Dayton Sustainability Clause | Photo by Bethany Althauser | The Wright State Guardian
On March 12, Dayton joined Bloomberg Philanthropies Organization’s Sustainable Cities Initiative in their fight for a more sustainable city.
What is Bloomberg Philanthropies?
Bloomberg Philanthropies was founded by Michael Bloomberg, an entrepreneur and a three-term mayor for New York City. The formation of the organization came about after his three-year stint as mayor, where he helped increase the economy after being elected just weeks after Sept. 11, 2001.
Bloomberg and his organization have worked to build programs for several different social issues over the years. One of the largest issues the organization has tried to fight is climate change. Bloomberg himself has written a book called “Climate of Hope: How Cities, Businesses, and Citizens Can Save the Planet,” which is about how businesses and cities can become more sustainable.
The organization updates their website with information about their recent endeavors.
What does this do for Dayton?
Dayton is one of the 25 cities that have joined BASC. The goal of the initiative is to cut down on the carbon footprint Dayton leaves and make things more sustainable.
According to a statement from Mayor of Dayton Jeffrey Mims, Jr., this has been an effort that Dayton has been working at for a while, but the addition of Bloomberg’s help will further that initiative.
“We are very grateful to Bloomberg Philanthropies for recognizing our progress and supporting our work for effective and equitable climate action,” Mims, Jr. said.
With this initiative, Dayton will receive a team of three people who are skilled in data analysis to help the city of Dayton make sustainable choices. Additionally, BASC and Dayton will come together to create a three-year sustainability plan. This will all be funded through a grant.
“Well, it’s set to double the workforce when it comes to climate and sustainability,” Meg Maloney, Dayton’s sustainability manager, said. “We believe that this may also foster economic growth to businesses and residents in the area.”
Wright State University reaction
When asked about the partnership, students have had a generally positive reaction to the news. Herschel Case, an earth and environmental studies major, is one of these students.
“I think that this is wonderful for the city. It would be beneficial if we worked more to lower the carbon footprint, and I’m glad that Dayton has gotten involved with this project,” Case said.
