Ah Ha - a moment of revelation. Here, ah ha is easily realized appreciating how many incredible people there are in NEO working to make this a sustainable place - a community at least as good for the next generation as for today. I started to appreciate this ah ha at the recent Wind Power Conference, but the point was really driven home at the Entrepreneurs For Sustainability (E4S) "Celebrating the Champions" meeting, where scores of NEO's truly great "entrepreneurs" recognized eight of their leaders - individuals who take risks, follow their good hearts, and daily make NEO a better place for today and the future. How often do you experience such an ah ha moment? Join E4S or just attend their next monthly meeting and you shall.

Developing a sustainable community, defined by the UN as "Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". How we may accomplish this for future generations of NEO is developing here!

Mel Chin's presence at the CIA
"Aesthetics and Consumer Culture" symposium showed art and artist at
their very best, inspiring attendees to make Cleveland a more
valuable community...help save the world. Some concepts he presented from his work that we should embrace in our community include:

1. Use art to give all Clevelanders a voice throughout the community
   and beyond
2. Create collaborations of art, science and technology for
   environmental good
3. Realize our poverty is a Weapon of Mass Destruction and use art to
   go to war against that
4. Add more cultures to our "Cultural Gardens" and interconnect them all with all our people

Transcending the artfulness of the event was the reality of art as social activism, which
inspires a more intelligent vision of the human role in Earth's future, being for global benefit. Chin’s impact
is that important - as is the realization everyone here may be as impactful. Read on and learn from the best of art...

As NEO looks toward sustainable development, our scientific research and engineering community should become involved in Earth friendly technology development - an interesting example was just reported out of MIT, showing fuel cells in a green light.

Future Forum presenter David Beach spoke of the impact of the "human footprint" on our landscape, and a project in Europe uses satellite data to show how mankind is trampling the environment there. Results of these findings will raise consiousness and lower impacts of development like flooding. Read a few highlights here, link to story at PhysOrg for more info.

At the fascinating November 11 NEOSA/REI Future Forum, EcoCity Cleveland's David Beach discussed frightening challenges for our global ecology, and proposed the best place for anyone to start being a solution is at home - NEO. Let's make NEO energy sustainable, all agree. This week, Cleveland was also home to the Ohio Wind Conference and there 100+ global sustainability experts proposed NEO can develop a significant wind generation capacity, and become a center for wind power generation equipment manufacturing, expertise, and innovation. This is one well developed objective our millions of regional citizens should embrace - see notes posted from that important conference, which highlights valuable opportunities, and provides a foundation for actionable planning, all rooted at REALNEOWIND

People who complain there aren't leaders in Northeast Ohio fighting each day to improve our economy and quality of life are themselves ignorant and to blame for the problems in this community. Innumerable exceptional, dedicated, capable and effective leaders fight day in and out to improve everyone's lives here, every day - it is the people who do not participate actively in this process who are our region's "quiet crisis"?. Each day we have opportunities to be solutions - visit the REALNEO calendar frequently to get up to speed and learn where, when and how to make differences in the future of this community, participate in forums on-line, find and share insight with our community leaders, and take personal responsibility, now.

NEOSA and REI staged a remarkable economic development event
in this Future Forum, and Myers University Club was a great venue -
congratulations to all the organizers and presenters. The objective was to
"focus on the impact of new and disruptive technologies and trends -
helping us to visualize the potential and possibilities as well as the risk
inherent in all change" and attendees certainly got alot to think about.
To put things in blunt conclusion, the future is terrifying.

Important outside speaker is making presentation on the
history of the electric vehicle, to contextualize for the future - overflow
crowd at Case... mix of students and others - shows this is a topic of great
interest. Interesting the event comes just an hour after the close of the Wind
Power Conference - the time for sustainability in NEO has come.

Notes from on-site:

REALNEO Wind is covering and supporting the Ohio Wind Power conference
by posting all available insight from
this important event - held November 9 & 10, 2004 in downtown
Cleveland. See comments post at the close of the event and develop thenafter - all linked together at a special "Community Of Interest Link" at the REALNEO Wind Power COIL

More
about Sustainable Transportation

Location

From Crain's Cleveland Business, a very cool story about a local industry leader taking the lead in alternative energy vehicles - an electric scooter, with many key components manufactured by NEO's Parker Hannifin.

If you visit their website and check out the product brochure you'll see this product is hot. May be a while before we see any in the streets of Cleveland... but perhaps we can convince Parker & Vectrix to make us one of the first communities for USA distribution (how about putting an assembly line here, as well?!?)... beginning in 1996... read on, in Crain's:

Numerous NEO researchers and entrepreneurs are interested in developing a bioenergy industry here, and signirficant progress is being made - follow and report on developments here!

With four utility grade turbines operating in Bowling Green and many community leaders in support, wind power is a factor in NEO economic development, poised to be a major contributor to our economy. Read and post more about this here!

Alternative Energy is a global opportunity, to improve economies and ecologies, and NEO is taking an aggressive approach by developing enterprises and resources in this cluster. This book explores economic development and entrepreneurship related to Alternative Energy!

Here's an interesting addition to NEO energy-related economic development, reported in Crain's Cleveland today - "Ethanol plant will go into production by the end of 2004 in Medina". Congratulations to Liquid Resources, CEO Tim Curtiss, and Sky Bank for making this happen here and now, where and when the need is so great! Be sure to read the comment posted below, featuring an eye-opening editorial from Tim.

I received a notification today of the Milwaukee public housing's new "green" facility, which includes the nation's largest Green Modular Roof - inspiring!

Celebrating
the Champions of Sustainability

Tuesday,
November 16, 2004

5:30
- 6:15 P.M. Networking
6:15 - 7:30 P.M. Presentation
7:30 - 8:00 P.M. Networking

Great
Lakes Brewing Company - Tasting Room (entrance
on Carroll Avenue)

events [at] e4sustainability [dot] org">Registration
is Required. RSVP for this free event today!
Please
include your name, the names of any guests, your organization or business
and your contact information when you RSVP.

Location

To a large degree University of California in San Diego gets credit for
reinventing their regional economy, most visibly through their
"Connect" services. Below is an article from their latest
e-newsletter which highlights how much they do to connect early stage ventures
there with all levels of funding - from "food and rent" grants to
partnering with large pharmaceuticals. Important model and lessons to learn of
NEO to connect with the new economy!

An
Entrepreneur's Success Story:
Ray Holan and Biodiesel Cleveland

Most people probably don't realize Cleveland is the origin of wind power generation - renowned Cleveland innovator Charles Brush invented and built the first wind power generator behind his mansion on Euclid Avenue in 1888.

Next week, Cleveland again becomes a leader in the wind industry by posting the Wind Power Conference, November 9 & 10 at the Sheraton Cleveland City Centre Hotel.

Read more about the conference and wind industry opportunities for our region at a special REALNEO provided just for that Community Of Interest Link (COIL) - linked from here!

Topic:
"The Budding Ohio Wind Industry: Where
Do We Stand in the Nation?"

Location

"Energy
Alternatives: The BIG multi-dimensional--technical, political and economic --
Picture!" 09-30-04. Student
lead forum with a panel of topical experts juxtaposing a fossil-fuel centric
viewpoint with realistic
summaries of state of the art Wind, Solar and Fuel Cell technologies,
wrapping up with what public energy policy might look like in the future.

Location

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is soliciting proposals for
grants for projects which design, demonstrate, or disseminate
environmental education practices, methods, or techniques.
Environmental education, as defined in the EPA, increases public
awareness and knowledge about environmental issues and provides the
skills to make informed decisions and take responsible actions. It is
based on objective and scientifically sound information. It does not
advocate a particular viewpoint or course of action. It teaches
individuals how to weigh various sides of an issue through critical
thinking and it enhances their own problem-solving and decision making
skills. All proposals must satisfy the definition of "environmental
education" specified above and also address one of the following
educational priorities: Capacity building, education reform, community
issues, health, teaching skills, and career development. Grant amounts
vary. Applications are due November 15, 2004. For more information

Location

"Energy
Alternatives: The BIG multi-dimensional--technical, political and economic --
Picture!"
09-30-04. Student lead forum with a panel of topical experts juxtaposing a
fossil-fuel centric viewpoint with realistic summaries of state of the
art Wind, Solar and Fuel Cell technologies, wrapping up with what public energy
policy might look like in the future.

Location