The campaign for 2013:
“Use Less Plastic”
December 4, 2013: Highland Heights Green Task Force Business Meeting – Year End with Election of Officers
The meeting was called to order by Judy at 7:00 PM.
Topics Covered
- Financial report
- Website – we voted to renew for one year
- Elections – we voted to accept the slate of officers and the Board of Directors
- Dues
- Mayfield High School Environmental Club
- 2013 Annual Report
- 2013 “USE LESS PLASTIC” campaign and how it was a success
- 2014 “ZERO WASTE” campaign and how it ties into the City of Cleveland’s 2014 Zero Waste initiative
- 2014 Calendar of Programs, Meetings, and Events
Agenda November 6, 2013: HHGTF Business Meeting
Topics Covered
- Financial report
- Nonprofit application
- Millridge garden, pumpkin contest, and raffle tickets sold
- Planet Aid
- Mayfield Green Team Executive Committee with a school system-wide garden club
- Mayfield School Family Funfest
- Freecycle/ecycle
- Cooking with Leslie Elia
- Board of directors meeting on Oct. 22
- Moniatio slate
- Roy Fash agreed to be treasurer
- The Board of directors remains the same
- Volunteers for the board are being accepted
- Membership will vote on the slat in December
- The December meeting will cover the 2014 calendar
- Membership letter and dues should go out soon
- Jon Kaplan of Pearlwind presented on solar options.
- Rick Evans, VP of HHGTF, presented lighting options.
Agenda October 3, 2013: HHGTF Business Meeting
Summary
Judy called the meeting to order and updated the financial report, gazebo potluck, Millridge garden, Planet Aid box, Greenwood Fun Fest, and 2014 campaign. Upcoming events are Sat. Oct 12 at the Gates Mills Environmental Education Center and Jan. 18 at the Millridge recycle event.
Thank you to Clint Pemberton for speaking about the Quasar Energy facility known as the Collinwood Digester.
Agenda September 4, 2013: 2nd Annual Gazebo Potluck Dinner
Achievements Reviewed
We reviewed achievements over the past year to include:
- Planet aid box
- Freecycle/e-waster drive
- Use less plastic campaign
- Millridge school garden expansion
- Mayfield green team executive committee
- Became incorporated
- Received federal tax id number
- Began 501c3 application
- Sponsored 8 green living speakers series programs
- Held green book club meeting and 2 Business meetings
August 7, 2013: HHGTF Business Meeting and Environmental Loads on Our Bodies
Judy Dearden called the meeting to order at the Highland Heights Community Center around 7 PM.
Updates Provided For the Following:
- HHGTF finances
- June Book Report meeting
- HH Fun Day
- Millridge School activities
- Possible work with Mayfield High School
- Planet Aid box at Mayfield High School with 11000 pounds collected
- Freecycle activities with a discussion of a possible indoor event in January
- September 4 gazebo no waste party
- Federal ID number work
- December elections
- possible need for a nominating committee
Judy then introduced our speaker Leslie Elia.
Leslie Elia talked about environmental loads on our bodies. A huge thank you goes out to our most interesting speaker.
June 5, 2013: Green Book Club
Reports:
Judy Dearden started the meeting with the following reports:
- Financial report
- Freecycle and e-waste event on June 23
- Pumpkin patch planting took place at Millridge with all classes (YAY!)
- Community Day on July 27
- Mayfield schools green team
- Recycling in schools
- Planet Aid boxes at high school have received over 9000 pounds since April 2012 (YAY!)
- No July business meeting
- Aug 7 business meeting – stay tuned for details
We watched a video of The Majestic Plastic Bag: A Mockumentary then proceeded with book reports.
April 3, 2013: What Can We Do with the Deer?
Updates:
Judy Dearden discussed the following as concerns for the group:
- At the recent HHGTF board meeting, we agreed that funds if our group ceased would go to Mayfield for a scholarship
- Attendees should sign a volunteer email list that Judy passed around.
- Fundraising is in progress
- Millridge composting update
- Mayfield Green Team Executive meeting update
- The new Mayfield library opening is Sat., April 20, 2-5, stop by our HHGTF table
Christi Carlson, VP of Friends of Euclid Creek, spoke about how this is a joint meeting and about the land acquisition initiative for Richmond Heights and Highland Heights.
Geoff Westerfield, Assistant Wildlife Management Supervisor, Ohio Division of Wildlife, ODNR, spoke on the topic “What Can We Do with the Deer?”
Cathy Murphy, President of Highland Heights City Council, spoke briefly on what topics the city council is discussing concerning deer.
March 6, 2013: Chemical Free Lawn Care
Introductory material covered updates on the following:
- Meetings coming up
- List of what Highland Heights recycles
- Mayfield Schools’ green teams and composting
- NE Ohio Environmental Task Force on Facebook
- Richmond Heights tree planting through ReLeaf
- Friends of Euclid Creek are fundraising for a Richmond Height property
- Treasurer’s report
Beyond Pesticides
A representative from Beyond Pesticides spoke about how and why to use organic approaches instead of pesticides when it comes to lawn care.
Speaker: FOunder of Good Nature
- The founder and president of Good Nature spoke on organic lawn care
- He covered topics such as problems with pesticides, types of grass, maintenance, optimal mowing, spot weed treatment, the composition of fertilizer, use of compost, and a timetable for fertilizing.
February 6, 2013: Air Quality, How We Can Improve It
Summary Items
Judy called the meeting to order and covered the following:
- New members
- Financial report
- Membership dues
- Calendar
- Recycling list
- Green book club ideas
- Mayfield school recycling update
- Mayfield school and composting update
- Freecycle and e-waste drive
George Baker presented on air quality. He is the Commissioner of Air Quality, Cleveland Dept. of Public Health, Div. of Air Quality.
Judy asked for additional items for discussion. Cathy Murphy, Highland Heights City Council President asked that we look at Cuyahoga Airport to look at the environmental assessment of the airport currently in progress.
Note: The Cuyahoga Airport website is no longer accessible.
January 2, 2013: Plastic Pollution
Attendees introduced themselves. After that, Judy provided the following updates.
Updates:
- Financial Report provided
- Update on incorporation
- Review of 2013 tentative calendar events
- 2012 accomplishments
Other Things Discussed:
- Green Book Club
- Gazebo party
- Mayfield School recycling results
- Millridge composting
- Al Hess’ work in having science teachers provide credit to students who attend meetings, which hopefully will be under consideration by the school system.
Presenters on Plastic Pollution
- Nancy Hughes – Compost and Recycling Coordinator at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
- Cathi Lehn – Great Lake Erie Boat Float Coordinator