The UC Center for Public Engagement with Science (PEWS) is back with its monthly feature, Cincinnati Science Roundup. Check out events and news related to science happening in October from PEWS, our collaborators, and community partners around Greater Cincinnati!
Fall 2025 Makers in Education (MiE) Community of Practice (CoP) Meeting
Wednesday, October 1st, 4:00-6:00pm. Wyoming High School Makerspace, 106 Pendery Ave, Wyoming, OH 45215.
You are invited to the Fall 2025 Makers in Education (MiE) Community of Practice (CoP) meeting—a celebration of creativity, collaboration, and classroom innovation! RSVP to join us for:
- A guided tour of Wyoming High School’s makerspace
- A Gallery Walk featuring maker projects from educators across all three MiE Program cohorts
- A great opportunity to connect with fellow educators, exchange ideas, and gather inspiration for your own classroom maker experiences
OSLN/GCSC Design Challenge Virtual Kickoff
Wednesday, October 8th, 4:00-6:00pm. Online event (register for the link!)
Join GCSC, the Southwest Hub of the Ohio STEM Learning Network for a virtual kick-off of the #STEMmovesOhio Design Challenge! The design challenge is a great starting point to begin implementing high-quality STEM education best practices in a classroom. This session will assist educators and administrators on how to implement the Design Challenge in their classroom, receive context from industry partners, and leave with activities to take directly back to classroom! Learn more and register here.
Energy Management 101 – Benchmarking Webinar
Thursday October 9th, 10:00-11:00am. Zoom (register for link!) Open to all Green Umbrella members (including faculty and students at UC – reach out to events@greenumbrella.org about access if you don’t have a member login)
Lower your utility bills! Reduce risk! Increase property value! Improve comfort! The Greater Cincinnati 2030 District, a program of Green Umbrella, helps building owners across the tri-state region do all of these things by learning how to increase energy- and water- efficiency in their buildings. If you own or manage a place of business, a municipal or non-profit building, a school, or a multi-family residential building, this program is for you. We will be providing a free introduction to energy benchmarking – the first step in creating an effective energy management plan for your property – and an overview of our complete support programs for property owners and managers. Members register here (or reach out to events@greenumbrella.org).
2025 Cincinnati Local Candidate Climate & Sustainability Forum
Thursday, October 9th, 5:30-7:00pm. Zoom (register for the link!)
Green Umbrella and partners invite you to join us for a virtual candidate forum about climate action and policy in Cincinnati for City Council and School Board candidates running for local office. Twenty-seven candidates have filed for Cincinnati City Council, the most since 2021. All candidates will be invited to share their positions and plans on issues related to climate, environmental justice, and resilience. We are seeking your input on what to ask our candidates! Register for the forum here.
Little Sprouts
Mondays, October 13th and 27th, 10:00-11:30am. The auditorium at the Civic Garden Center, 2715 Reading Rd., Cincinnati.
Join the Civic Garden Center to connect with the outdoors and further your knowledge of plants. These drop in sessions are meant for children aged 3 to 8 and their caregivers. These sessions are free to attend and no registration is required. Learn more about the sessions here!
Birding to Change the World: A Civic Conservation Event
Register now: preregistration required!
Wednesday, October 15th, 2025, 7:00-8:30pm. 4949 Tealtown Road, Milford, OH 45150.
Join Trish O’Kane, author of Birding to Change the World: A Memoir, and Connie O’Connor, Director of Applied Learning at Cincinnati Nature Center, as they discuss the importance of connecting with others to protect what we love. In this age of isolation, what if the most radical form of activism is to find common ground? How might this save our environment and, ultimately, ourselves? Join the Cincinnati Nature Center for a discussion about lessons in Civics, wrapped in feathers! Learn more and get your ticket here!
Fundamentals of Climate Budgeting Webinar
Thursday, October 16th, 12:00-1:00pm. Zoom (register for link!) Open to all members (including faculty and students at UC – reach out to events@greenumbrella.org about access if you don’t have a member login)
Climate Budgeting 101: From Principles to Practice. Learn how to connect financial decisions with climate action in this engaging session on the fundamentals and elements of climate budgeting. Join Green Umbrella to explore the big-picture “why” — from linking spending to emissions goals to ensuring leadership, accountability, and transparency — and then dive into the practical “what” and “how,” including climate impact tagging, emissions accounting, sustainable procurement, annual reporting, and community engagement. Whether you’re new to climate budgeting or looking to strengthen your approach, you’ll walk away with clear principles, proven tools, and actionable steps to make every budget decision count for the planet. Members register here (or reach out to events@greenumbrella.org). For more information, please contact: Bamidele Osamika [bamidele@greenumbrella.org]
Tri-State STEM+ Conference
Thursday, October 23rd, 4:00-8:00pm. Northern Kentucky University.
Join fellow P-12 educators from the tri-state and beyond to explore STEM, STEAM, and STREAM education instruction, technology, and cutting edge techniques. Discover how you can become the catalyst for change and develop future STEM talent! Learn more about the conference and register now!
Green Drinks: Building Resilient, Sustainable Communities in Butler & Warren Counties
Thursday, October 23rd, 5:00-7:00 pm. Hamilton’s Urban Backyard, 501 Main Street, Hamilton, OH.
Green Drinks is coming to Butler County! Join Green Umbrella for an evening of connection, learning, and community-building co-hosted by the City of Fairfield and the City of Oxford. This special Green Drinks event is designed to bring together business, government, and nonprofit leaders from Butler and Warren counties who care about building resilient, sustainable communities.
Whether you’re already involved with Green Umbrella or just curious about the resources and opportunities we provide, this is a chance to meet like-minded changemakers and see how your organization can benefit. Register here!
Meet a Greenspace Hike with Oxbow Nature Conservancy
Friday, October 24th, 3:00-4:30pm. Oxbow Nature Conservancy.
Join Green Umbrella’s Greenspace Alliance and the Oxbow Nature Conservancy for our next Meet A Greenspace Hike! Located in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, the Oxbow is a refuge for wildlife and humans alike, providing prime habitat for migrating birds and fish populations, in addition to preserving the character and rich natural landscape for people to enjoy. Register here!
2025 Wasted Food Summit
Wednesday, October 29th, 9:00am-2:30pm. Memorial Hall, 1225 Elm St, Cincinnati.
Reimagining Wasted Food: From Surplus to Solution. Every year, the U.S. throws away nearly 60 million tons of food—almost 40% of what’s produced. Meanwhile, millions face food insecurity every day. It doesn’t have to be this way. Join Green Umbrella for the Wasted Food Summit, a powerful one-day gathering of changemakers, business leaders, chefs, advocates, and sustainability experts, all working to turn wasted food into opportunity. Whether you’re a business or institution interested in learning about food donation or an individual looking to be part of the solution, this event will equip you with tools, insights, and inspiration to take action. Register for the summit here!
Cultivating Futures: Green Careers Begin with School Gardens (Webinar)
Thursday, October 30th, 12:00-1:00pm. Zoom (register for link!)
From policy-making to work-based learning, join us for an interactive session exploring pathways that connect garden-based learning to green careers. Attendees will walk through a K-12 framework for engaging students in food and agricultural systems, both to meet the growing demand for a trained green workforce and provide viable, rewarding career options for students. This webinar is designed to help school district staff, community organizations, city officials, and school partners learn ways to implement work-based learning programs while gaining insight about industry-based credentials.
Speakers include Trisha Bautista Larson, National Farm to School Network Programs Director; Cynthia Walters, Green Umbrella Green & Healthy Schools Director; and Michael Turner, Director of Career and Technical Education with Cincinnati Public Schools. Register for the webinar here!
Classes at the Civic Garden Center (CGC)
Join the Civic Garden Center for a variety of engaging classes all throughout October! The Civic Garden Center is located at 2715 Reading Rd Cincinnati, OH 45206.
Wednesday, October 1st, 6:00-7:30pm – Compost Basics
Thursday, October 9th, 5:30-7:30pm – Nature-based Mindful Wellness
Tuesday, October 21st, 6:00-7:30pm – Native Plants for Drought
Thursday, October 23rd, 6:00-7:30pm – Introduction to Conservation
Wednesday, October 29th, 6:00-7:30pm – Flower Pressing
Visit the Civic Garden Center website for even more classes, tours, and volunteer opportunities!
News
Youth-Led Change: Groundwork ORV Green Teams Impact Cincinnati and Beyond
From clearing invasive species and maintaining green infrastructure to installing garden beds and filming community stories, our youth are taking action and building careers in the green sector—right here in their own neighborhoods. Read more about their achievements here!
Resources
How To Connect with Your Representatives: Greenspace Edition
Your local, state, and federal representatives are MORE LIKELY to take action if they hear from you, their constituent! This resource details how to reach the community leaders that can make the most difference in your area in regards to greenspace conservation.
Local School Wellness Policy Tool Kit
The Local School Wellness Policy Tool Kit (LSWP) is a playbook for a school community and external stakeholders to engage in the district wellness policy process. The LSWP Tool Kit is a powerful resource for school districts to use as a catalyst for increasing academic performance, improving attendance, and positively impacting graduation rates. It is a collaborative approach for equipping community members, partner organizations and municipalities with tools to build a wellness network with equitable distribution of infrastructure and resources at the helm. The work of the City of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Public Schools is featured in the LSWP Tool Kit, demonstrating how the alignment of city and school district policy drives the expansion of greenspace and nutritious food access.