SoSA’s vision is a Summit County region that is a successful model of a sustainable community. Partners work together across sectors to create and enhance a thriving community surrounded by a healthy natural environment.
SoSA supports this vision by creating a sustainability forum in the Summit County region to unite nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, governmental entities, and for‐profit businesses as they work together to inform policy, improve practices, and support innovation.
SoSA uses the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to guide collective impact, and leverage connections among members to tap creativity and create synergies. SoSA fosters alignment of goals and resources among the business, nonprofit, educational, and government sectors to move Akron’s ranking in the 2019 US Cities Sustainable Development Report (Sustainable Development Solutions Network, a global initiative for the United Nations) higher over the next 5 years. In addition, SoSA collectively identifies and addresses specific obstacles and opportunities to advance the conditions that foster innovation and progress toward sustainability goals.
RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION
TEAM
CLIMATE ACTION
TEAM
LIFE ON LAND
TEAM
NEWS
Member and Core Team News in the Community
Mayor Shammas Malik
Announces Akron's First
Director of Sustainability and Resiliency Director
Casey Shevlin
As the city's first Director of Sustainability and Resiliency, Casey Shevlin will be responsible for helping coordinate and grow the city's focus on environmental issues. Shevlin most recently served as the senior sustainability analyst in the Corporate Responsibility department at FirstEnergy, where she was responsible for improving the company’s performance on a range of sustainability topics, including climate change. Shevlin has previously worked in a variety of communications, research, and academic positions.
Shevlin serves on the Women’s Network Leadership Institute’s Advisory Council and on the Board of the Conservancy for the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
She is originally from New York and received her B.A. in English from Emmanuel College and her M.A. in English from the University of Akron.
Casey Shevlin
Director of Sustainability
and Resiliency
What's Happening at Summit Metro Parks Cascade Valley and Akron's North Hill Neighborhood?
Gorge Dam Removal Process
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and its partners announced a project agreement totaling more than $100 million to clean up nearly 875,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediments from behind the Cuyahoga River Gorge Dam
For more information, check out the :
SMP Website
Akron's Northside Interceptor Tunnel Project
The City of Akron is advancing the tunnel project with construction of a 16.5 foot diameter tunnel beginning at the Cascade Valley Park Chuckery area, generally following Riverside Drive and terminating near the Front Street Bridge. The project also includes the Riverside Seer Separation Project, the Lower Northside Intercetor Lining Project,
For more information, check out the
AWR Website
SoSA in the NEWS
Good Place Akron
News on Local
Good Place Efforts
Words by Sophie Vaughan
Summit of Sustainability Alliance (SoSA) Building Ranks and Gaining Momentum for a More Sustainable Summit County
Website News Story
Supporting Life on Land in Summit County: An Introduction to SoSA’s Biodiversity Projects
Website News Story
Following the September 2023 meeting, SoSA had the pleasure of viewing the "Images of Eden", featuring paintings of the Cuyahoga Valley Watershed by Julie Holman and excerpts from the book by Scott Myers called "Eden Unbound"
Over the next few months, SoSA will highlight paintings from the Exhibit and excerpts from the book.
Salamander Migration, 2023
Acrylic on canvas
One of the most exciting nights in the Cuyahoga Valley is when the weather is just right, around 50 and rainy, and under the deafening trill of wood frogs and spring peepers salamanders migrate from their vernal pools and move into the forest.
Click here for large image
RECENT EVENT
Tour of Akron Water Supply
Wednesday, May 24th
The monthly SoSA General Membership meeting was hosted by the City of Akron, Ohio at the Water Supply plant in Kent! Jeff Bronowski, Akron Water Supply Bureau Manager, gave an insightful presentation about the history of the facility, what it takes for drinking water to get all the way to your faucet, and the work the city does to preserve the health of Cuyahoga River watershed areas. Attendees were then treated to a tour of the operations.
What is Sustainable Cleveland?
Living and growing as a sustainable city will ensure Cleveland's longevity. Sustainable Cleveland engages everyone to work together to design and develop a thriving and resilient Cleveland that leverages its wealth of assets to build economic, social and environmental well-being for all.
My Backyard (My Home Park)
September 2023
Prairie Clover Path
MY HOME PARK
Native Plant Gardens for Ohio
Welcome to Ohio! This is your directory to over 40 native plant gardens that are all ecologically appropriate for Ohio and other states in the Great Lakes Region of North America. If you live in Ohio, these gardens will thrive with little maintenance while directly supporting the butterflies, bees, and other beneficial wildlife that share your yard.
Click Here for more information
Use this code and 20% will be donated to CLC's Native plant and Canopy Program
CLCMHP2023
General Membership
The first person to click on the Starbucks Gift Card and send the e-mail to SoSA will receive a free gift card.
Core Team Members
Akron Zoo
Akron, City of
Akron Waterways Renewed
Big Love Network
Bridgestone Americas
Cuyahoga Falls
Kent State University
GAINS
Goodyear
Summit County
