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Mandy Metcalf
Environmental Health Watch

The Nominator: Denise Cooper, Cleveland Tenants Organization

How has the nominee implemented sustainable business practices in his or her business or organization?
Over the past year, Mandy has been instrumental in working with Environmental Health Watch (EHW) to establish the Affordable Green Housing Center to promote healthy, affordable green housing for Cleveland’s residents. Mandy has helped pioneer the Center’s holistic and innovative approach to green housing which addresses and integrates several key aspects of sustainability including reducing the adverse environmental impacts of residential buildings (e.g., green house gases and local pollution), increasing the affordability of housing (e.g., lower utility costs), and creating healthier homes (e.g., reduce lead hazards and asthma triggers). Mandy has already spearheaded many exciting efforts through the Center including a series of classes on “Greening your Home” to educate homeowners and tenants in Northeast Ohio, as well as landlords, builders and policy makers about healthy green affordable housing renovation and maintenance for existing homes. In addition, as a part of the Center’s outreach, she is addressing new construction and deconstruction activities to encourage responsible and sustainable development. Whenever possible, when working with residents, she promotes neighborhood resources such as low-interest loan services and weatherization programs to assist low and moderate income households conduct repairs and implement energy-saving strategies affordably. Furthermore, through her work, Mandy is helping to expand opportunities within our regional economy by encouraging the use of local green products to support the growth of Cleveland’s green industry and create green collar jobs.

What are the triple bottom line benefits (people, planet, prosperity) of the nominee`s work?
Mandy’s work with EHW’s Center helps to address the multiple environmental, health and economic problems related to housing in Northeast Ohio, particularly for low and middle-income families and communities. People benefit from her work in greening existing homes since conservation efforts make housing more affordable by reducing utility bills and the overall costs to operate the home. People also benefit by living in healthier and more comfortable home environments through improvements such as weatherization and HVAC systems and the incorporation of green building materials and maintenance products which reduce the amount of toxic chemicals in the home. The housing sector of the economy is a large contributor to global warming and climate change. The average home is responsible for twice as much CO2 annually as a typical car. Therefore, the planet benefits from green housing efforts through reduced local air pollution and green house gas emissions as a result of enhanced energy efficiency; cleaner water and reduced water usage as a result of water conservation techniques and better storm water management (i.e. rain barrels, sustainable landscaping) which prevents sewer overflows into the lake; waste reduction through recycling and the reclaiming/reusing of resources; natural resource preservation through the selection of greener and more renewable materials; and a reduction in the environmental impact of transportation by using local green products which do not need to be shipped and by designing walkable neighborhoods friendly to pedestrians and cyclists. In addition, durable green buildings that last a long time conserve resources and make the most of the energy that was used during construction. Finally, Mandy’s efforts contribute to prosperity through the economic impact green housing has on communities. Cleveland now faces a shortage of over 40,000 affordable housing units. As the costs of utilities rise, green housing rehab that reduces energy costs can partially shield middle- and lower-income renters and homeowners from significant increases in fossil fuel energy costs; and by making housing more affordable we can help slow the rising rates of foreclosure and property vacancies which accelerate the deterioration of many neighborhoods. There is also the potential for the development of a green collar jobs market for healthy green retro-fitting as well as deconstruction skills for local blue collar workers whose families and neighborhoods have been hard hit by several decades of rough economic decline. Furthermore, developing a market for local green products helps lower the price and increase the accessibility of green products by significantly reducing transportation costs.

How has the nominee inspired you to implement sustainable business practices?
Mandy and EHW have encouraged other local green supporters and housing advocates to think more creatively about green housing efforts and to seriously consider the impact green housing can have upon our community, not only in terms of the environment, but also in terms of the role it can play in fighting poverty and helping our low-income residents improve their quality of life. For example, although Cleveland Tenants Organization (CTO) is foremost an affordable housing advocacy organization, EHW has encouraged us to work more closely with our low-income constituents around healthy housing issues and sustainable green housing practices as a means of confronting the affordable housing crisis by reducing housing costs. Partnering with EHW, CTO has been able to help our low-income tenants take personal action and work with their landlords to address issues such as safe pesticide usage, proper ventilation, lowering utility bills using energy-efficient strategies, and repairing hazards such as peeling paint and plumbing leaks. Thus, EHW’s work has helped CTO bring attention to and address our community’s need for safe, decent affordable housing.

How can someone else translate the success of the nominee? Is the work of the nominee an example or model that others can follow?
Yes, definitely! The model that Mandy and EHW have created for the Affordable Green Housing Center is one that is specifically geared towards the average citizen and intentionally made accessible for low and moderate income individuals. EHW has taken the often intangible “green” concept and developed practical information, tips and do-it-yourself strategies that everyone can apply at home to help save money, improve the quality of their homes, and sustain the environment. Through the Center, Mandy is effectively providing Cleveland residents with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions regarding personal behaviors, which will impact their economic and personal well-being as well as the health of our shared environment. What’s more, EHW has transformed the idea that “green building” only applies to “new construction” and has shown how we can take our existing housing stock and apply green principles to make it more environmentally friendly and more affordable—addressing both our need for affordable housing during these tough economic times and the need to create healthier home environments.

How does the nominee actively participate in the sustainability community? How do they collaborate and share their knowledge with others?
Through her involvement with the Center, Mandy actively engages with the sustainability community—providing educational resources and technical assistance, fostering partnerships and demonstration projects, and advocating for public policies, which promote sustainability. She is diligently working with local housing advocates and non-profit community development corporations to disseminate information on low-cost interventions and best practices regarding energy-efficiency, moisture control, lead hazard reduction and long-term durability to homeowners, tenants, landlords, contractors, builders, and public officials. She is building partnerships with environmental groups such as Cleveland EcoVillage, the Cleveland Green Building Coalition, the Center for Regional Sustainability, and the City of Cleveland’s Office of Sustainability to discuss efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of housing and assess, refine and test low-cost green and healthy home techniques for construction, renovation, and maintenance. Furthermore, with the Swetland Center for Environmental Health, the American Lung Association, the Greater Cleveland Lead Advisory Council, and the Cleveland Asthma Coalition, EHW continues to evaluate the impact indoor and outdoor environments can have on personal health and to develop strategies to improve the quality of life for Cleveland residents.