Sustainable Cleveland 2019 is an impressive 10-year project launched by Mayor Jackson to convert our expired manufacturing economy (and it’s associated population decrease) to a sustainable, progressive, aka ‘green’ economy.

Moving beyond speeches, concepts and meetings, the program features over 15 working groups covering all shades of what sustainability means in modern America. This is also a unique movement in that every type of person, from every walk of life, in every type of industry, has been involved in creating our new future.

The title of this post is a quote I loved from one of the keynote speakers. It comes from Gil Sperling of the Department of Energy. He outlined the Obama administration’s initiatives and brought a federal perspective to our challenge. It’s strange when federal politicians seem to truly understand the issue and come to the same conclusions. Exciting times as we rebuild and redesign our community.

Believe it or not there was a time when Cleveland Ohio was the fifth largest city in America. That time is long gone but the location remains, along with the infrastructure and the best laid plans. There is now the desire to rebuild or better yet redesign what a modern american city is capable of. Urban farming, local foods, energy efficiency, renewable power, complete streets, green space, clean water – these issues are being dissected and developed into a new economy. Cleveland is taking a lead for our own survivability, and with the number of people in attendance from Detroit, Columbus, Pittsburgh, and other midwestern cities I see that others are starting to take notice.