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Our 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 way for people to connect and learn about impactful work in a fun and casual setting. 

The topic for the night was our Blue Economy, and we brought together several speakers who reflected on their role in Cleveland's water economy and how this shared asset, which must be protected, makes our waterfront such a vibrant and engaging space for residents, visitors, business, and career development. Our panelists included:

1. Emily Bacha, Director of the Cuyahoga County Fresh Water Institute
2. Samantha Martin, Director of Communications and Engagement, Cleveland Water Alliance
3. Kierra Cotton, Marketing and Communications Manager, the Port of Cleveland
4. Captain Drew Ferguson, Founder and CEO of Argonaut
5. Kate Wells, Manager of Environmental Stewardship and Quality, Interlake Steamship Company
6. Max Pennington, Co-Founder of CLEANR 

 If you care about clean water, good jobs, and resilient cities, this story is yours. Follow, share with a friend who loves Lake Erie, and leave a quick review to help more people discover how Northeast Ohio turns stewardship into strength.

A clarification for listeners: Cleveland's Irishtown Bend Park is expected to be completed in 2028 or 2029, following the Port of Cleveland's stabilization of the hillside in 2026. 

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Cities 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 robust urban program from the tragedy of the foreclosure crisis. Programs to reforest the city, create community parks and green spaces, and reconnect residents with the land in their own backyard are improving health and quality of life. 

The Conservancy's urban projects honor community memories and experiences and offer healing and reconnection by planning guided by environmental justice, public health, and the power of place. Join us to hear about the people who founded this work and those who shepherd it today, and the many ways to be a part of this transformative work.  

Learn More:

• About the Conservancy
• Conservancy Projects
• Getting Involved

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Brodie 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 recycling and advocating for policy and legislative change. Hear Brodie's tips for reducing your exposure to microplastic pollution and how to join meetings, find resources, and get involved with this newly formed organization. 

Our Guest:

Brodie Longo - Director, NEO Chapter of Beyond Plastics [email protected]

Resources:  

Beyond Plastics National Organization

The Problem with Plastic by Judith Enck 

Follow Beyond Plastics on Facebook

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Anthony 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, Anthony busts a few recycling myths. He gives us an insider's look at the paper recycling industry, the role of intermediate processors like himself who collect, grade, and bale paper before shipping it to domestic mills to be made into new products. Tony also shares how the industry has changed over the years, the impact of China's National Sword policy, and the importance of paper recycling in a world of growing consumption and dwindling resources. 

Gateway collects source-separated paper, cardboard, plastic, and metals from commercial customers - ranging from food manufacturers and grocery stores to stadiums and distribution centers. This sorted material yields cleaner, more valuable recyclables, enabling Gateway to move between 15,000 and 18,000 tons of materials through its plants each month, with the final stop being mills that make recycled boxes, gypsum board, cellulose insulation, and tissue products. All these efforts help keep forests standing, while protecting ecosystems, water and energy. Listen and hear how Gateway can turn your workplace waste back into resources.  

Learn More:

About Gateway Recycling

American Forest and Paper Association

Plastic China Documentary

China's National Sword Policy

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Did 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 technology with fellow engineering students Chip Miller and David Dillman within the Sears think[box], an innovation lab at Case Western Reserve University. 

Their VORTX filter design was inspired by the gills of fish, specifically by the way manta rays and basking sharks filter feed. This biomimicry-based design creates a vortex that keeps the filter from clogging while effectively capturing harmful microplastics. These young entrepreneurs recently launched their company CLEANR, with a filter that easily attaches to any washing machine. 

Hear how Max and his partners plan to bring this technology to market. Their CLEANR filter is currently available as an external washing machine attachment for $299. The ultimate goal is to integrate it directly into washing machines, making microplastic filtration as standard as lint traps in dryers. The company is also exploring applications beyond laundry, including whole-home water filtration to protect against microplastics entering our bodies through drinking water. 

Capturing microplastics before they enter our waterways could be a real game-changer, especially if supported by legislators and policymakers. Would they go for it? Max thinks so. Already, five U.S. states have introduced legislation requiring microplastic filters on washing machines, with similar momentum building in Europe. 

With synthetic fibers from our clothing accounting for 35% of all plastic pollution in our water systems, the implications extend far beyond environmental protection. Recent studies have found alarming connections between microplastics in the human body and increased risk of heart disease and other health conditions. These plastic particles have been discovered in human blood, brains, and even the placentas of newborn babies. With an estimated 22 million pounds of microplastic particles entering the Great Lakes annually, the Cleaner team aims to make Cleveland "ground zero in the fight against microplastic pollution," tackling it one laundry load at a time.

Learn More:

About our Guest, Max Pennington, Co-Founder and CEO of CLEANR

About CLEANR

About buying a CLEANR Filter 

About Sears think[box] 

About microplastics and laundry 

About Microplastics and the Great Lakes  

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Inlet 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, equality, and sustainable cities. Deeply rooted in Cleveland, Inlet is helping nurture and grow the next generation of artists by offering free dance classes in public schools and other community programs. Bill explains that talent is everywhere, but access to developing that talent is not. He started Inlet to expose urban youth to the power of the arts and provide opportunities, mentorship, and creative expression to individuals who might otherwise lack access. 

The connection between dance and sustainability may seem unexpected, but the arts are universally relatable and offer a unique opportunity to promote environmental awareness. "Don't put on stage what is. Put on stage what could be," Wade says, capturing how art contributes to sustainability by envisioning possibilities rather than dwelling on problems. In a world facing climate change and social inequities, Inlet Dance Theater reminds us that sustainability isn't just technical solutions – it requires creative spaces where we can collectively imagine and embody more hopeful futures.

Enjoy this episode of Eco Speaks CLE as Bill describes his work, his creative process, some of the pieces in his repertoire, his love of Cleveland and its youth, and upcoming appearances for his company. 

Guest: 

Bill Wade, Founder and Executive/Artistic Director of Inlet Dance Theatre 

Resources:

About Inlet Dance Theatre and Upcoming Performances

Education and Community Programs 

Cain Park Annual Performance and Calendar of Events

Aim2Flourish and The Lavender Project

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In 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 projects, Damien observed some things, including what people were eating - unhealthy, processed food due to a lack of access to fresh food and nutrition education. This sparked a dream of bringing a farm to Cleveland's Kinsman neighborhood that would fill that void. That was in 2010. That dream is now a 26-acre campus in Cleveland's Urban Agriculture Innovation Zone. 

The name Rid-All stands for Redeem, Integrity, and Determination for All Mankind. Tragically, Damien passed away in 2018, but his partners continue to expand the Rid-All mission to honor his legacy and train the next generation of farmers. Carrying on the farming traditions of their African ancestors is central to Rid-All's mission. And that is what makes it truly special. They are not just growing food; they are rebuilding community connections, honoring cultural traditions, and creating pathways to health, prosperity, and circularity. 

Join us for a meaningful conversation about farming, soil, raising fish, sequestering carbon, celebration, music, learning, health, and the intersection of all these topics. Then go to the farm for Taco Tuesday or Fish Friday in the Rid-All Community Kitchen to experience this special place for yourself.  

Guest: 

Keymah Durden, Farmer and Co-Founder of Rid-All Green Partnership

Learn More:

Meet the Rid-All Partners

Training programs

Youth programs

Videos

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On 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 Berkeley and has since founded her own non-profit, Sustainable and Just Future. 

In this episode, we share her message to the students. Hear what one Gen Z'er has to say to young environmental leaders about meeting the future with excitement and innovative solutions. And hear from Angela Yeager, a teacher whose students in Laurel School's Environmental Justice Semester planned the event. Organizers called it a "beaming light for young people demanding change in the face of the climate crisis." And it was. 

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Happy 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 community groups. Through hundreds of survey responses, Cleveland's children revealed not only what they love about outdoor experiences but also the barriers preventing them from enjoying nature in their neighborhoods.

John Marshall High School AP Environmental Science students wrote the Bill of Rights based on community input and guidance from Renee and their teacher, Mary Kennedy Brown. Rights include breathing clean air, safe recreation on Lake Erie, hiking in nature, walking tree-lined streets, camping under the stars, and more. 

With Cleveland City Council poised to adopt the resolution this month, the Children's Outdoor Bill of Rights serves as a powerful statement of values and a practical framework for future environmental planning. As Boronka explains, similar initiatives in cities like Austin and Baltimore have catalyzed significant improvements in youth access to quality green spaces. 

Join us to hear the Children read the Bill of Rights they created and how the Western Reserve Land Conservancy and others are addressing the growing disconnect between children and nature, a disconnect linked to concerning trends in physical and mental health. 

Today's Guest  - Renee Boronka, Director of Conservation Education and Outreach at the Western Reserve Land Conservancy. 

Learn More

About the Western Reserve Land Conservancy

WRLC Events

Nature Everywhere (formerly Cities Connecting Children to Nature)

Children and Nature Network

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Mera 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 of planning and $54 million. For Mera, preserving this connection between past and present is her passion and mission as she honors the legacy of her predecessors who envisioned and transformed Cleveland's industrial corridor into its recreational backbone.

Mera's background as a CNN producer and cultural historian brings a unique storytelling perspective to her role. Under her leadership, Canalway Partners has expanded its community engagement through signature events like the Lantern Parade, environmental stewardship through River Sweep, the Towpath Trilogy, and Cleveland History Days, featuring over 70 events highlighting the region's heritage.

Canalway Partners started with a meeting of like-minded people 40 years ago who never lost sight of their vision to reclaim Cleveland's industrial valley and bring us a unique, world-class recreational space. Today, Mera Cardenas is its new Executive Director, following the retirement of Tim Donovan, who led the trail's development. The work ahead will bring us new opportunities to experience the trail and the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage area through expanded public spaces like Canal Basin Park in Cleveland and the many trails linking east and west with the Towpath as the spine and the Cuyahoga River as the source.

As we celebrate the 200th anniversary of the canal's construction this year, Mera reminds us that our waterways fundamentally shaped our communities: "We're here in Cleveland and Akron because of the construction of that canal. Everything that came after came from what the canal brought to this region."

Learn more at canalwaypartners.com or follow their social media for upcoming events.

Learn More:

Our Guest, Mera Cardenas, Executive Director, Canalway Partners

Canalway Events

Discover the Towpath Trail

Volunteer with Canalway

History and Legacy of the Towpath Trail

Ohio and Erie Canalway National Heritage Area

Ohio and

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