Sustainable CLE: Climate Action Plan

Posted Feb 04, 2013

For us at the Office of Sustainability, climate action means listening to you. What do you think we should be doing at home, at work, and in the community? What existing projects, policies, and programs can we build from? And which actions maybe aren't your highest priority?

Posted Feb 12, 2013

When I think about Climate Change with capital letters--on a macro level-- I am often focused on how to get the "system" to change. I am thinking about federal, state and local policy, incentives, regulation, etc. Levers designed to have large and swift impact. 

When I think about my own personal contribution towards climate change, I have a different sense of accountability. At the same time it lessens my feeling of helplesness about it. If I know that I have had a role in creating this problem, then there is a clearer path to what I can do, as an individual, to fix it. 

What is your role in creating climate change and what can you, as an individual, take accountability for changing about your lifestyle? Personally, one choice I have made is to drive less using transit and cycling. 

Posted Feb 17, 2013

The easiest way to make a change without spending billions of dollars are by education and legislation.  By having every one use a highly concentrated biodegradeable cleaner we can cut the plastic waste, lower the co2 emissions, lower the cost of cleaning our waste water and many more benifits.

Warning the term biodegradable has been changed to make it easier for companies to say they are biodegradeable.  You want a company whose product will go back to carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in 3-5 days. 

Here is one company that does it.  It is the first company to be Certified Climate Neutral. 

http://content.shaklee.com/shaklee/flash/roger-20071220-a.html

Big changes can be made by doing simple actions.  More can be done by making simple changes than spending billions on projects.

Need more info contact me at Missigb@aol.com

Lets' start a revolution for a clean and healthy environment

Posted Feb 20, 2013

And let's not forget "last year's" focus on local food as it relates to this: meat consumption, particularly of what I call "factory meat,"  is a major greenhouse gas contributor.  If each of us could forego just one meat meal a week, the cumulative effects would be huge.

For those who just "cannot" give up even this small amount, please consider substituting fish or poultry for factory pork or beef.

Posted Feb 20, 2013

Interesting article in the Plain Dealer about media decisions in how to cover climate change: 

A few weeks ago, the PD ran an article on the city’s 10 most depopulated neighborhoods. The article cited statistics about the huge number of residents between the ages of 17-45 who have left these neighborhoods in recent years. It didn’t mention that about 122,000 people still live in these places, about 30% of the city’s total population. Lots of elderly people and children, with limited mobility and a high concentration of poverty. When we think about climate change adaptation, we need to focus on the needs of these very vulnerable populations. Restoring urban tree canopy, removing unnecessary pavement, and creating stronger social networks will be key. We know what’s coming. The headline will be “Record Heat Wave Hits Cleveland.” We need to make sure the second line reads “No One Dies, Thanks to Foresight and Good Land Use Planning .”

In New Orleans, residents were vulnerable to the hurricanes because the many of the bayous and wetlands that could have absorbed the storm surge had been destroyed. In Cleveland, we can buffer residents from extreme temperatures and urban heat island effects with smart landscape strategies. Scattered site greening of vacant lots is not enough. We need to aggregate green space in strategic locations and reduce areas of surplus pavement. I have a crazy (and completely unproven) idea about creating low-cost green roofs by transplanting invasive species (which are abundant in Cleveland) to roofs of vacant industrial and commercial buildings. Green means cooler--we need to explore the options.

In Chicago and Paris, old people died during the heat waves because they stayed in their houses, rather than venture out to seek help. Higher survival rates occurred in areas where neighbors knew each other and felt safe in their communities. The Mayor got a lot of grief recently when he said that we need to take care of our own, but he was right. People are at risk and we need to do something. Climate Action Plan is a great start.

Posted Apr 05, 2013