I recently had the opportunity to pay a visit to Findlay Ohio at the invitation of Professor Michael Reed, the Green Campus Initiative at the University of Findlay, and the Blanchard Valley Green Coalition. I gave three similar talks -- one to the campus community at the University of Findlay, one to an open public meeting, and the third to a group of about 25 city and county community leaders.
Findlay is one of the many communities in Ohio that has felt the effects of de-industrialization. The area still relies on several manufacturing industries -- Cooper Tire and Whirlpool, to name two, and a major office of Marathon Oil. What I found most interesting -- and I see this as a trend nationwide -- is that Findlay is interested in the economic development potential embedded in sustainability.
As I had the chance to talk to people, it became abundantly clear that there is not a lot of concern for global warming or climate change, per se. While many other cities use efforts to mitigate climate change to usher in a broader-based sustainability effort, such is not the case in Hancock County.
With that said, there are at least two environmental issues that have helped to raise awareness in Findlay. The first is an increasingly severe problem with Zebra Mussels invading the water system -- largely the Blanchard River. The second is a recent major flood that inundated much of the downtown area. A number of small businesses were wiped out, and some major ones suffered such serious damage that they have threatened to leave the city. The city and county has worked with the Army Corps of Engineers to fashion an environmentally responsible way of dealing with the potential for future flooding.
The Blanchard Valley Green Coalition and a number of other organizations seem ready to put the pieces together into a more comprehensive sustainability plan. How this is done, who ends up being supportive and participates, and how quickly is yet to be seen.
If you'd like to read a short article about my talk from the Findlay Courier, the article appeared on Friday October 15 in the Local/State section.
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