The state of the sustainability community in Greater Cleveland is strong. It’s getting stronger, more mainstream, and more influential every day. And it is leading our region to a better future.

The staff members of the GreenCityBlueLake Institute — with input from many others — have compiled the following summary of some of the most significant sustainability accomplishments in 2008 and goals for 2009. The report includes items from the many issue areas of sustainability, including arts and culture, building, economy, education, energy, food, health, land, transportation, and water. It also includes suggestions for longer term goals to be accomplished by the year 2019, the 50th anniversary of the Cuyahoga River fire. In addition, it includes the first calculation of a Genuine Progress Indicator for the region.

The report was released at the Institute’s annual “Emerge” celebration on Feb. 21, 2009, at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. The Institute plans to update the report annually with community input, so it will become a living document.

Thanks to Fairmount Minerals for sponsoring “State of Sustainability 2009.” And thanks to corporate responsibility and sustainability advisors BrownFlynn for additional assistance.

Amazing things are happening in Greater Cleveland. It is hoped that by bringing the accomplishments together in one place, we all can appreciate our progress toward creating a green city on a blue lake.

Follow the links below to read the report.