Why attend the 2016 Sustainable Cleveland Summit? Here are 10 reasons that have us excited...

1. There’s Money Behind Your Ideas. If you’ve attended a Summit before, you know that many amazing ideas are generated to help us create a more sustainable economy. While a number of those ideas have turned into successful initiatives and organizations, other ideas never fully take off. This year, we are partnering with the Cleveland Climate Action Fund, ioby, and the Climate Resiliency and Urban Opportunity Initiative to make it easier than ever to find implementation dollars for your project idea. Representatives from each initiative will be at the Summit. Learn more here.

2. Gil Penalosa. You don’t want to miss this keynote, taking place on September 21st. Gil is the founder of the internationally recognized non-profit organization, 8 80 Cities. He advises decision makers and communities on how to create vibrant cities and healthy communities for everyone regardless of age, gender, socio-economic, or ethnic background. His focus is on the design and use of parks and streets as great public places, as well as sustainable mobility: walking, riding bicycles, using public transit, and the new use of cars.

3. Youth Leaders. Cleveland high schoolers will be taking a bigger leadership role than ever at this year’s Summit thanks to scholarships provided by the Cleveland Foundation. Up to 50 students will be selected to participate in this Summit, serving as a first step in planning the inaugural Youth Sustainability Summit and Career Expo in Spring 2017. Applications are due Sept 2 to apply to the Youth Sustainability Leadership Program.

4. Moving Forward on Sustainable Transportation. We’ll learn about and celebrate many big wins from 2017. At the same time, the community will come together to advance support for public transit dollars, continue progress on sustainable infrastructure, and accelerate alternative fuel vehicle adoption, all of which would make people healthier, our streets more vibrant, and jobs easier to get to.

5. Going Green in 2017. In just four months we will launching the Year of Vibrant Green Space. The Summit will be an opportunity to help plan for this year and identify collaborative projects that can engage all Clevelanders. We’ll also move another step forward on implementing the Cleveland Tree Plan.

6. Pre-Game. You don’t even have to wait until the Summit starts at 3pm on September 21st. There will be a number of pre-Summit activities, including the launch of UHBikes in Public Square and a Ride ‘n’ Drive event next to Public Auditorium where you can test drive electric vehicles.

7. Post-Game. Both days will feature a post-Summit reception with local food, music, and cash bar... and won't your cocktail taste better knowing it's part of a zero waste event?

8. Green Business. Organizations small and large will have an opportunity to learn from their peers on a wide variety of topics, such as energy efficiency, solar, supporting employees in healthy commuting, and much more.

9. The People. The Summit will feature more than 500 business leaders, government officials, residents, and youth leaders. It’s a great opportunity to see old friends, meet new ones, and learn from each other.

10. We Need YOU. The year 2019 is right around the corner and we need to be #Allin to ensure @sustainableCLE has clear next steps for the next three years in implementing the Cleveland Climate Action Plan. In order to build momentum on a variety of topics, we need everyone working together to build a thriving green city on a blue lake.

Ready to roll? If so, you can REGISTER HERE by September 7th to avoid paying a late registration fee. More info on the Summit here.