Hi everyone, welcome to Good Works Columbus, I’m glad you’re here! Congratulations to Columbus Metropolitan Library employees on voting to form a union! Check out that story and upcoming events below.

Things you can do in person

• Transit Columbus Monthly Meeting
  Tuesday, July 14th 7:00PM-8:30PM
  Columbus Main Library, Meeting Room 1A

  

  
  Our general meeting is going to look a little different this month. With the launch of the city’s Participatory Budgeting Pilot, we are using our July Meeting to collect ideas for how the city should spend a portion of its capital budget.

  How it works:

  • Each city council district will be allocation $1 million for capital projects (think physical changes like community gardens, parklets, crosswalks) that residents will choose how to spend.

  • Community members attending this meeting will get together to answer the question: if you were in control of a million dollars of the city budget, what types of public projects would you have them build in your neighborhood?

  • Your input goes directly to the city and a team of regular community members like you to turn those ideas into project proposals.

  • Once the proposals are developed, you get to vote on which proposal(s) will actually be built in your area.

  Join us to have a say in what gets built in your neighborhood!

• Pastries and Postcards
  Saturday, July 18th 10AM-12PM
  The majority of Americans agree that extreme heat is a public health threat.

  A 2025 national survey from ecoAmerica found that 89% of Americans believe extreme heat is harming people's health. The public consensus is overwhelming, but policy has not caught up.

  Join the Columbus Tree Coalition for our inaugural public event: Pastries and Postcards.

  Together, we'll write postcards to the Mayor's Office and Columbus City Council calling for stronger action on extreme heat, including investments in the tree canopy that cools our streets and protects our most vulnerable neighbors. We'll provide the postcards, talking points, and pastries. You bring your voice.

  The majority of Americans are already on board. Help make sure our city leaders are, too.

• Community Cookout and discussion on rising energy costs and data centers
  Saturday, July 18th 1PM-4PM
  

  

• Get the Flock Out
  Sunday, July 19th 3:30PM-5:00PM
  

  

• Habitat for Humanity Triplex Build with Strong Towns Columbus
  Saturday, August 15th 8:30AM-3:30PM
  Help Habitat build a triplex for 3 local families! There is no experience necessary. Tasks will vary and our helpful site leads will teach you everything you need to know. You must be 16 years or older (and accompanied by an adult 21 or over if you are under 18) to volunteer. Teams of youth volunteers must be accompanied by 1 adult per 5 youth.

Things you can do online

• Building Energy Performance Standard Draft Feedback

• Columbus is looking to adopt a Building Energy Performance Standard Policy (BEPS) that will require large, existing buildings to decrease their energy usage overtime. As Columbus continues to grow it is critical that we grow sustainably so that all people and businesses are able to thrive in our city. A BEPS will help us achieve that by:

  • Reducing energy costs for residents and businesses.

  • Creating an ecosystem to support building owners in making their buildings healthier and more efficient.

  • Generating economic opportunities for all Columbus residents through local jobs and improved property values.

  • Take the survey here!

• Using Storytelling to Win and Build
  Wednesday, July 22nd 2PM-3PM
  Stories are powerful. Sharing our stories publicly helps us connect with people and build power to transform the world we live in. In a world of mis- and disinformation, our stories are undeniable, and can be used to amplify and solve the problems we all face. Join us to learn the basics of storytelling and narrative strategy, and how to use them to shift the balance of power away from corporate landlords and lenders and towards tenants and homeowners.

Things I’m reading/watching:

• Columbus Metropolitan Library employees vote to officially unionize from WOSU

• Columbus installs city's longest protected bike lane on North 4th Street from WOSU

• Columbus City Council wants your help with deciding how to spend less than 1% of its budget from WOSU

• Right of Way: The Risk of Walking Off-Campus from The Lantern

• Columbus Blessing Boxes Project struggling to keep cabinets filled from NBC4

• $96 Million Development Planned for Downtown Parking Lots from Columbus Underground
  

Have a great day everyone!

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