Mayor Nutter today appointed Mark Alan Hughes -- a senior fellow at the University of Pennsylvania's Fox Leadership Program -- as his Director of Sustainability.

Hughes, who served as policy director for Nutter's mayoral campaign during the primary, will work on improving the recycling program, developing a plan for reducing energy use in city buildings and creating green jobs. He will report to Nutter and Nutter's Chief of Staff Clay Armbrister.

"Sustainability is not a fringe issue. It is central to everything we do," Nutter said.