Greetings,

The newsletter's primary purpose is to help people learn about events and initiatives related to sustainability in Central Wisconsin.

If someone you know would like to receive the Central Wisconsin Sustainability Newsletter by email, they can sign up by entering their email address in the green box on our sustainability web page at www.uwsp.edu/cnr/landcenter/sustainability.html.

Here is our recent sustainability news as well as a list of upcoming events.

Businesses Moving Toward Sustainability...

Judges Inc. expands Plover-based facility
Adapted from Portage County Gazette article
Plover-based Judges Inc., a healthcare linen company recently poured the foundation for an 11,000 square foot addition to its existing facility. Currently Judges employs 50 people and anticipates hiring more to meet the growing demands of healthcare customers. Judges approaches healthcare laundry with not only patient comfort in mind, but with the health of the environment as well, said Wayne Herzog, owner/CFO. Detergents used to sanitize the linens are green-certified by industry standards and their technologically advanced water systems recycle water used over the course of the cleaning process in addition to recycling the heat from maintaining optimum sanitizing temperatures.

“When hospitals use re-usable linen and not disposables, they take a step towards becoming green themselves,” said Jodi Beck, general manager of Judges.

Readers, advertisers push Portage County Gazette to 10th anniversary
Adapted from Portage County Gazette article
Ten years ago, on July 2, 1999, the first edition of the modern Portage County Gazette was published. The Gazette has a simple mission: provide local news to portage County residents. The Gazette has been able to continue to grow in recent years, with the subscriber base increasing by more than 600 since last year, during an economic time when other newspapers’ circulation are dropping.

EPA says Kohl's and State of Wisconsin among greenest
Adapted from Stevens Point Journal article by Larry Bivins, Journal Washington Bureau
Kohl's Department Stores and the state of Wisconsin are helping to steer the nation toward a clean energy economy, according to the federal Environmental Protection Agency. The agency said Monday that Kohl's ranks ninth on a list of the top 20 partners generating the most renewable electricity on-site. Also, Kohl's and Wisconsin are among the EPA's top 50 partners in buying renewable fuel -- Kohl's at No. 4 and the state at No. 39.

Kohl's, headquartered in Menomonee Falls, generated more than 19 million kilowatt hours of solar energy at its 1,022 stores and 11 distribution centers in 49 states last year. The company also bought more than 581 million kilowatt hours of solar energy, representing 50% of its total energy use. Wisconsin government purchased 94.4 million kilowatt hours of bio gas, such as methane, solar and wind energy last year, 10% of its energy consumption.

Recent Sustainability News...

Stevens Point Eco-municipality Celebrates 1st Anniversary
At the June 15th City Council meeting Mayor Halverson and community members described local sustainable actions and initiatives by the city and civic groups since Stevens Point became an eco-municipality in June 2008.

You can view the video at http://stevenspoint.com/ Choose "meeting videos" on the left side of the page, then "Common Council 6/15/09". Under item 2, the mayor describes what the city has done in the past year. Under item 5, a number of community groups and people talk about what they've done and where they plan on moving toward sustainability. After the meeting, a group of people enjoyed the great cake shown in the photo with our new Stevens Point Eco-municipality logo on it, thanks to Susan Ermer.

Here is a summary of accomplishments reported at the meeting…

Actions taken by the city to move toward sustainability

• Established single stream recycling which has proven to increase the level of recycling city-wide by about 20%.
• Done large lighting projects at the Streets garage as well as the Willett Arena that have reduced our energy use by 40%.
• Alerted city residents that storm drains drain directly into the Wisconsin or Plover Rivers.
• Established a swale project in areas with major stormwater drainage problems allowing for infiltration as opposed to potential surface water contamination via storm sewers.
• Purchased our first hybrid vehicle for the city fleet.
• Painted the first bike lanes in the city’s history.
• Increased bike patrols for the police department.
• Planted over 250 trees and established a “paint the town, plant a tree program.”
• Reusing 7000 feet of old abandoned water mains for our new sewage project.
• Using heat pumps to heat garages using effluent from the wastewater plant.
• Decreased mowing of city lands and watering of city parks.
• Embarked on a major compact fluorescent bulb exchange program in all city facilities.
• Constant and continuing support for our well renowned and state-supported transportation system.

Actions taken by community members and civic groups to move toward sustainability

• Community volunteers distributed compact fluorescent light bulbs and community sustainability information to over 2900 people.
• Seven issues of the Central Wisconsin Sustainability Newsletter were emailed to 500 people.
• League of Women Voters started using reusable and biodegradable dishes at its events and moved its bank account to a locally owned bank.
• Stevens Point resident had an energy audit and crack sealing done on his home and reduced his energy bill by about 15%.
• Eco-municipality Civic Involvement Subcommittee helped with: eight community study groups that were completed by 50 people; rainbarrel workshops; recycling bottles and cans at Riverfront Rendezvous, and the Jazz Festival; and an eco-municipality website, logo and display board.
• Golden Sands Resource Conservation & Development Council rents 3 vacant lots from the city and prepares them to be community gardens. The gardens are full this year with a waiting list.
• Golden Sands RC&D worked with Portage County Master Gardeners to recycle and retrofit food grade barrels to become rain barrels. They have sold 125 rain barrels.
• Central Rivers Farmshed holds Chef on the Square and music at the farmers’ market, attracted over 500 people to a local food fair, supports community supported agriculture farms, has a farmer capacity building program that provides internships for college students to help them become farmers, and holds a farmer appreciation dinner.

Riverfront Rendezvous Recycles
by Kathy Powell at Recycling Connections Corp
Riverfront Rendezvous celebrated their 25th anniversary with fireworks, music and a 2nd year of blue recycling bins. As an Eco-Municipality Stevens Point’s Mayor Andrew Halverson is “thrilled the city has been able to make such in-roads in recycling at an event where over 10,000 people attend daily”. Halverson credited Tom Schrader, City Park’s Director, “for his positive action to make recycling a priority at Riverfront”.

Over 50 extra large bags of aluminum cans and plastic bottles were collected during the 3 day event. Cardboard and some glass were also recycled.

The City’s Park Director, Tom Schrader, reserved the blue Clear Stream recycling bins thru the Portage County Recycling Bin Loan Program. Park crews set them up next to trash cans and volunteers from Stevens Point Eco-Municipality and Sustain Central Wisconsin serviced the bins. “The partnership between Stevens Point Eco-Municipality and Sustain Central Wisconsin volunteers and the City really helped our crews make recycling at Riverfront a success” said Schrader. Mayor Halverson wants to “thank Stevens Point Eco-Municipality and Sustain Central Wisconsin for working together with the city in a team effort. They have been wonderful to help us” with this big event.

“It was a pleasure to work with the City at Riverfront, said Lynn Markham and Susan Ermer who coordinated volunteers for Stevens Point Eco-Municipality and Sustain Central Wisconsin. “Taking concrete steps toward sustainability is what being an Eco-Municipality is all about.”

If your organization, business, municipality or family has an upcoming event check out the County’s recycling bin loan program. There is no charge and the first 25 bags are free. For more Call Solid Waste and Recycling Information Line at 345-5972 or go to the Portage County web site at www.co.portage.wi.us/solidwaste/eventrecycling.htm for a bin brochure and reservation form.

Wisconsin Rapids Sustainability Update
by Joe Ancel
Recycling - Recycling has been initiated at community events in Wisconsin Rapids. The city has begun using recycling containers at Lunch by the River on Thursdays during the summer. Recycling at other events (e.g. soccer tournament, 4th of July, etc.) has been initiated by the Recycling Rangers, an off-shoot of the Citizens for a Clean, Green and Welcoming Community. Recycling containers were purchased by a donation from the Wisconsin Rapids League of Women Voters and a grant from the Community Foundation of Greater South Wood County.

Sustainable Schools - At the conclusion of the school year in Wisconsin Rapids, usable school materials were collected. These items will be distributed through the Fill the Bus program for school children who cannot afford to purchase needed school supplies.

Eco-Municipality - The mayor of Wisconsin Rapids, Mary Jo Carson, will be forming a sustainability committee to explore the possibility of Wisconsin Rapids becoming an eco-municipality. The first meeting of this committee will be held in September on a date yet to be determined.

Transportation - A subgroup of the Citizens for a Clean, Green and Welcoming Community are investigating public transportation needs in the Wisconsin Rapids area.

Sustainable Marshfield News
by Joe Kottwitz

• The 25X25 grant was awarded to the city! The baseline energy data has been collected and we’re in the process of developing a plan for common council adoption.
• Lisa McKinnon held the first part of a two part training session on The Natural Step for the department heads July 28… a little training will hopefully go a long way.
• We got approval from the Council to apply for the Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant. The grant has been submitted as of July 29.

Successful “Choose to Reuse” event in Town of Grant
Adapted from Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune article by Sharon Schwab
The Town of Grant in Portage County held its first two “Choose to Re Use” program in June and July. Town residents are encouraged to participate in the next program at our Transfer Station on Saturday August 8 from 9 am until 5 pm. “Choose to Re Use” is simple: Bring items in good working condition that you want to discard but that perhaps someone else can use (e.g. outdoor furniture, small working appliances, lawn care items, household goods, bicycles, seasonal decorations, knick-knacks, office equipment, books, CDs/DVDs/VHS tapes/Records, clothes, etc.). Take any item that you can use!

Photos or descriptions of large items (sofa, chairs, etc.) along with contact information will be posted at the Transfer Station. Items that have fees associated (e.g. refrigerators, microwaves, etc.) must be signed for and will be charged if no one chooses that item by the end of day.

The objective of “Choose to Re Use” is also simple: Reduce the amount of solid waste that fills our dumpsters and eventually, our landfills. With landfill tipping charges slated to increase substantially, this program may help save the town money in the long term. Plus, you know the old adage, “one person’s trash is another’s treasure”.

So, what did residents bring to our first program? Items included: stereo case, yard sweeper (I regret not snagging that one), end tables, metal shelving, leather office chair, portable ice shack, vanity with lights, cast iron double sink and more. Surprisingly, by the end of the day there was very little left – one volunteer was able to place all the leftovers in her car and offered to take them to Goodwill.

Renewable Energy fair at Custer outdoes itself year after year
Adapted from News of the North article by Marc DeBrock
In Custer, located about five miles east of Stevens Point, a remarkable event is held each year on the summer solstice. Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) hosts what has grown to be the world’s largest Renewable Energy and Sustainable Living Fair. This year, held June 19-21, the fair attracted more than 23,000 people who came together to educate, learn, promote and discuss almost every aspect of renewable energy, energy efficiency, sustainable living and building, transportation and career opportunities.

The workshop tents were standing room only as people flocked to participate in more than 200 available workshops and perused 270 exhibitors. There were three keynote speakers, solar home tours and a silent auction. There was an electric and biodiesel car show, an alternative building demonstration area, and of course, live music and food.

The 20th Anniversary of the Midwest Renewable Energy Fair celebrated the challenges we face as a people on our planet, as well as the solutions. It is people empowering people to provide our children’s grandchildren with a sustainable Earth. It just gets better with time. The full article and slide show is at www.newsofthenorth.net by searching for “MREA.”

Taste of the Season Celebration
by Mary Maller
A Taste of the Season celebration at the Stevens Point Farmers Market on July 17th featured restaurants, bakeries and farmers selling fresh tasty foods made from locally grown, seasonal ingredients. The events highlighted the flavors possible when food is local, fresh and sustainably grown. Also featured was a schedule of local musicians and farmers with educational exhibits explaining why they use sustainable farming practices. The event was sponsored by Central Rivers Farmshed at the invite of the Portage County Master Gardeners and coincided with their annual Garden Parade.

Whitefeather Farm Tour
By Sue Anderson
On July 21 approximately 50 people gathered at the Whitefeather CSA farm in Custer to learn about the sustainable farming practices of that farm that provides 40 households with fresh produce for 22 weeks of the year. Tony and Laura Whitefeather and their intern, JP, gave a great tour of their farm which featured large compost piles, 4 distinct farm gardens growing a wide diversity of vegetables and fruits, a mushroom garden in a pine woodlot, a seed saving garden and organic turkeys being raised for Thanksgiving. Tony's explanations of why he encourages diversity, overplants some crops, raises his turkeys in a movable pen, breaks in new fields with a cover crop rotation, saves some of his own seeds, is not worried about the drought conditions and concentrates on building soil were very informative and appreciated by all.

Local Vegetable Garden Tours
by Sue Anderson
The backyard vegetable garden tours, sponsored by Portage County UW-Extension and Central Rivers Farmshed, have been very well attended with an average of 20 - 30 people per tour. Growers explain how they prepare the soil, deal with insect pests and critters, what varieties of fruits and vegetables they like to plant and other special features of their garden. Future tours are on August 11 and 25 and September 15. Call UW-Ext. for more details.

Midwest Regional Collaboration for Sustainability Education Workshop
By Jeremy Solin
0ver 75 people attended the Midwest Regional Collaboration for Sustainability Education (MRCSE) 2009 Summer Workshop held at Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin from June 22nd -26th. The goal of the workshop was to create a space where people who have a shared interest in community-based sustainability initiatives could collaborate over an extended period to share ideas, find solutions, build innovations, and take action. The workshop was underwritten by a grant from the EPA Office of Environmental Education.

The week long workshop focused on creating transformative learning environments and community-based sustainability education. Many good friendships and kinships were forged as the collaborative formed a lasting sense of community that, for some, transformed and regenerated their vision of a new future. Workshop participants had the opportunity submit an MRCSE seed grant applications to help take their knowledge, skills, and spirit back into their local communities in hope to continue co-creating and evolving this vision with others.

The Central Wisconsin Team was the largest contingent attending the workshop with 10 participants representing Sustainable Stockton, Central Rivers Farmshed, Interfaith Community for the Earth, UW-Stevens Point, Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education, and EarthWonders. The team has submitted a seed grant proposal to continue the learning and sharing of the MRCSE within an expanded learning community. The goal of the learning community will to be to nourish and expand the capacity of Central Wisconsin community sustainability leaders. The learning community will be made up of MRCSE workshop participants and additional interested community members. Activities of the learning community will include sharing successes and challenges in implementing sustainable practices in their personal and professional lives, receiving training on different facilitation skills, expanding their knowledge of community sustainability, visiting and collaborating with other organizations in the state, eating good meals, and exploring the role of play in sustainability. For more information about the MRCSE or the learning community, contact Jeremy Solin at Jeremy@farmshed.org or 342-4643.

Possible Seed Grant opportunities
By Sue Anderson
As a result of the Midwest Regional Collaboration for Sustainability Education (MRCSE) 2009 Summer Workshop this summer, 4 seed grant proposals were submitted by Central Wisconsin participants. Two of the grants are: 1. "Growing the Central Wisconsin Sustainable Community through expanded Study Circles" seeks money to provide facilitation training and to buy films and workbooks for future study circles. 2. "Increasing Community Awareness of Benefits Accrued in Building a Local Food Economy" seeks money to sponsor essay contests within select Central Wisconsin businesses for a free CSA membership for the 2010 season, as a means of teaching about CSAs, local foods and sustainable growing practices.

Oliver wins Farmshed essay contest
Adapted from Portage County Gazette article
Deb Oliver, an English teacher at the Fernandez School for Alternative Learning in Stevens Point, won first place in an essay contest sponsored by Farmshed that was open to all employees in the Stevens Point Area Public School District. The prize was a seasonal membership in a local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm. That means Oliver and her family will receive a weekly box of fresh, locally-grown produce from Whitefeather Organics, a sustainably-operated produce farm in Portage County. On receiving her first box of vegetables, Oliver said “It’s like having a garden without the work!”

The Farmshed web site at www.farmshed.org provides more information about how to contact local farmers who use sustainable farming practices. For more information about join in the weekly 7 am breakfast meetings on Friday mornings or call 592-4051.

Portage County Progressive Action Network plans to bag the bags
by Eric Olson
The average person in Portage County uses over 300 single-use plastic shopping bags every year. That adds up to over 21 million bags per year. Single use bags waste resources and are an unnecessary addition to landfills. Beyond recycling, people can simply reduce demand by using reusable shopping bags made from cloth and other materials, but the reality is that only a minority of people choose to do so today. To change this, Progressive Action Network – Portage County is planning a fall campaign to raise awareness and promote reusable shopping bags. We need your help- to participate in our campaign, please contact Michele Bjella at michelebje@yahoo.com or come to one of our informal planning meetings every Tuesday at 8am at Emy J’s.

Donation will promote native plants
Adapted from Portage County Gazette article
A donation by Prairie Nursery of Westfield will help a number of nonprofit organizations and schools in central Wisconsin promote the use of native plants in gardens and lawns. Prairie Nursery donated 1.426 native plants to the Central Wisconsin Chapter of Wild Ones, a group that advocates for environmentally-sound landscaping practices. Chapter member Dan Dieterich, Stevens Point, collected the plants at Prairie Nursery on June 25, and he immediately started distributing them to groups and schools that wanted them. Recipients of the plants were:

• Boston School Forest (Plover) - 143 plants
• Kennedy School (Junction City) Native Garden - 31 plants
• Marshfield Community Garden - 80 plants
• Mead Wildlife Refuge Education Garden - 259 plants
• Mead Wildlife Refuge Prairie Restoration - 417 plants
• Pittsville School District Butterfly Garden - 69 plants
• Plover Public Library’s Native Gardens - 47 plants
• Marathon City Schools Native Garden - 142 plants
• Marathon County Landfill Prairie - 50 plants
• Patch Street Native Prairie Patch (Stevens Point) - 41 plants
• Saint Paul’s Methodist Church Prairie (Stevens Point) - 67 plants
• Washington School (Marshfield) Prairie - 80 plants

Native plants cut down on lawnmower gas, don’t drain the local water systems and bring back local wildlife. “In order to have native bugs, you have to have native plants,” Dieterich said. “Birds feed on native bugs, so it really is important for people to plant natives.” More information about Wild Ones is available at www.for-wild.org or by calling Dieterich at 344-1063.

Woodson Art Museum certified as “green” destination
Adapted from artdaily.org
The Woodson Art Museum in Wausau is a Travel Green Wisconsin destination after receiving certification from the Wisconsin Department of Tourism. The Museum’s application scored 65 points, well above the 30-point minimum required for Green recognition. It scored highest in waste reduction, reuse, and recycling; local community benefits; air quality; energy efficiency, conservation, and management; and landscape conservation and management.

Evaluators praised several innovative and ongoing best practices at the Woodson, including its reliance on donated recycled items that are used for children’s craft projects; reuse of artwork packing materials; downward illuminating parking lot lights that reduce light pollution; and trees planted around property perimeters to reduce erosion and conserve moisture. Learn more about the art museum at www.lywam.org

Upcoming Events...

Menu for the Future local discussion group starting soon
A new community-wide discussion group will focus on issues related to food issues using a series of short essays called Menu for the Future. Learn what others around the country have done as families, as individuals, as businesses, and as communities, to create a more ecologically sustainable culture. To find out more, keep an eye out for future emails or call Mary Maller at 592-4051 or Lynn Markham at 346-3879 or lmarkham@uwsp.edu Details about Menu for the Future are at www.nwei.org/discussion_courses/course-offerings/menu-for-the-future

August 2009

August 1, 10-11am
Stevens Point Farmers Market Presents: Chef on the Square
Featuring local food demonstrations with Rockman’s Catering

August 1, 9am-1pm
Local Food Rocks! at the Market @ Emy J’s , Stevens Point, WI
Raikowski Farm will be at the Stevens Point Market teaming up with Rainy Worzella of Art Village for an event called “Local Food Rocks!” Rainy will help us all to tap into our creative sides and create a visual art project that will remind us of how important local food is. Come to the Downtown market and paint a rock to take home. Set your art work on a shelf or mantel as a visual reminder of how our small efforts all come together to build a strong local food community. Local Food Rocks! For more info, contact Sara Raikowski at 457-3491 or saraandlarry@tznet.com

August 8, 9am-5pm
Choose to Reuse event for town residents – Town of Grant transfer station, Portage County, WI
Bring items in good working condition that you want to discard but that perhaps someone else can use (e.g. outdoor furniture, small working appliances, household goods, books, CDs/DVDs/VHS tapes/Records, clothes, etc.). Take any item that you can use!

August 10, 8:30am–4pm
Are Your Pickles Good Enough to Sell? Food Safety Workshop For Small Food Processors Marathon County Extension Building, 212 River Drive, Wausau, WI
Small food processors looking to join the buy-local trend and sell canned foods can sign up for a workshop that will teach them how to do it safely. The training is jointly offered by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and the University of Wisconsin-Extension. The training will apply only to acidified canned foods, such as pickles, salsa and relish. Completing the training and passing two exams will allow participants to meet a requirement for the Wisconsin acidified food processor license. For more information contact Barb Ingham, UW-Extension, at 608-263-7383

August 11, 7-8pm
Vegetable Garden Tour – 736 Union Street, Stevens Point, WI
Melissa Rice will lead a tour of all interested folks through her private gardens. Sponsored by UW Extension and Central Rivers Farmshed. Free. For more information, contact the Portage County UW-Extension Office at 346-1316.

August 15, 10-11am
Stevens Point Farmers Market Presents: Chef on the Square - Stevens Point, WI
Featuring local food demonstrations with Kevin Polito of Polito’s Pizza.

August 22, 10-11am
Stevens Point Farmers Market Presents: Portage County Library Children’s Puppet Show - Stevens Point, WI
Repeated through the hour.

August 25, 7-8pm
Vegetable Garden Tour - 1941 Ridgewood Court, Plover , WI
Deb Aeby will lead a tour of all interested folks through her private gardens. Sponsored by UW Extension and Central Rivers Farmshed. Free. For more information, contact the Portage County UW-Extension Office at 346-1316.

August 29, 10-11am
Stevens Point Farmers Market Presents: Chef on the Square – Stevens Point, WI
Featuring Chef Randall Smith of Hotel Mead.

September 2009

September 5, 10-11am
Stevens Point Farmers Market Presents: Chef on the Square - Stevens Point, WI
Featuring Chef Lydia of Bistro 212.

September 8, 7-8:30pm
Rootcellar Workshop - Portage County Court House Annex, Room #2, Downtown Stevens Point, WI
Ken Schroeder, UW Extension Agent, presenter
Learn about management of existing root cellars and how to create root cellar conditions in your home. Free.* Registration preferred – call 346-1316. Sponsored by UW-Extension and Farmshed

September 12, 10-11am
Stevens Point Farmers Market Presents: Music in the Market - Stevens Point, WI
Featuring Steve Bjella reading children’s folk tales accompanied by a violin.

September 15, 8:30am–4pm
Are Your Pickles Good Enough to Sell? Food Safety Workshop For Small Food Processors - Wood County Extension Building, 400 Market Street, Wisconsin Rapids, WI
Small food processors looking to join the buy-local trend and sell canned foods can sign up for a workshop that will teach them how to do it safely. The training is jointly offered by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and the University of Wisconsin-Extension. The training will apply only to acidified canned foods, such as pickles, salsa and relish. Completing the training and passing two exams will allow participants to meet a requirement for the Wisconsin acidified food processor license. For more information contact Barb Ingham, UW-Extension, at 608-263-7383.

September 15, 7-8pm
Vegetable Garden Tour - 1375 Bob White Lane, Stevens Point, WI
Jen Zach will lead a tour of all interested folks through her private gardens. Sponsored by UW Extension and Central Rivers Farmshed. Free. For more information, contact the Portage County UW-Extension Office at 346-1316.

September 19, 1-3pm
Sauerkraut, Kim Chee and Pickled Eggs Demo - St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 600 Wilshire Boulevard, Stevens Point, WI
Jen Zach and Janis Borski, presenters
Learn how to make sauerkraut, kim chee and pickled eggs. Info on equipment, preservation, and growing cabbages will be included. Two different types of kim chee will be demonstrated, one hot and one not. Free. Sponsored by Farmshed and St. Paul’s UMC

October 2009

October 3, 9am–3pm
Green Living & Energy Expo, Marshfield - Mid State Technical College campus, Marshfield, WI
Sustainable Marshfield will be hosting the first annual Green Living & Energy Expo Saturday, expo will be held at the Mid State Technical College campus in Marshfield. Workshops will be held from 10am – 2pm on a variety of topics including green building, rain gardens, native landscaping, climate change, reducing and recycling your waste, sustainable and responsible investing, environmentally sound dairy farm management, and many more. Children’s activities will be available including storytelling, birding, and a scavenger hunt as well as an introduction to the K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP). Local food will also be available throughout the afternoon. Join us in celebrating the first annual Green Living & Energy Expo!!! Contact: Amy Peterson, MSA Professional Services Apeterson@msa-ps.com

October 10, morning
INFORMATIONAL program about Green & Healthy Schools - St. Paul’s Methodist Church, Stevens Point, WI
The League of Women Voters will host an INFORMATIONAL program at St. Paul’s Methodist Church about Green & Healthy Schools, which is a partnership of the Department of Public Instruction and the Department of Natural Resources. Tess Jilot, a state Natural Resources Educator, will be the speaker, plus Monica Hawpetoss will tell how this program was introduced at Meadowbrook School in Howard-Suamico. School staff, teachers, students and interested parents are encouraged to attend.

Schools across Wisconsin are demonstrating their commitment to a more sustainable Earth, stronger communities and healthier, more productive learning environments for students by choosing to join the Wisconsin Green and Healthy Schools program. The Wisconsin Green and Healthy Schools program is a web-based, self-paced and voluntary program available to all Wisconsin public and private elementary, middle and high schools. The program is designed to support and encourage schools in their quest for a healthy, safe, and environmentally-friendly learning environment. For more about the Green & Healthy Schools program see www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/greenschools

October 10, 9am-noon
Sauerkraut, Kim Chee and Pickled Eggs Demo - St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 600 Wilshire Blvd., Stevens Point
Join us in making applesauce from local apples. Take applesauce home to put in your freezer. Bring plastic containers to hold 2-4 quarts of applesauce. Small donation to cover materials. **Registration preferred. Call 592-4423. Sponsored by Farmshed and St .Paul’s UMC

October 11-12
Wisconsin Interfaith Earthkeeping Conference: Greening Our Faith Communities and Our Lives - Ramada Inn, Stevens Point, WI
Keynote speakers are The Rev. Sally Bingham presenting Global warming: Our Greatest Moral Challenge and The Rev. Dr. David Rhoads presenting Living Responsibly in the Web of Life. Workshops include Wisconsin’s Inconvenient Truth; Season of Creation; Earth-Honoring Worship beyond Earth Day and more. For more info see www.wicec.org or call 608-222-7339.

The Midwest Renewable Energy Association has many workshops scheduled for central Wisconsin about photovoltaics, window quilts, solar hot water systems and wind systems. See their workshop page at www.the-mrea.org/course_workshops.php for more information.

If you would like an event you or your organization is sponsoring to be included in the Sustainability Newsletter, please send submissions to Center for Land Use Education

• Date, time, location, contact information, and a short description of the event.
• Send a brief justification as to why this event is relevant for the newsletter.
• Respond with "Sustainability Newsletter" in the email subject line.

Thank you and please forward this invitation to any who may be interested in advertising in the newsletter.