Over the next 6 months, Cleveland’s Bike Share Task Force will be taking a look at the feasibility of bike sharing and reviewing recommended business models for operating a system in the city. Building off of recent momentum in cycling and complete and green streets, the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability issued a Request for Proposals in autumn 2012 and has contracted with Toole Design Group (TDG) as the lead consultant for this project. Bike Share Task Force: In anticipation of the feasibility study, the Bike Share Task Force formed to provide a platform to advise the project and to assist with stakeholder engagement. The Bike Share Task Force consists of representatives from many organizations who see the potential benefits of bike sharing in Cleveland: Mayor’s Office of Sustainability ClevelandCity Planning GreenCityBlueLake Institute Bike Cleveland Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority Cleveland City Planning Commission Positively Cleveland Midtown Cleveland Ohio City Inc. Downtown Cleveland Alliance/Cleveland Bike Rack…
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Non-profits and businesses in Summit County, Ohio are taking the proper measures to make a Green Print in the county, with The Summit of Sustainability Awards. According to the site, The Summit of Sustainability Award is a natural outgrowth of the City of Akron’s Green Print which since March of 2008 has worked to quantify the impacts government, commercial/industrial, and residential activities on our environment. The Green Ribbon Panel’s (charged with driving Green Print change) Education and Outreach Subcommittee knew that there were many sustainability success stories within the business and non-profit community throughout Summit County and felt those successes could serve as a guide for other organizations seeking to achieve triple bottom line improvements: People, Profit and Planet. A group of area companies and non-profits who had shown a dedication to sustainability practices along with the City and County was convened to create a regional recognition process that could…
At our board meeting yesterday, the Northeast Ohio Sustainable Communities Consortium Board elected a new slate of Board officers and members of the Board’s Executive Committee. These officers will lead the organization throughout 2013, the final year of the initial, three-year federal grant. “This slate of Board officers and Executive Committee members provides NEOSCC with the leadership of some of the best planning minds in the region,” said Hunter Morrison, NEOSCC Executive Director. “This year our focus will be on conducting the Scenario Planning process and creating the Vibrant NEO 2040 plan. These officers, led by Grace Gallucci, the new Executive Director of NOACA, gives us a reservoir of expertise and experience that will help ensure that the Vibrant NEO 2040 plan is an innovative, actionable framework for improving this region’s future.” 2013 NEOSCC Board Officers: Board Chair: Grace Gallucci, Northeast Ohio Area-wide Coordinating Agency (NOACA) First Vice-Chair: Bob Nau,…
A number of Northeast Ohio Transit Agencies have begun to look at alternative ways to fuel public transportation. Last year, Stark Area RTA unveiled their new Clean Natural Gas system used to fuel a number of new buses at SARTA. CNG is the Cleaner, Greener, Domestic and more Affordable option. Cleaner: Reduces health-harming air pollutants – 95% less particulate matter, carbon monoxide emissions and 80% less nitrogen oxide emissions. (U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Labratory). Greener: Lowers greenhouse gas emissions by 26-29% in cars and light trucks and 23% in medium to heavy-duty vehicles. Domestic: 98% of natural gas is produced in North America; reducing our dependence on foreign oil. Affordable: Costs 25-40% less than diesel fuel (1/3 of the cost of traditional gasoline), has maintenance costs equal to or less than gasoline or diesel vehiles. SARTA will see a savings of over $300,000 per year by making the switch. This week, the…
Sustainable Cleveland 2019 (SC2019) is a 10-year initiative launched by the City of Cleveland in 2009 that engages everyone to work together to design and develop a thriving and resilient Cleveland that leverages its wealth of assets to build economic, social and environmental well-being for all. Every year leading up to 2019, Cleveland will focus on one of the key areas fundamental to a sustainable economy. The Sustainable Cleveland Celebration Points are designed to be accessible to all members of the community — households, neighborhoods, businesses, and institutions can all participate, either in collaboration or independently. In celebrating 2013 as the Year of Renewable and Advanced Energy, SC 2019 is inviting everyone to attend launch party … The winds of change… come and join us. Learn how Advanced and Renewable Energy works in Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. Learn about solar, wind, hydrogen, fuel cells, bio-energy, energy efficiency and more! Stop by informational tables…
Smart growth development is compact and walkable and provides a diverse range of choices in land uses, building types, transportation, homes, workplace locations, and stores. Such development projects are attractive to private-sector interests because they can find a ready market and compete financially. They appeal to local governments because they can be the building blocks of a growing economy and high-quality, economically sustainable neighborhoods and communities while also helping to create a cleaner, healthier environment. Some of the advantages for developers, communities, and local governments associated with smart growth include: Compact development: Using land and resources more efficiently and redeveloping old or neglected areas while retaining existing infrastructure can create economic advantages for real estate developers and investors, businesses, and local governments. Compact development can generate more revenue per acre because it uses land more efficiently. It can reduce the costs of land and infrastructure for individual projects and the costs…
The Western Reserve Land Conservancy (www.wrlandconservancy.org) has recently completed Common Ground, a regional land protection report for northern Ohio. The Western Reserve Land Conservancy is a nonprofit conservation organization in Moreland Hills, dedicated to preserving the natural resources of northern Ohio. Common Ground is the first-ever collaborative look at conservation in Northeast Ohio. The report is the result of the efforts of the region’s conservation community over the past year. It will soon be released to additional conservation partners and to the public. Regional land conservation provides many benefits for Northeast Ohio. The ultimate objective of land conservation is to preserve the natural resources of the region that optimize quality of life for its inhabitants, including animals and plants as well as humans. Conservation protects existing open spaces, productive agricultural lands, ecologically-sensitive areas, and encourages more efficient land use within the existing development footprint. The ultimate vision of Western Reserve…
The neighborhood development group University Park Alliance has been awarded nearly $8 million to continue building Akron’s urban core. University Park Alliance is a non-profit community development corporation dedicated to the importance of ‘place-making’. University Park Alliance describes their Vision: We envision University Park as an exciting opportunity to return to a traditional urban neighborhood where interesting people live, great ideas thrive and community is key. And we see a clear path for getting there. Our strategy is to capitalize on the economic synergy of the great institutions already anchored throughout this geography—including a major university, three excellent hospitals, a bio-tech institute, three brand new schools—and develop a dense, walkable neighborhood with diverse cultural offerings, great healthcare, quality education and plenty of recreational and leisure opportunities. In essence, our mission is to build a ‘sense of place’ between these strong anchors. To do so, University Park Alliance has created a…
Grist.com recently reported on the crusade against blight in areas of northeast Ohio like Youngstown and Cleveland. “Good samaritans in Ohio may be getting a reprieve from potential misdemeanor charges. Today the state House is voting on a bill that would allow people to clean up vacant, blighted properties without fear of a trespassing charge. This measure essentially gives residents more power to improve their neighborhoods, harnessing NIMBY instincts for good. From The Columbus Dispatch: Some residents hesitate to take care of the properties around them because they risk trespassing charges, said Tiffany Sokol, office manager of the nonprofit Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp., which boards up and cleans up vacant properties. The bill would allow individuals to clean up blighted land or buildings that have clearly been abandoned. “Very ugly, nasty places,” [said Sen. Joe Schiavoni (D), the bill’s sponsor]. “These properties are an eyesore, a danger to their neighbors.” The Rust Belt…
A unique partnership between three leading institutions has released a new tool that provides data on conditions in Northeast Ohio. The Northeast Ohio Data Collaborative, formed in early 2012, announced the availability of NEO CANDO 2010+. This interactive online data portal provides information about demographic, socioeconomic, and other data that help define and promote understanding of the human landscape of Northeast Ohio. Access NEO CANDO 2010+ at https://neocando.case.edu/index.shtml. Claudia Coulton, co-director of the Center on Urban Poverty and Community Development at Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences of Case Western Reserve University, explained, “The development of the original NEO CANDO put our region ahead of other parts of the country. This update includes the latest data, has new features, and operates faster, keeping Northeast Ohio at the forefront.” Features of NEO CANDO 2010+ Free and publicly accessible resource Easily downloadable demographic and socioeconomic data On-demand mapping based on a Google…