Cleveland - Green City on a Blue Lake
Posted in Entertainment, Events & Attractions
On June 22nd, 1969, a fire started on the Cuyahoga River. A bit of molten steel fell off of a rail car crossing a bridge over the river. The river had a slick of industrial waste floating on its surface, and that slick caught fire. This fire caught national attention, and caused a movement to make the river cleaner, and Cleveland greener.
In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the fire that convinced people to take action to make Cleveland one of the nation's greenest cities, the city is celebrating with a number of events. But this year isn't the only time visiting Cleveland might be a fun trip.
Many first-time visitors to Cleveland don’t realize we are situated along the blue expanse of Lake Erie.
Charter a fishing boat, cruise the Cuyahoga at sunset, set sail for the Lake Erie Islands, read a book beachside or dine with a serene waterfront view.
Personally, I wouldn't have thought of Cleveland as a great vacation destination, and I'm sure others feel the same. Apparently, we were wrong! From the lake and boating to water parks and lodges, and even the "Best Amusement Park in the World," Cedar Point, awarded by Amusement Today, Cleveland looks like it might actually be a really fun place to visit.
Want to know more about how green Cleveland is? Visit 75 Green Things in Cleveland Plus. From recycled polyester uniforms made from plastic bottles for hotel employees to a brewery that brews organic beer, it looks like Cleveland is setting an example that other cities should strive to follow.
Photo of Cleveland and Cuyahoga River: fusionpanda via creative commons license
10 Responses
1
Drew
July 9th, 2009 at 10:45 am
Lest we forget the possibility of seeing Drew Carey meandering down the street?
2
Nashua Movers
July 9th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Interesting, I never knew that Cleveland was especially green, though I had definitely heard of the story about the river being on fire - that's a pretty well known story. I have driven through Ohio a couple times and stayed in Cincinnati briefly, so I think next time I'm in the area I'll pay Cleveland a visit. Thanks.
3
Eric
July 9th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Yes, I have to admit that I've never particularly desired to even visit Cleveland, but maybe I'll rethink that. I'm glad the people of Cleveland are changing their image.
4
Wilson Pon
July 10th, 2009 at 7:20 am
Bravo, Cleveland. It seems that the Cleveland's citizens have shown us on how to build a green city without have to damage the environment!
5
gurgle
July 10th, 2009 at 8:27 am
It's fantastic to hear a city that has come together to make an effort to make the place more green. It's just a real pity it took an unfortunate incident to trigger such.
Here's hoping some more major cities can follow!
6
Cindy
July 10th, 2009 at 10:17 am
Beautiful story. This photo looks really refreshing in these hot days. You had really a wrong opinion of this wonderful place.
7
Obnovljivi Viri
July 13th, 2009 at 7:58 am
Nice! As a Slovene I feel connected to this city (10 % of the population has Slovene roots), so I kind of feel proud the city is a good example of green practice in the US. If I ever get to the US I might go there for a visit.
8
Kelly Pro
July 16th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
My friend lives in Cleveland, and i am going to visit him for first time this summer. After this post, i will be so happy to ask him to introduce me with the city more detailed. It seems like a great place to be green.
9
Condo Blues
August 3rd, 2009 at 4:22 pm
I'm from the Cleveland area. You may not realize that the Cuyahoga River fire was the reason why the government created the EPA and the 1972 Clean Water Act. They celebrate that every year during the Burning River Festival, which is a enironmental awareness type festival.
10
Stefanie
August 4th, 2009 at 6:49 pm
Kelly, be sure to let us know how the visit goes!
Condo Blues, no, I didn't know that. Very interesting!