The Burning River Fest: A New-In-Town Clevelander Perspective

As a new-in-town Clevelander, I was eager to attend the 2013 Burning River Fest to learn about environmental issues pertinent to the Great Lakes region and embrace the event’s tagline “Good Cheer. Good Cause. Good Beer.”  Since 2001, the fest has united people from throughout the Great Lakes region to remember the 1969 burning of the Cuyahoga River and promote environmental awareness and progress.  The fest features almost 30 band performances, ecologically focused exhibits and vendors, local and organic food, and Great Lakes beer.  All proceeds go to the Burning River Foundation, which supports sustainable water efforts and focuses on ecological conservation, environmental protection, and public education.  Here’s my experience of “Good Cheer. Good Cause. Good Beer”:

Good Cheer: There were science exhibits and art vendors who helped participants learn and have fun at the same time.  The Ohio Energy Project exhibit made participants ride a bicycle and pedal fast enough to see how much energy it takes to power a light bulb (and let me tell you, it was difficult, even for an avid runner!).  An art exhibit by Quinn Mackenzie had participants spin a wheel to crush used plastic cups and create artwork through a simulated fireplace.  The Cuyahoga Valley Park had a game for participants to guess what species are native vs. invasive to Ohio.  As a non-native Ohioan, I didn’t have much luck, but still won a poster of the Great Lakes for trying!  To give time for the ecological knowledge soak in, there was a photo booth in the exhibit room as well.Good Cause: On the harbor walk from Whiskey Marina to the U.S. Coast Guard station, the fest displayed thought-provoking facts and quotes.  With beautiful scenic views in the background, the quotes were very inspiring.  Later in the evening, there were “bonfires” in the river to commemorate the 1969 burning of the Cuyahoga River.Good Beer: I tried the famous Great Lakes Christmas Ale while watching local bands perform.To summarize my experience in one sentence, I was impressed by the Burning River Fest’s ability to incorporate learning, fun, and community engagement in one event.  I sensed the city’s enthusiasm and determination to achieve the fest’s mission.  Margaret Mead’s quote below, which was displayed at the Burning River Fest, serves as the city’s inspiration and will keep the sustainability efforts moving forward.

By Brittany VanderBeek, Analyst

The times, they are a-changin’

As director of operations at BrownFlynn, I have had the opportunity over the last month to interview several recent graduates.  I have been amazed and impressed with the young adults who have contacted us for jobs out of college with a robust understanding of sustainability issues.

As someone who hasn’t been in formal schooling in, ahem, many years…I was pleasantly surprised by the level of awareness among our analyst candidates.  How has education changed since I was in school in the 1970’s through 1990’s?

Imagine my shock and pride when my kids (ages 6 and 8) came home with these gorgeous projects from school the other day.  I’d like to think that my efforts at home to recycle, eat local foods and practice overall responsible habits contributed but frankly, these issues are more urgent, and therefore more on the  minds of our kids and educators than they were in the 70’s when I was first introduced to these concepts.

                 

I am energized by our younger generations’ passion and sense of responsibility they display in ways both big and small, and hope that they continue to prod us all forward.  I for one am open to learn from them.

— Jennifer Klie

Upcoming GRI Events

Learn more about the Global Reporting Initiative and sustainability reporting at one of these events taking place across the US:

BrownFlynn Learning, the first GRI-certified trainer in the US, also offers customized training on the GRI process… and we can bring it to you.

AltruShare: A For-profit Business with Non-profit Ownership

Launched in 2006, AltruShare has a unique business model.  The company provides brokerage services to investment managers, pension plans and foundations…but it donates the majority of its profits to low-income communities.

AltruShare calls itself a “Community Investment Enterprise”—a for-profit company owned by non-profit organizations that benefit low-income and underserved communities.  A majority ownership in the company was given to The Tides Foundation in California and The Underdog Foundation in Vermont: two non-profits with extensive experience in community-based philanthropy and investment.

Completed first open enrollment GRI training!

We spent Monday and Tuesday of this week training a diverse group of participants in The GRI Process during our first open enrollment training of our new training & education division, BrownFlynn Learning. 

GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) is the world’s most widely used sustainability reporting framework.  Our two-day workshop provided  attendees with a comprehensive overview of reporting their environmental, social and economic policies—a practice which often establishes or enhances a company’s sustainability strategy–using the GRI framework.

In attendance at the workshop were representatives from the utilities, mining, manufacturing and IT industries.  More have signed up for our course on September 22-23rd, but registration is still open for those who would like to join.

Launch of BrownFlynn Learning Website

We launched our brand new BrownFlynn Learning website yesterday!

Check it out: brownflynnlearning.com