The theme for 2023:
Nature & Us
April, 2023
Financial Report
We are financially in good standing.
April 5th Presentation: LANDSCAPING for the FUTURE
Presenter: Kate Chapel, Watershed Coordinator (and botanist), Cuyahoga County Soil and Water Conservation.
Kate says: “I am passionate about conservation ecology, applying it practically, and communicating it effectively to the general public. I am especially interested in issues of land use, fragmentation, and invasive species. I would like to use my skills to educate the public about the importance of landscapes and ecosystems and the services they provide humans.”
APRIL NEWS
City of Highland Heights COMMUNITY CLEAN-UP DAY – 2nd Annual!
Saturday, April 22, 2023, 9 am- 12 or later. Meet at City Hall this year.
Thank You Handouts for Participating!
HHGTF purchased 10 more grabbers and Heinen’s sold us 46 reusable produce bags to hand out as thank you for helping……and to hopefully get shoppers to stop taking plastic produce bags!
We have a good supply of orange vests, grabbers, gloves, and garbage bags.
Please go to the city website to register:
Alan Lorenz Environmental Scholarship
We have two applications, and the board of directors voted to increase the amount, giving each applicant $1,000.00
Repeat Glass
The mayor has, after reconsidering, had a bid placed in the city It is located at the Building Department, where it is easy to find. Please pass this information on so people use it!
FREECYCLE
I chatted with Katharyne Starinsky, Dept of Consumer Affairs, Cuyahoga County, who was hired to oversee the Plastic Bag Ban. She said they are trying to collect unused reusable bags to distribute to those who need them; at places like the “Good Store”, or other locations. We will try for a collection at our Freecycle.
Please pass this on and check if you might have some to donate. This info will also be in the Freecycle flyer.
HHGTF will be restructuring
More about this later, but we will be going to a steering committee, instead of the Officers and Board of Directors. Anyone interested in joining the steering committee, please notify me.
Executive Director Wanted
Beyond Pesticides is looking for someone to replace Executive Director, Barry Zucker. If you
know of anyone who might be interested, please let Judy D. know and she will provide contact information.
March, 2023
Financial Report
We are financially in good standing.
COMMUNITY CLEAN-UP DAY
Community Clean-Up Day, Earthday, Saturday, April 22, 2023, 9 am- 12 or 1 PM, meet at City Hall this year. It would be great to have a better attendance of the HHGTF membership this year as we initiated this event. Thank you to those who participated last year and those who have already signed up for 2023.
I have also received a commitment for cub scout kids to participate with a parent. I’ll check with the Garden Club to see if they have volunteers to help pass out and then collect vests and grabbers.
I contacted Rhonda Mayor Kim Thomas’ assistant to hopefully get going on Richmond Hts doing a city clean-up too. Last year when Marilyn W. and I suggested it to the mayor it was too close to Earthday.
WEBSITE
www.highlandhtsgreen.org
Thank you again, Angela! Some of you met her when she attended our last meeting in February. If you haven’t looked at it, please do so and give any suggestions.
Repeat Glass
Mayor Brunello and I discussed this again when we met in January. He agreed to check with St. Pascals to see if they would be willing to place a bin in their parking lot. I have not heard back from the mayor about this. Any suggestions?
BRING YOUR OWN BAG
Cuyahoga County, Katharyne Starinsky, Department of Consumer Affairs….should we hand out their reusable bags, or buy Heinen’s bags at $1.99, 2 in a pack. We would need about 45, S0, $90-ish?
OCTOBER MOVIE
Which one?
- Fantastic Fungi = $10.23 Amazon.
A Fascinating subterranean network, OR - Fork over Knives = $12.99 Amazon
What if one simple change could save you from chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease? Take a deep dive into the plant-based diet documentary that has influenced millions around the world.
OTHER NEWS & UPDATES
- Presentation by Cuyahoga Solid Waste District, Carin Miller…frozen food boxes now accepted by Kimble……BUT…they no longer take the milk-type cartons. Take those to the Paper Retriever bins in churches or Metroparks
- Sun Newspapers: Thanks to Maria Shine Stewart for giving us a little blurb in last Thursday’s paper….she even mentioned the address of our revised website!
- HHGTF Calendar: programs coming up…on the home page of the website!
February, 2023
Financial Report
We are financially in good standing.
PRESENTATION: Saving Seeds
Speaker
Danielle (Dani) Jacobs, from the Cleveland Seed Bank. Dani is the Education Coordinator for the Cleveland Seed Bank & Hummingbird Project. Dani’s presentation was about the organization and included tips on saving seeds. There are seeds available at the public library! Seeds were also offered to the HHGTF meeting attendees. To learn more visit:
- The Cleveland Seed Bank website: https://www.hummingbirdproject.org/cleveland-seed-bank
- The Cleveland Seed Bank Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ClevelandSeedBank/
Discussions
- Prescription Bottles
Member Carol Mulhern’s church – Mayfield Methodist in Chesterland delivers them to Matthew 25 Ministries in Cincinnati. These are then delivered for use overseas. - HHGTF Website
Thank you Angela Berlingeri for all your hard work. The new web address is www.highlandhtsgreen.org . The “.com” address is now history….please check it out and let us know what you think! Or share any suggestions. - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR FREECYCLE/E-WASTE DRIVE
Sunday, June 25…two shifts. Judy will send out the sign-up sheet by email. - COMMUNITY CLEAN-UP DAY
Saturday, April 22, 2023….Earth Day…we are always looking for more volunteers. Last year we had 40…let’s top that this year! Watch for an email notice soon to register to participate, or put your name on our signup sheet tonight. - HHGTF CALENDAR
The calendar is on the website….need May scheduled. Judy will continue to try and schedule a nutritionist to share ”We Are What We Eat”
OR…Judy can do a composting demo at her house, as she has done in the past. - Shaker Heights Programs
We met with Sustainability Officer with the City of Shaker Heights and will be talking soon with Marc Lefkowitz who is the author of the Tool Kit. Some may remember Mike Foley, Director of Sustainability, did a presentation for HHGTF on the Sustainability Tool Kit a few years back.
Michael Peters told us about the many very impressive earth-friendly, sustainable efforts Shaker Heights has in place! - Network of Local Environmental Groups & Organizations
Hopefully, we can make this happen! - Northeast Ohio Environmental Task Force
Here is their facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/NEOETF - Summary of meeting with our Highland Heights Mayor, Chuck Brunello
- Discussed Repeat Glass…Chuck was informed we would pay for 3-6 months, and he agreed to check with St. Pascals as a site to place a bin.
- Discussed including HHGTF events at the back of the newsletter in the calendar section.
- Member: David Alpert…..is working on getting information for the city to consider placing solar panels on city buildings….along with many other ideas he has for the Task Force…more details later.
- Flyer from Cuyahoga Solid Waste District…Zero and Reduced Waste Event Planning Workshop. Need to register