Environmental change is on the minds of Licking County residents with two events, targeting environmental cleanup and green initiatives, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 7. Both events are free and open to the public.
River Round Up
The annual River Round Up event, hosted by the Licking County Soil and Water Conservation District, offers volunteers the opportunity to muddy their boots and clean the Licking River. This Saturday, Sept. 7, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., volunteers will be treading the water and walking along the river bank to remove trash, scrap metal, tires and even shopping carts.
In 2023, the Licking County Soil and Water Conservation District reported its 240 volunteers collected 25,320 pounds of trash, 120 tires and 1,160 pounds of scrap metal.
This year, there are 11 work sites available for volunteer sign-up and the event is close to filling up. The locations range in difficulty: from wading through rough waters to taking on family-friendly land pickups. Additionally, there are other on-land tasks for those who want to offer their support while staying dry.
“Go Green Granville” Initiative Launch Party
Also on Sept. 7, Granville residents involved in the local Environmental Sustainability Committee will be gathered for a different cause. From 8:30 a.m. to noon at the Granville Farmers Market in Raccoon Valley Park, the “Go Green Granville” group and the Village Council Environmental Sustainability Committee will be celebrating the launch of their new website GoGreenGranville.org.
“Go Green Granville,” a community outreach and engagement initiative, provides resources for personal action in effort to live more sustainably.
“The website we’re launching is a critical initiative to help educate and encourage both individual and collective action to make our community and the world a better place,” said Frank O’Brien-Bernini, chair of the Granville Sustainability Committee.
The Go Green Granville initiative introduces a goal to reduce carbon emissions in the village by 50% by 2030.
Its new website reports “more than half of Granville’s carbon emissions come from residential usage,” according to data collected by Powering a Clean Future Ohio.
To reduce carbon emissions, the group proposes that residents opt-in to the “Granville Green Electric Aggregation Program,” which is 100% renewable energy.
At the launch party, visitors can learn about the new initiative, view cost comparisons and start taking action on climate issues.
“There is no better time to start your personal journey than right now, and we’re all here to encourage and support each other,” O’Brien-Bernini said.
Ella Diehl writes for TheReportingProject.org, the nonprofit news organization of Denison University’s Journalism program, which is supported by generous donations from readers. Sign up for The Reporting Project newsletter here.