An affiliate of the WMEP.
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August Newsletter Content
- 2019 Sustainable Business Awards
- Meet the Interns
- Green Masters Program
- Conference Corner
- Sustainability Events
- Focus on Energy Pop-Up
- Trend Setters
- Inspiration Corner
- In the News
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Greetings!
Summer is making its turn toward cooler nights, shorter days and back to school. Football season is starting, which, as my husband proclaims, is a reminder and reassurance that our activity pace can slow and that soon the leaves will change color and fall. As someone born in summer, I savor the warm nights and humid air, but I also appreciate the structure that “back to school” provides. As the
Green Masters Program FREE deadline approaches (August 31), the structure helps me prioritize more office hours to process applications. I appreciate the focus and I am thoroughly enjoying learning all the ins and outs of the program! (
So don’t delay, get your application in today
!)
This month, I am excited to announce that our
2019 Sustainable Business Awards are now OPEN
.
Updated this year to include four awards, they are meant to
recognize businesses and individuals that are prioritizing sustainability and making strides towards impactful change.
New this year,
we expanded our leadership award to two categories: Executive Leader and Sustainability Champion.
Do you know someone who exemplifies sustainability? Is there someone in your organization that is a tireless champion for integrating sustainability? Consider
nominating
them today!
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2019 Award Categories
Applications open now through Oct 18
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Hello! My name is Kylie, and I am the
marketing and communications intern for the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council. I am a senior at UW-Madison double majoring in Environmental Studies and Journalism-Reporting along with two certificates (minors) in Digital Studies and Photography. This past spring, I studied abroad at James Cook University-Cairns in Australia. It was remarkably humbling to be surrounded by like-minded environmental activists and to participate in the global climate strikes in an area of the world that is largely affected by the rising temperatures. I’m excited to be working for WSBC since they have goals that align with mine. I want to play a role in making Wisconsin a more sustainable and environmentally friendly state. I enjoy having a job that allows me to make a difference in my community and makes me feel good about the work I am doing.
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Hi! I’m Hannah, and I am the
marketing and social media intern
for the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council. I am an incoming sophomore at UW-Madison majoring in Marketing and Management/Human Resources with a certificate in Digital Studies. In high school, I started volunteering for a local food bank and found a passion in combating food waste. From there, I became interested in sustainability and took an environmental science class which opened my eyes on how much work there is to do in this field. I wanted to work for The Council because they are making a difference to integrate sustainable solutions and strategies in Wisconsin. I love being able to work for a company that has the same values as my own and allows me to feel good about what I do everyday!
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The clock is ticking on your time to get your FREE Green Masters Program application in. Apply by the end of August
or the price goes up to $100 in September, and $250 in October.
The Green Masters Program:
- Builds a strong foundation for your sustainability programming by assessing where you are today
- Is a comprehensive list of actions you could apply in your operations
- Gives credentials that certify your business as taking sustainability actions
- Provides your company with recognition for your sustainability efforts
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The sustainability profession is evolving, with new ideas, concerns and solutions developing simultaneously and rapidly.
Our annual conference is a place for business leaders to learn, share, explore current trends, and to form and nourish valuable connections.
This year, the conference’s goal is to deliver relevant and timely concepts and practices that move you forward on your sustainability journey.
We have organized the conference into three tracks:
- Starting Strong
- Growing your Program
- Deep Dive
Whether you are just getting started organizing your company around sustainability or you already have a mature sustainability program, this conference will deliver value to help you reach your future goals.
Through a diverse and experienced array of speakers, our subject matter experts and topics will inspire you and give you ideas to that move you forward on your sustainability continuum.
Join us so that together
WE
can continue to advance sustainable business practices in Wisconsin and beyond.
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Sustainability Fair
Hosted by Waukesha County Green Team
Aug 24 | 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. | Waukesha
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The 2019 Sustainability Fair is a gathering of organizations and businesses to inform and engage the citizens of Waukesha County about environmental sustainability.
Attendees of all ages will learn how to implement sustainable practices into their everyday lives, whether it is renewable energy options, gardening and composting, sustainable transportation, zero waste practices and more.
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Pathways Information Sessions
Aug 28 | 10:00 a.m. | Waukesha
Aug 28 | 1:30 p.m. | Madison
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21st Century Pathways is a five-day hands-on workshop to develop a complete custom 3-Year Sustainability Plan with ROIs.
By completing this plan your organization will:
- Develop a detailed road map for sustainability in your organization.
- Understand how sustainability can be a tool to recruit, inspire and retain today’s workforce.
- Identify areas to optimize resource efficiencies.
- Right size sustainability for your business.
- Manage business risks and create new growth opportunities.
- Become a Green Masters Program Participant.
Join us for an information session to learn more about the program details and if it's a right fit for your company.
*Both events are in person and
can be accessed virtually
. If you want to participate via web, please register.
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Women in Sustainability - Investment Conversation
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Aug 28 | 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. | Milwaukee
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Women tend to be underinvested and not as aggressive when it comes to their security. Join us in a conversation about investments and understanding the ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) world and how it relates to us our investments.
The conversation will be focused on understanding how you can take charge of your future and independence and debunking the myth that investments are complicated.
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Alliance for Water Stewardship
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Foundations of Water Stewardship |
Sept 10
Advanced Water Stewardship | Sept 11
Specialist Training | Sept 12
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Are you looking to mitigate water-related risks at your facilities or within your supply chain? Do you need a strategic framework to help identify water risks and opportunities and then put an action plan into place to address those risks and opportunities? If so, then WMEP can help your organization through AWS training. This training can be one day, two days or all three.
After the training, you will be equipped to advocate for water stewardship and implement the International Water Stewardship Standard (AWS Standard) at sites within your organization (industrial, agricultural or municipal).
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Women in Sustainability Social
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Sept 18 | 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
| Milwaukee
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Join Women in Sustainability for an evening of casual networking and further exploration into the green infrastructure scene in Milwaukee!
We will meet outside of the Iron Horse Hotel and walk to the neighboring Brix Apartments parking structure to visit the rooftop green/blue roof. We’ll spend some time here discussing the current green infrastructure scene in Milwaukee and learn more about how the Brix hybrid rooftop system works hard with other neighboring stormwater friendly properties, like Coakley Brothers, to mitigate volume stormwater runoff in our urban Milwaukee environment.
This FREE* event will finish off with a happy hour right next door at the Iron Horse Hotel! *Happy hour purchases not included.
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Building the Business Case for Renewable Energy
Sept 30 | 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. | Madison
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Now is the time for renewable energy and the business case has never been better.
This event is designed to demonstrate the options, benefits, and details of how businesses are adding renewable energy to their operations.
Showcasing businesses that have installed renewable energy projects, each speaker will share the story of why and how they determined their project, the design process, how it was built, how they got internal alignment and how they made the financing work.
Following the speakers session, we invite you to an exhibit area to talk with experts to get your questions answered!
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Looking for a fun way to engage your employees with energy efficiency? The FOCUS ON ENERGY® program sponsors Pop-Up Retail Events at large employers’ places of business*.
Your employees will leave the event with a greater understanding of their home energy use, including ways to save energy and money. Over 50 employers throughout Wisconsin have brought this great event to their employees -- to do the same, all you need is a date to host and an area at your facility for the booth.
*Target minimum of 200 employees
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As a Certified B Corporation® Evolution Marketing believes in transparency and that it is important to share their 2018 Operational Impacts and Carbon Footprint report with the business community.
Their goal is that by sharing this report, other small/medium sized businesses can see examples of low carbon business decisions, policies, and outreach activities that demonstrate how small businesses can address carbon in their operations. Evolution Marking inspires other businesses to follow their example and is a model for other businesses addressing sustainability. *Questions about the report can be directed to
Lisa Geason-Bauer.
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"My goal would be zero packaging of any type over the next couple years."
-Kim Houchens, Directer of Customer Packaging Experience for Amazon
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In a society that is rapidly switching to online shopping, how can we limit our environmental impact? Online retailers all around the world, including Amazon, are working rapidly to shrink, make lighter, and re-use all that extra packaging — and eventually, maybe, get rid of it altogether.
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Twenty-eight companies with a total market capitalization of $1.3 trillion are stepping up to set a new level of climate ambition.
Source: UN Global Compact
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Co-managers of The Democracy Collaborative's Climate and Energy Program, believe that a public buyout of the fossil fuel industry is the most timely way to bring to heel the industry's insatiable pursuit of profit at the expense of the planet.
Source: Common Wealth report
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The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says a malfunctioning pump at a Jackson County frac sand mine spewed about 400,000 gallons of mine waste into a tributary of the Trempealeau River over the weekend
Source: Wisconsin State Journal
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