Sustainable Clinton County « ENERGIZE Clinton County

Sustainable Clinton County

In May 2008, DHL Express announced that it would cutting its domestic shipping operations. Since the announcement, Clinton County, OH has grappled with immense challenges as it searches for an economic response the loss of an estimated 10,000 local jobs resulting from the departure of DHL from the Wilmington Air Park.

Energize Clinton County is a regional center for sustainable economic development formed in response to crisis. In experiencing first hand the rise and fall of an unsustainable economic system, we have been inspired to search for sustainable solutions to our economic challenges that meet three key criteria: (1) builds a vibrant, thriving community of empowered individuals, (2) increases material and energy efficiency, (3) stimulates long term regional economic growth.

In working to address these areas, we have adopted an approach to sustainability built on making the most of what we have. In doing so, we have come to appreciate that our community has a wealth of home grown assets which present exciting opportunities for growth and innovation.

Our approach focuses on facilitating growth in key economic sectors which will serve as a foundation for a sustainable local economy: the Green Economy, Local Entrepreneurship, and the Local Food Economy. We have identified these interrelated sectors as our local foundation for sustainable development because of the important contribution each makes to fulfilling our criteria for sustainability.

The greatest challenges to sustainable development if community capacity. To address this need, ECC provides leadership to build community capacity in three areas integral to sustainable development–cross sector and intra sector communication, incubating innovation, and sustainable investments. Not only will these capacity areas be essential to supporting the short term redevelopment efforts of the community, but they will serve an important role in empowering the community to identify future economic opportunities, and to better respond to future economic challenges.

Reaching and maintaining community sustainability is never ending and constantly evolving process. It is our hope that the experience of Clinton County and ECC will serve as a model to inspire dialog with other communities seeking sustainable solutions to economic challenges. It is through this process collaboration that we will build sustainable communities together.

Energize Clinton County is the regional center for sustainable economic development formed in response to this economic crisis. In experiencing first hand the rise and fall of an unsustainable economic system, we have been inspired to search for sustainable solutions to our economic challenges that meet three key criteria: (1) builds a vibrant, thriving community of empowered individuals, (2) increases material and energy efficiency, (3) stimulates long term regional economic growth.

In working to address these areas, we have adopted an approach to sustainability built on making the most of what we have. In doing so, we have come to appreciate that our community has a wealth of homegrown assets which present exciting opportunities for growth and innovation.

Our approach focuses on facilitating growth in three key economic sectors which serve as a foundation for a sustainable, local economy: the Green Economy, Local Entrepreneurship, and the Local Food Economy. We have identified these interrelated sectors as our local foundation for sustainable development because of the important contribution each makes to fulfilling our criteria for sustainability.

The greatest challenges to sustainable development is building community capacity. To address this need, ECC provides leadership to build community capacity in three areas integral to sustainable development: cross sector and intra sector communication, incubating innovation, and sustainable investments.

Not only will these capacity areas be essential to supporting the short term redevelopment efforts of the community, but they will serve an important role in empowering the community to identify future economic opportunities, and to better respond to future economic challenges.

Reaching and maintaining sustainability for a community is a never ending and constantly evolving process. It is our hope that the experience of Clinton County and ECC will serve as a model to inspire dialog with other communities seeking sustainable solutions to economic challenges. It is through this process collaboration that we will build sustainable communities together.