Kennedy served as the keynote speaker at the event, which was held at the riverside because of the Cuyahoga's importance in the passage of the Clean Water Act, more than 39 years ago.
Stefanie Spear of EcoWatch says this also proved to be the right time to launch a national website which touts environmental issues.
"Everyday more people become conscious of their impact on the Earth, and they do start caring... but no doubt we need to get more people engaged in their community, aware of the important environmental issues going on. That is one reason why we decided it was time to launch an on line news service. We want to make sure that people really understand the policies that need to be passed, to protect human health and the environment, and to get involved, to be part of their democracy"
Spear also praised Cleveland leadership for its support through legislation that promotes ecological policies, calling those efforts... critical.
"It's critical. Policy plays such a huge role in the future of sustainability, so having the leadership in Cleveland to have those tools in place in our city really will make us a green city on a blue lake."
The environmental movement was spurred in part by the Cuyahoga River, which gained national attention when debris and oil caught fire in 1969.
EcoWatch, in partnership with Waterkeeper Alliance, is an advocacy group dedicated to preserving and protecting water from polluters.
Waterkeeper Alliance founder Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the keynote speaker, said the website will focus on issues like water, air and food quality, energy and biodiversity.
