Carol Kauffman
CEO
Ohio Environmental Council
Focus Area: Sustainability and Environmental Policy
Carol is an experienced sustainability executive and strategist with two decades of experience advising senior executives; managing ESG disclosures on multiple platforms including CDP; designing winning programs, systems, and strategies; and communicating with passion and clarity to an array of audiences, including donors, staff, and elected leaders. She brings a deep sense of integrity and tenacity to each role, working across cultural and socioeconomic lines to unify teams and achieve big goals.
Expert Q&A
For people who care about the environment, what’s the connection to green space?
A: Having living green spaces, even small ones, around us where we live and work does make a positive environmental impact. Plants absorb heat and carbon, cooling the air and helping address climate change. A natural landscape provides habitat for pollinator species like bees, ants, and butterflies. Permeable surfaces like grass are also better at capturing and filtering stormwater, reducing the impact from floods and improving water quality in local streams and other bodies of water.
From a resource perspective, which is better for the environment: a natural green space or a landscape like artificial turf or pavement that doesn’t require resource inputs?
A: This one is pretty straightforward. A well-managed green space is better for the environment, for all the reasons I shared above. Artificial turf on playing fields raises the air temperature several degrees, which can be dangerous on hot days—just ask my marching band kiddo. And it degrades into harmful microplastic particles that are terrible for the environment and human health. If you must put in a hard surface as part of a green space, try pavers, gravel, or something else that will still allow rainwater to filter into the ground.
If the space available is small, is it worth it to invest in creating a healthy green space?
A: The answer is yes. When even small green spaces are connected in an urban or suburban environment, they can create a sort of “natural highway” for migrating birds, insects, and fauna. This is especially true if the green spaces include native flowers, trees, and shrubs. And even a small amount of green space is good for humans’ mental and physical health too.
Does it matter for the environment what kinds of plants are in a green space?
A: If you have only grass, you will see some benefits like cooling and runoff prevention. But if you add in a variety of plants, including plants that flower at different times of the year, not only will the space be more beautiful, but it will provide more benefits for our non-human neighbors too. And my dad, a card-carrying member of the Arbor Day Foundation, would want me to add that planting trees in our green spaces is hugely beneficial too. They provide food, shelter, and shade while soaking up carbon and purifying the air we breathe. When you put all these things together, you get a truly healthy, enjoyable green space.
