Green Umbrella fellow outlines parks recycling, hillside work, restaurant sustainability awards and village energy benchmarking

Anna Wobbler, the Green Umbrella fellow working with the Village of Mariemont this summer, outlined a package of sustainability projects she said she completed during a 10‑week placement. "One of my first main projects is my parks recycling project," Wobbler told the council, describing 13 receptacles designed to match existing park trash cans and be clearly labeled for recycling.

Wobbler recommended locations including Dogwood Park, the Mariemont Concourse, Anne Button Becker Park, Dale Park and the Mariemont Strand. She said community feedback shaped the receptacle appearance and that, if implemented, the receptacles would "remove almost 10 tons a year" from the landfill. Council members agreed to circulate Wobbler’s slides and materials by email for wider review.

In addition to the recycling proposal, Wobbler summarized hillside‑stability research conducted with experts from Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District and the nonprofit The Hillside Trust; she said a policy brief with recommendations is planned. She also described a Sustainable Restaurant award and guide that scores eateries across six categories — plant‑based options, locally sourced items, food waste, disposables, recycling and energy efficiency — and offers bronze/silver/gold medals and promotional perks.

Finally, Wobbler said she has been entering the village’s energy data into Energy Star Portfolio Manager for benchmarking and offered to transfer account access to village staff. "It's been easy — just enter the data once," she said. Council members thanked Wobbler and Green Umbrella for the fellowship and asked staff to share the full materials with the mayor and council.