Shaping Sustainable Economies with Elizabeth Schuster

Shaping Sustainable Economies with Elizabeth Schuster

Author: Diane Bickett and Greg Rotuno February 26, 2026 Duration: 33:28

Send us Fan Mail

As an environmental economist, Elizabeth Schuster helps conservation organizations solve complex challenges at the intersection of nature and communities. In this episode, Elizabeth describes how her firm, Sustainable Economies, applies systems-level thinking to messy, long-horizon environmental problems to turn them into clear, shared action. Her clients include watershed districts, non-profits, park districts, and various local and national environmental organizations. 

Hear how her strategies apply to any organization seeking to incorporate a sustainability and a community mindset into their work with examples from projects with The Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, and Summit County Metroparks. Elizabeth's advice? Set a clear North Star, listen across sectors, code what you hear, and write goals in language anyone can repeat. This process, which starts with stakeholder engagement, helps align conservation goals with community needs, often with surprising results. 

Clarity of purpose and effective internal and external communication are at the heart of any successful organization and are vitally important for organizations with social and environmental missions. Whatever your purpose, this episode provides tips on how to surface blind spots early and how to align staff so everyone rows in the same direction.

Learn More:


Support the show

Become a Subscriber

Follow Eco Speaks CLE on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram
Contact
 - hello@ecospeakscle.com


There's a quiet but powerful movement happening across Northeast Ohio, where innovative minds are reimagining how we live and work in balance with our environment. ECO SPEAKS CLE sits down with these local sustainability leaders-the entrepreneurs, scientists, community organizers, and business owners-who are putting these ideas into practice right here. Hosted by Diane Bickett, this podcast goes beyond theory to explore the tangible projects and personal stories shaping a more resilient region. You'll hear conversations that feel like a discovery, uncovering the work of people and organizations dedicated to making our cities greener, our economies more circular, and our connection to Lake Erie and the surrounding landscape more thoughtful. It’s not about distant concepts, but the actionable steps and sometimes messy, real-world challenges of building a sustainable future locally. Produced by Greg Rotuno, each episode is an invitation to learn from your neighbors and to see the familiar places you live and work through a new, hopeful lens. Tune in to this podcast for genuine dialogue that connects the dots between society, culture, and nature, offering a sense of place and purpose for anyone curious about their role in our shared ecosystem.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 85

ECO SPEAKS CLE
Podcast Episodes
Six Acres of Goodness: The Ohio City Farm [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:45
Send us Fan MailIn our first interview of 2022, we spoke with Patrick Kearns and Michael Bartunek about The Ohio City Farm, one of the largest urban farms in the United States. This six-acre gem cultivates fresh organic…
Taking the "OOPS" Out of Recycling in Brooklyn [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:36
Send us Fan MailIn this episode, we "talk trash" and hear how the City of Brooklyn implemented a city-wide Cart Tagging project to reduce contamination in its curbside recycling. In this feet-on-the-street approach to re…
Brewing for Good at Great Lakes Brewing Company [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:16
Send us Fan MailThe Conway brothers are two of the most trailblazing, generous, and fun people you could ever meet. Together, they brought us craft beer, the first Christmas ale, a revitalized Ohio City, and a model comp…
Brewing for Good - Bonus Episode [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:31
Send us Fan MailIn this bonus episode to Brewing for Good, we continue our conversation with Pat and Dan Conway of Great Lakes Brewing Company to hear how they got their start in the craft beer industry and opened the fi…