The 2019 Celebration Committee met for the first time last week, and discussed the 2011 Year of Energy Efficiency celebration. Twelve members of 2019 work groups and city Office of Sustainability staff considered how to coordinate events and bold initiatives such as the newly forming Greater Cleveland Energy Alliance—and how to promote them across the region.

The Celebration Committee is a steering committee for the effort and will coordinate with 2019 Work Groups such as Green Building, Sustainable Design, Materials and Manufacturing, and a new group that formed at the 2011 summit for green collar jobs in Cleveland known as Green Dots. Even groups like Transportation were mentioned since the goal is to start celebrating energy efficiency in January.

The 2011 Celebration Committee is looking for input from your group. Please address these questions at your next group meeting and email your response to jmcgowan@city.cleveland.oh.us  

• What should people do if they want to participate in energy efficiency (rank the top 5 or 10 energy saving practices for different audiences such as resident, business and industry)?
• What is the content of the main educational messages we want to communicate (again, for different audiences)?
• What are the priority initiatives going on that we want to highlight and celebrate?

Groups may want to form a subcommittee to address these questions in detail. But, because 2011 is right around the corner, some quick consensus at your meeting will help get some initial ideas to the Celebration Committee before the end of the year.

The Celebration Committee also wants to know what events in the region in the next year address energy efficiency and could adopt the Celebration Year brand.