Uptown Decides to Get Going on Getting “Green”

Uptown Cincinnati is making the effort to discover its “greener” side, starting with a Green Initiatives Committee meeting held on Tuesday, July 10th, which included business, neighborhood, and community representatives from all five neighborhoods in Uptown Cincinnati. The committee met at the Zoo located in Avondale and began a thriving discussion on topics such as how Uptown can increase residents access to locally grown food, develop farmers markets in every neighborhood, and how the Zoo implementing its own enhance green initiatives.

After their discussion, Mark Fisher, Senior Director of Facilities, Planning and Sustainability, from the Cincinnati Zoo gave a tour of some of the Zoo's major green initiatives, focusing on storm water management, green building and solar power. The committee learned about a new Africa exhibit which will allow the Zoo to harness millions of gallons of rainwater and reuse for irrigation. The 1.56 megawatt solar canopy in the parking lot is the most recent green initiative and something Uptown Cincinnati residents should be proud of.

The committee plans to meet in August at Gabriel’s Place Farmers Market in Avondale to continue its discussion on local foods, community gardens, and how they can collaborate to make Uptown Cincinnati a greener place to live, work and play.

(Above from the left: Mark Fisher, Matt Bourgeois, Freeman McNeal, Fia Cifuentes, and Lane Hart)

(Above from left: Ron Gillespie-UC, Lane Hart-UC, Matt Bourgeois-CUF, Fia Cifuentes-Zoo, Mark Fisher-Zoo, Claire Sweigart-UC, Freeman McNeal-Mt. Auburn, Karen Foley-Corryville, Eric Clark-Clifton)

 Absent from photo:  Lilah Glick-GCEA, Steve Johns-City of Cincinnati, Bill Witten-Avondale, Alex Lippert-Uptown Consortium, Rob Schede-Rumpke, Carla Butler-Avondale, Deborah Hill-Vivian Llambi & Assoc., Ken Knight-TriHealth, Rhiannon Hoeweler-Zoo, and Janelle Lee-Uptown Consortium.