On Saturday, November 14, the Ohio Environmental Council will host their annual Green Gala event. This year there is extra cause for celebration because the organization is celebrating their 40th Anniversary.
We recently caught up with Keith Dimoff, Executive Director at the Ohio Environmental Council to discuss the history of the organization, what types of initiatives they are currently working on, and what to expect at the upcoming Green Gala celebration.
Q) For those who might be unfamiliar with the OEC, could you give us a bit of an overview about the organization, and what sorts of initiatives you work on?
A) The Ohio Environmental Council is an independent, not-for-profit group — not part of the State of Ohio — with thousands of individual and group members ranging from grassroots activists to land trusts to sustainable agriculture advocates to fishing clubs and more.
We advocate at the Statehouse on legislation that sets state laws over environmental issues, like the fight this summer when the state budget included language that would have counted burning tires as “renewable energy.” With vocal support from our members, we were able to convince lawmakers to cut out this language.
Our staff of seventeen includes science and policy experts and we have the state’s only non-profit environmental law center, which works on behalf of Ohio’s residents to enforce environmental health and safety laws.
We monitor what gets done (or not done) by state agencies like the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. And we step in when needed to make sure folks in Columbus, and all of Ohio, have healthy air, land, and water.
Q) The topic of sustainable living is a very common one on Columbus Underground, as many people strive to think ecologically while also living in an urban environment. Are there any specific local issues that the OEC is dealing with currently that may be of particular interest to the CU community?
A) Well, I can tell you that I live in Victorian Village near Goodale Park, where I can walk to everything I need. And the Ohio Environmental Council offices are on Grandview Avenue near Stauf’s coffee shop and Jeni’s ice cream. So I too live in a great, walkable urban world, and I care a great deal about Columbus’ neighborhoods all around the city.
When I see the issues being debated in the Ohio General Assembly, in my view they almost always have a local impact. Sometimes it’s obvious, such as our efforts to secure federal funding for the 3C Passenger Rail project that will connect Columbus to Cleveland and the East Coast/Chicago train corridor.
Sometimes it’s not so obvious, like our current legal work at the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio to enforce the state’s energy efficiency standards, which will mean investments by utilities and industries to conserve electricity.
Q) I recently sat down with Tad Dritz, the Executive Director of Green Columbus, and one topic that we discussed was the upcoming 40th anniversary of Earth Day in April. With the OEC also celebrating their 40th anniversary with the Green Gala, what types of overarching themes, changes, or progressions will you be emphasizing, both at the event itself, as well as in how the organization looks to the future.
1969 was a big year, nationally and in Ohio — and in Central Ohio, too. Earth Day was gelling around the country, the Cuyahoga River fire became a symbol, and southeast of Columbus there was a proposal to dam up Clear Creek near Hocking Hills. Several people and groups formed around the opposition to the dam and beat it back with scientific and economic arguments. Those folks formed the Ohio Conservation Alliance, which by the early 1970’s had changed its name to the Ohio Environmental Council.
It’s important to celebrate the successes without wearing rose-colored glasses. Our rivers are much cleaner today thanks to a lot of investment in waste water treatment plants, for example. And we should be proud of that — it’s an example of how government can do great things that we can’t do individually. Let’s celebrate those successes… and then roll up our sleeves to tackle today’s critical problems.
Q) For anyone who’s never been to a previous OEC event, why should they consider making the Green Gala their first?
A) I’m excited that this year’s Green Gala is at the Columbus Athenaeum, a restored historic building downtown. About 400 people from around the state will be there, with plenty from Central Ohio. Many of them represent other green groups, like The Nature Conservancy or the Sierra Club, so it’s a great networking event (with a buffet, open bar and music).
There’s a brief awards ceremony for environmental achievements, where this year’s winners get their Oscar moment. These are folks like an anti-factory farm activist receiving our Watchdog Award, a group of middle school students receiving our Youth & Education Award, and elected officials receiving our Public Servant Award and so on. It’s also a fundraiser with a silent auction and a raffle, too. But mostly, it’s a chance for people who work hard on environmental issues throughout the year to come together enjoy each other’s company.
Q) Beyond the gala, what other opportunities does the OEC offer in terms of getting involved, volunteering, or attending other public forums?
The OEC holds an Environmental-Conservation Lobby Day each spring at the Statehouse, where we organize regular citizens into teams and arrange for them to talk to state Senators and Representatives about active issues at the Statehouse or other their own issues of concern. We host annual workshops on how to monitor Vernal Pools (seasonal wetlands) and conferences for watershed groups (like Friends of the Lower Olentangy and others). We activate coalitions on critical issues such as preserving funding for the state Scenic and Wild Rivers program. And sometimes we have unique events, like when we partnered with local food producers this summer when we held a preview screening of the movie Food, Inc. at the Drexel Theater.
People can easily become an e-mail activists for the OEC, helping us put pressure on decision-makers such state agency managers or lawmakers. We also have opportunities for volunteers to do policy, outreach, and administrative work – you are welcome any time at our offices in Grandview!
More information about the Ohio Environmental Council and the Green Gala can be found online at theOEC.org.