Green Tier Advantage 2008
Over 150 people, including leaders from business and environmental groups and state government officials, came together to discuss emerging trends and credible ways of achieving real business advantage through environmental leadership. The two-day conference in Madison featured a keynote address by Governor Jim Doyle and remarks from DNR Secretary Matt Frank, Commerce Secretary Jack Fischer, Sen. Mark Miller, Sen. Neal Kedzie and leaders from business and environmental groups to look at the future of environmental and economic cooperation.

Click here to see the agenda, media release, selected articles and speaker presentations.

A special thanks to our sponsors.


The North American Ecotourism Conference 

Held at the Monona Terrace in September 2007, this conference brought together hundreds of international ecotourism experts, government officials, and travel/hospitality industry practitioners working towards responsible tourism. Travel Green Wisconsin was highlighted as an example of how a state is taking the lead on ecotourism.
To read a recap of the conference, click here.

WEI is excited to announce that the Travel Green Wisconsin program is operating statewide. To learn more about Travel Green Wisconsin, click here.
 

To view part of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism's April Pride Campaign, a commercial featuring Gaylord Nelson, please click here.

Green Built Home named Program of the Year at the National Green Building Awards!  WEI would like to thank all the sponsors, builders, and partners who have made this possible.  For more info, click here.

Wisconsin: Green and Growing
An Up-Close and Personal Tour of the Region’s Leading Bioindustry Projects

See photos from the tour!

In November 2006, Wisconsin Environmental Initiative (WEI), in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and the Department of Natural Resources, hosted a regional tour of leading bioindustry projects.   Over 100 people including legislators, local officials, representatives of the news media, state regulatory and policy officials, and representatives from Wisconsin's leading business and environmental organizations traveled together to examine, experience and discuss exciting examples of the future bioeconomy. 

The tour concluded in Madison, Wisconsin for a reception with Agriculture Secretary Rod Nilesestuen and Department of Natural Resources Secretary Scott Hassett featuring light refreshments and an exchange of ideas, reactions, and thoughts about how to advance and improve Wisconsin's Bio-economy initiatives. 

The program was modeled after 2005's successful "Green & Growing" bus tour, reception and conference which highlighted the Green Tier program and efforts by companies to improve their environmental performance while boosting productivity and cutting costs.  For more on last year's effort, please scroll down the page. 

Tour stops were:

Ø       UWGP Ethanol Facility, Friesland, WI
Download the tour stop Fact Sheet

Ø       Sanimax Energy Biodiesel Plant, DeForest, WI
20 million gallon capacity opens Dec. 2006
Download the tour stop Fact Sheet

Ø       Agrecol switchgrass growing and production facility Evansville, WI
Download the tour stop Fact Sheet

Ø       Labs of Lucigen Corporation and C5-6 Technologies Madison, WI
Download the tour stop Fact Sheet

Ø       Ballweg Chevrolet (Flex-fuel vehicle dealer) and E-85 station
Download the tour stop Fact Sheet

Click here for a detailed bus tour schedule

Thank you to our sponsors!

Agrecol     Ballweg Chevrolet     Lucigen Corporation  
     Michael Best & Friedrich     North Prairie Productions
Sanimax     UWGP     WisPolitics/WisBusiness.com
XCel Energy
 

Selected Bioeconomy Resources:

Wisconsin POWER Initiative 
Wisconsin Biofuels
Wisconsin Consortium on Biobased Industry
National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition

October 3-4, 2005

Wisconsin's Newest and Brightest Economic and Environmental Success Stories

John Imes' Welcome Message

Bus Tour highlights

Conference highlights with audio playback

Keynote speaker Joel Makower

More information on Green Tier

WI Green Tier up and running

Photos

Bus Tour Highlights

Conference Highlights

On Monday, October 3rd 2005, The La Follette School of Public Affairs, in cooperation with the Baldwin Wisconsin Idea Project and Wisconsin Environmental Initiative (WEI),  launched a major statewide initiative to showcase the impressive progress being made in Wisconsin's nationally respected Green Tier program.

Legislators, local officials, representatives of the news media, state regulatory and policy officials and representatives from Wisconsin's leading business and environmental organizations traveled together on regional bus tours to the top environmentally innovative projects across the state. Participants examined, experienced and discussed these exciting examples of the future of environmental and economic cooperation.

At the end of the first day, each bus concluded its tour in Madison, where cabinet members including Department of Natural Resources Secretary Scott Hassett attended a special reception at Monona Terrace. Legislators who have sponsored or supported Green Tier, including Sen. Neal Kedzie and Sen. Mark Miller, also attended.

On October 4th, WEI hosted a half-day conference to focus more specifically on how businesses can incorporate Green Tier strategies to ensure Wisconsin's environmental quality and economic success. The event featured a primer on the Green Tier law, highlighted tools and resources, showcased business successes and explored the potential for a "green company" benchmark and brand for Wisconsin, a business climate that attracts clean jobs and investment and furthers our state's long tradition of environmental stewardship.

Joel Makower, an award-winning writer, speaker and consultant on sustainable business and clean technology served as a keynote speaker for the event. Joel has helped companies such as Clorox, Gap, General Motors, Hewlett Packard and Procter & Gamble align environmental responsibility with business success. Mr. Makower is the founder of "The Green Business Letter, " an award-winning monthly newsletter on business and the environment, and the Green Business Network, which produces GreenBiz.com, ClimateBiz.com, and GreenerBuildings.com. To read Mr. Makower's column on GE's recently announced commitment to growing clean energy, clean water, and other clean technologies, please click here.

The Milwaukee Green Team is a collaboration of business leaders, government officials and citizens committed to making Milwaukee a vibrant and livable community.  The Green Team has already developed a framework for long term sustainability.
 

WEI participated in a Green Tier fact-finding delegation to Bavaria. Click here for more.

To see the Bavaria-Wisconsin Regulatory Reform Working Partnership Implementation Plan signed by Secretary Scott Hassett and State Minister Dr. Werner Schnappauf click here.

Germany mission highlights green building, new directions in eco-friendly development (.pdf)

To see a few photos from the trip, click here.