Thursday, May 30, 2019
The City Club Announces the 2019 For the Love of Cleveland Series in Public Square
If you’re a City Club member, frequent guest, or just a follower of our social media accounts, you’ll hear us speak often of #HaveGongWillTravel. We’ve learned that the City Club is a spirit, not a space, and we have discovered many City Club “homes” outside of our building at the intersection of Euclid Avenue and East 9th Street.
One of our favorite homes is in Public Square. For the last two years, we’ve presented For the Love of Cleveland, a free series of forums that addresses some of the issues facing Cleveland and its neighborhoods. We’re pleased to announce that the series will return this summer!
June 22, 2019 marks the 50th anniversary since the last Cuyahoga River fire. This fire, while not the largest nor the most costly, directed attention to pollution in our nation’s lakes, rivers, and waterways, serving as a catalyst for passage of the Clean Water Act, the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the first Earth Day celebration.
Fifty years later, as a result of concerted federal and local efforts to clean up our waters, air, and land, the Cuyahoga River is healthy and vibrant. However, now the nation is facing unprecedented challenges brought on by the steady, continuous warming of the planet. Many of these challenges, while very real, are less visible than the dramatic image of water catching fire.
According to a recent report, the Great Lakes region, which is comprised of 21 percent of the world's freshwater, is warming more quickly than the rest of the United States. Furthermore, according to the Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessments Program (GLISA), temperatures are rising three times faster in Cleveland than the national average. Factors such as vacant urban land and a declining tree canopy — coupled with sustained social and economic inequality — have been shown to exacerbate the effects of climate change in Cleveland and its neighborhoods.
But, despite these discouraging statistics, hope isn’t lost. A recent report has awarded Cleveland an “A” when it comes to setting climate strategies, making us part of just 7 percent of cities across the globe to receive the highest grade. There are several local and regional initiatives underway to mitigate the effects of climate change on Cleveland and its residents. And in this year’s For the Love of Cleveland series, we’ll meet the people and voices who are igniting change in our communities from the ground up.
Join us at noon for four Tuesdays as we address climate change from the ground up through the lens of the four natural elements — water, air, earth, and fire.
Be the spark: Join the conversation.
June 18 Water: From Fire to Our Nation’s Future
June 25 Earth: A Return to the Forest City
July 16 Air: Breathing Life into Tomorrow
July 23 Fire: Heating Up to 100 Percent Renewables
The For the Love of Cleveland series' Presenting Sponsor is Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, Supporting Sponsor is PNC, with additional support from The Good Community Foundation and RPM, Inc.
