What is Sustainability?
Sustainability means meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

What is a Sustainable Economy?
A sustainable economy integrates the goals of economic prosperity, environmental health and social vitality. We all prosper when sustainability’s three aspects align: our economy is strong, our environment is healthy and our society is vibrant.

How can I get involved?
There are 3 main ways to get involved:

1. Annual Sustainability Summit Mayor Jackson hosts an annual Sustainability Summit to report progress to the community, create an agenda for the future and co-create our sustainable future.
2. Working Groups At each Sustainability Summit, attendees are asked to provide input and commit to action around specific topic areas in Sustainability. Working groups are comprised of individuals, organizations and businesses working together throughout the year on projects, programs, and policies that are making Cleveland more sustainable.
3. Celebration Years Every year leading up to 2019, Cleveland is focusing on one of the key areas fundamental to a sustainable economy. The Celebration Years are designed to be accessible to all members of the community — households, businesses, neighborhoods, and institutions can all participate, either in collaboration or independently.

Who leads Sustainable Cleveland 2019?
Sustainable Cleveland was founded by Mayor Frank G. Jackson and is guided by the Sustainable Cleveland Stewardship Council. The Mayor’s Office of Sustainability administrates and facilitates the initiative.

How is Sustainable Cleveland 2019 funded?
Sustainable Cleveland is powered by the actions of citizens and organizations and is funded by foundation, corporate and individual support.

Why does Mayor Jackson host an annual sustainability summit?
In 2009, Mayor Jackson initiated Sustainable Cleveland 2019 with an Appreciative Inquiry Summit attended by a group of diverse, dedicated individuals with vast knowledge, experience and vision for Cleveland’s sustainable future. The Mayor is committed to following through on his vision for a sustainable Cleveland and reporting back to the community.

Is the Summit just another conference?
The summit is NOT a conference. It is a two-day interactive Appreciative Inquiry Summit with large-group interactive change methods, small group work sessions, and expert-led panel discussions. The result of the work done at the summit will be an action plan, with identifiable next steps.

How did Sustainable Cleveland 2019 begin?
In August 2009, Mayor Frank G. Jackson convened the Sustainable Cleveland 2019 Summit to bring together hundreds of people interested in applying the principles of sustainability to the design of the local economy. The goal: envision a 10-year campaign for “building an economic engine to empower a green city on a blue lake” by the 50th anniversary of the infamous Cuyahoga River fire. As a result of the annual summits, hundreds of people, from every sector of our community are organized in to over thirty different outcome groups and are continuing to work on this 10-year effort. Because of the summits, organizations and businesses are aligning themselves around the common vision of Sustainable Cleveland 2019 and the business, civic and non-profit communities are focusing attention on topics such as advanced energy, transportation, green building and local food production.

What is Appreciative Inquiry?

• Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a systematic, five-step process that engages individuals within an organization or system in a process designed to renew, change and focus the performance of the system.
• The five steps are Definition, Discovery, Dream, Design and Deliver.
• AI helps systems renew, change and focus performance by identifying and focusing on the best of “what is” in order to actively pursue the possibilities of “what could be”.