Sustainability in Cities and Communities
Sustainability in cities and communities encompasses aiding organizations and stakeholders to achieve development goals in regard to sustainable housing, transport systems, urbanization, climate change, and access to public resources (Ross, 2017). Considering that the majority of individuals reside in cities, making cities sustainable is critical to ensuring global growth in terms of economic and social factors. This is accomplished by creating cities with efficient resources and green cities with socioeconomic equity. This paper examines the sustainability practice implemented in Cleveland city through the guidance of the National League of Cities' Sustainable Cities Institute website.
City Background
Cleveland is the major city in Ohio State located on the south of Cuyahoga County. Cleveland city was established in 1796 around the source of Cuyahoga River that extends to Lake Erie (Ross, 2017). The city has a population of about 388,072 persons which makes it the 51st biggest city in the United States (Ross). Due to its proximity to the river and lake, the city majored in the manufacturing sector. The cities development and sustainability is attributed to this geographic location which makes it a hub of transportation necessary for commercial activities. Generally, its economy depends on diversification of manufacturing, healthcare, and financial services sectors. Major industries in the city comprise of NACCO Industries, KeyCorp, Sherwin-Williams Company, Applied Industrial Technologies, and Cliffs Natural Resources (Ross). Environmentally, the city is associated with warm and humid summers in addition to cold and snowy winters.
Sustainable Development Policy
Cleveland city adopted Cleveland's Sustainable Procurement Law practice to enhance the development of procurement companies bidding for public contracts. This sustainability practice entails leveraging supply and purchasing powers of local companies in Cleveland with the aim of boosting sustainability in economic growth (Sustainable.org, 2018). Importantly, the policy helped in advantaging companies' bids to be at par with supply bids offered to minority business enterprises (MBE) as well as female business enterprises (FBE) (Institute for Sustainable Development, 2010). This is through the Green Plus certification that adds bonuses to the supply bids made by local companies. Typically, the program focused on improving local ecology, reducing energy use and wastage, and utilizing recycled materials.
Implementation of Policy
In the implementation process, Cleveland city defined the sustainable development programs associated with the sustainable procurement law policy. The main programs comprise of the Cleveland 2030 District, Home Weatherization Assistance, and COSE Energy Program (Institute for Sustainable Development, 2010). These policies were implemented through the Green Plus certification program that awards companies bonuses depending on the attainment levels of certification requirements. The Green Plus certification implementation policy was developed in Duke University and the University of North Carolina. Thus, the policy enables companies to be rewarded with business, employee, community, and environmental practice benefits through the supply bids made.
Sustainability and Success of Policies
The Cleveland's Sustainable Procurement Law policy targeted small business enterprises that act as major sources of employment and provision of goods and services to consumers (Sustainable.org, 2018). Through the operation of the targeted companies, improvements in socioeconomic lives and environmental conservation should be enhanced. By implementing the policy in Cleveland city, local business companies benefited through improved networked participation of firms that have widened their market (Institute for Sustainable Development, 2010). Significantly, the sustainability practice enhanced water access at affordable costs, improved farming, and farmers' markets, created equal opportunities supply of products to the local government. In addition, it successfully helped in advancing renewable energy use and sustainable environmental conservation. I would recommend the policy to cities aiming at developing energy efficient and green economy cities.
Through the National League of Cities Sustainable Cities Institute website
The Cleveland city has improved the socioeconomic activities and green economy. This is through the implementation of the sustainable procurement law that has provided equal opportunities of supply contracts to local government authorities. As a result, the city has improved performance of small business enterprises through the guidance of the institute's website.
References
Ross, C. (2017). The inner city: Urban poverty and economic development in the next century.
Routledge.
Sustainable.org (2018). Cleveland's Sustainable Procurement Law. Retrieved from:
<https://www.sustainable.org/economy/small-business/997-clevelands-sustainable-procurement-law>
Institute for Sustainable Development. (2010). First of its Kind Law Gives Bid Advantages to
Sustainable Small Business. Retrieved from:<http://www.csrwire.com/press_releases/30725-First-of-its-Kind-Law-Gives-Bid-Advantages-to-Sustainable-Small-Business>
