AKRON — Even though Ohio has a long history of innovation in areas like electricity, aviation, space and aeronautics, and automobile production, many people are still unaware of its capabilities to lead the effort in ensuring sustainability. Therefore, we have compiled sustainability efforts that help combat the threat of climate change initiated by the Akron government and its businesses.
1. The Recycling Right Campaign (Relaunch)
The City of Akron is delighted to announce that the popular Recycle Right program will be relaunched—a community-wide project aimed at improving the quality of recycling in curbside carts by providing people with personalized and real-time curbside recycling instruction and feedback.
Keep Akron Beautiful, ReWorks, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, and The Recycling Partnership are once again collaborating on this program.
2. Akron Zoo’s Green Operations
Green practices are knowledge and processes that can lead to more environmentally friendly and ecologically responsible decisions and lifestyles, which can aid in the protection of the environment and the long-term sustainability of its natural resources for current and future generations. Akron Zoo’s implementations of green practices have spanned two decades, covering areas such as waste management, energy, purchasing policy, and many others.
3. Akron Waterways Renewed! (AWR)
The Akron Waterways Renewed! program is a city-wide effort to reduce Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) and modernize the city’s sewer system. The management of CSOs, combined with upgrades to Akron’s existing sewer infrastructure, will assist the city in meeting current EPA standards, as outlined in the Federal Consent Decree given to the town in 2009.
4. Tree Planting at CVNP
Tree planting efforts aid in reducing erosion and filling in the tree canopy, resulting in a less fragmented ecology. The Cuyahoga Valley National Park is inviting volunteers to join the Tree Planting program to restore the habitat in CVNP on Thursday, June 3, 2021, from 10:00 AM – 12:00. Individuals were required to register in advance for all events. The groups are small, and there is a strict attendance limit.
5. KB BioEnergy
For almost 30 years, KB BioEnergy has delivered waste-to-resource solutions to wastewater treatment plants as a family-owned and operated business. Thanks to their leading state-of-the-art technology, professional workforce, and award-winning operations, KB BioEnergy provides sustainable value-added solutions for municipal wastewater treatment plants and biomass producers throughout the Midwest.
With a population of 197,000 people, Akron has a long industrial history and can lead the way on creative climate change mitigation strategies. Initiatives like these have been striving to educate locals about sustainability and change their attitudes on the necessity of conserving the environment.