Shows
ECO SPEAKS CLEHow Recycling Works at a MRF with WMSend us Fan MailEver wonder what happens to your recyclables once they leave the curb? In this episode, we tour the Material Recycling Facility (MRF) in Oakwood Village, Ohio, owned by WM (formerly Waste Management) to clear up confusion about recycling. Speaking with us is Frank Fello, the area Vice President for WM, who shares what happens at the MRF and why it is important to Recycle Right. WM is one of North America’s leading providers of solid waste management services. The facility we toured recently underwent a $30 million upgrade and is o...
2026-08-1732 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEAboard the Mark W Barker with Kate Wells and Captain WeberSend us Fan MailEver wonder about those freighters on the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland's Flats? Watching them navigate our crooked river is such a unique experience. More than 600 feet long, they share the shipping channel with recreational boaters, kayakers, and paddleboarders as they transport ore upriver to our steel mills. For this episode, Greg and I sat down with Kate Wells, Manager of Environmental Stewardship and Quality for the Interlake Steamship Company, to hear about the ship, sustainability in Great Lakes shipping, and the importance of this industry to our...
2026-07-2836 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEAn Eco Bite with Nick Fletcher - Hawken Native Plant SocietySend us Fan MailSummer is here, and we're at the Mastery School of Hawken's Native Plant Sale in University Circle for an Eco Bite with Nick Fletcher. Nick is a high school Latin teacher who started one of the most practical environmental education projects around - the Hawken Native Plant Society. Along with his colleague Claudia Tausz and students of all grade levels, Nick oversees the cultivation of more than 230 plant species native to Northeast Ohio. The plants help improve habitat across three campuses and are also donated to n...
2026-06-3017 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEForest Stories with Annie Weight and Jessica Miller MecaskeySend us Fan MailThere are many ways to love a forest, and in this episode, we introduce you to a variety of forest stewards who are nurturing our region's woodlands. They are featured in a Holden Forest & Gardens project called Ways to Love a Forest: Stories of Woodland Stewardship in Northeast Ohio, a booklet that includes interviews with educators, landowners, scientists, and community leaders.Sharing these stories and ways we can all be stewards of our land are Annie Weight, former Forestry Outreach...
2026-04-2432 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEAn Eco Bite on The Great Ohio Climate MarchSend us Fan MailThe Great Ohio Climate March is happening May 16-28, 2026. The purpose of this march is to draw attention to the impacts of fracking on Ohio’s public lands, the climate crisis, and the benefits of renewable energy. The southern Ohio route passes through areas impacted by fracking and begins in Athens, Ohio, travels through Salt Fork State Park, and ends at the Statehouse. The march is organized by Third Act Ohio, in partnership with 20 environmental organizations, including the Ohio Sierra Club and the Buckeye En...
2026-04-0314 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEAn Eco Bite with Rust Belt RidersSend us Fan MailAn Eco Bite is a "mini” episode of Eco Speaks CLE. In this shorter format, we reconnect with a past guest or showcase someone new, all in under 15 minutes. In this quick episode, we catch up with Rust Belt Riders and founder Michael Robinson to find out what's new with our favorite worker-owned food waste composting company in Cleveland, Ohio.We first interviewed Rust Belt Riders back in 2022. It was our 4th episode, and we had Dan Brown and Zoe Apisdorf on the show. Since then, Rust Be...
2026-03-1214 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEShaping Sustainable Economies with Elizabeth SchusterSend us Fan MailAs an environmental economist, Elizabeth Schuster helps conservation organizations solve complex challenges at the intersection of nature and communities. In this episode, Elizabeth describes how her firm, Sustainable Economies, applies systems-level thinking to messy, long-horizon environmental problems to turn them into clear, shared action. Her clients include watershed districts, non-profits, park districts, and various local and national environmental organizations. Hear how her strategies apply to any organization seeking to incorporate a sustainability and a community mindset into their work with examples from projects with The Cleveland M...
2026-02-2633 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEClear the Clutter and Your Mind with Devon Fegen-HerdmanSend us Fan MailAre you living with too much stuff? Help is on the way! In this first episode of 2026, we help you clear the clutter with Devon Fegen-Herdman, owner of Declutter with Devon. Devon is a professional home organizer, former social worker, and a founding member of Upcycle Parts Shop, our favorite arts reuse center in Cleveland. Most people agree they have too much stuff, and they struggle with managing it all. Choosing to live differently and more gently on the planet requires rethinking our relationship with our material th...
2026-01-1338 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEEco Meet CLE - Cleveland's Blue EconomySend us Fan MailOur region's water isn’t just running through our taps; it is shaping our region and our future. Cleveland is a waterfront city, and in this episode, you will hear how technology, entrepreneurship, destination development, maritime trade, and recreation are blossoming under our culture of freshwater stewardship. This recording is from Eco Meet CLE, a gathering of local sustainability leaders held on November 18th at Great Lakes Brewing Company. Some have called us a beer-drinking group with a sustainability problem. It works. Eco Meet events are a fun...
2025-12-1148 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEUrban Planning and Cleveland's Great Bones with Isaac RobbSend us Fan MailCities don’t forget—their land remembers. In this episode, we speak with Isaac Robb, Chief Urban Program Officer at Western Reserve Land Conservancy, and explore how his organization works to turn Cleveland's vacant and underutilized land into living assets, including neighborhood parks, memorial gardens, and reforestation programs that cool, calm, and reconnect neighborhoods. Hear what Isaac loves most about Cleveland and what surprised him most when first coming here in 2105. The Western Reserve Land Conservancy is a land trust known for farmland preservation, but also built a rob...
2025-11-1833 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEBeyond Plastics with Brodie LongoSend us Fan MailBrodie Longo is a young organizer and director of the Northeast Ohio chapter of Beyond Plastics. This grassroots organization works to combat plastic pollution and the use of single-use plastics through education and activism. In this episode, Brodie speaks about what it's been like starting a local Beyond Plastics chapter and how, at just 23 years old, he found himself leading in ways he did not expect. Together with his steering committee and volunteers, Brodie is building momentum against single-use plastic, from hosting nurdle patrols and beach cleanups to venue...
2025-10-1428 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEStarve the Landfills with Gateway RecyclingSend us Fan MailAnthony Iovine is the sales manager for Gateway Products Recycling, a family-owned paper recycling company, in business for over 30 years in Ohio and Pennsylvania. When asked why he loves his job, he says it's "waking up every day to save the planet - one bale of cardboard at a time." Paper recycling has been around since about 1031 AD, and is one of recycling’s success stories. The U.S. recycles around 46 million tons of fiber annually, according to the American Forest and Paper Association. In this episode, Ant...
2025-08-2630 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEA CLEANR Way to Wash with Max PenningtonSend us Fan MailDid you know that laundry is the #1 source of microplastic pollution? With every load of laundry, millions of tiny plastic particles come off our synthetic clothes, down the drain, and into our waterways. In this episode, we speak with Max Pennington, Co-Founder and CEO of CLEANR. Max and his partners may have the solution to plastic pollution we've been looking for. His Cleveland-based company recently launched a patented filter that captures up to 90% of all microplastics from your washing machine before they enter the drain. Max developed this breakthrough...
2025-07-2431 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEInlet Dance Theatre- Using Dance to Further People and SustainabilitySend us Fan MailInlet Dance Theatre is a modern dance company in Cleveland, founded in 2001 by our guest, Bill Wade, a renowned dancer and choreographer who uses the power of dance to further people and explore human, societal, and environmental issues through movement. Located within the Pivot Center for Art, Dance and Expression on West 25th Street in Cleveland, Inlet's Dance Studio is called The Estuary, reflecting the company's nature-based and sustainability themes. Inlet's mission aligns with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, which promote health and well-being, quality education, e...
2025-07-0835 min
ECO SPEAKS CLERid-All Green Partnership and Cleveland's Food RevolutionSend us Fan MailIn this episode, we head to the Rid-All Farm to speak with Keymah Durden, a co-founder of Rid-All Green Partnership. What was once a notorious dumping ground in Cleveland's "Forgotten Triangle", the farm is now one of the largest minority-owned urban farms and a nationally recognized model for urban agriculture, environmental stewardship, and resilience. In this episode, Keymah talks about how Rid-All is growing communities and changing Lives. Rid-All was originally a pest control company started by farm co-founder Damien Forsche. As he worked in public housing p...
2025-06-1046 min
ECO SPEAKS CLENEO Youth Climate Summit Keynote with Sage LenierSend us Fan MailOn Friday, April 11, over 300 high school students from across northeast Ohio gathered for the 2025 NEO Youth Climate Summit, hosted by Laurel School and Global Shapers Cleveland. The event brought students together to discuss and collaborate on solutions for climate change, sustainability, and environmental justice.The summit was kicked off with a keynote address by a young climate activist, Sage Lenier. Sage was honored by TIME Magazine as a 2023 Next Generation Leader. She started teaching about climate change while still a student at UC...
2025-05-0637 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEThe Cleveland Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights with Renee BoronkaSend us Fan MailHappy Earth Day! In this episode, we discuss the importance of connecting kids with nature and the Cleveland Outdoor Bill of Rights, with Renee Boronka, Director of Conservation Education and Outreach at the Western Reserve Land Conservancy. The Cleveland Outdoor Bill of Rights outlines twelve fundamental nature experiences every child deserves, from breathing clean air to camping under starry skies. What began as a grant-funded project to better connect urban youth with nature evolved into a collaboration between environmental organizations, libraries, schools, and c...
2025-04-2228 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEPreserving our History on the Towpath Trail with Canalway PartnersSend us Fan MailMera Cardenas is a historic preservationist working to connect people to place as the Executive Director of Canalway Partners. We are the people, and the place is the historic Towpath Trail, located within the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area. The 100-mile Towpath Trail from Cleveland to New Philadelphia follows what once was a significant transportation artery from the mid-1800s until the railroads came. The trail was completed in 2021 when the final section was constructed in Cleveland, ending at Canal Basin Park following 40 years...
2025-03-2538 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEA New Era of Apparel with Aidan Meany of Found SurfaceSend us Fan MailAidan Meany is a young clothing entrepreneur defining a new era of apparel. His team at Found Surface uses 21st-century technology and traditional, natural fibers to produce eco-friendly clothing for companies looking for ethically and thoughtfully produced garments. His new factory in Cleveland's Slavic Village neighborhood is one of the first in the nation to use digital knitting machines to make clothing that is plastic-free, waste-free, and guilt-free. Aidan found his place in the design industry after educating himself about the fast fashion industry and the toll...
2025-02-2044 min
ECO SPEAKS CLESustainability and the CAVS with Danielle DozaSend us Fan MailIn our first episode of 2025, we discuss sports and sustainability with Danielle Doza, the Cleveland Cavaliers' Vice President of Sustainability and Environmental Services. As the first executive-level professional in the NBA, Danielle shares how the CAVS organization integrates award-winning eco-friendly practices in fresh and exciting new ways and the collaborative spirit driving sustainability within sports organizations. Join us as Danielle speaks about her dream job and key initiatives at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. These initiatives, including recycling, energy efficiency, education, and various partnerships with WM, F...
2025-01-2139 min
ECO SPEAKS CLESara Continenza and Food Strong's Big Project, The Superior FarmSend us Fan MailJoin us as we wrap up 2024 with community leader and food sovereignty advocate Sara Continenza. Sara is the founder and executive director of Food Strong, a non-profit connecting kids with food since 2016. Sara and her staff work with the Cleveland Municipal School District and other inner-city schools to provide hands-on learning experiences in gardening, nutrition, and entrepreneurship. Recently, Food Strong's mission to educate, empower, and cultivate health through fresh foods just got a significant boost. Community Greenhouse Partners recently gifted them a three-acre farm site on Superior...
2024-12-1935 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEEco Meet CLE: Open Mic NightSend us Fan MailEco Meet CLE is a gathering of Cleveland's environmental community, organized by the Eco Speaks CLE podcast and friends, to share a beer, have fun, and connect the people and the threads of the exciting work happening in our region. We recorded this episode during our seventh Eco Meet held recently at our favorite watering hole, Great Lakes Brewing Company. This evening featured an "open mic" where people shared news of their work, sought collaborators and promoted opportunities. Ours is a vibrant community with a common denominator: we care about our...
2024-11-2154 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEThe Making of "Ripples of Plastic" with Filmmaker Chris LangerSend us Fan MailIn this episode, Cleveland filmmaker Chris Langer speaks with us speak about his new documentary, Ripples of Plastic, which premiered this year at the Wild and Scenic Film Festival and locally at the Chagrin Falls Documentary Film Fest. Chris is a director, producer, and cinematographer and owns Wonderhouse Films in Cleveland. Ripples of Plastic is Chris's first documentary film, which he began during COVID to expose the vast problem of plastic pollution present in our Great Lakes and its effects on aquatic life and human health. Chris t...
2024-11-0736 min
ECO SPEAKS CLECome Along for a Ride with Slow Roll ClevelandSend us Fan MailIf you need a reason to love Mondays, Slow Roll Cleveland is it. In this episode, Greg and I join Slow Roll Cleveland and several hundred other cyclists for a leisurely-paced bike parade through our urban streets. Slow Roll Cleveland hosts these ten-mile Monday evening rides during warmer months to highlight Cleveland neighborhoods and bring joy and community to riders and residents alike. Our slow roll took off from Shaker Square and took us through the Shaker, Buckeye, and Mount Pleasant neighborhoods. It was a blast. Hundreds of cyclists...
2024-10-1520 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEChoosing a Renewable Energy Supplier with Jenn McMillin of SOPECSend us Fan MailAre you curious about making smarter, greener choices for your electricity supply? In this episode, we speak with Jennifer McMillin with the Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council (SOPEC). Jenn is SOPEC's Regional Director for Northeast Ohio and provides tips and insights for choosing a 100% renewable energy supplier for your electricity needs. SOPEC is a leader in community choice aggregation in Ohio, providing competitive rates and substantial savings to residents in member communities, including the City of Cleveland. In Ohio, we can choose where our electricity co...
2024-09-2436 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEChair-ity: Furnishing a Helping Hand for Youth Graduating Foster CareSend us Fan Mail"Adulting' is hard, but it's exponentially harder if you are 18 years old and aging out of foster care, alone and without a support system. Here in Cleveland, there's an organization helping to ease the transition by providing donated furniture and household goods to young people who have graduated from foster care and moved into a place of their own. That organization is called Chair-ity, and in this episode, we speak with its founder and executive director, Maria Paparella. Chair-ity is a non-profit based in Cleveland...
2024-09-0434 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEBonus Clip: A Chair-ity Success StorySend us Fan MailIn this bonus to our conversation with Maria Paparella, Maria shares a personal story of one of the young adults she deeply connected with through her organization Chair-ity. This young adult faced several challenges as she aged out of the foster care system and started life on her own. But with her perseverance, strength, intelligence, and support from Maria, she has become one of the many Chair-ity success stories. This organization truly makes a difference, one person at a time. Support the showFollow Eco Speaks CLE o...
2024-09-0410 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEMaci Nelson is The Land+Scape NerdSend us Fan MailMeet our fellow Cleveland podcaster, Maci Nelson. Maci is a landscape architect, the creator of The Land+Scape Nerd podcast, and a project manager for LAND Studio, a non-profit that connects communities through art and public spaces. In this episode, Maci shares what it's like to design for urban outdoor spaces and the importance of relying on residents' voices to drive the creation of vibrant, inclusive outdoor environments. Through her work at LAND Studio, Maci shares how public art and other enhancements create community-centric environments...
2024-08-2029 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEWhen Life Gives You Styrofoam™... Recycle with Edgewater SurfSend us Fan MailJeff McNaught owns Edgewater Surf, a surf shop in Rocky River, where he sells a variety of new and used paddleboards, surfboards, and windsurfing gear. The shop also serves as an informal community hub for styrofoam™ recycling. Jeff started this program to provide a local recycling option for the bulky EPS (expanded polystyrene) found inside paddleboards and encasing appliances, TVs, computers, and other large items for customer shipment. This bulky, lightweight, and rigid foam plastic is not accepted in community recycling programs, and the closest recycler is in...
2024-08-0634 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEHiking Together since 1919 - The Cleveland Hiking ClubSend us Fan MailFor this episode, I hit the trails with The Cleveland Hiking Club to discover what drives this all-volunteer-run organization with over 1,200 members. The answer? Cool people who are passionate about encouraging and promoting outdoor recreation and making it accessible to anyone who wants to join in. In my interview with the club's Community Engagement Coordinator, Kara Girvin, and David Schiraldi of the Pathfinder Committee, we speak about finding adventure and friendship on the trails and how hiking and spending time outdoors benefits us mentally and physically. Club...
2024-07-1626 min
ECO SPEAKS CLESeeding our Forested Future: The Holden Seed BankSend us Fan MailHolden Forest & Gardens is seeding Ohio's forested future through the Holden Seed Bank at the Holden Arboretum, which will soon celebrate its first anniversary. In this episode, we speak with Seed Bank Manager Kim Lessman about how this "restoration" seed bank works, how she became its manager, and how her work forms the core of new climate-fighting reforestation efforts across the region by eliminating a bottleneck in local tree planting efforts - the need for seeds. The Holden Seed Bank collects and processes...
2024-06-1826 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEGreenspace: Supporting Health and Resilience in NEOSend us Fan MailIn this episode, we share the recording from our recent May networking event at Great Lakes Brewing Company. This event featured a discussion about greenspace with three local leaders working on expanding greenspace in our urban core and increasing access and opportunities to experience nature through outdoor recreation, especially for our historically underserved communities. Our three speakers from Cleveland Metroparks, the local nonprofit SYATT, and the Trust for Public Land speak about improving our community and environmental health by creating more access to greenspace and the collaborations that amplify their work. At...
2024-06-0443 min
ECO SPEAKS CLECleveland Vegan Society Presents VegFest 2024Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Sunny Simon, President of The Cleveland Vegan Society, joins us to talk about veganism and VegFest 2024, coming to Cleveland's Huntington Convention Center on Saturday, June 22. It's the largest Vegan festival in the Midwest, and it will be delicious, fun, and informative for vegans and non-vegans alike. The Cleveland Vegan Society created VegFest over 12 years ago to celebrate veganism and to encourage more plant-based eating. This year's festival features an impressive lineup of activities, speakers, cooking demos, a cruelty-free marketplace, a kids' activity area, yoga...
2024-05-2128 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEMycelia and Mycotecture with Chris Maurer - Redhouse StudioSend us Fan MailCan you build a house with mushrooms? You can if you are Chris Maurer, an architect, a mycologist, and a visionary. Chris is the Principal Architect at Redhouse Studio, an architecture firm based in Cleveland, Ohio. Chris and his partners are working to revolutionize how we house ourselves, not with bricks and mortar but with bio-bricks, a carbon-sequestering fusion of fungi mycelium and plant waste. This regenerative, humanitarian-focused "mycotecture" can grow buildings on and off our planet. Mycotecture refers to the use of mushrooms and other fungi for architectural purposes. In...
2024-05-0741 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEChanging Our Perception of the Cuyahoga River with Jim RidgeSend us Fan MailJim Ridge is the founder and executive director of Share the River, a non-profit that promotes Cleveland as a waterfront city and sharing everything that makes it a vibrant and engaging space for residents and visitors. In this episode, Jim talks about his upcoming Blazing Paddles Paddlefest on June 22, where hundreds of recreational paddlers and racers will paddle the commercial shipping section of the Cuyahoga River from Rivergate Park up to Cleveland-Cliffs Steelyard and back. Along the way, they will experience how the r...
2024-04-1639 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEEarth Month in Action with the Cleveland Heights Green TeamSend us Fan MailIn this episode, we celebrate Earth Month and the power of local environmental action with the Cleveland Heights Green Team, its co-founder Catalina Wagers, and volunteer Suzanne Zilber. The Cleveland Heights Green Team was founded in 2021 and is very active, with over 300 volunteers. They have a full calendar of events planned for Earth Month, and during the rest of the year, they are busy organizing green space clean-ups, recycling drives, plastics reduction campaigns, eco fairs, and more. Getting involved with a green team is a great way to channel your environmental concerns into f...
2024-04-0230 min
ECO SPEAKS CLECultivating Community with Re:Source ClevelandSend us Fan MailIn this episode, we welcome returning guests Patrick Kearns with Re:Source Cleveland (formerly Refugee Response) and Michael Bartunek with Ohio City Farm to update us on the exciting developments at Ohio City Farm and with its operator, Re:Source Cleveland. Rachel Ramos, who manages CSA sales for the farm, also joins us to tell us about the diverse array of fresh produce available in the 2024 CSA program and the new tiered pricing structure. We first spoke with Patrick and Michael in episode 3 two years a...
2024-03-1938 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEEco Meet CLE: Weaving a Sustainable and Local Textile EconomySend us Fan MailIn this episode, we bring you the conversation from Eco Meet CLE, a Cleveland sustainability event on February 20 featuring local innovators reinventing northeast Ohio textile production. Rather than today's exploitive and resource-intensive system, we can grow a regional, circular system that fosters economic integrity, ecological stewardship, and connection to people and place. Listen and hear from those working towards this goal - Jess Boeke, the co-founder of Rust Belt Fibershed, a non-profit developing a bioregional textile community; Aidan Meany, a designer and the owner of Found Surface, a...
2024-03-0541 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEStormwater Starts at Home: Watershed Stewardship CenterSend us Fan MailCleveland Metroparks has always been a preserver and protector of our valleys and the waters that run through them. In 2013, it opened the Watershed Stewardship Center in Parma's West Creek Reservation with a mission to enhance and protect our urban watersheds through scientific discovery, education, and sustainable actions. In this episode, we speak with the center's manager, Bethany Majeski, and the Director of Natural Resources for Cleveland Metroparks, Jennifer Grieser, about how protecting our urban watersheds is so vital for our region...
2024-02-2036 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEPoop Jokes and the Art of Connecting: John Gonzalez, NEORSDSend us Fan MailNortheast Ohio can be proud of its sewer district, not only for the skill with which it manages our wastewater and protects our water resources but also for the skill with which it connects with the public, especially its Twitter followers. How did the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District amass more than 60,000 die-hard Twitter followers here in Cleveland and across the globe? In this episode, we speak with Communications Director John Gonzalez about how he uses humor, humanity, sports memes, and more to help people care about the infrastructure...
2024-02-0645 min
ECO SPEAKS CLELife's a Venture with Victoria AviSend us Fan MailMeet Victoria Avi, owner of Venture Forward Strategies. Victoria has many rich stories and insights from her 17-year sustainability career and her personal life. Victoria immigrated to Cleveland from Azerbaijan when she was just 16 and navigated language, high school, and finally college, where she found her passions for graphic design and the environment. What does it take to weave a life that interlaces a personal immigration story with a genuine commitment to sustainability? Join us for this thoughtful interview where Victoria speaks candidly about her personal and professional journey, why she...
2024-01-1638 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEOur 2 Year Anniversary SpecialSend us Fan MailOn December 21, 2021, Greg and I launched the first episode of Eco Speaks CLE to elevate and connect the greater Cleveland environmental community by speaking with those doing inspiring and impactful work. Forty-seven episodes later, as we celebrate two years of Eco Speaks CLE, we are grateful to each guest and each listener. You have become our friends. We hope this first episode of 2024 and its compilation of clips from the past two years will help you find new ways to stay connected, stay positive, and stay active. Featuring:...
2024-01-0224 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEBehind the Scenes at MedWish International with Britta LatzSend us Fan MailMedwish International in Cleveland, Ohio, has been making a world of difference since 1993 by recovering, repurposing, and redistributing surplus medical supplies around the globe. This urgently needed humanitarian aid also helps the environment by keeping life-saving resources out of landfills. In this episode, we speak with Executive Director Britta Latz about how Medwish has been bridging the gap between surplus and scarcity for 30 years with the support of an army of volunteers and the help of our northeast Ohio community. Join us as we take you behind the scenes o...
2023-12-0530 min
ECO SPEAKS CLESecondhand Savvy with Kathleen ColanSend us Fan MailWe all love a good find at a vintage store and have done our fair share of donating or selling stuff we no longer want. These sustainable actions fuel a booming industry called the secondary market for consumer goods. But how much do we know about the consumer resale market? How can we make good decisions about where we donate, and how can we be savvy shoppers in the resale retail world? Joining us with the inside scoop is Kathleen Colan - a seasoned writer, author, and the founder of KC...
2023-11-2129 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEEco Meet CLE - Our Local Food SystemSend us Fan MailIn this episode, we bring you the conversation from Eco Meet CLE, a sustainability event held this October at Great Lakes Brewing Company. The theme of the evening was local food. Over 100 people joined us for food, beer, and a conversation about our local food system with a panel of guests that helped us explore the meaning of the term food system, the various roles within that system, and ways we might make it more local, more accessible, and more inclusive.In this recording, we first hear Lexi St. Denis
2023-11-0749 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEThe Heat Will Kill You First: A Conversation with Author Jeff GoodellSend us Fan MailIn this episode of Eco Speaks CLE, we speak with New York Times bestselling author and climate journalist Jeff Goodell. Jeff has covered climate change for over two decades at Rolling Stone and is the author of seven books, including his latest book, The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death On A Scorched Planet. This is an engaging, thoughtful, and human book filled with stories that help us all understand how we can help address this moment.What would you do if your casual...
2023-10-1738 min
ECO SPEAKS CLESaving the Birds with Lights Out Cleveland and LENSCSend us Fan MailWhat if there was a way to save thousands of innocent birds from lethal collisions with our urban glass structures each year? In this episode of EcoSpeak CLE, we head to Lake Erie Nature and Science Center to speak with wildlife rehabilitation specialist Tim Jasinski, one of the founders of Lights Out Cleveland. Tim shares the challenges migratory birds face in navigating the dangerous cityscape of Cleveland and how we all help make our community more feather-friendly. Tim takes us behind the scenes of Lights Out Cleveland a...
2023-10-0337 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEOrganic Connects and the Power of the OutdoorsSend us Fan MailWhitnye Long Jones is a nature enthusiast, community engagement specialist, and environmental justice advocate. She channels these passions and skills into the non-profit she founded in 2017 called Organic Connects. Whitnye runs Organic Connects with her husband, Jefferson Jones, a lifelong outdoor educator, and outdoorsman. Together, they provide environmental education, outdoor recreation, and nature-based opportunities primarily for urban youth and families with limited access to nature. In this episode, we speak with Whitnye and Jefferson in Jimmy's Treehouse, the outdoor learning classroom at the Nature Center at Shaker Lakes. W...
2023-09-1935 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEDreams Blossom at Frayed Knot FarmSend us Fan MailEmily Pek is a flower farmer and the owner of Frayed Knot Farm, a small flower farm in Newbury, Ohio, where she produces beautiful, diverse cut flowers and herbs that share stories, bring joy and support equitable and regenerative farming. In this episode, we visit Emily on her farm and discover her journey to becoming a flower farmer, the family roots and community behind her farm, the flowers behind the Saison beer at Great Lakes Brewing Company, and her grandpa's punny joke that inspired the name Frayed Knot Farm.
2023-08-1539 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEThe Future of PET Recycling with Evergreen RecyclingSend us Fan MailEvergreen Recycling, based in Clyde, Ohio, is one of North America's largest recyclers of plastic PET bottles and its mission is to make single-use plastic a thing of the past. With four facilities across North America, Evergreen leads the industry in bottle-to-bottle recycling. In our conversation with Michael Sandoval, Evergreen's corporate purchasing manager, we talked about bottle recycling, the circular economy, and what the future holds. Join us as we explore the world of bottle-to-bottle PET recycling and hear about the complex and fascinating process of converting used plastic bottles back i...
2023-08-0131 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEBe a Beekeeper with the Greater Cleveland BeekeepersSend us Fan MailIn this episode, we explore the world of beekeeping with Denzil and Sheila St. Clair. Sheila and Denzil have been happily married and very busy for 52 years, keeping bees, raising children, operating their bee business, and founding the Greater Cleveland Beekeepers Association (GCBA). Greg and I caught up with them on a Wednesday evening at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds, where they were demonstrating how to do an "alcohol wash" on a hive to determine if it contained harmful mites. This preceded the beekeepers association's annual July picnic. The GCBA supports hundreds of backyard beekeepers...
2023-07-1838 min
ECO SPEAKS CLETrash Fishing with Eddie OlschanskiSend us Fan MailEddie Olschanski is on a mission. Five days a week, year-round, Eddie can be seen fishing for trash in his kayak on the Cuyahoga River in the Flats. Outfitted with just a life jacket, a trash grabber, and garbage bags, Eddie and his volunteers have plucked over 50,000 lbs of trash from the shipping canal, the last place the trash can be removed before it drains into Lake Erie. Eddie founded Trash Fish CLE in 2017 to keep our lake clean, educate people about plastic pollution, and encourage people to get out...
2023-07-0430 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEHow it Works - Cleveland WaterSend us Fan MailCurious about how the water you use every day gets to your tap? If you live in Northeast Ohio, chances are you get some or all of your water from the Cleveland Division of Water and the process of getting it from Lake Erie to you is fascinating. Today is water appreciation day on Eco Speaks CLE and speaking with us is Alex Margevicius, the Commissioner of Water for Cleveland Water. Alex oversees the 10th largest water system in the US and the largest in Ohio. Join us as he explains how Cleveland...
2023-06-2045 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEEco Meet CLE - Our Community StageSend us Fan MailIn this episode, we hear from a number of Cleveland's sustainability community in this recording from May's Eco Meet CLE event at Great Lakes Brewing Company. The evening featured a community stage where we heard from local environmental organizations about their work and the many ways we can connect and get involved. A lot is happening around town, and we are proud of all the people doing this important work. Listen to their stories here and find what speaks to you. Eco Meet CLE events are presented by Eco Speaks CLE and Venture...
2023-06-0641 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEHelping People Use Bikes - Ohio City Bicycle Co-opSend us Fan MailThe Ohio City Bicycle Co-Op has been helping people use bikes for over 20 years by imparting skills that encourage riding for fun, fitness, and transportation. Guided by the principles of respect, resourcefulness, and reciprocity, the OCBC's small professional staff and its many skilled volunteers refurbish donated bicycles, teach bike maintenance and repair classes, operate a bicycle thrift store, and lead community programs such as fixathons all out of their 12,000 sq ft shop in the Flats. Our guest, Jim Sheehan, is one of the founders and the director of OCBC. Join us...
2023-05-1639 min
ECO SPEAKS CLECleveland Tree Coalition - Reforesting the Forest CitySend us Fan MailIn honor of Arbor Day, we discuss local efforts to reforest the Forest City with the Cleveland Tree Coalition and the Cuyahoga County Planning Commission. Cleveland was once known as the Forest City, but it's not so forested anymore, with less than 18% of tree canopy remaining in the urban core. This tree canopy loss negatively impacts the city and its residents. Two women working to understand those impacts and rebuild our urban forest are Samira alone with the Cleveland Tree Coalition and Alison Ball with the County Planning Commission. Join us for a...
2023-05-0245 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEYou and Me and Earth DaySend us Fan Mail April is a busy month in the CLE, so we bring you this short Earth Day episode where Diane goes solo and speaks about the first Earth Fest at the Zoo in 1990, what having a sustainability community means, ways to get involved, and what's in store for Eco Speaks CLE. Ways to Connect:Join the Eco Meet CLE 4 Miles 4 Water teamRegister for Eco Meet CLE on May 16Eco Meet CLE on Linked in Low Power Happy Hour by Conservancy for CVNPTrash Fish wit...
2023-04-1814 min
ECO SPEAKS CLESprout, Grow, Bloom with Tilth SoilSend us Fan MailSpring has arrived, and here at Eco Speaks CLE, we are thinking about SOIL. It is fundamental to all life on earth, so it deserves our attention. In this episode, we speak with Nathan Rutz, the Director of Soil for Tilth Soil. Tilth is an outgrowth of Rust Belt Riders, transforming food waste into a family of soil products that nourish plants, people, and the planet. Join us as we ponder the importance of healthy soil, which Wendel Berry, the American poet, essayist, and environmentalist, calls the "great connector of lives."
2023-04-0439 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEBRITE Energy Innovators - Unleashing the Energy RevolutionSend us Fan MailIn this episode, we learn how BRITE Energy Innovators is helping power the future of energy across Ohio by speaking with Jing Lyon, BRITE's Entrepreneur Programs Director, and Joe Rohan, BRITE's Accelerator Program Manager. BRITE Energy Innovators empowers founders to launch energy technology solutions and operates Ohio's only energy technology incubator in Warren, located in Ohio's "Voltage Valley." Over the past decade, BRITE has helped nearly 600 new energy tech startups and created more than 1,100 jobs. Join us to get to know Joe and Jing as we talk about rock...
2023-03-2144 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEEco Meet CLE - Local Climate StrategiesSend us Fan MailMeet members of our local sustainability community and hear from local climate leaders in this episode recorded during our second Eco Meet CLE event in February at Great Lakes Brewing Company. First, meet some of the people in the room and then hear from our climate panelists, featuring County Executive Chris Ronayne, Stephen Love with the Cleveland Foundation, and city and county sustainability directors Sarah O'Keefe and Mike Foley, respectively. Chris and Stephen were part of a prominent Cleveland delegation that...
2023-03-0751 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEConservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park - Inspiring Use, Preservation and SupportSend us Fan MailIn this episode, we celebrate the national park in our backyard by speaking with Deb Yandala, President and CEO of the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and Donté Gibbs, VP of Community Partnerships. The Conservancy is the non-profit partner of Cuyahoga Valley National Park and its biggest supporter. Its 85 staff work to protect and promote the Park while managing its three stores, volunteers, cultural events, educational programs, and the Cuyahoga Valley Environmental Education Center. Deb and Donté talk about the park's origins and what it means to b...
2023-02-2135 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEIntroducing Global Shapers ClevelandSend us Fan MailElena Stachew and Moses Ngong are two young professionals demonstrating the power of youth in action. They lead the Cleveland Hub of Global Shapers. Global Shapers is a diverse community of young people working together to address local, regional, and global challenges through 522 city-based hubs located in 154 countries. In this episode, we get to know Moses and Elena and hear about the Cleveland Hub's work on climate change, youth empowerment and activism, and racial and environmental justice. There are 40+ Cleveland Shapers and alumni working to shape a healthy, diverse and inclusive future in C...
2023-02-0751 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEReduce, Reuse, Recycle and REPAIR with Cuyahoga RecyclesSend us Fan MailIn our first episode of 2023, we help you with all your recycling questions and give you options for cleaning out the clutter so you can start your new year off right. Joining us are Beth Biggins-Ramer, the Executive Director of Cuyahoga Recycles, and Matt Walters, the Recycling Programs Coordinator with Cuyahoga Recycles. Hear Beth tell us what’s new with recycling, what happens to your recyclables once they leave the curb, and how to find the recycling rules in your city. Also, they have a fourth "R" for you - R...
2023-01-1746 min
ECO SPEAKS CLECreating a Bioregional Textile Community with Rust Belt FibershedSend us Fan MailIn this episode, we speak with Jess Boeke. Jess and her twin sister Sarah Pottle, are the co-founders of Rust Belt Fibershed and are growing a bioregional textile community within a 250-mile radius of Cleveland. Imagine sourcing your clothing from a regional fibershed where local fiber farmers, workers, and artisans produce natural clothing that originates from the soil and can return to the soil. This is the vision of Rust Belt Fibershed. Jess and Sarah are helping connect us with our clothing the way farmers' markets connect...
2022-12-2043 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEDesigning a Circular Fashion Brand with FaanSend us Fan MailIn this episode, we pull back the curtain on fast fashion with Aaron Jacobson, the creator of faan, a Cleveland-based clothing company. Aaron designs and creates low-waste, locally-made, unisex clothing that supports the philosophy of true circular fashion. Circular fashion is the opposite of fast fashion, which accounts for 10% of global CO2 emissions and exploits workers and the environment worldwide. Hear how fast fashion works as we travel around the world in Diane and Greg's closets and talk about becoming more conscientious consumers. This is the first of se...
2022-12-0640 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEBecome a Food Rescue Hero with The Hunger NetworkSend us Fan MailChelsea Csuhran is the Food Rescue Program Director with the Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland. In this episode, we speak with Chelsea about food rescue and how her organization keeps usable food out of landfills while reducing hunger in our community. This happens with hundreds of volunteers she calls food rescue heroes. Hear how you can become a food rescue hero using the Hunger Network's Food Rescue app. This nifty app navigates volunteers as they pick up surplus food from places like grocery stores and bakeries and then deliver it to the nonprofit...
2022-11-1536 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEWelcome Home with Humble Design ClevelandSend us Fan MailDebbie Eastburn is the director of Humble Design Cleveland, and her motto is "togetherness to end homelessness." She and her team of designers and volunteers create spaces that families, veterans, and kids aging out of foster care can call home. And they do this primarily with second-hand items that people in our community have donated. Keeping it out of the landfill has never felt so good, knowing your items are creating warm and inviting homes for people emerging from homelessness. Debbie calls this "intentional design" one reason Humble Design is...
2022-11-0135 min
ECO SPEAKS CLECleveland Water Alliance and the SMART LakeSend us Fan MailCleveland Water Alliance is making Lake Erie the first SMART Great Lake by harnessing technology to monitor water quality, fuel research, drive innovation, and elevate Cleveland's role in the Blue Economy. Max Herzog is a program manager with Cleveland Water Alliance. In this episode, Max invites us to imagine what it would mean to have sensors and other technology collecting data throughout Lake Erie to warn about harmful algal blooms near our water crib or what it would mean for boaters and swimmers to access real-time water quality data or what...
2022-10-1839 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEECO MEET CLE Recap with Victoria and DanielleSend us Fan MailIn this episode, we recap Eco Meet CLE with Victoria Avi and Danielle Doza with Venture Forward Strategies. Danielle and Victoria helped Greg and me organize this meetup for Cleveland's sustainability community on September 20th at Great Lakes Brewing Company. Dan and Pat Conway sponsored the event, along with several other partners. It was an energizing evening of beer, stories, and connecting with the 89 like-minded people who attended. This gathering was inspired by the meetings of Entrepreneurs for Sustainability (E4S), which were held...
2022-10-041h 06
ECO SPEAKS CLEAll About Monarchs with Marci and AmySend us Fan MailMarci Lininger calls monarch butterflies the guardian angels of the pollinator world. By doing good things for monarchs, we also help a myriad of other species that also need our help. This past summer, the monarch was officially designated as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Curious to know more about what that means and what can be done to help, we speak with Marci Lininger, with the Ohio Pollinator Habitat Initiative, and a returning guest, Amy Roskilly with the Cuyahoga Soil and Water...
2022-09-2045 min
ECO SPEAKS CLENature Inspired Innovation with Great Lakes BiomimicrySend us Fan MailHow does nature move liquids? How does nature manage structural forces? How does nature sense motion and temperature? These are some of the questions that the practice of Biomimicry asks when faced with a design challenge. Our guests, Trisha Brown and Carol Thaler are two Biomimicry practitioners that are helping accelerate innovation based on solutions already tried and tested through nature. They are the Co-Directors of Great Lakes Biomimicry. Since 2010, this organization has worked alongside academia, corporations, and business leaders to solve complex design and engineering challenges by asking "how would nature design...
2022-09-0646 min
ECO SPEAKS CLECreative Reuse at Upcycle Parts ShopSend us Fan MailUpcycle Parts Shop is a creative reuse center in Cleveland’s St. Clair Superior neighborhood. In this episode, we speak with Nicole McGee, the center's scrappy founder and executive director. Since 2014, the shop has diverted over 47 tons of material from landfills while providing the materials for creative inspiration to local artists and makers. Located in the historic National Slovenian Home on St Clair Avenue, Upcycle Parts Shop is one of several social enterprises in the neighborhood working to do good for people the planet, and the economy. Join us as...
2022-08-1640 min
ECO SPEAKS CLECleaning up Collinwood with Cleveland PlogsSend us Fan MailIn this episode, we met up with Stephen Love, founder of Cleveland Plogs for an evening of "plogging", a fitness and litter cleanup craze from Sweden that is quickly spreading throughout the world and right here in CLE. Cleveland Plogs seeks to inspire a city to discover the joy of plogging by hosting monthly cleanups in the Collinwood neighborhood. We recorded some ploggers talking about why they plog and the issues they care about. We also picked up a lot of trash while doing it. Listen and be inspired t...
2022-08-0213 min
ECO SPEAKS CLELittle Spark Refill Shop - Igniting Passion for SustainabilitySend us Fan MailIn this episode, we wrap up our Plastic-Free July series by speaking with local entrepreneur, Rachel Regula, the founder and CEO of Little Spark Refill Shop. Little Spark is Cleveland’s first retail store devoted to sustainable living and zero waste. Her stores in Rocky River and Chagrin Falls offer customers a convenient way to refill household essentials, and personal care products, and purchase products that are safe for people and the planet. Hear Rachel share all the ways we can go plastic free and describe how her own health journey led her to...
2022-07-1923 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEPlastic Free July with Sierra Club OhioSend us Fan MailIn this episode, we kick off Plastic Free July with Elissa Yoder Mann, Conservation Program Manager with Sierra Club Ohio. According to Elissa, "plastic-free" is more a journey than a destination, given all the ways that plastic packaging has invaded our lives, but there are ways to have a "plastic-less" life. Sierra Club Ohio is participating in the global Plastic-Free July campaign by asking people to join the movement and refuse single-use plastic this month . Take the Plastic Free Pledge and receive weekly email tips, info on events and web...
2022-07-0519 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEThe Perpetual Problem of PlasticSend us Fan MailThis is the first of an Eco Speaks CLE series on plastic. In this episode, we tackle the subject of plastic pollution with Jill Bartolotta, OSU Extension Educator with Ohio Sea Grant. Jill is a researcher focusing on plastic pollution in the Great Lakes. Her work informs plastics policy, international research, and education projects. Listen and hear Greg take a pop quiz about plastic pollution and hear Jill speak about how microplastics and the overuse of disposable plastics threaten our Great Lakes. There are many ways that each of u...
2022-06-2141 min
ECO SPEAKS CLECleveland Recycles, Again!Send us Fan MailIn this episode, we talk about recycling and circularity in the City of Cleveland. After a long hiatus, curbside recycling returns to Cleveland on June 13th, and here to tell us about the reinstated program and how to participate, is Cleveland’s Recycling Coordinator, Orensel Brumfield. Also joining us to talk about the Circular Cleveland initiative is Cathi Lehn, the Manager for Sustainable Cleveland. Circular Cleveland is a 30-month initiative funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that is identifying ways to develop and implement circular economic strategies that provide community-wide benefits by des...
2022-06-0745 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEPumped Up to Pedal with Bike ClevelandSend us Fan MailBike Cleveland is creating a region that is sustainable, connected, healthy, and vibrant by promoting bicycling and advocating for safe and equitable transportation for all. In this episode, our guests Jacob VanSickle and Diana Hildebrand with Bike Cleveland speak about National Bike Month and all the ways to get out and have fun on two wheels. Are you curious about the rules of the road for cyclists and drivers, the future of carbon-free transportation in Cleveland, and the cool new bike routes coming our way? Bike Cleveland has this covered and wants you t...
2022-05-1742 min
ECO SPEAKS CLE#10 - Cheers!Send us Fan MailIn Episode #10, Greg and I have a beer and talk about our podcasting adventure thus far while recapping our favorite parts of episodes 1-9. Join us as we shoot the breeze and talk about what's in store for ECO SPEAKS CLE down the road. And if you haven't yet had a chance to hear every episode, we will catch you up and help you find topics that "speak" to you. As always, thanks for listening!Support the showFollow Eco Speaks CLE on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram
2022-05-0332 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEEarth Day and the BEL Effect: The Black Environmental Leaders AssociationSend us Fan MailApril 22 is Earth Day. On this day in 1970, 20 million Americans marched for clean air, clean water, and environmental justice. In this episode, we honor Earth Day with a conversation about environmental activism with a focus on health, diversity, inclusion and equity with SeMia Bray and David Wilson, Co-Directors of the Black Environmental Leaders Association (BEL). BEL has a three-fold mission: Advocate for environmental justice, Incubate environmental leaders and Inform through community environmental education. In this thought-provoking and important conversation we talk about Cleveland's environmental legacy and how o...
2022-04-1949 min
ECO SPEAKS CLERespect the Rust! Building a Salvage Economy at RBXSend us Fan MailJessica Davis knows salvage - where to get it, how to move it, and how to help others buy and sell architectural salvage and used building materials. Jessica is the founder and owner of Rebuilders Xchange (RBX) and she is on a mission to build a salvage economy here in Cleveland. In this episode, Jessica gives us a quick tour then we sit down to talk about how she turned 70,000 sq. ft. of the old Osborn Manufacturing plant into a vibrant retail hub filled with unique items rescued from homes, factories, and warehouses...
2022-04-0541 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEDrink Local Drink Tap - Making Waves from Cleveland to UgandaSend us Fan MailMeet Erin Huber Rosen, the Founder and Executive Director of Drink Local. Drink Tap., Inc.™ Since 2010, Erin has been inspiring people to "Be the Drop" to recognize and solve our local and global water issues. What started as a campaign to encourage people to ditch bottled water and conduct beach cleanups to protect Lake Erie, grew into a global campaign to increase access to clean water and sanitation in rural Uganda. Imagine being a kid and walking 4 miles every day just to get water. Erin is changing that by digging wells in remote vi...
2022-03-1549 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEGo Native! Good Natured Ways to Prep Lawns and Landscapes for SpringSend us Fan MailSpring is right around the corner and Eco Speaks CLE is here to help you get ready. In this episode, we speak with Alec Mclennan, the founder and president of Good Nature Organic Lawn Care and Amy Roskilly, the manager of conservation education for the Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District. This episode is jam-packed with eco-friendly spring cleanup and planting tips for lawn, landscape and garden. Our experts share ways to maintain a healthy, safe and beautiful yard without harmful chemicals and ways to create pollinator-friendly habitats using native plant species. Order y...
2022-03-0149 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEGoing Solar with Cuyahoga County and Solar United NeighborsSend us Fan MailCuyahoga County and Solar United Neighbors are working to expand solar in northeast Ohio by making it more affordable and accessible. In this episode, we demystify solar power and the process of going solar by speaking with Cuyahoga County Sustainability Director, Mike Foley, and Ohio Program Director for Solar United Neighbors, Tristan Rader. Join us for our conversation as we hear the latest about the Cuyahoga County Solar Coop, local solar projects, and what the future holds, including the County's forward-thinking plan to create micro-grids that will foster local economic development using clean an...
2022-02-1547 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEFeeding People Not Landfills - Rust Belt RidersSend us Fan MailIn this episode, Dan Brown and Zoe Apisdorf with Rust Belt Riders speak about how they are feeding people and not landfills by collecting food waste from residential and commercial customers and turning it back into resource-rich compost and soil products to support our local food system. Listen and hear about the importance of composting for our planet, ways to participate, and the opportunities for increasing composting access and infrastructure in the region. Guests:Dan Brown , Founder and Co-Owner Rust Belt RidersZoe Apisdorf, Director of Residential Experience, Rust Bel...
2022-02-0150 min
ECO SPEAKS CLESix Acres of Goodness: The Ohio City FarmSend us Fan MailIn our first interview of 2022, we spoke with Patrick Kearns and Michael Bartunek about The Ohio City Farm, one of the largest urban farms in the United States. This six-acre gem cultivates fresh organic produce, along with opportunities for refugees that have resettled here in Cleveland. Our cover photo shows the farm on a winter day while winter vegetables grow in the hoop houses and planning for the 2022 growing season is underway. In this episode, we talk about the history of the farm, its unique mission, and ways we can support the farm a...
2022-01-1837 min
ECO SPEAKS CLETaking the "OOPS" Out of Recycling in BrooklynSend us Fan MailIn this episode, we "talk trash" and hear how the City of Brooklyn implemented a city-wide Cart Tagging project to reduce contamination in its curbside recycling. In this feet-on-the-street approach to recycling education, teams of students were sent through the city to inspect recycling carts. Households that were not recycling correctly got an OOPS Tag attached to their cart that identified what they did wrong and how to recycle properly. Cart tagging can be a time-consuming and labor-intensive way to educate residents about recycling, but the direct f...
2022-01-0438 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEBrewing for Good - Bonus EpisodeSend us Fan MailIn this bonus episode to Brewing for Good, we continue our conversation with Pat and Dan Conway of Great Lakes Brewing Company to hear how they got their start in the craft beer industry and opened the first micro-brewery in Ohio in 1988. Sustainability takes on new meaning in this story because the story of Great Lakes Brewing is also the story of the rebirth of a neighborhood. Tune in for some interesting insights about these two entrepreneurs and their Ohio City neighborhood. Guests:Patrick ConwayDaniel ConwayL...
2021-12-2114 min
ECO SPEAKS CLEBrewing for Good at Great Lakes Brewing CompanySend us Fan MailThe Conway brothers are two of the most trailblazing, generous, and fun people you could ever meet. Together, they brought us craft beer, the first Christmas ale, a revitalized Ohio City, and a model company that incorporates a Triple Bottom Line approach in all they do. Since 1988, Great Lakes Brewing Company founders and co-owners, Pat and Dan Conway have been brewing award-winning beer while also brewing good for the environment, the community, and their workers. In this podcast, I was able to reconnect with Dan and Pat whom I first met in 2000 when th...
2021-12-2137 min