“I cannot stress how frustrated people are with this topic,” Ohio Farm Bureau vice president Jack Irwin told Cleveland.com. Truer words on the topic of data centers have not been spoken and it has become the rare issue that seems to be uniting the left and the right.

In the following paragraphs The Kent Environmental Council will try to put this “fire hose of information” into perspective.

Click here to read this full article that has appeared in the Kent Sustainability Commission Newsletter – Summer 2026, and also the Portager.

The Kent Environmental Council invites the community to its August 2026 SEEK Program: “Join the Battle Against Plastics Pollution!” This free public program will focus on the growing environmental impacts of plastics and microplastics, along with practical ways individuals and communities can respond.

The program will feature Brodie Longo, President of the Northeast Ohio Chapter of Beyond Plastics, who will present “Northeast Ohio Beyond Plastics Efforts to Combat Plastics Pollution.” KEC Board Member Patty Spring will also present “The War Against Microplastics on the Homefront,” highlighting how microplastics affect our daily lives and what households can do to reduce plastic pollution.

Attendees will also have a chance to participate in plastic-free door prize giveaways.

Event Details
Date: Thursday, August 20, 2026
Time: 6:30–8:00 p.m.
Location: Kent Free Library, 312 W. Main St., 2nd Floor, Kent, Ohio
Cost: Free and open to the public

This program is part of KEC’s SEEK Presentations — Saving Earth with Environmental Knowledge series. Please join us for an informative and action-oriented evening about reducing plastics pollution in Northeast Ohio and at home.

Download the flyer and share this event: KEC SEEK August 2026 Flyer

We hope you will join us this month at 6:30 PM as we learn about The Extraordinary Caterpillar. Take A Peek Into the Dazzling World of Nature’s Tiniest & Mightiest Superheroes

We’re hosting a special screening of The Extraordinary Caterpillar, a beautifully shot 60-minute documentary that reveals the vital, and often overlooked, role caterpillars play in our ecosystems.

• Inspiring Stories about Why Caterpillars are Essential
• Simple Steps You Can Take to Create Habitat
• Ask Questions during a Live Q&A
• Free Handouts

DOOR PRIZE GIVEAWAY: LIVE CATERPILLAR-TO-BUTTERFLY KIT
Kent Free Library – 312 W. Main St, 2nd Floor
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

We hope to see you at this exciting meeting.
Click here for the full KEC June Program Flyer

Make your voice be known. Join us in supporting Portage County Farmers and the environment! Note: This time and date is correct and has been verified by the Commissioners.

We hope you will join us this month at 6:30 PM as we learn about Radon, the number one cause of environmental cancer. Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas. You can1t see radon. And you can1t smell it or taste it. But it may be a problem in your home. We will hear from:

Andrew Deikun, an Environmental Health Specialist at the Summit County Public Health Department since 1998. Andrew has a BS in Biology from the University of Akron, an MS in Environmental Management, and a MBA from the University of Findlay. He is a certified Radon Tester from the state of Ohio. Andrew will cover the basics: where radon comes from, its effects on health, how you can test for it and what test results mean.

KEC Members will and friends will review and discuss data from recent Radon testing in their homes.

We hope to see you at this exciting meeting.
Click here for the full KEC March Program Flyer

This Hearing is Thursday, March 26th at 6:30 PM

Take Action To Protect Local Solar Growth!

The Portage County Commissioners are holding a hearing on March 26, 2026 at 6:30pm to consider a proposal to ban large solar installations on farmland in all Portage County townships. The hearings will be at the Emergency Management Agency, Emergency Operations Center, 2978 State Route 59. Ravenna.

Plan to be at the hearing to let them know that you oppose the proposal. Shouldn’t farmers be allowed to use their land as they wish? The only one who benefits from this ban is Ohio Edison, who is in the process of raising their rates. To read a recent Portager article, see additional resources below. Here is the Portage County Commissioners Facebook post.

If you can’t attend the hearing, contact the commissioners to let them know what you think. Phone for all three is 330-292-3600 from 8:00 am until 4:30 pm, or email them:

• Mike Tinlin, President, mtinlin@portageco.com
• Sabrina Christian-Bennett, Vice President, schristianbennett@portageco.com
• Jill Crawford, jcrawford@portageco.com

We hope you will join us this month at 6:30 PM as we celebrate this sustainable transportation and the cycling community of Kent Ohio. We will hear from:

Richard “Rick” Feinberg is an American anthropologist, writer, educator, and Emeritus Professor, Kent State University, focusing on sociocultural anthropology. Rick will discuss his experience of bicycle riding, what led him to become a serious cyclist, and the challenges riders face.

Matt Stewart, Transportation Planning Administrator for the Akron Metropolitan Area Transportation Study (AMATS). Matt will provide a regional perspective of bicycle safety.

Plus – A Special Announcement about Credentialed Cycling in Kent.

We hope to see you at this exciting meeting.
Click here for the full KEC February Program Flyer

Kent Free Library – 312 W. Main St, 2nd Floor
Thursday,January 22 • 6:30-8:00

6:30 PM – Business Meeting:

• Election of 2026 Board Officers
• Budget Review and Approval
• 2025 Review – Highlights & Accomplishments
• 2026 Ahead – Goals, Direction – we want to hear from you!
• Announcing Legacy for the Environment Grant Recipients

7:00 PM – Guest Speaker

Environmental Justice with Addison Caruso,
a Staff Attorney for Fair Shake Environmental
Legal Services, a nonprofit law firm that
represents both individuals and organizations
on a sliding scale. Fair Shake also provides
free organizing support for communities
facing environmental challenges through
our community democracy program.
Addison will talk about recent environmental
legal changes in Ohio and general trends
across the state.

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

We hope to see you at this renewing evening!
Click here for KEC January 2026 Program Flyer.

We hope you will join us this month as we give thanks and proclaim hope! We will hear from:

• Brian Adkins of Brian’s Birds Unlimited, an inspirational and incredible young birder embracing the beauty of autumn.
• An open community discussion to share the ways we give thanks to Mother Earth, and
• More community sharing as we discuss the environmental heroes who inspire us.

We hope to see you at this renewing evening!
Click here for KEC November Monthly Program Flyer.

Join us for this family-friendly event celebrating October 2025 as Sustainability Month and the wonders of our night skies. Join us as we partner with many great local organizations including:

• City of Kent Sustainability Commission,
• City of Kent Parks and Recreation,
• Kent Environmental Council,
• Discover Bats Ohio, and
• Portage Park District

Darkness is something not a lot of people are comfortable with. But for our nocturnal native animals, it is essential for survival. Encroaching light pollution into their habitats creates challenges for them. Join us as we discuss bats, migratory birds, and other creatures of the night that would greatly benefit from our willingness to flip the switch and turn out the lights.

We hope you will join us for this special event.

Click here for official event flyer.

Click here of information and directions to Plum Creek Park.