City of Columbia, MO

JOIN US EVERY WEEK FOR DID YOU KNOW MONDAY? Follow us & learn how to make stuff, build stuff, grow stuff & how to live a sustainable lifestyle. Think differently. Think sustainably. #comodidyouknow

BLACK HISTORY MONTH: Columbia Values Diversity Awards are online @ www.CoMoDiversityCelebration.com participate in the virtual experience. Watch clips about the Diversity Award winners, hear from local students, learn from a community panel of leaders, & connect with local groups & resources.

Black History Month: Sharp End was once the cultural heart of Columbia's black community. The buildings that housed Sharp End businesses were on the southeast edge of the area of Columbia along Flat Branch Creek. A historic place marker was to be dedicated May 19, 2015, on Walnut Street between Fifth and Sixth streets. Watch this video highlighting the history of the area that once existed between Fifth and Sixth Streets on Walnut: https://youtu.be/zRh5jk41zRU... Think differently. Think sustainably. Think equality. #blackhistorymonth

Join us each Sunday in February on social media for Black History Sunday, for the recognition of the history, achievements, contributions and influence of the Black community to the City of Columbia, MO. Think differently. Think sustainably. Think equality. #blackhistorymonth

DID YOU KNOW MONDAY: The city’s public bus system now boasts a total of seven compressed natural gas vehicles on its fleet, including the two 40’ Gillig Buses, two MV-1 Para-Transit vans and three Para-Transit buses. The City now has a total of 37 CNG vehicles in operation or on order for various vehicle fleets. Learn more about Columbia's Climate Action and Adaptation Plan go to www.comoclimateaction.org Think differently. Think sustainably. #climateaction

CITY SATURDAY: JUST FRIENDLY REMINDER FROM OUR FRIENDS @ City Utilities - Sewer & Stormwater - We know, it’s gross! So what is it? When customers put fats, oils and grease (FOG) down the drain it causes all kinds of problems. Over time, FOG can clog the pipes in your home and in our sanitary sewer system. When FOG goes down a sink drain, it is not broken down by the garbage disposal. It cools in the wastewater system and sticks to the inside of the pipes. This can lead to s...ewer blockages that send untreated wastewater backwards out of manholes or back into your house or your neighbor's house. If FOG mixes with other items, such as wipes, cotton swabs or dental floss, blockages can occur even faster. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us @ 573.874.CITY (2489) or by email [email protected]

Did you know the Office of Sustainability has a YouTube Educational Channel? Follow us & learn how to make stuff, build stuff, grow stuff & how to live a sustainable lifestyle. Subscribe to our channel here: www.youtube.com/COMOSustainabilityEducation Think differently. Think sustainably.

DID YOU KNOW MONDAY: That the ARC and Stephens Lake parking lots have solar lights? These lights meet energy reduction goals while providing secure lighting. They are designed to reduce urban light pollution, too. Improving energy efficiency of our buildings and increasing on-site renewable energy actions are ways we can meet our climate action goals. Columbia has a goal to reduce GHG emissions associated with City operations by 50% below 2015 baseline by 2035 and 100% by 20...50. Learn more about Columbia's Climate Action and Adaptation Plan go to www.comoclimateaction.org Think differently. Think sustainably. #climateaction

NATURE SUNDAY: The crew is all here! It’s not often that you get to see such a large group of owls. When deep snow buries perches, short-eared owls have no choice but to hang together. Photo: Short-eared owls courtesy of Steve Gifford. https://flic.kr/p/dFybMg

JUST FRIENDLY REMINDER FROM OUR FRIENDS @ City Utilities - Sewer & Stormwater We know, it’s gross! So what is it? When customers put fats, oils, and grease (FOG) down the drain it causes all kinds of problems. Over time, FOG can clog the pipes in your home and in our sanitary sewer system. When FOG goes down a sink drain, it is not broken down by the garbage disposal.... It cools in the wastewater system and sticks to the inside of the pipes. This can lead to sewer blockages that send untreated wastewater backwards out of manholes or back into your house or your neighbor's house. If FOG mixes with other items, such as wipes, cotton swabs or dental floss, blockages can occur even faster. If It cools in the wastewater system and sticks to the inside of the pipes. This can lead to sewer blockages that send untreated wastewater backward out of manholes or back into your house or your neighbor's house. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us @ 573.874.CITY (2489) or by email [email protected]

NATURE SUNDAY: There may be fewer than 50 Lange’s metalmark butterflies remaining today, down from an estimated 25,000 between 50 and 100 years ago. The butterfly is only found at Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge in California. Learn how we’re helping this endangered species and many others at the 55-acre urban refuge: http://ow.ly/7hH850D8HjA Photos by USFWS

How to Recycle Cardboard: Corrugated cardboard is the highest value grade of paper, it has the highest recycling rate of paper products at 92%. Cardboard Recycling Preparation: - Since most cardboard is used for shipping, you’ll want to remove any shipping materials such as packing peanuts, plastic bags and bubble wrap.... - Use a knife or scissors to cut any tape used to seal the top and/or bottom of the box, then collapse the box. You don’t need to remove the tape, but we prefer that boxes are flattened to save space at the City recycling Drop-off Centers. - For boxes that contained huge items, you may need to fold or cut the flattened box in half for it to fit in the recycling drop-off center bins. Learn more about what you CAN recycle in the City recycling program here: www.como.gov/recycle

SUNDAY FUNDAY: it happened

Turn off unnecessary lights - Two 100-watt incandescent bulbs switched off an extra two hours per day could save you $15 over a year. Better yet, switch to LED. Learn more @ www.columbiapowerpartners.com Think differently. Think sustainably.

TIP / SEWER UTILITY: Everything that goes down the sink ends up in a sewer, which is mostly composed of water and waste. However, it's no secret that oil and water don't mix. When you pour cooking oil and other forms of grease down the drain, you're sending down a compound that can clog the flow of water. Pouring grease down the drain can create many serious problems for you and your neighbors. Such issues are easily avoidable with the right cooking oil management techniques.... The Best Way to Dispose of Cooking Oil and Grease 1. Let the oil or grease cool and solidify. 2. Once cool and solid, scrape the grease into a container that can be thrown away. 3. When your container is full, place it in a plastic bag to prevent leakage and then throw it in the garbage. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us @ 573.874.CITY (2489) or by email [email protected]

Why Native Plants Matter - Restoring native plant habitat is vital to preserving biodiversity. By creating a native plant garden, each patch of habitat becomes part of a collective effort to nurture and sustain the living landscape for birds and other animals. Learn more here: www.plantnative.org Over the past century, urbanization has taken intact, ecologically productive land and fragmented and transformed it with lawns and exotic ornamental plants. The continental U.S. los...t a staggering 150 million acres of habitat and farmland to urban sprawl, and that trend isn’t slowing. The modern obsession with highly manicured perfect lawns alone has created a green, monoculture carpet across the country that covers over 40 million acres. The human-dominated landscape no longer supports functioning ecosystems, and the remaining isolated natural areas are not large enough to support wildlife. Learn more here: www.plantnative.org Think differently. Think sustainably

TIP: With Thanksgiving Just Around The Corner... Learn How To Reduce Food Waste. Food waste is a huge problem in the United States. The good news: Each of us can help solve it. Consider this: A typical household of four tosses out about $1,600 worth of food annually. Up to 40% of the food that's produced never makes it to our mouths, and all this waste is enough to fill the highest skyscraper in Chicago 44 times a year, according to an estimate by the Department of Agricultur...e. Meanwhile, 1 in 8 Americans struggle with food scarcity. Learn more here: www.npr.org/2019/12/10/786867315/how-to-reduce-food-waste Think differently. Think sustainably.

THANKSGIVING TIP: Ditch the disposables - With so many different plates being served and with so many people at the table, Thanksgiving dinner can turn into a big pile of dishes almost instantaneously. So it’s not uncommon for regular plates, cups, napkins, and silverware to be swapped with disposables for the night. While avoiding lots of plate scraping and dishwasher loads is tempting, it is not the more environmentally friendly option. All the plastic we dispose of ends u...p in our landfill. So instead of disposable tableware, opt for your favorite set of dishes this year. Sure, it’ll mean a little extra time spent at the sink, but you’ll rest easy knowing the earth is thanking you. Think differently. Think sustainably.

TIP: WIPES CLOG PIPES - Disposable wipes, rags, feminine products, and grease do not break down, dissolve or degrade in the sanitary sewer system. The disposable wipes bind with grease or other substances and clog the pipes and pumps. When this happens, it causes sewer back-ups into homes and businesses and can cause sewers to overflow into local creeks and streams. WIPES CLOG PIPES.... We can fix this problem by working together. We ask that ONLY human waste and toilet paper be flushed down the toilet. WIPES CLOG PIPES. Things that should NOT go into the toilet, sink or sewer system include wipes of any kind - including baby wipes, cleaning wipes, or floor cleaning wipes, rags of any kind, feminine hygiene products, or cooking grease. Even products marked Flushable don’t break down, and DO cause blockages. WIPES CLOG PIPES. The truth is that these items have the ability to clog and stop up not only in the public sewer system but also can cause blockage and service problems in the sewer line on your property. WIPES CLOG PIPES. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us @ 573.874.CITY (2489) or by email [email protected]

"Valor is stability, not of legs and arms, but of courage and the soul." Michel de Montaigne https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel_de_Montaigne

HOW TO: TIP: With Thanksgiving Just Around The Corner... If you're one of the millions of Americans now stuck at home because of the coronavirus, it might feel like you're cooking more than you've ever cooked in your entire life. And maybe, as much as you're meal planning and reducing your food waste, there are certain things you're just not going to eat. Like banana peels, or, if you're me, a frightening amount of pineapple tops. The good news? There's a solution for your ...home food waste that doesn't involve landfills: Composting! (Plus, keeping food out of landfills can help fight climate change.) LEARN MORE HERE: http://ow.ly/Vr0350CfBCz Think differently. Think sustainably. #comoclimateaction

REUSE: Don't throw out that yard sign just yet. Columbia Public Schools might have a use for it. What do political signs have to do with gardening? More than you'd think. http://ow.ly/oMJt50CfBMU Think differently. Think sustainably. #comoclimateaction

THANKSGIVING TIPS: Here are 5 tips to help you have a more sustainable Thanksgiving. 1. End wasteful practices. Use reusable dinnerware, glasses and napkins. Not only is it better for the environment, but who likes cutting turkey with a plastic knife and hoping the gravy won’t soak through the paper plate? ... 2. Purchase local and organic foods when possible. There are significant benefits of using local and organic foods, and free range and naturally fed animals taste better. While a lot of these choices may seem cost-prohibitive, buying even one or two items locally and/or organically grown can make a difference. 3. Eat mindfully. Thanksgiving is traditionally a day for eating to excess, but if you take a few moments to enjoy your food and eat with a purpose, you’ll most likely find that you’ve eaten less than you normally do. 4. Eat less meat. The meat industry is the number one source of methane gas, which is a major contributor to climate change. Another major environmental impact of a meat-eating diet is the depletion of natural resources. Even if you’re not vegetarian, try adding a little less meat to your plate and filling the rest of the plate with healthy sides, such as squash, green beans or kale. 5. Get outside. The temperature around Thanksgiving is perfect for enjoying the outdoors. Connecting with nature doesn’t have to involve hiking up a mountain, just being outside and feeling the sun on your face improves your mood and health greatly. Think differently. Think sustainably.

COMOCLIMATEACTION.ORG - Urban Tree Canopy... More Trees, Please! Trees clean our air, provide shade and habitat, and minimize the impact of flooding in our neighborhoods. In 2017, Columbia reported an urban tree canopy of 36%, meaning that 36% of our community is covered by the layers of tree leaves, branches and stems that provide coverage of the ground when viewed from above. Columbia aims to increase its tree canopy coverage to mitigate heat stress and stormwater runoff ...in the city. Learn more about our tree canopy on our Urban Forest Master Plan story map here: https://gis.davey.com/storymap/columbiamo/#slide1 Think differently. Think sustainably. #comoclimateaction

We're hiring! If you like the idea of helping organizations by giving them money to implement waste reduction strategies, apply to work for the Region H Solid Waste District and be housed in our office. #LoveWhereYouWork

We'd like to congratulate staff member Michael J. Heimos, City Educator - Office of Sustainability for his nomination for this year's Missourian Progress Awards: 2020 Vision. Michael was nominated in the category: Progress in Sustainability / Recognizes a community member who has made an impact on environmental sustainability through innovative practices, education and continuous improvement. The Progress Awards recognize community members and organizations that move Columbi...a forward. The circumstances of this year have brought out even more unsung heroes. Watch the awards on Facebook Live on Nov. 17, they will be recognizing all the nominees and announcing this year's winners. Watch here: https://www.facebook.com/events/346260196631997/

NATURE SUNDAY: This is a Vaquita. With Less than 10 Left, It’s the Rarest Marine Mammal on Earth. The Vaquita (Phocoena sinus), literally little cow in Spanish, is a species of porpoise endemic to the northern end of the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez, Vermilion Sea). Averaging 150 cm (for females) or 140 cm (for males) in length, it is the smallest of all living cetaceans. Today, the species is on the brink of extinction. Recent research estimates the population at few...er than 10 individuals. The vaquita is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. Today, this is the most endangered marine mammal in the world. VaquitaCPR are trying to save the species but the outlook is bleak. You can learn more about their conservation efforts here. Vaquita CPR and www.vaquitacpr.org

SUNDAY NATURE: From our Friends @ Randal's Nature Walks - More Fall colors along Gans Creek @ Rock Bridge Memorial State Park. Hey! , take a hike @ http://ow.ly/2MtG50CenRo Photos taken on October 7, 2020 by D. Clark... Follow Randal's Nature Walks @ http://ow.ly/VXYb50CenRk

SUNDAY FUN DAY: When you’re only one who shows up to work in costume...