Posts Tagged ‘Sustainability Summit’

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The future of the Galleria…

Wednesday, January 26th, 2011

I have always loved the Galleria.  While the architecture is classical 80′s mall, it is a lovely space.  Across the country, there are few downtown spaces that are so full of natural light and airiness.  Unfortunately, like most malls across the country, the Galleria has suffered of late.  The rise of internet shopping has eliminated the core base of many american malls, leaving them empty shells.  Cleveland seems to be faring worse than most with a high concentration of malls whose bottom line is adversely affected by the urban flight and population loss of the region.  Many have had to reinvent themselves to try and stay viable.  The Westgate Town Center in Westlake demolished most of its existing structures to reinvent itself as a “lifestyle center.”

But what do you do when your real estate is located in the heart of a downtown district that has been plagued with difficulties?  Downtown shopping in Cleveland seems to be all but abandoned.  While there is still hope that the new Medical Mart, convention center, and casino will once again breathe new life to downtown Cleveland, it is unlikely that we will ever see downtown Cleveland as the shopping mecca that it once was.  The Avenue project with its tree lined streets and promises of new retail and service shops combined with condos had many of us holding our breath for that area of downtown that some call the Financial District.  This project taught us all not to pin our hopes on any single development or idea.

So what do you do with a space like the Galleria?  If downtown retail is really a thing of the past, then what is the future of a downtown mall?  We have been talking with Vicki Poole, who manages the property and there is indeed hope for what was once a thriving mall to reinvent itself.  First came the event business.  Vicki looked forward to see the possibilities of hosting events in a space that could hold hundreds of people.  When looking for an unusual space to hold a wedding or special event, what could be better than a space with glass walls and a view of the stars?  Several times a month, she pulls a heavy curtain around much of the food court and turns it into a lovely event space.  The annual beer festival has been held here, taking up the concourse and offering a great space for vendors to showcase their products while making use of the natural light and ample space for all the attendees.

Next Vicki envisioned the Galleria as a place to take advantage of the sun and grow plants in a greenhouse environment.  She installed a greenhouse and operates a hydroponic garden.  One idea that we discussed was to take this to the next level and add more growing space, while still allowing the Galleria to operate as a meeting and event space.  We talked about a “test garden” type of scenario, where educational institutions could try out new natural growing mediums, natural insect control systems and the like.  This could incorporate the local education institutions that we are so proud of, and enable them to expand their educational opportunities beyond the summer growing season and into the school year.

Another thing that we talked about was the chance for testing of emerging technologies that could impact the region.  While NW Ohio has many new manufacturing facilities for solar panels, where does one test new products in Ohio in the middle of winter?  Imagine the advantages for researchers of solar technologies to be able to place solar panels in a full sun, downtown environment that  is completely indoors.  Results of the viability of certain products in an urban environment could be tested all year without the necessity of rooftop access and giant ladders.  Then there is the unique design of the Galleria’s structure.  With a series of rounded and flat spaces to choose from, rooftop wind turbines could be tested in a way that could provide data for a whole series of structural possibilities.

We even discussed the Food Court.  Imagine a Food Court that served more healthful foods.  A place where there were options for more locally produced produce and other foods, while serving as an extension for Cleveland’s growing food truck industry.

In an effort to move things in the right direction, Vicki started the Gardens Under Glass concept.  Today, she has expanded this concept to include a store front that serves as a meeting space, educational center and retail outlet.  Smaller groups can reserve the meeting space for gatherings, lectures, and more.  The goal is to be able to host rain barrel workshops, composting lessons, and guest speakers in a convenient downtown space with access to food and within walking distance of downtown businesses.  If you are interested in learning more about composting, gardening, or other green concepts, there is a wealth of information to check out by dropping into the resource area.  And if you want to buy a rain barrel or composting kit, or just a locally produced product, stop by and see what is available.

To top things off, there is a strong group that emerged from the Sustainability Summit that is the Green Business working group.  They are working to find ways to showcase and attract green businesses to the region, while encouraging entrepreneurship and small business growth.  One of the ideas that they have discussed are a green business incubator, where several small businesses could share space and office resources, making potential new businesses more viable.  They hope to include local education opportunities, where business professionals could gain valuable LEED training and continuing eduction credits in a space that is close to their downtown business and central to the entire region.

While there are no guarantees, the hope is that by thinking outside of the box, the Galleria could become an important part of the green future of NE Ohio.  Furthermore, they could stand as an example for many distressed mall properties across the nation.

VOTE VOTE VOTE PLEASE!! The Galleria at Erieview has been nominated for Cleveland’s Best Non-traditional Venue for 2011 by the CBC Magazine Connectors Choice Awards. If we could receive this recognition for the venue it would also enhance the visibility of the Gardens Under Glass Project for Sustainability

PLEASE EVERYONE VOTE, THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE A LOCAL BUSINESS A BOOST, EVERY CITY HAS A HOUSE OF BLUES AND THE GREAT FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME IS IN CANTON LETS FOCUS ON CLEVELAND.

I am personally asking you to vote, and to please pass this along to your contacts, and help us bring the Galleria a new “bright city light” …a new reputation, that will help her shine once again.

www.cbcmagazine.com/cca2011/vote

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Yeah, I am a jerk.

Friday, September 24th, 2010

On Thursday, I wrote a pretty mean blog post about this year’s Sustainability Summit.  Upon reflection, I realized that like so many other times in my life, I spoke without really thinking.  I do not really know just how hard the organizers of this event worked and it was really disrespectful to the amount of time and energy that they put forth, for me to criticize.  When you are wrong, you are wrong, so I wanted to take a minute to publicly apologize to the organizers of this year’s summit for my negativity.  If I thought I could do better, I should have offered more of my own time and energy.

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Foothills or steep slope?

Thursday, September 23rd, 2010

Whenever you get a dozen citizens in a room at any event in Cleveland, there is always one “Negative Nancy” in the room who will do and say whatever it takes to try and bring down the energy in the room.  So when yesterday’s Sustainability Summit 2010, The Glocal Engine began, I tried hard not to be that person.  I have already written about why I remained reserved in my enthusiasm before the events.  And when I think of the fact that nearly an entire year was available to prepare for this event, I feel things should be just right.  Small things often drive me crazy, and there were plenty of small missteps-coffee ran out, the WIFI didn’t work, etc.  Then the days events began with a lot of talk and very little action.  I had to remind myself that there were about 50% new attendees in the room, and had not heard some of the info and been brought fully into the fold.

However, after lunch, it felt as thought the tide was beginning to turn.  We broke into groups and did some brainstorming.  We created some ideas and fostered some discussion.  We made our headlines for the news in 2019 and listened to some enthusiastic responses from many in the room.  To me, it felt like the conference had finally begun.  So today, we start day two.  One thing is clear, this year the Summit is not the event that it was last year.  Many of the folks who work the hardest and are the biggest advocates for sustainability and innovation were conspicuously absent from the room.  There was no Bill Doty or Mike Dungan, and one of the biggest draws to downtown Cleveland, The Cleveland International Film Festival, had no representation.

So we shall see what happens today.  Keeping in mind that we are trying to find ways to generate enthusiasm, create action and build momentum for 10 full years, I wonder about the outcome of such an event.  So far, those I have spoken to seem less impressed than last year, less optimistic and more nonchalant.  I try to keep my enthusiasm pointed in the right direction.  But like anything in this region, I have to wonder if it would be better if this task was left to the private sector.  With the future of the region riding on our ability to generate new ideas and create new inroads to success, why are we hearing from the same speakers, that are saying the same things?  Two young and enthusiastic adults organized and coordinated the half day event that was TEDxCleveland last year.  Not only was the event sold out, but the speakers were amazing, the crowd pumped, the response huge.  This Summit had a year of planning, a broad subject matter, and the resources of City Hall.  The most exciting people we have heard from were Chris Kious from APOC, (that I could have called myself for free) and the speaker from Wal Mart-that told me all the stuff I have written about in my own blog.  The day closed on a positive note, as we had a speaker from Oberlin who raised the energy and enthusiasm of the room with his short speech.  If all the speakers spoke with this passion, then the entire day would have been a huge success.  I wonder what kind of day it will be today.

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Will the summit be more like a plateau?

Tuesday, September 21st, 2010

Sustainability Summit time.  Last year, Cleveland did the unexpected and interesting move of trying to map out the future of our economy by going to the people that live and work in the city.  Twenty working groups were born at this summit, and throughout the year most have continued to work on projects.  Some groups, like the Waste to profit group, had many subgroups whose individual projects were more defined or whose scope was more focused.  Over the course of three days, city leaders, citizens, business folks, students, and non-profit members worked together to draft a way forward that could inject new life and new into the NE Ohio region.  One key to keeping momentum rolling and keeping everyone engaged was to announce the next summit and start to plan ahead for this year.  Knowing that we would be meeting again and doing more good work helped to propel more folks to action and helped to fuel the fire within some groups.  So here we are again….

I remain reserved in my opinions about this year’s summit outcomes.  While I try to remain hopefully optimistic, here is what I have seen over the last year that leads me to be dubious about the entire prospect:

There were several working groups that were created at last year’s Sustainability Summit 2019 that were created around marketing.  In fact, several key leaders within these groups managed to corral their groups together into a larger groups known as the G5-with the intention of producing the best results without overlay.  So, imagine my surprise when the City of Cleveland announced that it had hired an outside consultant to prepare a report-isn’t that what they formed these working groups for?  Here we have a collection of some of the finest minds in NE Ohio who want to work on marketing, branding and communications for the city and to promote a sustainable economy (and who were all working on their own, I might add) and instead of tapping into this expertise we hired outside consultants.  And how much did that cost?  As a person who has been waiting patiently for the 5 year roll out of curbside recycling to come the quarter mile to my street, I think those dollars could have been better spent.  What does it say about a city who doesn’t promote recycling by its citizens but will spend a huge chunk of change to tell the world we are going to be green?

In order to plan for this year’s summit, we have had several key meetings.  These meetings began shortly after the summit ended last year and included representatives from each of the core working groups.  Surrounding these meetings were lots of “where are you now” talk, but in one planning day we spent the entire day working on planning the summit for this year.  Through an assortment of committees, we started planning several things.  How do we pay for the next summit?  Where can we host it, so money spent can be best directed toward the work and not the venue.  How do we create access? What will we call it?  As groups that attended a day and a half of meetings on planning alone, we provided ideas and options for all of the questions surrounding planning and agreed to continue to help as needed throughout the year.  Our group came up with a variety of venues, ideas for sponsorship, and ways to raise funds for the summit and how to reduce costs.  We agreed to communicate with each other as we heard from the city, and move forward as needed.  Imagine my surprise when I got an email telling me how to buy my tickets, where the event will be, and how to sponsor it.  Seems like none of our ideas were heard and we wasted more than an afternoon on that one.

Then there are the working groups.  Our group had 3 subgroups.  One folded it’s work into the work of the E4S advocacy group, as its leader was doing that work already.  The core work of that group Zero Waste NEO continues to do the good work it is doing, mainly because of the support of E4S.  Our group has had to dedicate its energies on the individual members’ independent businesses.  One of the key goals of our group (Wastipedia) was to save and re utilize an existing building within the city.  Imagine our surprise to find out that there were a host of unused schools being demolished by the school district.  Some were salvageable, but many appeared structurally sound.  For a city that is touting its desire to be a green city, there are an awful lot of publicly held buildings around the city that are being demolished.  Remember-the greenest building is one that doesn’t need to be built.  Still I was asked to tell the same story about our working group every two weeks to different people, to the point of frustration.  All talk-little action.

In defense of the City of Cleveland, and Mayor Jackson, we are a town that hates everything.  When Sunpu-Opto wanted to use our city’s contract as the basis of putting their American headquarters here, the uproar could be heard in Canada.  On the other hand, when citizens tried to get involved in making sure that we had streets and bridges built on examples from around the world that would allow access for alternative transportation-the mayor had no support.  ODOT was left to its own devices, despite citizens uproar, demonstrations, and more.  One of the key organizers of this effort to provide bike and pedestrian access was the transportation group.  They have felt so rebuffed that they may no longer be conspicuously absent at Summit events this year.

The only thing that gives me hope in the outcome of this years summit is the hard working folks that are in some of the working groups.  I know that the advanced energy group is meeting regularly and may have had a hand in the trash to energy project that is planned for Cleveland.  The Drink Local, Drink Tap is just one marketing campaign to raise awareness around Lake Erie and our use of natural water resources.  The Growhio program is born from the local food group of the last summit.  The transportation group has creatively and continuously stood up for the rights and concerns of the citizens of Cleveland that choose not to drive everywhere and spend big money to keep the parking industry alive.  Whether they remain committed or not to the Summit process, the galvanization of their group from last year’s summit has given them a voice and an energy they may not have found otherwise.

So as I prepare for the opening remarks tomorrow-by whom, I still do not know-I remain cautious.  I still believe in the whole idea and plan of the summit, but whether it will do more to promote and encourage growth in the city than the Browns or the online parody of The Hills, called THE FLATS, remains to be seen.  Will there be more action and less talk?

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Want to know more about the Galleria?

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

I have been watching the Galleria with much anticipation.  They decided to remake the Galleria as a sort of urban greenhouse farm.  Let’s face it, the traditional mall concept is not doing well across the country.  Add to that the urban flight to the suburbs that Cleveland has experienced for the last several decades, and you have a bleak outlook for a downtown mall.  Fortunately, you have visionaries like Vicky Poole.  Vicky started  planting vegetables and other plants in hanging baskets around the mall.  The Galleria is basically just one big greenhouse anyhow, with its large atrium with giant open spaces and glass ceiling.  Of course, there ares still shops and shop spaces, but now when you go there you get a more green and lush experience.  Furthermore, I hear they are taking the idea of a “Eco Mart” and green business incubator idea and adding it to the mix.  How it all turns out is both exciting and innovative.  When you marry that to the Euclid corridor make over and the Avenue project, downtown could once again be the hot neighborhood to be!  I can’t wait to see the results.  I am planning on attending a meeting there this weekend and will find out more.  But to launch this new initiative and their Resource center, there will be a “happy hour” there as the Sustainability Summit is going on.  Please join me there to find out more!  www.gardensunderglass.net

Gardens Under Glass is an economic development project located in the Galleria; supporting the growth of urban agriculture, and sustainability education.  Gardens Under Glass ReSource Center will be opening September 22, in hopes to support an opportunity to network after the first day of the Sustainability Conference, the Glocal Engine.  The Center plans to support City sustainable initiatives, groups, and organizations with a green message.  We will also be focusing on healthy lifestyle education.  If you are receiving this e-mail, it is because I have talked with you, and feel you would be a good fit, and would like your product or service to be a part of the Center.  Interested businesses and groups, please contact me at your earliest convenience so that I can coordinate your space requirements. It is my hope to have everyone included.  I look forward to hearing from you.  Feel free to call me on my cell..440 225.0723

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Links to some other stuff…

Sunday, February 14th, 2010

Got City Game wrapped up their first season this week.  Set in Cleveland, Got City Game is an online reality show that draws the viewer in by asking you to vote and by giving away great prizes!  The season my be over, but you can catch up on all the action on their site.  The Plain Dealer did a great piece on them as well.

The Cleveland Sustainability Summit Design Committee met last Thursday to start planning our our 2010 Summit.  It was a great day for me.  I am always left feeling enthusiastic about the possibilities that abound for Cleveland and NE Ohio when you get a bunch of  like minded individuals in one room to talk about what we can do.  The outcome groups all seem to be progressing well, and I can’t wait to see what comes from the summit this year… It is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, September 22nd and 23rd with a public day on Friday the 24th as we roll into Ingenuity Fest.  What a great week that is gonna be!

The Plain Dealer has finally gotten into the fray on the I-90 bridge.  Hopefully the video I posted last week that is making a splash on You Tube and around the net has gotten more citizens involved.  That video was made by local folks and some of the people involved are members of the transportation working group from last year’s summit.  They weren’t kidding when they called them “working groups” as since the summit many folks are putting their nose to the grindstone to promote sustainable ideas around town.

Did you know that we are getting our first “gasification” power plant?  You can read the basic story here and the longer story here.  But the gist is this:  Cleveland is going to build a power plant that turns organic waste into burnable fuel.  That fuel will then be used to create electricity.  It is considered a green technology and I can’t wait to see how this plays out.  We started a pilot program to collect compost able food waste at some areas of the city, so will we be using this?  Or could we be putting our other solid waste to work?  Bottom line we will be putting 100 PEOPLE to work and producing 6% of CPP’s peak power load.  If it turns out to be profitable, maybe we will be the first city to turn all our waste into electricity…

This is for the birds!  and the bats.  The Great Lakes Energy Development Task Force may be getting one step closer to our off shore wind farm.  They are studying bird migration patterns to make sure that we consider wildlife when we build our wind farm.  More at the Plain Dealer.  More than just a source of electricity, an off shore wind farm could be the source of a whole new future for Cleveland.  Sure we will get clean electrical power, sure jobs will be created to build and maintain turbines and their parts, but what may be more important than any of that would be the change in perception created by an off shore wind farm.  The city that does it first will be recognized across the country, and also get attention around the globe.  Becoming the City of the Wind could wipe away the stain of the burning river and attract business to the region.  We are a cool city, but if we so cool that we have a wind farm, them maybe we could have the new Apple Headquarters?  Imagine how much we could lease offices for (and what cool company would want them) if they overlooked a beautiful blue lake filled with spinning blades.

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So many events…so little time…. I love Cleveland!

Friday, February 5th, 2010

I am looking at my calendar and trying to get caught up on some things before it gets too hectic.

Monday ( Feb 8th) I am attending a meeting of the Lake Erie Moose Society.   The Lake Erie Moose Society fosters camaraderie and shares technical advice among NEO Bloggers of all experience levels.  The meeting is at least once a month.  Monday it is at the Barking Spider Tavern at CWRU.  If you are a blogger or thinking about starting one, this is a great group of folks.  I always learn something new, and I have new friends because of this group.

Tuesday night (Feb 9) is the wrap party for Got City Game.  If you don’t know what this is, then you are missing out.  The idea was to promote some of the truly cool things about Cleveland by creating a reality tv show.  We here in Cleveland don’t go for the mainstream, so why not put it out on the web, so everyone can see how cool the NE Ohio region is.  I am so proud of the producers and what they have done with this program.  Tuesday night we will find out who won the scholarship prizes and who won the grand prize-a year of rent free living in Tremont and gift certificates to all the major entertainment attractions around town…  Stop by the Barley  House and find out how you might be involved in the next season, and catch up on all the past episodes online atGot City Game.

Thursday (Feb 11) is a big day.  I will be spending the day at CWRU with the rest of the design committee to help plan out the next Sustainability Summit.  We will be mapping out next year’s summit, reporting on progress from last years summit, and planning the strategic communications for our groups.  Thursday evening is the launch party for Endure, an online exhibition for Red Dot Project.  I am proud to be a fetured artist in the exhibit and can’t wait to see some of the work by other artists.  The evening runs from 5-7pm at environments 4 business, at 515 euclid.  Stop by for a nibble and see some cool art.  My work is all photography on canvas, so I am eager to hear what people have to say about it.  The show will be online shopreddotproject.org through March.

Tuesday of the following week (Feb 16th) is the networking event at E4S, Entrepreneurs for Sustainability. This month’s topic is UNIVERSITIES PUTTING SUSTAINABILITY TO WORK:

Join the E4S Network in February to learn how Northeast Ohio universities are implementing sustainable business practices in their buildings, operations, research, and curriculum. From innovative energy efficiency projects, to green buildings, to cafeteria`s filled with local food, universities in the region are leading the way towards a sustainable economy.

But what else might be possible if all 27 NEO universities – with over 200,000 students and an annual budget of nearly $3 billion – worked together to have an even greater impact? Join the dialog with our panel of sustainability experts from local universities as we explore the present and future of sustainability in higher education.

It is a great group and I encourage you to come and check it out.

Then on Wednesday I am attending a meeting at the Cleveland Film Society.  I am very excited about participating in the Cleveland International Film Festival this year.  This is only my second year, but I had such a great time last year, that I can’t wait for this season to begin!  If you have some time on your hands, I encourage you to give them a call at 216.623.3456 or to sign up online.  When you volunteer you can help out a great cause and you just might get to see a movie that will change your life.  I saw a couple last year that really made me change the way i look at the world, and I hear that this year’s line up is shaping up to be even better!  If you just want to attend, then think about getting an all access pass.  You can see a ton of movie for a great price, and you get lots of perks when you go this route too!  See the trailer and other videos on You Tube.

On Thursday (Feb 18th) is the Social Media Club monthly meeting.  It is another great group and discusses all kinds of ways to use social media to enrich your life.  If you are interested in learning more about twitter, Facebook, or other social media try attending this event of folks who love this form of communication.

Then on Friday (Feb 19th) is the 78th Street Studios Third Friday event.  I always enjoy myself when I go here.   There are tons of great artists to see and so much in one location.  Perfect for those blustry winter evenings when walking the streets of Tremont is a cold proposition:

The hottest new arts center on the west side of Cleveland housed in the former American Greetings Creative Studios building between W 78th and W 80th Streets. Stop in to explore this eclectic mix of world class art galleries, studios, and creative businesses anchoring the west end of Gordon Square Arts District!

You can find them at 1300 W 78th St. or get the mat at their website.

What are YOU doing over the next couple of weeks?  If you have a great event to add, put it here in the comments section!!

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More from Andrew Watterson…

Saturday, December 5th, 2009

In case you do not know, Cleveland has a Chief of Sustainability. His name is Andrew Watterson and he reports directly to the Mayor. He was integral in putting together the Sustainability Summit last August and in developing next year’s summit. He sends out a newsletter to members of the summit, and keeps informed about goings on in Cleveland as it pertains to being a Green City on a Blue Lake. Here are some of the things that you should know from this week:

Cleveland is getting a lot of press for its endeveours to get energy from the wind. If you haven’t see these articles, check out
“Ohio awards $13 million for wind and solar projects”: by John Funk
“Lake Erie wind turbine project spreads beyond Cuyahoga County”: by John Funk and
“NorTech carves out role in promoting advanced energy projects”: by Tom Breckenridge

If you aren’t following the Green City Blue Lake blog, you are missing out! They maintain a calendar of events, and there is a great article on the proposed new I-90 bridge, and the efforts of some citizens to add bicycle and pedestrian access. some say it is a crazy idea, as it is a freeway bridge, but that is simply not true! There are nearly 30 other bridges doing the same thing around the country. There is a rally in Lincoln Park tomorrow (Dec 6) at 2pm, and I hope to see you there!

If you haven’t heard, President Obama is going to do what Bush didn’t do, and that is meet with leaders from around the globe to talk about climate change. The event will be held in Copenhagen, and Obama will be in good company. Also in attendance will be our very own Matt Zone, who will represent Cleveland in the National League of Cities. I hope Barak takes the time to learn how it is being done in Cleveland!

Ahead of the summit, a group SustainLane is getting people involved locally. Out of all the cities in the country, Cleveland beat out places like San Francisco and Atlanta to rate as number 2 in the nation. That is high praise indeed! From their newsletter;

Ever since we partnered with Hopenhagen to launch the SustainLane Local Action Challenge, we have been amazed at the outpouring of action from people in communities all over the country. So while we wait with our fingers crossed to see what happens in Copenhagen, let’s take a look at what people are doing on a local level to make their own communities a little greener.

They have a list of ideas for people to in= implement ot help reduce their carbon footprint. They are giving away prizes to those who upload a photo of themselves doing some of the things on the list for their city. Each city has a list that is tailored to their particular regional needs-something that is often forgotten in the discussion of actions that need to be taken. Check out Cleveland’s list and take part!

Lastly, but really firstly, Cleveland has released its report on the August summit. Check it out to find out all the cool stuff that we were involved in. There are some great pictures-my favorite is of Michele Kilroy of the local chapter of USGBC. Find out what you missed and get excited aobut next year!

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Building Sustainability in Cleveland

Saturday, December 5th, 2009

So, how I missed the video from the Sustainability Summit 2019, is beyond me. But apparently, it has been up on You Tube for months. Check it out here, and you will see why I am so jazzed about the possibilities that may come from this summit. Check out he people that they interviewed, and see the cool people that I got to hang with for 3 days. As we move forward and plan the next summit, is there something that you would like me to keep in mind? Do you have a suggestion as to what we need to do next, something we need to include in the summit, or something that is being left out of the discussion? I would love to hear your feedback. I believe Cleveland is a really cool town with a bright future, and this is just one way we are making it better.

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Can Cleveland sustain its sustainability momentum?

Thursday, November 12th, 2009

Since moving here in 2000, I have found that Cleveland has so many positive things going for it. While the economy and population shrinking is bad for morale, business and prosperity, it has also served as a wake up call for NE Ohio. Everyone is starting to realize that the steel mills are never going to come back in abundance, and that manufacturing jobs that are lost rarely return. Yet, with groups like E4S, Green City Blue Lake, Local Food Cleveland, and a host of other small groups we can see change coming. It starts with a few people. People like Holly Harlan who come together to form a little group to make a change. As we need to reinvent the regional and national economy, these small groups have begun to flourish. And all these groups got a big boost from the city of Cleveland with the introduction of the Sustainability Summit last August.

I have talked about the Summit several times, and it was great! Somewhere between 500 and 700 people attended the event where we strove to create new public policy and identify key areas where we can use sustainability to drive Cleveland’s economic engine. I am a member of the Waste to Profit group. I joined this group because of my passion for recycling and the need for educating Cleveland’s populace on this issue. Besides, I already work in the Green Building industry and wanted to work on something outside my norm. I was drawn to a sub group that was working to create a locale where building materials and other volume amounts of items could be redirected from landfill and turned into resources. Among the people seated at the table were Nicole McGee, a materials reuse artist (if you have ever been to an Aladdin’s restaurant, then you have seen here flowers on the tables), Mike Dungan, the driving force behind Zero Landfill, and Chris Kious-Cleveland’s king of building deconstruction. We built a prototype to present to the group, and then thought, “Why not make this happen?” We set a time and date for our first meeting before the conference day was done. Since that time, we have met on a regular basis. We are working on the final Executive Summary and Business Plan. We applied for some preliminary funding and are looking at the future to see what we can do next. While this is exciting for us, we are not alone….Other members of the Waste to Profit group were members of the Regional Zero Waste Collaborative. While the group was actually formed in 2008, the summit gave them some added members and galvanized some of their efforts. They are working on practical ways to get the city toward zero waste and trying to figure out how to form public policy on this issue.

There were 20 groups developed at the summit on a range of sustainability topics. But how do we keep up the good intentions of this occasion and drive movement forward. Cleveland has done its part. They are forming a sustainability committee and have promoted Andrew Watterson to Chief of Sustainability. They are committed to moving forward and are setting the date for another summit next year. Meanwhile, representatives from the various groups are meeting to set dates and plan the next summit. There are so many people engaged, and many things moving forward, so I can’t wait to see how some of these groups are progressing. We have a report out meeting coming up next Tuesday. If you were at the summit, and want to see how it is going, join us at Great Lakes Brewery Tasting room on Tuesday to hear some of the great news. Afterward is the E4S sustainability awards. This should be a great event as well! Stay and see what some of the leaders in the movement are doing in Cleveland. Go here to register for the E4S event!

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