of our OES Newsletter subscribers, we appreciate your continued support and participation with our office and the city’s sustainability initiatives. For more from OES, check us out on our new social media accounts! 



Free Building Science Training Cohorts Launched

Calling all contractors and construction professionals! Don’t miss this limited-time opportunity to level up your skills and earn nationally recognized credentials — FREE for Cincinnati residents! 

 

Through a partnership between City Council, OES, and Green Umbrella Regional Climate Collaborative, this Building Performance Institute, Inc. training will prepare you to work on the growing number of residential energy efficiency retrofit projects across our region. 

Credentials offered: 

• Building Science Principles (BSP) 

• Building Analyst Technician (BA-T) 

• Building Analyst Professional (BA-P) 

 

There will be multiple cohorts before the end of 2025, but space is limited, so apply now.

Prior experience in the trades and ambitions to pursue energy efficiency projects locally encouraged. This investment in upskilling will ready our city to take advantage of energy efficiency incentives to come from the State of Ohio soon! 

Urban Agriculture Grants - Apply Today!

Local food production and distribution plays an important role in addressing health, social, economic and environmental issues. By providing funding through the GCP Seeds of Change Urban Agriculture Grants, OES seeks to support local agriculture efforts, such as community gardens, foraging sites, market garden businesses, and local food hubs, to increase local food production, distribution and access to fresh, healthy foods. 



Applications are due Monday, November 24, 2025 by 11:59 p.m. 

For more information, check out the Program Criteria and Funding Guidelines and apply today with the online Application Form

Green Cincinnati Forward Event Thank You

Last month, OES hosted the Green Cincinnati Forward event to celebrate the halfway point of the 2023 Green Cincinnati Plan. Huge thanks to everyone who was able to attend! It is hard to believe we are already 2.5 years into implementation of the 2023 Green Cincinnati Plan, but as we stepped back and considered all that’s been accomplished so far, there is so much to celebrate. 

OES is so grateful for all the partners that are helping to bring the GCP to life across our neighborhoods in big and small ways. The progress we’ve made so far in executing this plan is truly a testament to the dedication and creativity of our community. Together, we will continue the mission of making a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient Cincinnati.  

WarmUp Cincy Announces New Partnership

Cincinnati's WarmUp Cincy program is tackling the high cost of utilities faced by low-income families, known as “energy burden”, head-on with building upgrades and new partnerships. We’re excited to announce that our newest partnership is with Strategies to End Homelessness, which now administers the Renter and Landlord Energy Efficiency Engagement program (RALEEE).

This program provides direct utility bill assistance to residents whose housing is unstable, teaches energy-saving strategies to renters, and offers grants to help property owners upgrade the affordable housing they own. These investments will create savings that benefit both renters and property owners for years to come. With this project just launching this summer, the greatest impacts are just beginning! 

Smarter Recycling with AI

Our Multifamily Recycling Pilot Program has begun to use Rego, an innovative AI tool that uses phone camera images to analyze what’s inside recycling and trash carts. Rego identifies contamination — such as plastic bags, textiles, and other non-recyclables — and estimates how much visible material doesn’t belong in the recycling stream. Beyond identifying contamination, Rego also provides estimated monthly dumpster weights based on how full they are and how often they’re picked up. This data has made recycling and trash audits faster and more accurate, helping our team design targeted educational campaigns that address what we’re actually seeing at each property.

By using Rego’s average monthly weight data, we can also calculate diversion rates for each property for this first time — showing how much recyclable material is being successfully diverted from landfills. While the technology is still evolving, it’s already proving to be an invaluable tool in making our multifamily recycling program more efficient, data-driven, and impactful. 

Projecting Climate Migration for 2050 

Climate migration happens when people move from the areas hardest hit by climate change to areas that are considered safer. As people move to Cincinnati in search of stability, affordability, and safety, it is crucial to prepare for changes to our housing, jobs, and transportation systems. 

The Cincinnati Regional Chamber's Center for Research and Data in partnership with OES and Green Umbrella, created the Cincinnati Region Climate Migration Outlook, which depicts three possible projections for how climate migration shapes Cincinnati by 2050. The report includes case studies of other U.S. cities' experiences with climate migration, key strategies for prepping for climate migration, and population projections for the Cincinnati Region by 2050. 

To explore what climate migration could look like in Cincinnati, visit the Cincinnati Regional Chamber's webpage and read the full report.

OES Welcomes Newest Team Member

We are excited to welcome Madca Mulugeta to the OES team as our newest Public Ally and GCP Action Coordinator. Macda recently graduated from Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health Sociology and brings valuable experience in health equity, community engagement, and advocacy, with a particular focus on how environmental and social factors shape health outcomes across neighborhoods. 

During her 10-month fellowship, Macda will engage with community members and help lead initiatives aimed at making Cincinnati a more equitable city for all neighborhoods. Outside of work, Macda enjoys painting anime-inspired art, completing jigsaw puzzles, and spending time with her American Eskimo pup, Ruby. 

OES Partner Highlight –

Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

This month, OES would like to highlight the great work of the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden as they celebrate 150 years of serving our community. The Zoo not only leads by example when it comes to investing in clean energy, but they are also making it possible for solar projects to come to life across Cincinnati communities.

As champions of the Green Cincinnati Plan, they continue to demonstrate how sustainability and community engagement and fun go hand in hand. Their efforts to reclaim water, reduce waste, and be leaders in conservation all make us so lucky to have the Cincinnati Zoo as a partner in building a more sustainable future. 


Thank you zoo!

Upcoming Events


UPCOMING EVENTS


Up For Grabs Day 

Hosted by Northside Community Council 

November 15th 2025 10:00 am – 1:00 pm 

McKie Recreation Center 

Learn more   

 

EQIP Grant Info Session and Q&A 

Hosted by Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) 

November 20th 6:00 pm - 7:30pm 

Hamilton County Conservation District Training Center 

Learn more and register  

 

The Great Honeysuckle Hunt 

Hosted by Imago 

December 6th 9:00 am – 1:00 pm 

Imago Earth Center 

Learn more and register 

 

Environmental Justice and Advocacy Symposium 

Hosted by University of Cincinnati 

December 6th 2025 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm 

Tangeman University Center, virtual option available via Zoom 

Learn more and register  

RESOURCES

Cincinnati Office of Environment and Sustainability

Cincinnati Recycles

Green Umbrella

City of Cincinnati

The Office of Environment and Sustainability (OES) leads City government and the broader community in building a more sustainable, equitable, and resilient Cincinnati.

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