PictureJulian Rogers, Mark Chupp, Sarah Wean, Lana Cowell
The Sustainable Heights movement was inspired by Rev. John Lentz, pastor of Forest Hills Church.  Rev. Lentz’s vision is that the inner eastern suburbs of Cleveland will collaborate, using Sustainable Cleveland 2019 as its model, to build a more sustainable future as a region. A small group came together in early 2010 to launch a networking initiative in Cleveland Heights and University Heights.

SHN is an informal, all-volunteer grassroots network with no organizational structure. It promotes connecting people, information, and ideas, with no rules other than civility, generosity of spirit, and inspiration to others. Networkers share advice freely and the group expands at will. We hope that citizens and groups find shared information useful as they engage in community advocacy , individually or through other organizations, around the issue of sustainability and what it means to community resiliency.

A steering committee helps guide the Network's next step. FutureHeights is the group's fiscal agent. Founding steering committee:  Mark Chupp, Rev. John Lentz, Lana Cowell, Deanna Bremer Fisher, Julian Rogers, Janet Kious, Sarah Wean, Jeff Coryell, Jan Kious

Goals

  • Celebrate the many ways our community supports sustainability from our urban design and natural environment, to sustainable programs and activities that promote the most efficient use of our many resources. 
  • Define what sustainability means, and identify our community assets and the larger issues of common interest which may lead to an action agenda for the Heights. 
  • Build a network that promotes an even greater role for us as part of a green city on a blue lake. 

  • April, 2010: Community Stakeholder Sustainable Heights Retreat-over 70 local policy makers, organizations, and individual stakeholders met to kickoff the Network and to define what sustainability means to our communities. (See below) Steering Committee:  Mark Chupp, Julian Rogers, Deanna Bremer Fisher, Rev. John Lentz, Lana Cowell, Sue Wolpert, and Sarah Wean
  • October, 2010: 1st Annual Sustainability Week: Over 35 local events from cleaning Forest Hill Park to a Play Date in the Heights.
  • March, 2011: The Power of Networks: With Holly Harlan, Entrepreneurs for Sustainability. Over 100 local business owners and entrepreneurs in attendance. Featuring: Andrew Chiarelli (Motorcars), Sam Bell (Lusty Wrench),
  • May, 2011:  Public Leadership in Sustainability: A community networking event. Featuring Bob Brown (City of Cleveland), Ed Kelley (Mayor of Cleveland Heights), Doug Heuer (CHUH Schools), Susan Infeld (Mayor of University Heights), and Nancy Levin (CHUH Library)
  • October, 2011: 2nd Annual Sustainability Week:  No Impact Week Experiment and Community Events
  • January, 2012:  Community Gardening Network Initiative
  • February, 2012: Community Forum: School Facilities: A Vibrant and Sustainable Future For our Neighborhoods and our Schools Attended by over 100 citizens, a public discussion of the school's facilities master planning process and its importance to our neighborhoods. Co-hosted by FutureHeights.
  • June, 2012: Zoned For Green! Community Networking Event City of CH presentation on newly adopted sustainable zoning initiatives and policies
  • October, 2012: Heights Local Food Week hosted by Grace Lutheran Church
  • October, 2013: Sustainable Schools, Sustainable Community Heights High School Tour and Networking Session
  • 2016 UPDATE:  SHN, after a year's hiatus, is being revived and reorganized by a new group of volunteers. Stay tuned!