An Unsustainable Silence

Would Hughes weigh in on the South Street Bridge? "Answer unclear, ask later."

by Bruce Schimmel

Rarely does Mayor Michael Nutter blow a joke. But the city's greenistas were clearly not in a mood to be jollied.

For sure, these are hard-boiled greens. Serious folk, from places like the Horticultural Society, PennFuture and the Sustainable Business Network.

Many had personally supported Nutter in the primaries. But the mayor misread their mood last week, as he announced Mark Alan Hughes as the city's first director of sustainability (schimmel.com/nutter_announces.wav).

Speaking in the Friends Center courtyard, Nutter facetiously suggested that out of respect for Quaker tradition, everyone should remain silent for a while. And so a moment of silence he got, followed by uneasy laughter.

Having waited quietly for months for Nutter to name a sustainability director, many were not amused to be told to hold their tongue.

But now at last, a sustainable conversation might begin. And with someone well-known and liked. A respected Penn scholar, Hughes was a crusading Daily News columnist. During the mayoral primary, he was Nutter's policy director, and authored an excellent sustainability plan.

Hughes' plans had kick-started Nutter's campaign, and were very good. The candidate pledged to convene a Sustainability Cabinet, to meet monthly. He promised a Sustainability Advisory Group of advocates and experts who would advise the Sustainability Cabinet.

All city building contracts would contain sustainability (i.e., LEED) specifications. All aspects of city transportation policy would be coordinated with the Sustainability Cabinet. Other campaign promises included single-stream, weekly recycling, and the appointment of a bicycle/pedestrian coordinator.

To date, to Nutter's credit, the city is making progress on recycling. But until Hughes' appointment, there had been no one to stand up for sustainability, especially on transportation issues. Last week being Bicycle Week, advocates were doubly irked that they weren't being heard, specifically on the city's plans to rebuild the South Street Bridge.

Having flubbed one joke, Nutter tried another: "I couldn't tell you what geothermal is. But I know it's important." That joke also died. The mayor tried to recoup by assuring everyone that he really did know about geothermal power.

Clearly, it was time to bring out Hughes. A blow-dried politico Hughes is not. Known for his sartorial simplicity, Hughes got the loudest cheers of the day by showing off his raggedy shoes that he wore without socks.

Hughes began his speech by declaring, "We've elected the greenest mayor in the United States."

A bit of political hyperbole, it garnered a splattering of applause. Then, curiously, Hughes launched into a celebration of the status quo. "I know I'm playing against type," he admitted, as he extolled the city's extraordinary Water Department (which it is), and the fact that the city has a carbon inventory. More weak applause.

Capping the speech, Hughes said, "You now have a door to knock on, a partner to work with, who has the ear of the mayor." Which brought no applause at all. Tough crowd.

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During Hughes' speech, I had noticed that several deputy mayors had attended the occasion, but that Rina Cutler, deputy mayor for transportation, was absent.

So I later asked Hughes about the current hot topic: the South Street Bridge. The city's plans are blessed by UPenn, but in the opinion of many (including some maintaining their silence inside Penn), the plans make a mockery of sustainability.

Would Hughes weigh in on the South Street Bridge? His circuitous response would have made Alan Greenspan proud, the gist being, "Answer unclear, ask later."

Hughes may have the mayor's ear. Now it's a matter of whether he'll open his mouth. Let's hope to hear from him soon. Because keeping quiet, now, would be very unfunny indeed.

(bruce@schimmel.com)