Our Mission: Power A Clean Future Ohio is building momentum now for a clean, prosperous future by equipping local leaders for equitable, community-driven carbon reductions in Ohio. |
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Power a Clean Future Ohio participated in the most recent convening of the Summit County Environmental Task Force which took place via Zoom. This task force was reconvened and relaunched by County Council Member Liz Walters at the beginning of the year to identify ways Summit County could become more environmentally sustainable. While the pandemic has delayed some of the group’s work, the task force is pushing ahead to present recommendations to the county council and executive.
PCFO Executive Director Joe Flarida presented to the task force at this meeting on the opportunity for Summit County to join PCFO and what the coalition would recommend as the county considers sustainability or climate action planning. Together, PCFO and the task force hope to find the best approach for Summit County to be "a leader in sustainability in its own practices and encourage residents and businesses to follow suit."
“I think this environmental task force is a great example of a local community coming together and saying let’s think about these issues, let’s all join forces and see how we can best approach this, let’s put together a set of solutions that fit for Summit County,” Flarida said.
Council Member Walters expressed support for the county’s potential work with PCFO saying, “They have a level of expertise in this work that could be really helpful to us and very accessible for us.”
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PCFO Community Spotlight: Reynoldsburg |
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City: Reynoldsburg
Mayor: Joe Begeny
Population: 38,278
Reynoldsburg has shown leadership in upgrading their school facilities to implement sustainability initiatives. In 2017, Reynoldsburg City Schools collaborated with AEP Ohio’s Efficient Products for Business Program along with Dynamix Energy Services to develop a district-wide energy conservation project. This project included varying degrees of sustainability measures for 14 buildings in the district as well as the high school stadium. Interior and exterior LED lighting upgrades, HVAC renovations, and complete district-wide controls and building automation replacement have been implemented.
Reynoldsburg is home to several quality public parks and greenspaces that give their residents access to recreational activities and great paths for biking, walking, and running. The city’s leadership has shown strong support for creating a more sustainable, resilient community built on clean energy and conservation. Power a Clean Future Ohio is excited to work with Mayor Begeny and City Council to pursue these efforts in collaboration with community organizations and residents.
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Park Space Can Improve Health and Reduce the Impacts of Climate Change |
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As communities around the state and nation begin to consider opportunities to invest in clean energy and combat climate change, many are considering changing land use to increase green space and public parks. While parks have offered vital opportunities for families to spend time outside, social distance, and escape rising temperatures. But as a recent study published by The Trust for Public Land outlines, not all parks are created equal.
According to the study, parks serving more low-income households are four times smaller and more crowded than parks that serve those in higher-income households. In addition, parks serving primarily nonwhite populations are roughly half the size of parks serving majority-white populations, making them even more crowded. While larger, greener parks offer shade and cooling for visitors, parks in low-income neighborhoods are more likely to see more asphalt surfaces that only increase already high temperatures.
Community engagement and participation can make all the difference. When community members take part in genuine conversations about what a park space can offer those it serves, support and investment increases, even when policy measures have lacked behind.
Read more about this study to learn why community investments in equitable park space can improve health and reduce the impacts of climate change. Power a Clean Future Ohio is committed to working with communities around the state as they consider modifying land use to increase green space and new opportunities to invest in clean energy. PCFO’s work is centered around equitable solutions and as this recent study shows, there is plenty of work to do in ensuring equitable access to parks. PCFO is here to help local governments in those efforts.
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Clean Fuels Ohio is excited to host the 6th annual Midwest Green Transportation Forum and Expo from September 14 through September 25. Despite the trials laid in front of them due to COVID-19, the Clean Fuels Ohio team has come up with a creative solution that allows people to virtually come together and learn about the clean transportation technology industry’s advances and opportunities in 2020.
The Midwest Green Transportation Forum and Expo will be conducted through the world-renowned networking and event app, Whova. Registration for general attendance is FREE and attendee participation is completely customizable. Approximately 115 speakers are lined up to present 30 panels over 10 business days. From big picture sessions to policy, EVs, Autogas, natural gas and more, there will be plenty of cutting-edge information to take in.
Sessions organized by Clean Fuels Ohio run from 10:30-12 p.m., 1-2 p.m., and 2:30-3:30 p.m. every day. Networking breaks, select stakeholder meetings, and virtual exhibit hall tours are built into the agenda.
Chamber for Innovation and Clean Energy is hosting a webinar called Multi-Billion Dollar Ohio Solar Industry and Its Benefits for Ohio Communities. Hear from experts about why utility scale solar development is so hot right now in Ohio. This webinar will highlight the multi-billion dollar economic benefits for Ohio communities and the opportunity to create thousands of jobs. Register here.
Ohio Environmental Council is virtually hosting At the Crossroads of Environmental Justice and Democracy Conference on September 24-25, 2020. They will be exploring the intersection of democracy and the environment, giving the opportunity for attendees to understand what it looks like for a government to work for everyone—and in turn, the environment. There will be a panel on Power a Clean Future Ohio and local clean energy action on September 25. Register here.
Green Energy Ohio created a series of virtual conversations to tackle the tough questions being raised around Clean Energy in the Age of Coronavirus. Watch a recording of their discussion here. The final conversation in this series will be held on September 16, and will feature the Local Government Perspective with Elizabeth Brown, Columbus City Councilwoman, and Justin Tisdale, South Euclid City Councilman.
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Interested in getting started? Join today! |
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PCFO is an expansive, diverse coalition engaging with cities and local governments across the state of Ohio to build a clean future for our communities. Power A Clean Future Ohio is empowering local leaders with tools and resources to create carbon reduction plans and implement them in ways that are achievable, measurable, equitable and economical.
Our coalition of expert organizations wants to share our technical expertise and resources with your community. If your community wants to work on plans to reduce emissions, attract business investment, implement equitable clean energy policy, and reduce costs – contact us today to set up a meeting!
If your business or organizations would like to support PCFO, we invite you to join the campaign as a PCFO Partner. Contact us for more details.
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PCFO Partner Spotlight: Third Sun Solar |
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Who is Third Sun Solar?
Third Sun Solar is a mission driven Benefit Corp that provides high performance energy systems for homeowners across Ohio as well as building large projects for schools, businesses, and public agencies. We are celebrating our 20th year in business and are proud of not just WHAT we do but HOW we do it!
Why is it important for Third Sun Solar to be involved in PCFO?
We are proud to be involved in PCFO as they are aligned side by side with us in our mission: "To Accelerate the Shift to Clean Energy".
How do you see PCFO impacting your work/efforts?
While solar adoption is growing rapidly, we need to move much faster if we are to realize our full potential to impact the planet and our economy. PCFO's work is CRITICAL to these efforts as we not only fight for improved solar policy but defend solar against attacks from the fossil fuel monopolies.
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