The theme for 2017:
The Future of Energy and Resources
November 1, 2017
Website Costs
GO-DADDY WEBSITE: To renew with a New Website Builder promo, which is designed for mobile devices and utilizes scrolling… $95.88/yr (includes security) + $12.99 for Domain Ownership Protection +$14.99 to renew domain name = $123.86
Election of Officers Slate
- CO-PRESIDENTS … Judy Dearden / Tom Pappas
- VICE PRESIDENT … Paul Costanzo
- TREASURER … Roy Fash
- SECRETARY … Amy Milroy
Election of Board of Directors Slate
By-laws Board Shall Have Up To Seven, Not Fewer Than Five
- Judy Dearden
- Marilyn Wilson
- Rick Evans
- Paul Costanzo replaces Maryellen Dombek
- MaryBeth Skala
- Mary Fash
- Frank Popotnik
2018 Events
- JANUARY – Kimble & Solid Waste District- what and how to recycle
- FEBRUARY – Cathi Lehn/County councilwoman Sunny Simon- plastic bag legislation
- MARCH – Bi-Annual Business Meeting, +Tom Arbeznik, Financial advisor- green investment
- APRIL – Accurate IT (our electronics recycler) Jack Knapp
- MAY – Lake Erie Waterkeeper on plastics in our waters
- JUNE – Book Reports and FREECYCLE/E-WASTE DRIVE , tentative Sun, June 24th, 2018
- JULY – Summer break, HH Community Day
- AUGUST – FIELD TRIP: Regency Technology
- SEPT – Gazebo Potluck Dinner
- OCT – Movie & Discussion – “PLASTIC PARADISE” documentary $25.00 by 5 Gyres- park again?
- NOV – Year-End Business meeting and elections
- NOTE: FOEC, trying to get Dr. Sam (Sheri) Mason to do a talk, would be combined w/us
PLASTIC STRAW CAMPAIGN
FOR AREA RESTAURANTS, COMMITTEE, “Skip The Straw, Save a Sea Turtle”
Plastic Bag Legislation Support
Learn more about the Cuyahoga County Plastic Bag initiative here: Support Link
September 6, 2017
GAZEBO, ZERO-WASTE POTLUCK DINNER & 50/50 RAFFLE
Another good time was had by all at our annual potluck dinner with about 30 in attendance. We were definitely all very happy that the decision had been made to move the event inside .. right at 6 PM as everyone was arriving the heavens opened up… and gave us some much-needed rain, just not needed for an outdoor event!
August 2, 2017
QUASAR ENERGY: “Collinwood Digester”
In keeping with our HHGTF 2017 CAMPAIGN topic of energy and resources, this was the appropriate year for 20 of us to tour the Quasar Energy Group, Collinwood Digester. The Collinwood Digester develops biomass waste-to-energy technology utilizing anaerobic digestion. This system converts readily available biomass sources (food waste, manure, biosolids, crop waste) into biogas that can be used as electricity and thermal heat, natural gas, or compressed natural gas (CNG). This method of energy production reduces greenhouse gas emissions, diverts waste from landfills, and contributes to cleaner air, water, and soil. The Cleveland location will provide 1.3MW of electricity per hour, processing 42,600 wet tons of pumpable organic biomass per year. I believe we were all impressed with the facility and thankful for all the tons of waste that are diverted from the landfills.
July 29, 2017
CITY of HIGHLAND HEIGHTS COMMUNITY DAY
Volunteers from the Highland Heights Green Task Force worked our outreach table. Lots of good discussions with our city residents on how to change one’s habits to be more environmentally friendly.
July Summer Break – NO MEETING
June 7, 2017
Financial Report
Judy called the meeting to order and went over our finances. We have over $4K in our checking account.
Judy went over the financials and the membership thus far this year. Both continue to grow and we are in a good place with 49 paid members. We have $544.95 earmarked for the 2018 Alan Lorenz scholarship and $500.00 for the Living Lab Project at MHS.
Scholarship Winners
On May 17th, Mary Fash, Pat Lorenz, and daughter Ashley Meinke presented two scholarships to MHS students. The winners this year were Anthony Gamerman and Nishant Muralidharan. Both winners attended the meeting and filled us in on their career goals.
Rain Barrels
Pat brought the rain barrel that she wanted to donate to the Living Lab at the high school.
Little Free Library
We have a new and improved Little Free Library at the Pool in Highland Heights City Park. Be sure to check it out and take a book or leave a book! A big thank you to David Ianiro – he even included curtains – it’s adorable!
Native Plant Fostering Project a Success
The native plants from the Cleveland Natural History Museum have been taken from the High School Courtyard and returned to the Museum. The fostering project was a success. Thank you to Judy and Mary Fash for taking this on.
Remember there is no meeting in July.
Mark Baxter, District Executive of the Boy Scouts of America, talked to the group about the boy scouts and possible environmentally based programs in the Hillcrest area.
Book Reports
- Amy Mittman – “Junkyard Planet” by Adam Minter
- Rosemary Balazs – “World Without Us” by Alan Weisman
- Mary Fash – PD article about Wind Turbines, 5/28/17
- Marilyn Wilson – “Grounded” by Diana Butler Baum
- Betty Krysan – article about GMO’s
- Marybeth Skala – PD article about turning food waste into packaging, 6/7/17 and a National Geographic article about Maps of Habitats in the USA
- Barb Betz – “Dirt has a Microbism” newspaper article
- Nelli Johnson – “This Changes Everything” by Naomi Klein and “Drawdown” by Paul Hawken
- Tom Pappas “Potentially Polluting Shipwrecks” by Michael Barrett
Respectfully Submitted,
Amy Milroy
Secretary
May 3, 2017
Financial Report
- All assets are still in good standing
- Currently, there are 49 paid members.
- ALAN LORENZ ENVIRONMENTAL SCHOLARSHIP: We have 2 winners…thank you scholarship committee! The scholarships (EACH $750) will be awarded on May 17th at MHS HONORS DAY.
- Pat Lorenz and her daughter Ashley plan on joining us again this year.
- Pat is also donating Alan’s rain barrel to the school for use in the “Living Lab” courtyard
Hillcrest Hospital Earthday Outreach a Success
- Our outreach table at Hillcrest Hospital was a big success! A big thank you to our volunteers, Anna and Ron Hinkle, Mary K Evans, and Deb Harpp!
- We gave away over 300 packets of basil and wildflower seeds and lots of excellent handouts from PUCO.
- Great event, with over 250 please attending.
HHGTF Calendar of Upcoming Events
- JUNE 7TH (Wed) – GREEN BOOK CLUB BOOK REVIEWS
- JUNE 25th(Sun) – FREECYCLE/E-WASTE DRIVE, 10-3 in our city park
- AUG 2ND – COLLINWOOD DIGESTER TOUR, 3 PM
- OCT 4th – MOVIE & DISCUSSION NIGHT, 7 pm at the pool barn in our city park Private showing of: IN SEARCH OF BALANCE
Lake Erie Energy Development Co.
Presentation by Beth Nagusky
Welcome to tonight’s presenter: Beth Nagusky, Director of Sustainable Development at LEED CO. – LAKE ERIE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT CO.
April 5, 2017
Financial Report
- Judy called the meeting to order and went over our finances. We are in good standing.
- Judy went over the financials and the membership thus far this year. Both continue to grow and we are in a good place with 46 paid members – with the potential of 60 if everyone pays who did last year – and over 5K in the bank. Corey Rice still thinks the Living Lab Project is a go.
- The committee working with the Alan Lorenz Environmental Scholarship will be interviewing the 4 candidates that we have this year on April 20th. This meeting will determine the finalists. On May 17th, Mary Fash will once again announce the winner for our group. Alan’s wife Pat will be in attendance and plans on bringing the rain barrel that she wants to donate to the Living Lab at the high school.
Event Planning
Judy reviewed the final version of the 2017 calendar with the group. EarthFest 2017 will be held on April 22nd at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds.
Also of interest: On May 6th in Euclid there will be a Euclid vs Collinwood trash pick-up!
Shop for Utility Rates
Presentation by Laka Papalko
Our speaker this evening was Luka Papalko from the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, Office of Public Affairs – Public Information Officer. Luka informed us that the PUCO is involved in some things that you never would have guessed such as railroad crossings and moving companies. He also walked us through www.energychoice.oh.gov to shop for utility rates using Apples to Apples. Also, we were reminded that using Energy Star appliances will save us on our utility bills and you may be eligible for rebates!
Respectfully Submitted,
Amy Milroy,
Secretary
March 23, 2017
Bi-Annual Board Meeting
In Attendance
- Judy Dearden
- Paul Costanzo,
- Roy Fash
- Amy Milroy
- Marilyn Wilson
- Mary Ellen Dombek
- Rick Evans
- Mary Fash
- Frank Popotnik
- Marybeth Skala
This evening the members of the Highland Heights Green Task Force Board gathered together to discuss the future of the Task Force and how we plan on moving forward with all that we do.
Financial Report
- Judy went over the financials and the membership thus far this year. Both continue to grow and we are in a good place with 46 paid members – with the potential of 60 if everyone pays who did last year – and over 5K in the bank. Corey Rice still thinks the Living Lab Project is a go.
- Our Federal Tax for non-profits has been filed. At the end of 2017, we should get a reminder from the state to file the Statement of Continued Existence.
- The committee working with the Alan Lorenz Environmental Scholarship will be meeting to review the applications of the candidates who have applied on 3/27/17. We have 4 candidates. How the $1,500.00 will be split will be decided after the interviews.
Event Planning
We reviewed the calendar for the year and made any changes. It is ready now to print. Judy will make 250 copies for Hillcrest and other outreach events.
A spring clean-up in the park/Dusty Goldenrod Meadow would be a nice addition to the calendar for 2018.
HHGTF Officers
The Officers for 2018 were discussed. We will vote for candidates at the October meeting and then have the final vote in November at our year-end meeting. We have decided to skip the December meeting and have November be the final business meeting of the year.
HHGTF Outreach
The idea that we need to reach more people was agreed on. We need our mission out in the public more and have more visibility. Trying to get more things published would be a good place to start.
The Board then reviewed the usual events and outreach tables that we have been hosting in the past. The majority were deemed worth keeping except HH Community Day, GMEEC Spring Plant Sale, Greenwood Farm Fall Family Fun Fest, and the Green Vendors Holiday Gift Sale.
Respectfully Submitted,
Amy Milroy,
Secretary
March 1, 2017
Business Meeting
This evening the members of the Highland Heights Green Task Force gathered together to discuss the future of the Task Force and how we plan on moving forward with all that we do.
Financial Report
- Judy went over the financials and the membership thus far this year. Both continue to grow and we are in good standing.
- There are 46 paid members.
General Business
Soon the committee working with the Alan Lorenz Environmental Scholarship will be meeting with the candidates who have applied. We will decide as we work through the process how many scholarships we will offer this year and the amounts. Hopefully, we will have great students apply like they did last year and we will be able to make our $1,500 offering go far.
The Little Free Library
The Little Free Library in the community park always can use some new books. Children’s books are the most popular.
Seed Give Away
We decided to give away seeds along with information on the HHGTF at the Hillcrest Hospital Earthday Celebration. We have budgeted $60 for this.
Volunteers Needed
The FreeCycle/E-Waste Drive still needs volunteers. Judy is working with the city to have there be an ongoing drop-off for e-waste. Lakewood uses Accurate IT and it is working well. Perhaps we could partner with surrounding cities. Talking to Mayors would be the next step.
Officers and Structure of the Task Force
Next, we discussed the Officers and Structure of the Task Force for 2018. Judy would like to have a co-president next year at the very least. The position of Secretary will be open in the organization next year as well. We will see if Paul would like to be the Vice President in 2018.
2018 Event Planning
- Each usual event was looked at for 2018 and we discussed which we feel we should keep and which could go in the upcoming year. It was decided that HH Community Day, GMEEC Spring Plant Sale, Greenwood Farm, and the Green Vendors Sales can all be deleted from the calendar in 2018.
- A spring clean-up in the park/Dusty Goldenrod Meadow would be a nice addition to the calendar for 2018.
- We have a Board Meeting Scheduled for March 23 at 5 pm at Panera in Highland Heights.
Respectfully Submitted,
Amy Milroy, Secretary
February 1, 2017
General Business
Judy brought the meeting to order and quickly reviewed the schedule for the 2017 calendar. We have some wonderful programs being planned for further education and information on how to be an active member of the community while living as green a life as possible.
New HHGTF Website
- The new HHGTF Website is up and running.
- Please give it a look.
- The total cost for one year will be $12.00.
Movie Night
We hope to have another movie night sometime in the fall with “In Search of Balance”.
Financial Report
- The financial report for the beginning of the year was presented.
- As of this month’s meeting we have a membership of 40.
- ALAN LORENZ ENVIRONMENTAL SCHOLARSHIP: Information has been submitted to Mayfield High School.
The Committee members choosing the scholarship recipients this year are: Mary Beth Skala, Donna Grigas, and Joan Albro.
The 2017 amount will be $1,500.00.
Booster Tea Recipe
Kathleen Gips, the “Herb Lady” of the Western Reserve Herb Society shared an immune booster “tea” recipe with us:
- Cayenne Pepper – raises body temperature = viruses don’t have a stable environment in which to live.
- Fresh sliced ginger root
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice of ½ lemon – boosts immunity
Raising Livestock and Energy Consumption
Presentation by Nellie Johnson
Our speaker for this evening, Nellie Johnson gave a talk about how much energy is used to raise livestock for food. She is a Cleveland Heights resident and the Co-Founder of The Vegan Fund. She is a supporter of the Cleveland VegFest. The 2017 VegFest event will be held at the Cleveland Convention Center, on June 3, 2017. The admission is a $5.00 donation.
Nellie discussed factory farming and the harm it does to the environment. Our current diet of factory farmed foods consumes vast amounts of energy and if we change our eating habits even just a bit – we can have a positive impact on the environment. Eat more veggies!!!
For more information, Nellie suggests checking out Cowspiracy.
Respectfully Submitted,
Amy Milroy, Secretary
January 4, 2017
Financial Report
- The financial report for the beginning of the year was presented & we are in great shape thus far.
- The Alan Lorenz scholarship is fully funded and we have as of 1/3/17 30 paid members already.
- Amy and Judy are working on updating and rebuilding the website for the HHGTF. We have decided to stay with GoDaddy for another year.
February Events
- Feb 1 – HHGTF Meeting
- Feb 16 – Movie Night!
Thursday, 2/16/17 from 7-9 in the Buckeye Room at the Highland Heights Community Center. The movie that will be featured is “The Garden”.
We hope to have another movie night sometime in the fall with “In Search of Balance”.
Environmental Policy
Presentation by Mike Foley, Director, Cuyahoga County Office of Sustainability.
Our speaker for this evening, Mike Foley, drew a big crowd representing people from many neighboring cities. Some are office holders and others are concerned citizens. With the national landscape due to change quite dramatically with the incoming new administration, it is as important as ever to be well informed and hold our policymakers accountable for legislation regarding the environment
To learn more, please visit the Office of the Executive. This website provides valuable information about some of the key sustainability issues communities are addressing today.
Should you wish to contact Mike Foley directly, his email is: mfoley@cuyahogacounty.us and his phone is 216.443.3055
Respectfully Submitted,
Amy Milroy, Secretary