Wed 9/16 – Thu 9/17
The city of Cleveland has a goal of becoming a bright green city on a blue lake. Helping that dream become a reality is Sustainable Cleveland, a 10-year initiative created with the simple goal of establishing a vibrant livable city with thriving businesses and a flourishing natural environment.
Sustainable Cleveland offers information and actionable tools covering topics that range from energy efficiency, local food, renewable energy and cycling to waste reduction, clean water, vital neighborhoods, vibrant green space, sustainable transportation and people.
Every year the vision crystallizes with a themed summit in which participants recognize accomplishments and challenges, gauge progress and chart the course for the next four years. Previous summits have begotten major initiatives such as the Cleveland 2030 district, the Slow Money Northeast Ohio movement, the idea for community kitchens (Cleveland Culinary Launch & Kitchen and the CornUcopia) and the Cleveland Water Alliance.
The 7th annual Sustainable Cleveland 2019 Summit – with a focus on clean water – takes place 9/16 and 9/17 at Cleveland Public Auditorium. Cool Cleveland talked to City of Cleveland Chief of Sustainability Jenita McGowan about the Sustainability Summit and its impact on the community.
In layman’s terms, what is the Sustainable Cleveland Summit?
This is our seventh annual Sustainability Summit. Every year since 2009, Mayor Jackson has hosted this city event with the purpose of bringing Clevelanders together from a variety of backgrounds to spend a couple of days thinking about and planning for a more sustainable Cleveland. We’re talking about things that are good for the economy, good for the environment and good for people all at the same time. Things that have saved people and organizations money without polluting the environment — or even repairing the environment — but also improved health and quality of life of residents and visitors to Cleveland.
Throughout Northeast Ohio there has been plenty of discussions about eco topics ranging from green building design to recycling. What makes the Sustainability Summit special or unique?
When you show up to the summit, you shape the event. The intention of the summit was always to get people from a variety of backgrounds — nonprofits, students, retirees, volunteers — in the room to inform what sustainability looks like for Cleveland and to make some goals and visions. We’ve achieved that goal. Out of the summit come these working groups that form and work on things year round. You put people in a room and good things come out.
How has the summit evolved over the years?
We try to do something different every year to keep it fresh for people. This year we’re doing innovation specialists for the first time, where we’ve asked people in the community to create workshops at the summit. So it’s evolved a little bit over time but at its core it’s still about bringing people together to design and develop the Cleveland of the future.
Ideally, who is attending the two-day event?
Clevelanders from all walks of life, so we have people there representing our biggest companies down to retiree volunteers, students, people who work in a library, small and big nonprofits, the Cleveland Clinic. The theory behind the Sustainability Summit, we use an appreciative inquiry model for the agenda, which really creates an even playing field amongst the attendees. Everybody has a voice and everybody has important ideas to add to the mix. So it’s a really unique event for Cleveland. I think it’s one of the most diverse grouping of people you’ll find in terms of people’s background and interest. What people have in common is they really want something better for Cleveland. They want us to be known as the sustainable city, they want us to be known as a green city on a blue lake.
Looking ahead, what’s on the Sustainability Summit radar?
There are still a lot of folks who have an interest in seeing the development of an offshore wind farm on Lake Erie. We have a lot more to do around completely green streets and maybe a bike share here in Cleveland. There are local installations of renewable energy, especially solar. That’s a big one. And next year is the year of Sustainable Transportation. So I’m curious to see what people at the summit think are the priorities and should be the goals for our celebration year next year.
[Written by John Benson]Cleveland, OH 44114