It is with great enthusiasm that I write today to inform you about
Town and County RC&D’s new issue team. Recently, Vision
Team members voted unanimously to change the Energy Team focus
to sustainability. This change will enable a broader focus for
team members to engage the issues related to evolving into a sustainable
and then regenerative society.
To become sustainable we must take a holistic view of the world,
recognizing that we are part of Nature and society. This holistic
view is long range in nature and encompasses as wide a vision
as possible. It works to internalize all costs of production,
regenerate environmental and social capital, and treats wastes
as resource. It creates choice by restoring the capital (commonwealth)
and it assesses a value to the liquidation of the natural and
social capital so that true cost accounting can be utilized in
our daily decision making process. It can provide us with a path
to a living future.
Natural Step Study Circles are leading citizens
to take action in their home communities. Currently taking place
in Jefferson County and the Oconomowoc area and in Dane County.
Let us know if you would like help getting one
started in your community
Partner organizations include:
Sustain Jefferson - www.sustainjefferson.org
Heart of the City - Fort Atkinson - http://heartofthecity.us
The Natural Step
A major focus of the new issue team will be public education of
what sustainability means and how to create capacity to achieve
it. The Natural Step stewardship model for sustainability does
this by providing a process to implement sustainability into our
family, community, business and government. It provides a structure
and methodology, with proven results, to achieve a livable future.
More can be learned about The Natural Step by going to:
http://www.naturalstepusa.org/
http://www.naturalstepusa.org/sustainability-workshop-9-29/
www.1kfriends.org/Eco-Municipalities.htm
www.sustaindane.org/
<http://www.sustaindane.org/>
www.allianceforsustainability.org/
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIzQRKV3BPQ
Please remember that while The Natural Step is a good first
step into a sustainable future, it is by no means the one and
only path in the to becoming sustainable. Come with your ideas,
hopes and concerns about learning and acting to become responsible
citizens of the Earth. Your opinions and input are welcome here.
Thanks,
Greg David, Sustainability Issue Team Co-leader
W4512 Riverdale Lane, Watertown, WI 53094 ph 920-262-9996
Earth1st@mac.com
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Links for Sustainable Energy Use:
Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA)
http://www.the-mrea.org/
The Midwest Renewable Energy Association promotes renewable energy,
energy efficiency, and sustainable living through education and
demonstration. The ReNew the Earth Institute office center is
located at 7558 Deer Road in Custer, WI. Open to the public for
tours weekdays (Monday-Friday) at 1pm. MREA offers workshops that
cover a variety of topics in renewable energy. 18th annual Renewable
Energy and Sustainable Living Fair is June 15-17, 2007. Admission
for one day is $8.00 or $15.00 for all 3 days.
Focus on Energy call 1-800-762-7077 or
www.focusonenergy.com http://www.focusonenergy.com/page.jsp?pageId=8
to use the Farm assessment toolkit (you will need to set up a
free account)
Focus on Energy works with eligible Wisconsin residents and businesses
to install cost effective energy efficiency and renewable energy
projects. Focus information, resources and financial incentives
help to implement projects that otherwise would not get completed,
or to complete projects sooner than scheduled. Its efforts help
Wisconsin residents and businesses manage rising energy costs,
promote in-state economic development, protect our environment
and control the state's growing demand for electricity and natural
gas.
Conservation Security Program (CSP)
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/csp/
Wisconsin information http://www.wi.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/csp.html
. Find fact sheets, self assessment workbook to determine
eligibility, and find contact information. CSP is a voluntary
program that provides financial and technical assistance to promote
the conservation and improvement of soil, water, air, energy,
plant and animal life, and other conservation purposes on Tribal
and private working lands. Working lands include cropland, grassland,
prairie land, improved pasture, and range land, as well as forested
land that is an incidental part of an agriculture operation. This
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service program is available
in all 50 States, the Caribbean Area and the Pacific Basin area.
The program provides equitable access to benefits to all producers,
regardless of size of operation, crops produced, or geographic
location.
RENEW Wisconsin http://www.renewwisconsin.org/
Promotes clean energy strategies--conservation and energy efficiency,
renewable energy, and low-emission distributed generation--for
powering the state's economy in an environmentally sound manner.
Farm*A*Syst http://www.uwex.edu/farmasyst/
is a partnership between government agencies and private business
that enables you to prevent pollution on farms, ranches, and in
homes using confidential environmental assessments. Farm*A*Syst
can help you determine what risks could threaten your family's
health and financial security. A system of step-by-step fact sheets
and worksheets helps you to identify the behaviors and practices
that are creating those risks. All information you gather is confidential.
You decide what changes you need to make and when to make them.
The Learning Store http://www.learningstore.uwex.edu
is a site full of publications to view in PDF form or order paper
copies on a number of energy topics. Click on farming icon and
then energy and the environment button.
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