A guide for the work of the Department of Sustainability, the Cuyahoga County Sustainability Plan consists of seven key strategies:

1. Work collaboratively with partners to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the geographic confines of Cuyahoga County.
2. Increase resources for clean energy and environmentally sustainable programs, projects, and practices in Cuyahoga County.
3. Increase access to alternative methods of transportation for residents and visitors to Cuyahoga County to enhance air quality and the environmental health of the community.
4. Increase community awareness, knowledge, and advocacy regarding environmental issues, policies, and initiatives.
5. Convene and collaborate with partners to advocate for improvements to water quality for Cuyahoga County residents and visitors.
6. Demonstrate the County’s leadership in environmental stewardship by increasing the utilization of sustainable, green practices throughout the organization.
7. Enhance land use practices to spur greater clean energy development, reduce local greenhouse gas emissions and, ultimately, positively impact local air quality.

Here are updates on current projects/programs aligning with the Cuyahoga County Sustainability Plan:

• Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory: In 2018, the Cuyahoga County Department of Sustainability completed a countywide inventory to explore trends in greenhouse gas emissions from 2010 through 2017. Complementing this inventory is the development of the Cuyahoga County Climate Action Plan, which details efforts to mitigate emissions and adapt to the effects of climate change already seen in Cuyahoga County. The 2017 data was reported to CDP, or the Carbon Disclosure Project, a nonprofit possessing a comprehensive collection of self-reported environmental data. 2018 data are being collected for the County's Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory.
• Green Bank: The Department of Sustainability is collaborating with the Cleveland Foundation and the Coalition for Green Capital to develop a Green Bank, a public purpose finance institution or fund, to support clean energy and green infrastructure projects.
• Urban Tree Canopy Grant Program: In June of 2019, Cuyahoga County Council approved spending $1 million per year for a tree planting grant program. Working with the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission and the Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District, the Department of Sustainability will provide funding for tree planting projects to municipalities, nonprofits, and park systems. In September 2019, 26 projects were awarded funding. The project agreements for these awards were issued in early October 2019. 
• Microgrid: The Cleveland Foundation is contributing $200,000 to the upfront costs of the microgrid project. The Department of Sustainability is working on procuring contracts with engineering company Middough and Cleveland State University's Energy Policy Center, who will assist with the RFQ/RFP process to contract a developer for the project. The RFQ was released October 18, 2019.
• Bikeshare/Scooters: During the second quarter of 2019, the County passed electric scooter regulations. This promotes a greener form of transportation.
• Municipal Solar Co-Op: The Department of Sustainability added solar panels to the Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter and the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiners Office. Solar panels will also soon be added to the Harvard Road Garage. The solar installations were made possible by a power purchasing agreement (PPA) with AEP Onsite Partners. Other local governments and nonprofits are allowed to "piggyback" on the power purchasing agreement. The Department of Sustainability has been performing outreach to promote this program. For instance, during the second quarter of 2019, Department staff attended a Lakewood City Council meeting and answered questions about this program. 
• Internal Waste Reduction: The Department of Sustainability's summer public policy fellow, now intern, is working on analyzing the amount of waste produced in County buildings that is sent to landfills. She is also exploring ways to reduce the amount of waste and improve the County's recycling efforts. 
• Solar Co-Op: The third Solar Co-op cohort is underway. During the third quarter of 2019, the Department of Sustainability held eight solar co-op meetings and had 226 attendees. 

Solar Co-Op Installations

Cuyahoga County Internal Green Practices Plan