Dashboard Overview

Measuring progress is essential to the success of Sustainable Cleveland. The performance indicators measure results, inform strategy, shine a light on what is working and they educate and inspire us through stories and metrics.

The Sustainable Cleveland Dashboard will help us to speak the same language, to move in the same direction and tie our actions to the values of Sustainable Cleveland. These Performance Indicators build upon the Action and Resources Guide published in 2010 and are designed with the intent of activating stakeholders, focusing on bellwethers and using accessible data sources that are simple to collect and analyze. Everyone should be able to find at least one indicator that you can help to move in the right direction.

Getting Started

This interactive dashboard is designed to help Sustainable Cleveland 2019 and the Cleveland community gauge progress toward business, personal/social, built and natural wellbeing.

To get started, click on one of the 4 environments in the left-hand menu. From there, you can pick from the list of indicators to display a chart on progress.

For comments, questions or feedback email sustainability@city.cleveland.oh.us.

How our region’s economic engines adapt to market changes while “greening” their supply-chain and accelerating innovation in clean technologies

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Number of Clean Economy Jobs

The Number of Sustainable Economy Jobs Grows

Cleveland can grow a sustainable economy with new clean economy jobs. Sustainable Cleveland tracks the total number of clean economy jobs in the Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor Metropolitan Area. The five-county Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) consists of Cuyahoga County, Geauga County, Lake County, Lorain County, and Medina County, and has a population of 2,077,240. Greater Cleveland is the 28th most populous metropolitan area in the United States and largest metro entirely in Ohio.

Source: Brookings “Sizing the Clean Economy” Report: http://www.brookings.edu/about/programs/metro/clean-economy

Clean Economy Jobs per Total Jobs

Cleveland’s Sustainable Economy Helps the Region’s Economy Grow

Northeast Ohio’s companies recognize the global economy and use an export strategy to attract business and jobs. Exporting companies also tend to be more innovative and to pay higher wages. SC2019 uses the exports per clean economy job data tracked by the Brookings Institute to better understand if a focus on growing clean economy jobs is also attracting new dollars into the Cleveland Metropolitan area. The aim is for the exports per job to increase over time.

Source: Brookings “Sizing the Clean Economy” Report

Creating Better Paying Jobs

Cleveland’s Sustainable Economy Creates Better Paying Jobs

As we build a clean economy, Sustainable Cleveland wants to ensure that the jobs created are well-paying. To track this, we measure the median annual wage of clean economy jobs and compare it to the median annual wage for all jobs in the Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor Metropolitan Area. We aim for both of these to increase over time. The median is defined as the middle value of a set that is ordered from least to greatest. The five-county Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) consists of Cuyahoga County, Geauga County, Lake County, Lorain County, and Medina County, and has a population of 2,077,240. Greater Cleveland is the 28th most populous metropolitan area in the United States and largest metro entirely in Ohio.

Source: Brookings “Sizing the Clean Economy” Report: http://www.brookings.edu/about/programs/metro/clean-economy

Adopting Sustainability Practices

Businesses Adopting Sustainable Practices

While it’s important for businesses to offer products and services that respond to sustainability challenges, businesses should also adopt sustainable practices amongst employees and within their own operations. To track progress, Sustainable Cleveland is identifying those organizations based in Northeast Ohio that transparently report on sustainability using the following three protocols: Global Reporting Initiative, Green Plus, and the Carbon Disclosure Project (bands A, B, or C). Visit here for more information on what the Carbon Disclosure Project’s bands equate to in terms of performance. And visit COSE for information on getting your small business Green Plus certified.

Download the full list of company names and their reporting types.

Our Growing Economy

The Economy of NE Ohio is Stronger

A resilient local economy builds prosperity over time. One measure of a region’s prosperity is the Gross Regional Product—the market value of all of the goods and services produced in a region in a year. Sustainable Cleveland wants the Gross Regional Product to increase over time.

Source: Dashboard of Economic Indicators, Fund for Our Economic Future

Increase in Median Income

The Standard of Living is Improving in NE Ohio

Sustainable Cleveland seeks to create an economy that benefits all, with reductions in disparities. One measure is increases in the amount of household income across Cleveland’s communities. The map below tracks the increase in median income in each county subdivision between 2000 and 2010. The median income is the middle income in a list of incomes from high to low, and is a common measure when looking at income in a population. Sustainable Cleveland aims for median income to increase in all communities.

Source: US Census

How our community creates, adapts to and benefits from the challenges of a sustainable economy

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Summit Participants

A Growing and Diverse Group of People Participate in the Annual Summits

Sustainable Cleveland engages a diverse set of people from across Cleveland and the surrounding region. One measure of this diversity is attendance at the annual Summits by both employment sector and geographic location. We aim to have a diverse attendance at the Summit that includes people from all walks of life

Source: Sustainable Cleveland Summit Registration Forms

Working Groups Engagement

A Growing and Diverse Group of People are Engaged in Making Cleveland More Sustainable

Sustainable Cleveland seeks to include a growing number of people in the work of making Cleveland more sustainable. To measure this indicator, we track the number of people involved in the project's workgroups — small groups that focus on specific areas of work, like local food production or zero waste. Sustainable Cleveland aims for this number to increase each year.

Source: Involvement data collected by Work Groups

Education

Clevelanders Have the Necessary Education Levels to Participate in the Economy

Higher wage jobs in the current economy typically require education beyond high school. Sustainable Cleveland tracks the educational attainment of those under age 35 to tell whether or not those who are entering the work force are ready. We also look to reduce disparity across Cleveland and aim for everyone entering the workforce to be equipped to with the skills needed to succeed.

Data Source: American Community Survey

Population

More People are Attracted to Live and Work in Cleveland

Since 1970 Cleveland has lost population. Sustainable Cleveland seeks to reverse this trend, especially in the city center. Below is a map showing the percent of population change by community every 10 years since 1970.

Our current total population is: 396,815.

Source: US Census

Health

Clevelanders are Healthier

When we create a sustainable community, we create a place where people can be healthier. We track incidences of diabetes, hypertension, and obesity to better understand if our efforts are making a difference. We want to know that prevalence of obesity, hypertension, and diabetes is decreasing over time and there is less disparity in rates between neighborhoods.

Data Source: Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) data compiled by the Prevention Research Center at Case Western Reserve University in partnership with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health and Cleveland Department of Public Health.

Local/National Recognition

Cleveland is Known for its Focus on a Sustainable Economy

Sustainable Cleveland wants Cleveland to be widely known for its focus on sustainability. We track the number of national and local media stories that are related to the initiative or Cleveland’s focus on sustainability. Sustainable Cleveland aims to increase the number of stories each year.

Sustainable Cleveland tracks local and national media recognition by using GoogleNews to send alerts for a variety of search terms that relate to Cleveland and the Celebration Year themes as well as Sustainable Cleveland 2019 specifically. Each year’s media count runs from January 1st to December 31st. We count an article if it meets the following criteria:

• Mentions Cleveland, OH or Cleveland-area business
• Relates to the goals of SC2019/sustainability in some way
• Can be an editorial, blog post, etc.
• Regional media sources classed as ‘national’

Source: Count by Office of Sustainability

How our neighborhoods, institutions, industries, and city infrastructures successfully integrate sustainability into their built environments

Cost of Living

Cleveland Continues to be an Affordable Place to Live and Work

Number of Businesses

More Businesses are Locating and Succeeding in Cleveland’s City Center and Neighborhoods

To create a sustainable economy, new businesses must locate — and succeed — in Cleveland’s city center and neighborhoods. Sustainable Cleveland tracks the number of businesses by zip code. We aim to increase the total number of businesses, especially in the city center.

Source: US Census

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Blight and Vacancy Transformations

Blighted Buildings and Vacant Lots are Being Transformed into Assets

Blighted buildings and vacant lots can create unattractive neighborhoods, and invite vandalism and other crimes. Sustainable Cleveland seeks to turn these spaces into community assets. The data below shows the sale and lease of the city’s vacant lots, a number that we aim to increase over time.

Source: City of Cleveland

Impervious Surfaces

The City of Cleveland and Surrounding Area have Fewer Acres of Impervious Surfaces

When it rains, water runs off of parking lots, roads, and roofs carrying dirt, motor oil, and other pollutants into Cleveland’s waterways. These so-called ‘impervious surfaces’ are significant contributors to water pollution. Below is a map of these surfaces in the city of Cleveland. To help improve water quality, Sustainable Cleveland aims to decrease the total area covered by impervious surfaces (red in the map below).

Source: Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District

Green Buildings

Buildings and Neighborhoods are being Built and Renovated to a Sustainability-related Standard

Building construction and renovation have wide ranging impacts ranging from the sources of building materials to energy use to water consumption. There are several leading sustainability certifications for buildings, including LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), Enterprise Green Communities Certification, and EnergyStar. Below is a map of these buildings across the region. SC2019 seeks to increase the number of buildings that have these and other sustainability certifications.

Download the full list here.

Data Source: Northeast Ohio US Green Building Council

Green Space

Clevelanders have Access to Green Space and Recreational Areas

Access to green space and recreational areas is one of many aspects of a healthy, livable city. Sustainable Cleveland wants to ensure that everyone across the city has access to a park, community garden, or other recreational facility within walking distance.

Data Source: Land use and facility data from the City of Cleveland

Commute

Fewer People are using Cars to Commute

Carpooling, riding the bus, walking, or biking reduce the environmental impact of Clevelander’s daily commute. Sustainable Cleveland aims to create a city that supports alternatives to single passenger driving. Below are the commute modes for Cuyahoga County. We aim for single-passenger commuting to decrease over time.

Source: US Census

Walk Score

The City of Cleveland is More Walkable

Walking is a cheap, reliable, non-polluting transportation method available to almost all residents of Cleveland. Sustainable Cleveland aims to make Cleveland a more walkable community. Below are the walk scores for neighborhoods — a measure of how pedestrian friendly a community is, with a bigger number representing a more walking friendly community.

Source: Walk Score

Healthy Local Foods

Clevelanders have Access to Healthy Local Food

Cleveland has a growing local food system. Residents from across the city can find healthy local foods at farmer’s markets and grocery stores. Sustainable Cleveland tracks the locations of farmer’s markets and grocery stores with healthy food options to better understand which residents have access to healthy local food.

Data Source: Local Food Cleveland, Cuyahoga County Assessment: Access to Supermarkets, Retail Food Gaps and Opportunities in Cuyahoga County

Acres Cleaned

Contaminated Sites are Cleaned Up and Returned to Productive Use

In addition to preventing environmental harm, Sustainable Cleveland also aims to increase the clean up of past harms. This indicator looks at the number of acres cleaned up by both the City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County. Currently, we seek to see this number increase each year as more land is returned to productive use. However, we also seek to ensure no additional contaminated sites are created, which in the long term means that sites will not need to be cleaned up and the number of acres will drop to zero.

Source: City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County

How we restore and harness our natural capital, from brownfields to waste and renewable energy, through leveraging their economic and social value in new ways

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Water Advisories

Improved Water Quality in Lake Erie

Clevelanders depend on Lake Erie for drinking water as well as for recreational uses like boating, fishing, and swimming. One of the most consistently available data sources is the number of days per year that water advisories are posted on Lake Erie beaches. We aim for this number to go down over time.

Source: Ohio Department of Health

Improved Water Quality

Improved Water Quality in the Cuyahoga River

One of the simplest and best ways to track water quality in the Cuyahoga River is to monitor the number of species of fish along the river. The more species of fish, the better the water quality. The number of species of fish has grown dramatically since 1967 when there were no fish in many parts of the river.

Data Source: Fish population data collected by Ohio EPA

Air Quality

Improved Air Quality in Northeast Ohio

The quality of the air we breathe is a significant indicator of a healthy environment. The US Environmental Protection Agency calculates an Air Quality Index for each day. This index looks at five major pollutants (ground-level ozone, particle pollution, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide) and gives each day a grade. Sustainable Cleveland tracks the number of days each year that Northeast Ohio’s air was graded Good or Moderate, a number that we want to stay high.

Source: Air Quality Trends and NonAttainment Status for Northeast Ohio, 2011, Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency

Renewable Energy

More Energy is Being Sourced from Renewable Sources

Energy use and production have significant impacts on our environment. We seek to increase the amount of renewable energy created and used in the region. To track this, we look at the number of renewable energy facilities coming online each year, and their total energy generation capacity measured in megawatts for both Northeast Ohio and and the state overall. This data is for the energy production facilities that have applied for approval with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio and may not include all facilities.

Source: Public Utilities Commission of Ohio

Waste Management

Reductions in the Amount of Waste Disposed per Capita

Disposal of trash can have a big environmental impact. To achieve a sustainable Cleveland, the city’s residents and businesses must reduce the amount of trash they create and increase the amount they recycle. Below is the amount of trash and recycling per capita in each community. Sustainable Cleveland aims to have overall waste (trash and recycling) trend down over time, with the percentage recycled increasing.

Source: Cuyahoga Solid Waste Management District annual reports:
http://cuyahogaswd.org/en-US/annual-residential-recycling-report.aspx

Green House Gas Emissions

Reductions in Total Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Sample Map

Zip Codes