Smart Columbus

Visit https://www.rtiico.org/ to register today! This annual gathering of community leaders, activists, business, faith, and government leaders is a unique opportunity for multiple sectors to collaborate on addressing two of our region's most pressing issues. Thursday, June 20, 2024  Doors open at 8:45 a.m.  Registration begins at 9:00 a.m. #columbusohio #equity #innovation The Columbus Region | Smart Columbus

Thank you to the Franklin County Digital Equity Coalition members who came together last Friday, June 21, to brainstorm the future of the coalition at this year’s Mid-Year Retreat. It is thoughtful collaboration like this that will continue to push this work forward to a more prosperous, digitally connected future for all. A special thank you to Grange Insurance for hosting our event and Carrie Maun-Smith for highlighting the wonderful work Grange is doing to help close the digital divide! We are grateful to Dr. Angela M. Chapman and Councilmember Nick Bankston for taking time out of their day to provide such thoughtful insights on the importance of Digital Equity in the post-COVID educational landscape to the group. Their thoughtful perspectives illuminated the necessary path forward, emphasizing how critical digital access is in shaping educational opportunities for students.

Thank you to The Ohio State University for hosting this quarter’s Sustainability Leaders Group Meeting! A special thanks to Aparna Dial for speaking to our group about the Sustainability Success at OSU, and Dr. Bart Elmor and Dr. Nick Breyfogle for presenting their learnings from COP28. The Q3 Sustainability Leaders convening will focus on Central Ohio’s Growing Energy Demands. Reach out to Smart Columbus Project Manager, Marcus Carano, to learn more. . #Sustainability #SustainabilityLeaders  Kate Bartter

This week, the Smart Columbus Sustainable IT Group, in collaboration with Rackspace Technology explored the impact of the release of the Green It Playbook (🔗to playbook in comments). Co-authored by Ben Blanquera, Vice President of Technology and Sustainability, Rackspace Technology®, Marcus Carano, Program Manager, Smart Columbus, and in partnership with 21 local businesses; this playbook delivers 11 actionable metrics that position the Columbus Region a national leader in sustainable IT practices! Want to join the Green IT Zone movement? 💡 Click through to self-assess your progress against the Playbook: https://lnkd.in/g6_WD4_m 💡 Reach out to Marcus Carano to get involved and discover more about actions your organization can take now to ensure a more environmentally sustainable future. 💡 Download and share the Green IT Playbook! Our goals: ⚡ Activate the local business community and help integrate sustainable IT practices into business operations. ⚡ Position Columbus, Ohio as the world’s first “Green IT Zone”; an area defined by a broad coalition of organizations committing to a shared vision of sustainability in their technology and IT operations. #greenIT, #sustainability, #columbusohio American Honda Motor Company, Inc., Avaap, Benefit Resource, LLC Bread Financial, City of Columbus, City of Worthington, Buckeye Innovation, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Encova Insurance, Energi.ai, Expedient, Fahlgren Mortine, Franklin County Data Center (FCDC), G2O, Goodwill Columbus, Grange Insurance, Greif, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Huntington National Bank, IGS Energy, Intel Corporation, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Lower, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, OhioHealth, Schneider Downs, T-CETRA, The Wasserstrom Company, Veeva Systems, The Columbus Region, Worthington Industries

Click through and uncover more about this high impact sustainability initiative that's setting the vision for the Columbus Region to become the nation’s first Green IT Zone. Link to Green IT Playbook in comments. Marcus Carano | Ben Blanquera | The Columbus Region

Great news as Columbus City Council approves high impact funding for low-cost, energy-efficient, and climate-friendly transportation for Columbus residents! "After Council approved two $250,000 grants to Smart Columbus, in late 2022 and October 2023, to provide purchase vouchers, it doubled down Monday with a $500,000 grant for the latest round . . . "It's a point-of-sale discount on an E-bike at a qualifying retailer," said Hailey Allison, who coordinates the e-bike program for Smart Columbus "Residents are required to apply for the program, and then are provided incentives based on income. So they range from $500 up to $2,500, depending on income and also the type of the bike." "From there, they're able to go to a qualifying retailer who will lead them through the purchase." #sustainability #columbusohio #innovation The Columbus Region, One Columbus bill bush

This playbook establishes a bold vision for the Columbus Region as the nation’s first "Green IT Zone." Many thanks to Sustainable Tech Partner news for highlighting this game-changing effort in the sustainable IT space!

To close out Earth Month, Smart Columbus and our partners at Rackspace Technology®  are excited to announce that the Columbus Green IT Playbook has been released and is available here: https://lnkd.in/eu9C7vJP This playbook establishes a bold vision for the Columbus Region as the nation’s first "Green IT Zone." We invite organizations to self-assess their performance against the Playbook's metrics, contribute to pioneering leadership examples of sustainable IT, and join the Green IT Zone movement! The Columbus Green IT Playbook was co-authored by Smart Columbus and Rackspace Technology in partnership with 21 local businesses. It proposes 11 actionable metrics designed to make the Region a national leader in sustainable IT practices. "The Columbus Green IT Playbook is a game-changer for the Region; the 11 actionable metrics, the Playbook, and community dialogue help make our Region a national leader in sustainable IT" said Ben Blanquera, Vice President of Technology and Sustainability for Rackspace Technology. "With the IT sector consuming a significant amount of global electricity, we must take steps towards reducing energy consumption. We can work towards a more sustainable future by implementing the strategies outlined in the Playbook." #SustainableIT #Sustainability Click here for Columbus Green IT Playbook Assessment: https://lnkd.in/eEh3QcM9

⚡Impact Alert ⚡ Columbus E-bike Incentive Pilot Program 🚲 Jen Sullivan, Columbus City Council, Andreya Veintimilla, The Center for Architecture and Design #columbusohio #humancentereddesign #equityandaccess