Next General Membership Meeting
April 22, 2026
WEBSITE
UPDATE
April 7, 2026
SoSA’s vision is a Summit County region that is a successful model of a sustainable community. Partners work together across sectors to create and enhance a thriving community surrounded by a healthy natural environment.
SoSA supports this vision by creating a sustainability forum in the Summit County region to unite nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, governmental entities, and for‐profit businesses as they work together to inform policy, improve practices, and support innovation.
Life on Land Team
Our Life on Land Committee put together a list of native plants we want to highlight each month. Here are our April picks!
April Tree of the Month: Sugar maple. Sugar maples are one of the first sources of pollen for emerging bees. It also provides great shade for people.
April Shrub of the Month: Spicebush. Spicebush is a host plant to the Eastern tiger swallowtail and the Spicebush swallowtail. Its leaves can be used for tea and dried to use as a spice.
April Perennial of the Month: White trillium. This is Ohio’s state wildflower. It grows well in shaded areas and is found throughout our forests in early Spring. This is a great plant to grow under trees in your yard!
NATIVE PLANTS OF THE MONTH
APRIL 2026
General Membership Meetings
Core Team
Meetings
Member
News/Events
Life on Land Team
Responsible Consumption
Climate Action
Featured
Sustainability News in the Community
On Tuesday, April 28 from 6 – 7:30 p.m. at the Akron-Summit County Public Library – Main Library (60 S. High St., Akron), partners will present a project status update. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m., with doors opening at 5:30 p.m.
SPRING 26 NEWSLETTER:
Upcoming Programming & Recap
ReWorks Recycling Days: ReWorks will be holding Recycling Days collections this April and May for all Summit County residents and businesses. Visit www.summitreworks.com/recyclingdays for more information. Please contact ReWorks with any questions about this event or any other ReWorks’ services.
CELEBRATE ARBOR DAY
Friday, April 24, 2026
3-5p
Get Excited For The 2026 Midwest Climate Summit!
The Midwest Climate Summit is a three-day gathering of climate leaders, researchers, educators, and professionals focused on expanding knowledge, accelerating climate action, and catalyzing new partnerships for an equitable Midwestern response to the climate crisis. It is the premiere event in the region for those responding to the climate crisis in the Midwest. We are thrilled to host the 2026 Summit at Case Western Reserve University, in Cleveland, OH and grateful to our presenting sponsor, NOPEC!
For a review of last year’s event, click here.
SoSA leadership representing at the 2026 @midwestclimatecollab Climate Summit!
Chair, Ross Widenor, Widenor Consulting
Vice Chair, Christina Mlinaric, @akronzoo
Secretary, Adam Paine, @forcvnp
NATIVE PLANT FESTIVAL
May 16, 2026 10a to 6p
521 S. River Rd, Munroe Falls
Zach Insight
Akron Parks Challenge 2026
Register early for the Low Power Happy Hour on Tuesday, April 14 because it is likely to sell out. The topic is Ohio Native Plants: Restoring Your Backyard Habitat with Local Nurseries. The program is 5-7:30 pm at Happy Days Lodge. Details are at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1982202381683?aff=oddtdtcreator.
General Membership
Core Team Members
Akron Zoo
Akron, City of
Akron Waterways Renewed
Big Love Network
Bridgestone Americas
Cuyahoga Falls
Kent State University
GAINS
Goodyear
Summit County
CALENDAR
Every Month is Sustainability Month