Our Programs
“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it"
~ Robert Swan
🌍Earth Day & April Month of Service
Every year, Green Columbus celebrates Earth Month by bringing volunteers together to make a difference in Central Ohio’s environment. Our organization facilitates service sites across the region, each hosted and led by volunteers. After a month filled with tree plantings, litter cleanups, mulch distribution, and community gardening, we wrap up with the Earth Day Columbus Celebration, presented by Green Columbus. This free, family-friendly, zero-waste event offers fun activities and opportunities to learn more about—and support—a greener Central Ohio community.
🌳Community Tree Planting
Green Columbus tree planting events add cruucial tree cover to areas most in need of it. With the help of local volunteers, we’ve planted +650 native trees at public parks, schools, along roadways, and at apartment complexes in the Central Ohio area.
Green Columbus handles the planning necessary to run the event, sourcing trees and tools for volunteers. We also have our staff on hand to demonstrate proper planting techniques and guide/assist volunteers as needed.
Annual Tree Giveaway
At Green Columbus, we believe that a stronger urban forest builds a stronger community. Trees do more than beautify our neighborhoods; they clean our air, cool our streets, reduce flooding, and bring people together.
Each year, our volunteers distribute thousands of free native trees to residents across Franklin County. By putting trees directly into the hands of our neighbors, we help restore habitat, improve local air and water quality, and create a more equitable tree canopy throughout Columbus.
Planting a single tree may seem small, but together, these efforts make a lasting difference for the health, safety, and resilience of our city, now and for generations to come.
Our 2025 tree giveaway has wrapped up! Come back next year to get your tree!
🍻 Green Drinks & Social Outings
Every month people who work in the environmental field meet up at informal sessions known as Green Drinks.
We have a lively mixture of people from NGOs, academia, government, and business. Come along and you'll be made welcome. It's a great way of catching up with people you know and also for making new contacts in the local environmentally conscious.
These events are very simple and unstructured, but many people have found employment, made friends, developed new ideas, done deals, and had moments of serendipity. It's a force for good, and we'd like to help it spread to other cities. Contact your local node to get the latest info about coming along.
🗑️ Annual Scioto Sweep River Cleanup
Launched in 2019, the Scioto Sweep has brought volunteers together each year to protect and restore one of Central Ohio’s vital waterways. This event is in collaboration with Scioto Fest by Green Columbus, Columbus & Franklin County Metro Parks, Scioto Watershed Action Group, and Keep Columbus Beautiful.
🤝 Columbus Tree Coalition
The Columbus Tree Coalition is a community-led body serving as a forum to unify tree-related projects and ultimately plan work beyond the City’s efforts. This group may evolve organically over time to a structure that will work for the Columbus community. This group of community partners is key to maintaining momentum to increase tree equity in Central Ohio.