As cooler temperatures set in, it’s time to get outside! Let’s all take a collective sigh of relief that we made it through yet another Cincinnati summer without melting entirely. But, as we sigh out that deep breath, let’s consider what it is, exactly, that we are breathing in in the first place.
If you’ve been keeping up with our Slow the Flow blog series, you’ll know that recent science has been discovering a link between plastics (along with microplastics and chemical additives) and an array of human health issues. This month’s Slow the Flow will focus on the great outdoors. We’ll highlight a few local ‘green’ and ‘outdoorsy’ organizations (many are Hub partners!) and offer opportunities to care for the environment and minimize your plastic exposure as you fill your calendar with outdoor fall activities. Our health and that of our environment are inextricably linked.
Now back to that deep breath.
So, what can we do?
Now is the time to act—it’s not too late—and we can begin by educating ourselves about the materials that surround us and how they interact with the environment and our bodies. Plastic Pollution Coalition’s website is a great one-stop-shop for resources and ways to get involved– from making small adjustments in your daily consumption habits to encouraging policy change.
In short, the challenge we are facing is a big one and it requires action on all levels, but the most immediate changes we can effect are in our day-to-day lives. For now, let’s focus-in on some low-barrier ways to make this season more sustainable. Not quite ready to kick plastic to the curb entirely? That’s okay! Steps toward sustainability can look different for everyone. Regardless, we hope that you’re able to glean something useful from this compilation.
So bundle up, get cozy, and consider these ideas to slow the flow while you’re enjoying the great outdoors!
1. General Recreation & Outings
Did you know that the City of Cincinnati is a national frontrunner in sustainability? The city’s Green Cincinnati Plan is updated every 5 years to establish a set of goals, strategies, and actions to “advance the sustainability, equity, and resilience of our city”, so just by getting out and enjoying what our city has to offer, you’re supporting local sustainability efforts.
Check out the Cincinnati Parks event calendar to stay in the know about all sorts of fun activities—from the Olden View Park Pumpkinpalooza to community workdays at LaBoiteaux Woods Nature Center. Green Umbrella, our regional climate collaborative, also has an event calendar to keep an eye on for events like upcycling toolkit webinars and midnight hikes.
Enjoy the Cincinnati Zoo, known as ‘The Greenest Zoo in America’! You can even book a Go-Green Sustainability Tour to go behind the scenes to check out their sustainability efforts!
Maybe you’d rather keep it simple and go for a nice bike ride. Check out MOBO, a non-profit co-op in Northside that’ll teach you how to repair your own bike, or Queen City Bike, a non-profit that hosts community cycling events. Earlier this month, these two organizations partnered up with the Hub for a bike collection to get repaired and refurbished bikes into the hands of those that need them. Don’t have or want your own bike? Rent one! Red Bike has stations sprinkled all across the city and makes it easy to go for a ride, and Red Bike has partnered with the Hub to responsibly recycle the batteries from e-bikes!
HOW TO CUT WASTE WHILE ON RECREATIONAL OUTINGS
Be sure to take a reusable water bottle with you on your outings to these local gems!
Purchase snacks in bulk to reduce packaging waste and bring reusable snack containers with you as you explore the outdoors.
Remember that many plastic items necessary for outdoor activities — like bike helmets— can be brought to the Hub for reuse if still in good condition or for recycling if they’ve reached the end of their useful life.
HOW TO CUT PLASTIC WHILE ON RECREATIONAL OUTINGS
Replace that plastic water bottle with a metal one! This is a small way to make a big change in your microplastic consumption!
2. Getting Out in Nature
Check out Cincinnati Nature Center for fun events like foraging and bird walks or Great Parks (Hub partner!) for wooly worm racing and natural dye workshops! If you like going apple picking in the fall, you might also be interested in becoming an orchard steward for The Common Orchard Project, which works to install and maintain community orchards in our region.
Two orgs that care for our local waterways are Mill Creek Alliance and Living Lands and Waters. Mill Creek Alliance hosts volunteer workdays along with urban stream adventures. Living Lands and Waters operates a barge that travels up and down waterways hosting river cleanups, workshops, and more!
HOW TO CUT WASTE WHILE IN NATURE
Consider carpooling to events to cut back on fuel emissions and always bring an extra bag to collect any trash you do produce while you’re out and about.
Maybe you even decide to pick up a few pieces of litter as you explore—you never know where it could lead! A mutual aid non-profit called Worcester Litter started out as a single individual cleaning up litter in his Massachusetts community and the program has become so successful that it was recently featured in the National Zero Waste Conference.
HOW TO CUT PLASTIC WHILE IN NATURE
For when you’re huddled up by a campfire this season, the Hub’s E-Waste Plus manager recommends this homemade marshmallow recipe for s’mores. You can find most of the ingredients in non-plastic packaging and can make them in bulk.
If you do wind up with plastics to get rid of while in the great outdoors, be sure to keep them OUT of the campfire. When burned, plastics release toxic chemicals that you definitely do not want to be breathing in.
3. Sports
If sports are more your speed, check out the Cincinnati Recreation Commission’s athletics programs for people of all ages. They even offer golf lessons! Local YMCA branches also offer options for community-based sports programs, from martial arts to pickleball.
HOW TO CUT WASTE IN SPORTS
The CRC and the YMCA often provide equipment to check out, reducing the need to buy your own. But, if you are in the market for some gear, you may want to check out a secondhand store like Play it Again Sports or the Outdoor/Active section our own Hub Shop.
When equipment does reach its end-of-life, consider the best method of disposal. First, can it be donated or upcycled? Look for ideas online—maybe that old pair of skis could become a shelf! If not, explore recycling options before tossing it in the garbage. The Hub also accepts pickleballs for recycling!
If you’re involved in organizing sports events, look to inspiring cases like the San Diego Padres’ 96% diversion rate of waste in Petco Park Stadium or to the Green Sports Alliance’s Comprehensive Guide to Implementing Reuse Systems in Sports and Entertainment Venues.
While reuse hasn’t yet come to Cincinnati stadiums, there are some small-scale reuse pilots happening in Ohio! Check out this reuse program up in Bexley.
HOW TO CUT PLASTIC IN SPORTS
Avoiding plastic can be difficult when it comes to sports equipment, but keep an eye out for natural materials like cork, metal, wood, etc. and try to prioritize them over plastic options when possible.
WHEW. Maybe we need another deep breath.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the things we could do to keep our planet and ourselves healthy and it’s okay to start small. The good news is that our everyday choices — no matter how small — actually can make an impact. So this fall, as we explore the great outdoors, let’s do the best we can with what we have, and we can really knock it out of the park, so to speak.
Have your own tips to share? Leave them in the comments below!
