Shorewood Conservation Committee Builds Community Partnerships
Cross-sector partnerships are common buzz words, but in Shorewood they mean high-impact community change. Shorewood’s Conservation Committee continues to work in partnership with the Village, local businesses, Shorewood Schools and residents to move toward environmentally friendly practices. The results are exciting – and there are many green initiatives taking root in Shorewood.
Shorewood recently passed a resolution to become an eco-municipality, joining other Wisconsin cities that pledge to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, reduce dependence on chemicals and other manufactured substances, and reduce dependence on activities that harm life-sustaining ecosystems. Village staff is receiving training on these principles and is working to develop a long-term Village sustainability plan that will have the entire Village working together toward these goals.
As this plan is taking shape, other initiatives through the Conservation Committee are expanding. Recycling, once just residential pick-up, now includes receptacles on Village properties and parks, at our schools and on Shorewood’s main streets. The latest improvement is to have better marked recycling bins at the Village’s outdoor summer events. And the Village is also considering a switch to a natural lawn care program to improve the health and safety of our residents, pets and our valuable lake and river.
In the business district, progress has been made in the pilot program for Green Leaf Awards. Several businesses are collaborating with a volunteer through the Conservation Committee to meet certain criteria outlined in an assessment tool that helps businesses implement green practices. Suggested changes not only help reduce business’ carbon footprint, but often integrate smart business decisions that save money and increase customer base and loyalty.
In the Shorewood School District, community organic gardens and a host of other new green projects are taking place. Recently, the Intermediate School held a green event where students took a “lunch-break” from their typical day’s usage of 125 polystyrene plates (that decompose in a landfill a gazillion years from now!), and instead, used a paper plate made from pre-consumer recycled fiber for their hot lunches.
Plus, in homes throughout the community, the Conservation Committee is starting a mentoring program for residents who want to implement a home composting system to turn yard waste, fruit/veggie scraps and coffee grounds into nutrient-rich soil and keep solid food waste out of the landfill.
Healthy green initiatives are taking hold in Shorewood! Everyone can do more at home, at work and at school to implement environmentally friendly practices and protect and preserve our precious resources.
