Elevate Sustainability as an Economic Driver

 

Mission:

The sustainable development committee will advocate, educate and influence New North sustainable, responsible strategies, practices and collaboration focused on people, planet and profits.

 

Vision:

New North is recognized as a catalyst in leading healthy economic development using responsible, synergistic practices focused on people, planet and profits.

Our committee will be a catalyst for sustainable practices through projects, conferences, and workshops developed through our sub-committees, which are:

 

Rural Landscapes and Agriculture – In these days of more manure and waste water from metropolitan sewage districts, and less land to spread it, agriculture management has become a very serious problem.  Furthermore, a lack of a common understanding and usage of land and water management best practices in agriculture have led to serious problems in nonpoint source pollution, whether it is the contamination of our residential drinking water (wells) or an increase in phosphorous in our watersheds.  We need a hard look at the economic and sustainability models for access to local food. 

 

Issues

• Non-Point Source pollution
• Land and watershed management
• Phosphorus
• Sustainable Agriculture business model for large, medium, and small farms
• Immigration issues in agriculture
• Achievements
• Convened a cross functional group of agriculture stakeholders to access and value sustainable agriculture practices including
• Work in PACE and with the Digesters and Sourcing Additional high energy, food grade, waste products that will have a positive impact on dairy digesters
• Better managing the waste products application of nutrients to the land
• Continuing to talk with municipal sewage districts to better understand their waste product
• Potential negative impacts with food and water quality.
• Conducted a food shed survey and event which led to much larger collaboration around local food.

Transportation Subcommittee– Fox Valley and Green Bay are in very difficult times in dealing with the Regional Transit Authorities (RTA's), with the Fox Cities in a much better place because they were close to getting legislation written to support their initiative.  When the 2010 census comes out in 2012, both areas will suffer significant hits to their mass transportation budgets as both metropolitan areas will be considered Transportation Management Areas (TMAs) due to their population exceeding 200,000 respectively.  With the economic recovery projected to occur in 2012 and the projected automotive fuel cost surpassing $4/gallon and higher, we need alternatives to cars and highways.

 

Also, if Northeast Wisconsin is to be a viable alternative for 79 mph or future 110 mph passenger rail (running from Green Bay through the Fox Cities to Milwaukee at an approximate cost of approximately $150 Million), then we need to be serious about having effective and efficient RTAs as efficient local transit systems will be a necessity to fully take advantage of the proposed passenger rail system.  Due to differences between the Green Bay and Fox Cities transit systems and local politics, a separate legislative effort needs to be re-initiated in the Green Bay area.  Also, in the next legislative session, this legislation must be passed by both regions.

 

Achievements

• A meeting of local elected officials was convened to inform and educate for passenger rail and to begin local level dialogue on the subject.  
• Community meeting (standing room only) was held in March on the need for a RTA.

 

Sustainable Communities Subcommittee –Several sustainable community groups have requested to see if we could act as a coordinator of the many initiatives in NEW in order to accelerate each community's efforts through a coordinated collaboration. 

 

Issues

• With municipal dollars decreasing and costs escalating, our communities need to take a coordinated approach to sustainability.  Stimulus dollars are not even being requested as staff does not have time to write and manage grants.  Sustainable communities can not only win on the shorthand, but also position themselves for long-term wins.
• Achievements
• Determined tools and indicators (Health, Safety, Sustainability, Stewardship)
• Fostered the conversation in communities (Educate)
• Advised, collaborated, coordinated, aided community sustainability efforts/initiatives (e.g. De Pere Library Solar project and De Pere March eco-municipalities meeting)
• Sustainable Communities Committee Work Plan
• Awareness-determine what communities are already  pursuing in relation to reporting on sustainable communities
• Research/benchmarking/baseline-find out what  data/research has already been done
• Determine what the New North" vision" is for Healthy, Sustainable Communities
• Analyze gaps and develop action plan for increasing awareness/sharing best practices among communities

 

Brownfields Subcommittee–  Brownfields, because of their locations near existing infrastructure, populations centers, river fronts etc. can be real diamonds in the rough rather than being a blight on the community.

 

Issues

Often state and federal grants and other local incentives make them desirable for redevelopment. There are some tremendous opportunities for multi-use facilities in these areas.  Some areas of the NEW North do well with brownfields developments, recognizing their economic and community viability. Other areas, not so much. There was good progress with the subcommittee in 2009 and that will continue on in 2010.  The subcommittee wants the local ED people and NEW North to include brownfields redevelopment literature in company inquiry packets.

 

Achievements

• Once the NEW North's website is updated, the subcommittee will add items/links to brownsfields websites and information about grants and  "green team" opportunities.
• The subcommittee compiled a "best practices" case study of a consultant who routinely uses "green" remediation technologies and sustainable redevelopment options to bring blighted properties back into full use.
• The subcommittee is available to host "green team" meeting or at least try a pilot protect whereby subcommittee members would meet with a prospective purchaser/development who is purposely seeking a brownfields property. The subcommittee with its varied expertise and knowledge would assist in finding a property and help guide its remediation and redevelopment   
• Other collaborators will be brought to the table to gauge effectiveness and how through collaboration project can advance
• Success/stalling/failure will be communicated to all parties that need to know.

Energy and Built Environment Subcommittee-

The NEW North Sustainability Committee continues address the expanding needs for sustainable land use development with the creation of a new Energy and Built Environment Subcommittee. This group will help expand the lines of communication between the committee and the larger community by promoting a Built Environment Sustainable building and development strategies, to become a sounding board for many discussions on sustainable or "green" building, zoning, and subdivision codes, and by researching various options and policy mechanisms to determine feasibility for incorporation into the overall task force mission.

• Developing a broader, more comprehensive range of sustainable development incentives and requirements is a large task and will require participation from the building and development industries, as well as the public at large. In an effort to create practical incentives and requirements supported by the community, this ad hoc advisory group will play an essential role and be made up of a broad spectrum of professionals throughout the community.

Energy

Subcommittee will develop baseline metric for a neighborhood and/or small town or city so as to illustrate the improvement as our work progresses. LEED for Neighborhood Development will be one of our benchmark tools.

Have energy reduction round tables and other ways of getting peer pressure and increased knowledge of  their behaviors on energy use and energy reduction

 

Arts Sub Committee-

Mission: To encourage an appreciation for and participation in the visual, performing and literary arts. We begin and end with the mission – it is our reason for being, not only organizationally, but legally.  While a for-profit business's ultimate aim is to create profit for its owner(s), a not-for-profit is legally obligated to place accomplishment of the mission as its ultimate aim.  Therefore, all planning needs to keep the mission in mind – we must prioritize our goals according to what can best accomplish the mission and avoid activities which do not advance it.

 

Achievements

• We conducted a SWOT analysis to try and define the current situation of Arts.  This exercise helps uncover in a short time both internal and external issues facing the organization.
• We participated in statewide conference for the arts.

Business Innovation and Collaboration Subcommittee- (New Subcommittee)

There is need for innovation and technology to drive the development of sustainable jobs in the NEW North.  Also, there are a lot of ideas that are gathering dust because of lack of resources (i.e time, capital, fear of collaboration, etc).  With a coordinated effort, the NEW North can become a leader in sustainable economic future, one that will live in its own "blue ocean". The purpose of this initiative is to promote NEW North's global reputation as the place to manufacture high quality products, implement cutting edge technology and develop a highly skilled workforce by acting locally, together, to generate

new streams of revenue and new opportunities for growth.

 

NEW Wilderness Alliance – (New Subcommittee)   

Mission: The NEW Wilderness Alliance is established to provide an avenue for conservation organizations to facilitate communications, increase efficiencies (particularly in grant opportunities) and focus priorities in a way that enhances our collective missions. We pledge to work together to foster cooperation among all groups working for a sustainable future for our area, to tap the substantial organizational resources of the area to enhance natural and applied science research, best practices development and information sharing, and to use formal and informal education, and traditional and social media to educate and inform the residents of our area concerning the vital importance of green space and biodiversity to the quality of life in our communities.

 

Vision:

• We envision a cooperative effort where the natural beauty, biodiversity and unique habitats of the (area) are preserved for the next 7 generations and beyond, where our citizens, industry and government work together towards a sustainable future to enhance our quality of life and economic vitality, and where the love of outdoor recreation in our abundant green spaces transforms into a sustainable land use ethic.