Sustainability + Environment
For those wanting to take back control of winter after the recent reminder of what ol' Jack Frost can shovel out, here are three activities to choose from around the Metroparks for tomorrow.
All events are free and open to the public. Follow the links for more information.
Chickadee Feeding Hike, Rocky River Reservation, 10 a.m.
Wild black-capped chickadees can be remarkably friendly. Join a naturalist-led walk for an attempt to lure this gentle creature to your hand. We'll supply the black oil sunflower seed.
Mill Creek Dog Walk, Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation, 10 a.m.
Take a brisk walk with your pup along scenic Mill Creek. Enjoy the flora and fauna as well as hearing a bit of the history of the area. Dogs must be leashed and waste picked up. Walkers without dogs welcome.
Sunday Drop-By: Snowflake Matching, Watershed Stewardship Center at West Creek Reservation, 1 p.m.
Stop by the Watershed Stewardship Center to celebrate this snowy season with a fun game. Bring your friends to this friendly competition while learning about snowflakes. Are snowflakes truly unique?
All events are free and open to the public. Follow the links for more information.
Chickadee Feeding Hike, Rocky River Reservation, 10 a.m.
Wild black-capped chickadees can be remarkably friendly. Join a naturalist-led walk for an attempt to lure this gentle creature to your hand. We'll supply the black oil sunflower seed.
Mill Creek Dog Walk, Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation, 10 a.m.
Take a brisk walk with your pup along scenic Mill Creek. Enjoy the flora and fauna as well as hearing a bit of the history of the area. Dogs must be leashed and waste picked up. Walkers without dogs welcome.
Sunday Drop-By: Snowflake Matching, Watershed Stewardship Center at West Creek Reservation, 1 p.m.
Stop by the Watershed Stewardship Center to celebrate this snowy season with a fun game. Bring your friends to this friendly competition while learning about snowflakes. Are snowflakes truly unique?
Walking the Ohio & Erie Canalway Towpath Trail reveals the details of fascinating sights, from stunning infrastructure and industry to magical cities and even a ghostly wetland.
From the reclamation of the Henninger Landfill to saving a Russell Township farm, the Western Reserve Land Conservancy fosters thriving urban centers, green space and more by preserving some 5,000 acres annually.
Orchestrated by regional organizations and led by residents, this grassroots initiative tackles climate change where it has a disproportionate impact: amid lower income citizens.
Whether it's a national design competition, kids making their own space or locals splashing color amid an active greenspace, Shaker Heights' Moreland district is alive with art and community collaboration.
Local artists Gary and Laura Dumm mix the likes of Frankenstein and vampires with pesticides and global warming - along with a side of humor - in an evocative new show.
In its quest to have bicycles be a primary form of transportation in the city, Lakewood recently added two new dedicated bike lanes along the entire stretch of Madison Avenue. The addition is part of the city’s Bicycle Master Plan, adopted in 2012 as a way to encourage cycling.
“We want to establish cycling as a main means of transportation in Lakewood,” says Bryce Sylvester, the city’s senior city planner. “The goal is to be recognized as one of the most bicycle friendly cities in the country.”
City officials began implementing the plan back in 2012 with shared bike-vehicle lanes, known as “sharrows,” on Detroit Avenue and dedicated bike lanes on Franklin Boulevard. The lanes are clearly marked as sharrows or dedicated lanes.
In addition to the traditional bike lane markings, the new lanes on Madison implement two new bicycle infrastructure signs. The lanes will have “door zone” patterns – small diagonal lines – to mark areas where people in parked cars may be opening their doors into the lane. The idea is to reduce the number of run-ins cyclists have with abruptly opening car doors.
Dotted markings through intersections along the route will reinforce the fact that bicyclists have priority over turning vehicles or vehicles entering the roadway – alerting traffic, both bike and vehicles, of potential conflict areas.
“Our hope is to make it a safer ride down Madison Avenue,” says Sylvester.
The city also has installed more than 100 bike racks in front of businesses since 2012, with the aim of installing 20 racks per year.
Sylvester says the Bicycle Master Plan and its execution are in response to the residents’ demands. “The people have built an environment of cyclists here,” he says. “People use their bikes to get around. We’re taking a proactive approach of active living in Lakewood. We feel infrastructures like this allow out residents to be active.”
Lakewood has been awarded a bronze award for its efforts by the League of American Bicyclists
"We're doing okay," says Sylvester of the plan’s progress.
“We want to establish cycling as a main means of transportation in Lakewood,” says Bryce Sylvester, the city’s senior city planner. “The goal is to be recognized as one of the most bicycle friendly cities in the country.”
City officials began implementing the plan back in 2012 with shared bike-vehicle lanes, known as “sharrows,” on Detroit Avenue and dedicated bike lanes on Franklin Boulevard. The lanes are clearly marked as sharrows or dedicated lanes.
In addition to the traditional bike lane markings, the new lanes on Madison implement two new bicycle infrastructure signs. The lanes will have “door zone” patterns – small diagonal lines – to mark areas where people in parked cars may be opening their doors into the lane. The idea is to reduce the number of run-ins cyclists have with abruptly opening car doors.
Dotted markings through intersections along the route will reinforce the fact that bicyclists have priority over turning vehicles or vehicles entering the roadway – alerting traffic, both bike and vehicles, of potential conflict areas.
“Our hope is to make it a safer ride down Madison Avenue,” says Sylvester.
The city also has installed more than 100 bike racks in front of businesses since 2012, with the aim of installing 20 racks per year.
Sylvester says the Bicycle Master Plan and its execution are in response to the residents’ demands. “The people have built an environment of cyclists here,” he says. “People use their bikes to get around. We’re taking a proactive approach of active living in Lakewood. We feel infrastructures like this allow out residents to be active.”
Lakewood has been awarded a bronze award for its efforts by the League of American Bicyclists
"We're doing okay," says Sylvester of the plan’s progress.
Meet Italo Gonzalez. He rides 6.6 miles to work most every day – including those marked by rain, sleet and snow. And he's not alone.
A conversation with Nicole McGee about the Upcycle Parts Shop and her work as a community organizer, fundraiser, and creative reuse artist.
Last Friday, a group of visitors gathered in the lobby of the new Hilton Cleveland Downtown as they readied for the 2016 Transplant Games of America at the adjacent Convention Center. They blilnked in awe at the beauty of the 32-story hotel and also marveled over the professionalism of the staff of 350.
The positive reaction is exactly what the City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County officials aimed to achieve when construction on the nearly 614,000-square-foot hotel, operated by Hilton Worldwide, began in 2014.
The 600-room Hilton was designed by the Atlanta architecture firm Cooper Carry to show off all of Cleveland’s assets while providing a world-class stay, says Carolyn Deming, director of public relations for the hotel.
“Nearly 500,000 visitors who have never been to Cleveland are expected in the first year,” she says. “We already have business groups on the books through 2020. There are really exciting things happening here and this is a chance to see what Cleveland has to offer.”
A mural composed of 2,800 selfies embodies that assertion. Located at the bottom of the escalators to the connecting Convention Center, the photos were submitted in the #MyClePhoto contest last year and were collected and assembled into a Cleveland skyline mural by North Carolina-based hospitality art curator Kalisher.
Get all the details on the new Hilton and see a host of gorgeous photos here.
The positive reaction is exactly what the City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County officials aimed to achieve when construction on the nearly 614,000-square-foot hotel, operated by Hilton Worldwide, began in 2014.
The 600-room Hilton was designed by the Atlanta architecture firm Cooper Carry to show off all of Cleveland’s assets while providing a world-class stay, says Carolyn Deming, director of public relations for the hotel.
“Nearly 500,000 visitors who have never been to Cleveland are expected in the first year,” she says. “We already have business groups on the books through 2020. There are really exciting things happening here and this is a chance to see what Cleveland has to offer.”
A mural composed of 2,800 selfies embodies that assertion. Located at the bottom of the escalators to the connecting Convention Center, the photos were submitted in the #MyClePhoto contest last year and were collected and assembled into a Cleveland skyline mural by North Carolina-based hospitality art curator Kalisher.
Get all the details on the new Hilton and see a host of gorgeous photos here.
Last week, the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo opened the highly anticipated Rosebrough Tiger Passage.
First announced last September, the $4.1 million installation occupies a staggering 48,000 square feet, which includes the space designated for the cats as well as their adoring fans. The new habitat includes climbing poles, meadows, shallow streams, soaking pools and outdoor overnight access. Visitors can enjoy highly interactive viewing as the animals have access to overhead catwalks. Large viewing windows and paths that traverse the environment round out the experience, which encourages visitors to explore and seek out the Zoo's two resident Amur tigers, Klechka, a 12-year old male, and Dasha, a 15-year-old female.
Per Andi Kornak, the Zoo's director of animal and veterinary programs, the two cats wintered at the Zoo's Sarah Allison Steffee Center for Zoological Medicine while Panzica Construction Company of Mayfield Village completed the build-out of the new habitat. The Cleveland based firm Van Auken Akin Architects and WDM Architects out of Wichita, Kansas; which specializes in creating sustainable, authentic environments that immerse and inspire zoo visitors; designed the sprawling space.
The two cats were understandably shy during the grand opening, said Kornak.
"It will take them a few weeks to acclimate to their new exhibit," she noted during the event. "It's five times the size of the old one so there's lot of space to explore and become comfortable with."
The Zoo's executive director Christopher Kuhar said the space is designed to allow the animals to prowl, climb and saunter around in a way that they've never had the opportunity to do before.
"While it seems that we're focusing exclusively on the animals," said Kuhar, "the reality is that the best possible guest experience is to see animals performing their natural behavioral repertoire, to see them moving around and exercising and doing all those really cool things that cats do."
Kuhar added that the new exhibit also focuses on education as there are only 500 Amur tigers left in the wild.
"We want to connect people with wildlife, to inspire personal responsibility to take conservation action," he said. "What we hope is that people are going to see these great cats and be inspired to do something in their own way to help animals in the wild."
First announced last September, the $4.1 million installation occupies a staggering 48,000 square feet, which includes the space designated for the cats as well as their adoring fans. The new habitat includes climbing poles, meadows, shallow streams, soaking pools and outdoor overnight access. Visitors can enjoy highly interactive viewing as the animals have access to overhead catwalks. Large viewing windows and paths that traverse the environment round out the experience, which encourages visitors to explore and seek out the Zoo's two resident Amur tigers, Klechka, a 12-year old male, and Dasha, a 15-year-old female.
Per Andi Kornak, the Zoo's director of animal and veterinary programs, the two cats wintered at the Zoo's Sarah Allison Steffee Center for Zoological Medicine while Panzica Construction Company of Mayfield Village completed the build-out of the new habitat. The Cleveland based firm Van Auken Akin Architects and WDM Architects out of Wichita, Kansas; which specializes in creating sustainable, authentic environments that immerse and inspire zoo visitors; designed the sprawling space.
The two cats were understandably shy during the grand opening, said Kornak.
"It will take them a few weeks to acclimate to their new exhibit," she noted during the event. "It's five times the size of the old one so there's lot of space to explore and become comfortable with."
The Zoo's executive director Christopher Kuhar said the space is designed to allow the animals to prowl, climb and saunter around in a way that they've never had the opportunity to do before.
"While it seems that we're focusing exclusively on the animals," said Kuhar, "the reality is that the best possible guest experience is to see animals performing their natural behavioral repertoire, to see them moving around and exercising and doing all those really cool things that cats do."
Kuhar added that the new exhibit also focuses on education as there are only 500 Amur tigers left in the wild.
"We want to connect people with wildlife, to inspire personal responsibility to take conservation action," he said. "What we hope is that people are going to see these great cats and be inspired to do something in their own way to help animals in the wild."
Urban Community School (UCS), 4909 Lorain Avenue, has been named the only National Green Ribbon School in the state of Ohio by the U.S. Department of Education, which gives this distinction to select schools, districts, and educational institutions across the country for success in reducing environmental impact and utility cost, improving health and wellness, and ensuring effective environmental education. UCS was recognized for its ongoing efforts to reduce its ecological footprint while promoting active, healthy lifestyles for children and their families.
“We commend the faculty, staff, students, and parents of Urban Community School for their efforts in creating a green learning environment and providing leadership to other schools,” said Maureen Dowling, director for the Office of Non-Public Education in the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Innovation and Improvement, in a statement.
“Urban Community School is honored to receive this distinction from the U.S. Department of Education,” added UCS principal Lisa De Core. “Our school is dedicated to reducing our environmental impact while also incorporating green principles into our pedagogy and teaching our students the importance being green.”
De Core cited a number of recent initiatives the school has undertaken that demonstrate its commitment to green, sustainable principals and learning, including:
· Setting up timers on computers and lights to power them down
when not in use
· Installing refillable water bottle stations and water fountains
with filters
· Encouraging students to carry reusable water bottles to avoid
disposal of plastic bottles
· Composting food waste in The Early Childhood wing and recycling
waste throughout the campus
· Using recycled ink cartridges and purchasing 100% recycled
paper products.
School representatives will travel to Washington, D.C. in July to receive the award.
“We commend the faculty, staff, students, and parents of Urban Community School for their efforts in creating a green learning environment and providing leadership to other schools,” said Maureen Dowling, director for the Office of Non-Public Education in the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Innovation and Improvement, in a statement.
“Urban Community School is honored to receive this distinction from the U.S. Department of Education,” added UCS principal Lisa De Core. “Our school is dedicated to reducing our environmental impact while also incorporating green principles into our pedagogy and teaching our students the importance being green.”
De Core cited a number of recent initiatives the school has undertaken that demonstrate its commitment to green, sustainable principals and learning, including:
· Setting up timers on computers and lights to power them down
when not in use
· Installing refillable water bottle stations and water fountains
with filters
· Encouraging students to carry reusable water bottles to avoid
disposal of plastic bottles
· Composting food waste in The Early Childhood wing and recycling
waste throughout the campus
· Using recycled ink cartridges and purchasing 100% recycled
paper products.
School representatives will travel to Washington, D.C. in July to receive the award.
A tiny home project in Detroit Shoreway's EcoVillage sparks controversy, attracts admirers.
Dropping that plastic water bottle into a recycling bin is just the beginning of the story. And far too often, we're all making big recycling mistakes.
