COMMISSIONERS ESTABLISH OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY

Cuyahoga County
Board of County Commisioners
Press Release
March 5, 2007

CLEVELAND – Amid the growing concern regarding how public and private facilities and operations affect the environment, the Cuyahoga County Board of Commissioners (BOCC) has created an Office of Sustainability to review the environmental impact of current operations and coordinate “green” development across the entire region.

The Commissioners selected Joyce Burke-Jones, a veteran planner, as the county’s first Sustainability Officer and charged her with the responsibility of establishing a regional approach to making public and private buildings, construction projects and operations both “greener,” and more efficient, while maximizing the cost savings such efficiencies will engender.  Her primary duties include analyzing and coordinating issues of energy usage and efficiency, identifying opportunities for development of alternative energy sources, adoption of “green” building practices and operations throughout the county, and waste reduction and recycling.

“Northeast Ohio has the potential to take the lead in developing alternative energy sources, more efficient, environmentally friendly transportation, and conservation and preservation of the natural resources we have,” said Commissioner Timothy F. Hagan, President of the Board of Commissioners. “We are establishing the Office of Sustainability to coordinate that development and to maximize the benefit for all communities.”
As an example of what the Sustainability Office might be able to do, Commissioners cited a similar City of Cleveland program, begun in 2005, which has already yielded $500,000 in savings and identified an additional $2-3 million in potential future savings.

“It is well established that sustainability is both an ethical mandate, and fiscal imperative,” said Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones. “ ‘Going Green’ creates a win/win scenario for those we serve and future generations as well.”

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