December 20, 2004
Cleveland is taking the concept of "sustainability" seriously. Mayor Jane Campbell announced on Dec. 15, 2004 that she will use grants from local foundations to hire a "sustainability programs manager" who will coordinate efforts to introduce city departments to a concept that could save the city big money.
Sustainability is a term born in the environmental movement defining efforts that are both kind to the environment and easy on the pocketbook. In the case of the city, the sustainability chief will investigate purchasing practices that save energy and reduce waste.
Mayor Campbell cited a program already under way to convert the city's traffic signals from incandescent light bulbs to light-emitting diode devices that use less electricity. When all Cleveland's signals are switched over, she said, the city's energy bill will drop by $350,000 a year.
That kind of practice, Mayor Campbell believes, can be applied to many other city departments. "This is an opportunity to experiment on a very large scale," she said.
The city has won grants totaling $226,000 from the Gund and Cleveland foundations to finance the office over two years. The staff person will be paid between $45,000 and $60,000 a year. The rest of the grant money will cover the cost of consultants and other expenses. Thereafter, the mayor expects that cost savings will justify continuing the salary.
