Oxford Sustainability Newsletter, October 2021
Happy October! Here are some sustainability-related goings on this month.
Blessing of the Animals and Tree Giveaway at Oxford Presbyterian Church, Saturday 10/2
It was our animal companions that helped many of us get through this pandemic year. OPC will be celebrating and acknowledging our non-human fellow beings at this year's Blessing of the Animals, 10am at the Memorial Church Courtyard, 101 North Main St. in Oxford, Ohio. Bring your (securely restrained) animal companion to receive a blessing, and so to recognize how they bless us. You can also bring pictures if you prefer. OPC will also be distributing seedling trees, including red oaks, saw-tooth oaks, Ohio Buckeyes, yellow buckeyes and paw-paws (must take 2). Thanks to Dick Munson for his work starting and caring for the seedling trees.
LANE Library - Bees and Pollinator events, October 12 &13
If fruits and vegetables are an important part of your diet, you rely on pollinators. Pollinators also rely on us. Hear from Meredith May, beekeeper and author of “The Honey Bus” at 6:30 on 10/12, and on 10/13, join a panel discussion at Miami University’s Psychology Building on supporting pollinators. This panel discussion includes local, diverse stakeholders ranging from farmers, floral & hobby gardeners, beekeepers, academics and public representatives. (Funded in part by ALA’s Libraries Transforming Communities grant.)
Miami University “Climate Cafés”
Miami University has committed to reducing it’s greenhouse gas emissions as part of the (University) President’s Climate Leadership Commitment. You can meet Climate Action Task Force members spearheading this effort at a series of Climate Cafés being held Wednesday nights at 6pm in Miami University Upham Hall 2. The next three dates are:
Oct. 13: Student Engagement, with Scott Walter, assistant vice president for student affairs, and Denali Selent, junior engineering major and environmental science co-major, and CATF student representative.
Nov. 4: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, with Cristina Alcalde, vice president for institutional diversity and inclusion.
Nov. 11: Q-and-A and Review with the Climate Action Task Force co-chairs Jonathan Levy, director of the Institute for the Environment and Sustainability, and Adam Sizemore, director of sustainability.
City of Oxford Comprehensive Planning Process
The City of Oxford is updating its comprehensive plan— a document which, in turn, guides zoning and transportation investment decisions. The City will be soliciting public input in October both online and through two in=person public input sessions. To get updates, ensure that you are on the City’s email list for updates.
Solarize Oxford Update
Many households are already doing their part to help the City of Oxford reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by transitioning to renewable energy. These households transitioning to renewables will be joined by the development of a solar generating facility on the closed landfill. To find out more about the City’s climate efforts, visit this page.
Audubon Miami Valley Fundraiser: Bird Seed Sale, Orders Due 10/10
Audubon Miami Valley’s annual bird seed sale helps raise money for their work in Southwest Ohio. Order here by 10/10, pickup at Shademakers.
Ministry for the Future Book Club Discussion 10/28
Three Valley Conservation Trust is hosting a discussion of Kim Stanley Robinson’s Ministry for the Future. The discussion has been rescheduled to 10/28 at 7pm on Zoom. To join the Zoom meeting click here.
Cincinnati Recycling & Reuse Hub Annual Fund Drive
If you’ve been to the hub, you know what a great, community-organized space it is for “closing the loop” on waste in our community. They collect so many things, including polystyrene, plastic utensils, electronics and more. Let’s help them stay open, and build on their work! More on the Hub here, donate to their campaign here.
Oxford Women Writing about Climate
Beginning October 31 in Glasgow, the United Nations convene for COP 26 (or the 26th Conference of the Parties on Climate Change). This can seem like a distant event— but what is decided at this conference is tremendously important for the future. Read more about how apples are connected to COP 26 in this brief piece from me, Carla Blackmar Rice, in the OPC monthly newsletter.
The OPC Caring for Creation team continues to contemplate and riff on Rebecca Barnes-Davies’ book, 50 Ways to Help Save the Earth. Please read this month’s powerful piece from Sandi Woy-Hazelton, which contains a moral reflection on our obligation to each other in the midst of the climate crisis.
Thank you for reading, please reach out to cablackmar@yahoo.com if you have items to include in future newsletters!