Launching Solarize Cincy: Solar Co-op for residents and small businesses.

The Solarize Cincy: Solar Co-op Program brings together homeowners and businesses interested in going solar to leverage group-buying power, making the process of selecting and installing solar energy systems easier, more transparent, and more cost-effective. OES and partner Solar United Neighbors, a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding solar access nationwide, will provide educational resources, technical expertise, and support throughout the process.

Interested residents and businesses across Southwest Ohio should visit the website to learn more and express interest before December 1st, 2026 to be included in this cohort.

Upcoming Idea Jams for youth to innovate grant project ideas.

Applications are currently open until September 25th for the third round of the GCP Seeds of Change Youth Climate Action Grants. Need help innovating a project proposal? Wish you could talk with local leaders about your idea? Want to connect with other young people who want to make a difference? Come to the Idea Jams!

• Transportation & Neighborhoods Idea Jam THIS THURSDAY 4:00pm-6:00pm Learn more and RSVP here. 

• Zero Waste Idea Jam September 12th 10:30am-12:30pm Learn more and RSVP here.

Plus, we’ll be raffling off tickets to our Cincinnati Zoo – the greenest zoo in America – to some lucky youth attendees. We hope to see you there!

Every trash cart deserves a friend.

So many residents already have a recycling curbside cart and are doing an amazing job keeping recyclable materials out of the landfill and making sure they get a second life. But there are plenty of folks across the city that have not yet taken advantage of our free recycling program.  

That's where our new billboard campaign comes in. You may have spotted it already: a cartoon trash cart and recycling cart, side by side, because they really are the perfect pair. The billboards will be popping up in new neighborhoods over the next two months, so keep your eyes peeled. 

Know someone whose trash cart is still flying solo? Tell them the good news: recycling carts are completely FREE, just call 311 to get your free recycling cart today. Let's get every cart a buddy! 

Join us in saying thanks and goodbye to some OES Team Members.

One of the best (but hardest!) parts of building the local "bench" of climate leaders through our OES Fellows Program is that rock star young professionals join us for a short while and accomplish so much. We were grateful to have Macda Mulugeta as a Public Ally over the past year as well as Lauren Ann Barnes, Riley Brown, and Sean Johnson for a packed 10 weeks of GCP implementation fun. Some of the highlights of their work at OES included wrangling the GCP Seeds of Change Program data into a coherent story of impact, developing and publishing a Brownfield Storymap, producing reports and digital storytelling content, mapping city owned property that is mowed to inform low-to-no mow strategies moving forward, and leading West End residents to develop a plan for a Resilience Hub.

Thanks to each of them for their service to the City and best of luck as they return to continue their studies in urban planning, public health, and environmental communications!

Nominate a Food Hero for Food Waste Prevention Week.

At the end of this month, we’ll be celebrating Food Waste Prevention Week, and we want to highlight the work of some local partners that are everyday Food Heroes who help keep nutritious food out of the landfill and into the hands of our community. If you’d like to nominate a food hero, send an email to oes@cincinnati-oh.gov with their name and tell us a little about why they are a Food Hero. We’ll be highlighting some of these awesome Food Heroes later this month during Food Waste Prevention Week. 

Want to get more involved with food waste prevention?

Visit the OES website for campaigns and tips on food waste prevention or take some time to volunteer with some of our local food waste prevention organizations like Last Mile Food Rescue and La Soupe. 

Check out these latest changes to our public recycling dumpster list.

Unfortunately, due to consistent illegal dumping, the public recycling dumpsters at Kennedy Heights Park and Daniel Drake Park have been removed. If you previously dropped off at Kennedy Heights or Daniel Drake Park, check out the nearby site at Madisonville Recycles located at 6300 Warrick St.

If you are an organization interested in hosting a public recycling dumpster on your property, reach out to ben.russ@cincinnati-oh.gov.

Charge up- Drive Electric Month is almost here.

Zero-emissions transportation is a big part of how our city plans to hit its carbon goals, and that means making sure everyone who lives, works, or visits has easy access to EV charging along the way. 

The City has over 200 hybrid and electric vehicles in our city fleet, including our very own recycling van. We're also working to expand EV charging infrastructure across the city to make going electric more feasible than ever. Visit the EV charging map to find a charger near you. 

And we're not making this transition alone! Check out the Hybrid Metro Buses, or the brand new all-electric bus. Find an event or local car dealership near you to go on an EV test drive to see the newest models on the market. 

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