Local

Simply Living connects people to learning opportunities that promote sustainability, environmental justice, and our local economy. Our vision is to create a compassionate and sustainable world through personal, community and cultural transformation.

Currently hiring:
Part Time Executive Director and
Administrative/Financial Consultant

Former Columbus police officer Andrew Mitchell was inexplicably exonerated by a jury this week for the brutal murder of 23-year-old Donna Dalton Castleberry. What was not brought before the jury was the fact, as reported in local media, that Mitchell remains in custody and “faces nine federal charges after being accused of forcing women to perform sexual acts in exchange for their freedom and lying to federal investigators, among other accusations. Trial in that case is scheduled to begin in July 2023.” (Columbus Dispatch).

What happened between Mitchell and Dalton?

As the Free Press reported in 2018:

Do you talk a good Earth Day game? Can’t stand the trash that blows around Columbus throughout the Spring?

Earth Day of course is this Saturday and here’s your chance(s) to take action. Both Green Columbus and Columbus Recreation and Parks Department are hosting events where you can, for instance, fish in a recently stocked Linden pond or spend the day at Genoa Park visiting booths from 40 local environmentally friendly organizations while listening to bands, sipping on some cold beer and sample food trucks.

Green Columbus, a volunteer-driven nonprofit seeking to improve equitable environmental outcomes for people of Central Ohio, says they coordinate the “largest volunteer-driven service event for Earth Day in the country.” The event starts at noon at Genoa Park (on the bank of the Scioto River adjacent to COSI) and goes until 9 pm:

On April 19, the Ohio Senate passed Senate Bill 92 and Senate Joint Resolution 2, which would strip political power away from everyday Ohioans and make it harder for their voices to be heard. We cannot allow this effort to silence Ohioans to succeed. The resolution, and companion House Joint Resolution 1, raise the requirement for constitutional amendment ballot initiatives to only pass if they reach 60% approval from Ohio voters.

Sustainable Columbus and nonprofit group Solar United Neighbors (SUN) will announce the launch of the Columbus Solar and EV Charger Co-op on April 19th.  The group will help Franklin County residents, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations go solar.  The co-op is launching off the heels of the city announcing that Columbus received a Gold SolSmart Designation Award. The Award recognizes the city’s expansion of solar energy use in their jurisdictions.

"Columbus is proud to continue our partnership with Solar United Neighbors to help residents understand and realize the benefits of going solar,” said City of Columbus Mayor Andrew J. Ginther. "Equitably transitioning to clean energy sources is critical to the Columbus Climate Action Plan, and this co-op is helping our community reach our goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050."

The co-op is free to join and open to homeowners in the greater Columbus Area. Together, co-op members will learn about solar energy and leverage their numbers to purchase top-quality individual solar systems at a competitive price.

Still haven't volunteered to celebrate Earth Day? Don't worry, there's still plenty of time to make Columbus a little greener.

Here are a few volunteer opportunities that could use your help:

Friday, April 21

Saturday, April 22

How can the US’s 14th largest city have the nation’s worst collection of what were once called “legitimate media”? I do not have a comprehensive answer, but I read major clues. Given the broken state of the City government and the physical and social city, and almost all of its major institutions, on one hand, we  cannot be surprised. At the same time, the need for comprehensive, trustworthy news and commentary has never been greater.

I first wrote about Columbus media in July 23 in “Columbus’ identity crisis and its media,” Columbus Underground, July 23, 2021. This was an unexpected learning experience. I advanced the arguments that the city’s lack of identity was in fair measure a result of its media’s large-standing failure to engage in and support habits of responsible constructive criticism, and thus promote that kind of tradition. Instead, unchecked boosterism reign. This is especially true with respect to major institutions including the City itself, Ohio State University, and major powerful private interests. For more than a century and one-half, the Columbus Dispatch led in, and profited greatly from that.

The facts cannot be denied. Andy Ginther accepted campaign contributions of $20,000 funneled to him through his friend, former neighbor, campaign contributor and convicted lobbyist John Raphael and the Ohio Democratic Party. The Columbus Dispatch reported on June 23, 2015, “Court documents, supported by campaign finance reports and sources with knowledge of the case, detail in September 2011 in which someone in Ginther’s campaign sent Redflex an email seeking a $20,000 campaign contribution.” 

Federal court documents show that former Redflex executive Karen Finley stated that Raphael was a conduit for delivering money to elected officials in Columbus. Ms. Finley sent Raphael an invoice that was labeled as a “success fee.” She stated that she knew the “success fee” would be passed onto local elected officials in the covert form of campaign contributions.  Raphael handed over Redflex’s “success fee” to the Ohio Democratic Party. The party then wrote Ginther a check for $21,000.

"Chevalier" is the story of composer Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) The illegitimate son of an African slave and a French plantation owner, Bologne rises to improbable heights in French society as a celebrated violinist-composer and fencer, complete with an ill-fated love affair and a falling out with Marie Antoinette (Lucy Boynton) herself and her court.

As a man of mixed race, Joseph Bologne is, during his time, undeniably shackled by French laws and by social conventions. He comes to defy the aristocracy he once moved within and is changed by a love made impossible by his race. And he rediscovered his heritage, bringing Creole influences to his music and fighting for his people. And yet, is remarkable virtuosity and persona allowed him to enter, however precariously, the circle of elites enjoying wealth, power, and the outrageous excesses of the age.

 The war in Ukraine has taken hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian and Russian lives, uprooted millions, contaminated land, air and water and worsened the climate crisis.  The longer the war goes on, the greater the danger of spiraling escalation which can lead to a wider war, environmental devastation, and nuclear annihilation.  The war diverts billions that could be addressing urgent human needs.  Total military victory cannot be achieved by either Russia or Ukraine.

It is time to support the calls by Pope Francis, United Nations Secretary-General Guterres, Presidents Lula de Silva of Brazil, Erdoğan of Turkey, Xi of China, and others for a ceasefire and a negotiated end to this calamitous war.  

Stop the killing, agree to a ceasefire and begin negotiations!  Sign the petition here.