All posts in the topic A Better Tomorrow (Short link)
Summary
- There are 4 posts — by 3 authors — in this topic.
- Latest post made by Eric Oberg at Aug 21 15:09 UTC
| From | File | Date |
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| Laura Koprowski | 0818InstituteActiveFlier.pdf | Aug 21 14:43 UTC |
Hello everyone. I am Leslie Strader, the Outreach Specialist for the Center
for Energy & Environment at MORPC. I work to market the Center's programs and
educate the community primarily about water quality, air quality, and energy
efficiency. As part of my work I help to coordinate the Summit on
Sustainability & the Environment-If you haven't attended or heard of the event,
I have pasted an article below that will tell you about what the Summit offers
and I hope you'll want to attend.
Actions Today for a Better Tomorrow:
Summit on Sustainability and the Environment, September 11 - 13
These days everyone is talking about "Green," but it is turning those words
into action that will make tomorrow a better place. This September 11-13 the
Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) is hosting a Summit on
Sustainability and the Environment to take a realistic look at how our
communities can make "Green" a reality in Ohio. The second annual Summit will
highlight tools for sustainability such as policy, innovation, education,
planning, financing and individual behavior change. "Ohio has over 24
institutes of higher learning in central Ohio alone, with this amount of brain
power within our state, we are extremely competitive when we put our collective
knowledge and problem solving capabilities together for a solution to any given
challenge. The Summit will help to bring these great minds together to
strategically plan for the future of our state taking into account our natural
environment and economic prosperity" said Chester Jourdan, MORPC Executive
Director.
The Summit is open to the public and all are welcome to attend the three day
event which will be held at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. The event
will feature keynote speaker, Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods,
who will speak during the summit's opening session. Other event attractions
will include educational sessions, facilitated conversations to turn knowledge
into a specific plan of action, an evening reception at the North Market, an
exhibitor hall and field trips.
The event itself will be green, as MORPC has adopted a set of strict guidelines
for itself to make the Summit a net-zero waste event. "We are committed to
making the Summit an event that will be good for the environment not just
because of the discussions that will be happening between participants, but
also because we have planned the event to be net-zero waste. We do everything
from encouraging and incentivizing participants to carpool, bike, walk, or bus
to the event, to composting food waste, and using real silverware and china
opposed to one-use cups/plates whenever possible," said MORPC Outreach
Specialist Leslie Strader, who is coordinating the event's logistics.
Space is limited, so register early to participate in this landmark event that
is expected to draw over 1,000 people from around the state. Tickets for the
event range from $80 to $100 per person and includes meals, an evening
reception at Columbus' North Market, your choice of one field trip and a
variety of educational presentations.
You can find more information and register for the event at
www.greenregion.org. Green Expo space and other sponsorship opportunities are
still available by contacting 614.233.4125. This event is made possible by the
Center for Energy and Environment at MORPC, which is a newly formed
public-private partnership between Ameresco, American Electric Power and EMH&T.
Recognized as the Center's Founding Members, these well-known Ohio companies
are playing a critical role in supporting and encouraging a sustainable future
for our state.
Leslie Strader
Oureach Specialist
Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission
111 Liberty Street, Suite 100 | Columbus, Ohio 43215
Tel: 614.233.4124| fax: 614.228.1904
This topic of A Better Tomorrow is very timely right now. We currently have an
amazing amount of challenges and opportunities before our region. Many choices
and decisions are facing us that can have very lasting and real effects down
the road.
I hear all the time about our economy and jobs. We hear so often about jobs -
getting more jobs, lack of jobs, more tech jobs, etc., etc. Important stuff,
but honestly is our community only about being a place to work? What is it that
is our heart and soul of our place?
I personally think that we could put more heart and soul into our thinking
about our future whether it is land use, transportation, education,
environment, etc. We are a place with a personality. While many people keep
trying to say we should be some place else, I believe we are already a unique
place and that our residents know it. We are people who feel a connection to
this place - we're not here just to work. So, what is it? Why is it? Who are
we?
What's really gotten my heart stirring about this topic is the work of the
Orton Foundation (www.orton.org). If you don't know much about them, you
should. And here is some of their thinking about heart and soul:
"Here at the Foundation, we endeavor to help people identify “heart and soul”
elements of their communities, and to work with them to celebrate, maintain,
and build upon these elements in the future of their communities. This means
incorporating those elements into planning policies and practices, and through
institutions and programs within the communities.
Planners are trained to see the big picture –What are the big trends, and how
can communities, regions, states best accommodate those trends? What land use
plans and policies will serve the community well? It can be a particular
challenge to look also at the little things - What are the small ingredients
that make up the unique DNA of any community? Are there particular landmarks?
Views? Gathering places? Special vegetation or water features? Perhaps there
are important elements as small as a community bulletin board, or a work of art
or garden crafted by a distinguished citizen. Even more difficult, are there
practices that are unusual and held dear by the community – some special events
hosted by local institutions that have become important local traditions?"
Anyway, food for thought and I look forward to others' responses.
Yesterday at the Columbus Metropolitan Club, there was an introduction of the
new Institute for Active Living. Attached is a flyer about the effort.
It was definitely a timely launch with the front page article in the Columbus
Dispatch about Ohio's obesity issues.
I wonder how people feel about the built environment playing a role in our
weight and health issues.
The following file was added to this topic.
- Name: 0818InstituteActiveFlier.pdf
- Type: application/pdf
- Size: 1343.36KB
Our development, certainly since WWII, has been completley built around the
car. This was done so well that we don't have to, and sometimes can't, choose
to even make a modest walk from car to destination. At a rescent forum that we
at Rails-To-Trails Conservancy held about active transportation funding the
concept of 'park once' was used repeatedly. I think it is such a great, simple
idea. Why can't we have a city that some of us will drive into, but then can
park once and use multiple modes at that point to reach all aspects of the city
that we may need to use in a day? I just wanted to share that thought, I
really like the simplicity of the concept.