Sustainability News

April 22, 2024 marks the 54th annual Earth Day. College students are rooted in the history of this celebration and continue to be the spearheads of environmental change. But how do the flaws contribute to the planet’s deterioration and what can students do to save the future? 

No genre of music is as synonymous with a particular geographic region as bluegrass is with Appalachia. Stemming from the folk music of Irish and Scottish settlers in the region mixed with African traditions brought by formerly enslaved people, bluegrass focuses on acoustic instruments such as the banjo and fiddle with an emphasis on musical dexterity.

Earth Day is this Monday, April 22, and Ohio University has about six hours worth of activities starting with a parade to celebrate the holiday. 

On April 22, the parade will start at 4 p.m. on South Green in front of Pickering Hall and will end around 4:45 p.m. at Baker University Center, according to OU’s website. After the parade, people can attend the sustainable infrastructure hub seminar in The Front Room Coffee House at 5 p.m. However, Earth Day events don’t end there, as there are more the following day.  

A trend is a direction of interest, usually ignited by a drastic change or increase in popularity. Sustainability has been an element of importance for a long time, but within the past year, it has gained influence on the decision-making of producers and consumers. People have always cared, but now that care has turned into a necessity.

Last Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, at the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) conference in Newark, Ohio, Tom Redfern, the Senior Director of Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry at Rural Action, received the OEFFA’s 2024 Service Award.

This award is granted to individuals who made significant and meaningful contributions of service that improve the adoption of ecological, profitable or socially just agricultural practices or systems.

In the ceremony, Redfern was introduced by John Stock, Sustainable Agriculture Educator at the OEFFA, who remembered Redfern’s beginnings in agriculture, recognizing how his dedication and passion contributed to generating a beneficial impact in local communities. One example of this is the Chesterhill Produce Auction.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded the Rural Energy for America Program Technical Assistance Grant (REAP TAG) to the Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council (SOPEC), which will be partnering with Rural Action for its execution. This grant will leverage Rural Action’s Sustainable Agriculture Whole Farm Project and Rural Action’s Sustainable Energy Pledge program, benefiting rural small businesses and agricultural producer REAP applicants.

The REAP TAG will provide technical assistance and grant support to help interested applicants who qualify to submit a strong grant application for funding assistance.

Luke Sulfridge, Executive Director at SOPEC, and Debbie Phillips, Chief Executive Officer at Rural Action, highlighted the importance of this grant and its positive impact on local communities.

The Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine has been awarded a WELL Certification at the Silver level for Heritage Hall, the college’s new, state-of-the-art medical training facility on the Athens campus. This is one of the first medical education facilities in the nation to earn this achievement from the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI).

“By designing with the WELL Building Standard, the Heritage College has imbued our wellness philosophy into our learning, teaching and working environment. It gives me great pride to know that we are ‘walking the walk’ of wellbeing through a facility that fosters the very type of healthy lifestyle that osteopathic medicine promotes,” said Ken Johnson, D.O., executive dean of the Heritage College and chief medical affairs officer for Ohio University. “I would like to personally thank all who contributed to our design and construction efforts. Because of your dedication, Heritage Hall is a wonderful testament to the values of the osteopathic medical profession.” 

The general rule of thumb when cycling is commonly referred to as the ABCs of biking: air, brakes and chain. The idea is to ensure before every ride these three bike components are working properly to not cause issues while riding. Although these rules are important, some may want to dig deeper into the mechanics of the bicycle.

Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council, or SOPEC, held a press conference Thursday to formally announce it is receiving a technical assistance grant, which is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Energy for America Program, or REAP.

The conference was held at the Ohio University Innovation Center and included short presentations from Jonathan McCracken, rural development state director for Ohio, U.S. Department of Agriculture; Luke Sulfridge, executive director of SOPEC; and Debbie Phillips, CEO of Rural Action. 

Athens city officials are planning to bring electric vehicle, or EV, charging infrastructure to the city to mitigate carbon emissions as part of the project to renovate the Athens Armory at the end of Court Street.

“The City of Athens participated in a charging infrastructure collaborative learning program where we learned about the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant program,” Deputy Service-Safety Director, Andrew Chiki, wrote in an email.