Environmental activism and environmental racism are not new to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. The consequences of climate change generate heat islands in urban areas, air pollution, severe storms, and flooding—all which disproportionately harm communities of color. However, efforts to advance a clean energy future have historically excluded diverse voices. Studies have also shown that BIPOC-led nonprofit organizations receive only a fraction of the philanthropic investment that white-led organizations receive.

What if there was an opportunity to invest in efforts across Ohio that sit at the intersection of racial equity, democracy and climate? This very idea has blossomed into a new and exciting initiative that launched last month: The Ohio Climate Justice Fund.

The primary goal of this effort is to help build a diverse coalition of advocates that will have the power to influence policy change that leads to a just and inclusive clean energy economy for Ohio.

Join the City Club of Cleveland in-person for a dynamic conversation about centering intentional and authentic community listening—the first step in organizing grassroots power in support of equitable clean energy policies.

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Public access to the waterfront and outdoor greenspaces is vital to the social fabric of a community and to individuals’ health and well-being. Ohio lakes and rivers provide space for recreation, social gatherings, and simply a place to cool off.

Yet, 90 percent of Cuyahoga County’s shoreline is inaccessible to everyone except for private businesses and residents privileged enough to live near the lake. Both social and physical barriers have prevented residents, especially in low-income communities, from interacting with our region’s greatest asset—the water. How can lakefront cities leverage development and land use policy to make waterfront access more for equitable for all?

Over the last several years, three Ohio cities – Euclid, Sandusky, and Cleveland – have taken steps to increase waterfront access: Euclid recently completed the first part of the city’s lakefront trail as part of its Waterfront Improvement Plan. Sandusky invested millions into the Jackson Street Pier and new bikeway. Cleveland transformed Edgewater Park, constructed the Whiskey Island Bridge, and plans to activate the riverfront at Irishtown Bend.

Join the City Club of Cleveland in-person with Euclid Mayor Kirsten Holzheimer Gail, Sandusky City Manager Eric Wobser, and Cleveland City Planning Director Freddy Collier as we discuss the challenges and opportunities in waterfront access.

This forum is presented in partnership with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. It is part of a series of discussions, held during the Lincoln Institute’s 75th anniversary year, exploring the role of land policy in addressing society’s most pressing social, economic, and environmental challenges. The Lincoln Institute is engaging in these discussions in Cleveland as part of the Legacy Cities Initiative, which supports a national network of community and government leaders working to create shared prosperity in cities transitioning from former industrial economies.

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Public transit plays an essential role in ensuring all residents have the freedom to get where they need to go, like their jobs, medical appointments, grocery stores, and school. Public transit is also a solution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in highly congested urban areas. Yet, less than 2% of our state budget's transportation dollars are dedicated to public transit, which many experts believe simply is not enough. An absence of multi-modal options that rely on safe pedestrian routes and protected bike lanes also add to the challenges faced by public transit.

Last month, Greater Cleveland RTA launched "Next Gen RTA," which introduced changes to many routes, including an increased frequency of bus service, reduced wait times, and an increased number of "one seat" rides--reducing the need for bus transfers.

Join the City Club in Public Square as we talk with India L. Birdsong, General Manager and CEO of Greater Cleveland RTA on this next chapter of public transit in Cleveland.

The livestream will be available on our Facebook page beginning at 12:00 p.m

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Join us in an expert panel discussion on the future of sustainability in Northeast Ohio with Jason Wood – Chief of Sustainability, City of Cleveland; Divya Sridhar – Manager of Climate Resiliency & Sustainability, Cleveland Neighborhood Progress; and Matt Gray - Senior VP of Programs, Student Conservation Association and Former Cleveland Chief of Sustainability. As a Great Lake city, Cleveland’s future will be greatly impacted by the forces of climate change in unique ways. It is important that discussions on the future of our region center on sustainability, resilience, and climate justice with a keen consideration of our region’s natural history, water assets, industrial past, and land-use zoning and policies.

This panel conversation will explore the pertinent climate-related issues facing the region and discuss actions required to build a climate-resilient and sustainable region. This promises to be an insightful conversation. The conversation will seek answers to some of these critical questions:

• What are the most pressing issues of climate change, adaptation, and resilience that our region faces now, in 2050, and in 2100?
• What does a climate-resilient and sustainable Northeast Ohio look like? How do we curate it?
• What are the roles of civic society, government, individuals, and grassroots community organizing in adapting our NEO communities to respond to and live with the chaotic, unpredictable changes to our climate now and going forward?
• How do we depoliticize and depolarize the conversation on climate change, and pivot the narrative to one of equitable, healthy, safe, and climate-resilient community building and placemaking?
• What is the balance between individual and collective action for such a complex, systemic problem such as climate change?

Global Shapers is proud to have this conversation series in partnership with Black Environmental Leaders. This series invites local political and civic leaders, journalists and thought leaders, youth and activists to discuss how we can collectively transform the future of our region and reimagine our local government institutions to be better responsive to the challenges of our generation and the future. Follow Cleveland Global Shapers on social media to stay up to date on future events.

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High Art Fridays: the Sustainable Art of Plastics will open on July 6 and run through August 26 at the Beachwood Community center: 25325 Fairmount Boulevard.  This exhibition is the third in-person display for this project.  This show’s main feature is the display of over fifty plastic-embellished Art Hats made by local, national, and international artists, along with an inclusion of Cleveland’s various population segments, including a group of twenty-third graders from Dennison Elementary School.

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Join Cuyahoga Recycles for an informative webinar on how to start composting in your own backyard. You'll learn about how composting works, the benefits of composting, and how to set up a compost bin in your yard to manage your food scraps and yard waste.

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On July 28th, 2021, the Food Nest Collaborative will be featuring our first annual 'Showcase of Opportunities.; The Showcase of Opportunities will feature the 2021 Cohort of Food Systems Change Fellows and their ideas for community-driven food systems change. The Fellows will present their ideas during the Showcase and Reviewers will allocate funding for these impact-oriented visions. There will be an opportunity to join small group sponsorship meetings following the Showcase. 

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Make your commute more social with a carpool partner! Learn how to find a carpool using Gohio Commute, a new ridematching platform. Additionally, hear first-hand about a workplace that offers discounted parking rates for people who carpool and how to take advantage of those benefits. 

Featured Speakers: Emily Szramowski, the Cleveland Clinic’s Office for a Healthy Environment & a representative from the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency.

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Scooters and other forms of shared mobility have changed the way people move around the city. Learn about the City of Cleveland’s goals for their shared mobility program. Hear from a representative from one of the scooter companies about how scooters work from the operator’s perspective.

Featured Speakers: Michael Beck, Ohio Operations Manager with Spin & Calley Mersmann, Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator with Cleveland’s City Planning Commission

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