So much of who we are and what we aspire to be as a community is wrapped up in the performance of our sports teams. We sense they are us, writ large. When I speak about my beloved Cincinnati Reds, we all share in the communal angst about our continuing inability to compete on a national scale. The 1990, wire-to-wire, Worlds Series Championship seems now almost as remote as the one from 1919. And thus, somehow by extension, with each passing year, our capability as a community comes across as incrementally diminished.
But I can’t accept it. I won’t accept it.
As an architect, I spend much of my time in Cincinnati, across Ohio and across much of the region working on issues of sustainability. All things green now appear to be all over everything. You cannot escape the headlines, proclamations, insights and highlights that stretch across all of the media. For many of my friends, they sense that we Cincinnatians are slipping away from any hope of leadership, any chance of making a difference. Their common lament is that “we are hopelessly behind”.
But I can’t accept it. I won’t accept it.
You know why? Because it is NOT TRUE.
What is true is that this city and this region is replete with devoted individuals who have selflessly committed themselves to remaking Cincinnati and our region into a green community. You may say “so what, what have they accomplished?” Check this out:
Progress in Schools
Ohio is the first and only state in the nation with requirements that ALL school buildings, new or renovated, to be LEED certified. Our own Cincinnati Public School System is the first Ohio district with sustainability guidelines as well as the first Ohio school district with LEED requirements, and the first LEED certified building.
Twenhofel in Northern Kentucky is the first green school in the state.
Some other firsts for our area include:
- First US Green Building Council Chapter in the State
- First sewer district in nation with comprehensive sustainably designed water management plan: Metropolitan Sewer District
- First sewer district with partner plan with a school district ( MSD with CPS)
- First in region with green facility: Northern Kentucky Sanitation District #1
- First green general store in state: Park + Vine
- First green designed city building in state: Fire Station #51
- First green designed county building in state: Alms & Doepke Building
- First state university in state with LEED certified buildings: University of Cincinnati
- First LEED Silver in the state: PNC Beckett Ridge
- First LEED Gold commercial building in state: Melink Corporation
- First City in Ohio with comprehensive Climate Protection Action Plan
- First City in Ohio with LEED Ordinance – an American Institute of Architects National Top 12 for exemplary achievement
Of course, this is not to mention that the Cincinnati region has the best solar profile in the state for photovoltaic panels, the best city and county park systems and an extraordinary network of groups committed to extending our environmental accomplishments.
So how about those Cincinnati Greens? Think we got a shot at the top? I do, and this is something I can accept.
Oh yeah, and one other thing, call me crazy, but I’m starting to feel really good about the Cincinnati Reds chances next year too.