All Sustainable Cleveland 2019 stakeholders are invited to hear from Working Groups and Celebration Year committees during an all-work group report out and social get-together on Tuesday, April 3rd from 5:30-8pm at the Sustainable Cleveland Center in Tower City. If you are not active in a working group, but would like to get involved or reconnect, this event should be a good way to do so. Working groups are invited to:

• Share what they're up to, including their goal for 2012
• Learn about progress and activities of other SC2019 work groups
• Provide an opportunity to connect with other groups and individuals to accelerate our mission to "build an economic engine to empower a green city on a blue lake"

This event is FREE and light refreshments will be served, but space is limited, so please RSVP

The Manufacturing Mart at the Galleria received well deserved news coverage about their expo today in an article in the Plain Dealer. As a Sustainable Cleveland 2019 collaborating organization, the owners, Mary Kaye Denning and Lindsey Frick understand, champion and grow the sustainable manufacturing sector of our economy. Today is the last day, so if you are in or near Downtown, i recommend stopping by the Galleria. 

SC2019 will be there with a booth to highlight how new innovation and economic growth will come from sustainability solutions and the Sustainable Design Materials and Manufacturing working group will be there to showcase their innovative sustainability tools for the sector including the "SmartDart". 

Manufacturing is leading Northeast Ohio out of recession, the growing Clean Economy here is nothing to sneeze at and food manufacturing in Northeast Ohio is growing faster than other sectors. The health of these sectors are essential to the creation of a resilient, sustainable economy that leverages our wealth of assets.  

The City of Cleveland hosted a Local Food Fair in City Hall on Friday to launch 2012, The Year of Local Food. About 40 exhibitors representing farmers, farmers’ markets, CSAs, local food enterprises, restaurants, and organizations that connect residents to local food were in attendance. The event was well attended by the general public and City of Cleveland employees alike. A good portion of exhibitors were small enterprises and entrepreneurs—real businesses that provide local, affordable, nutritious food options for Cleveland residents. Cleveland’s leadership as a local foods hotspot is increasingly being recognized nationally and even internationally.  In fact, Cleveland got a mention in an article Salon published last week, Urban Gardens, the Future of Food.  

The vision of Sustainable Cleveland 2019 is to surprise, amaze, and inspire the world with its transformation to a bright green city on a blue lake. Determined people from every walk of life will work together to shape vibrant livable communities, innovative businesses, and a flourishing natural environment that will result in health, wealth, creativity, and economic opportunities for all. Attaining the vision requires a cultural shift that will manifest itself in the way our city looks and functions. It will change for the better how we interact with each other, our cityscape and the environment.

We have a co-created vision for the City of Cleveland and the framework for how we will evolve into a green city on a blue lake, but what does a green city on a blue lake look like? How will it function? What is the path that takes us there? We have a Guiding document, but at present these questions are not fully answerable. That is why we must be prepared to recognize the opportunities to take the small steps and the big leaps that will get us there.