The Sustainability Committee Meets on the Second Tuesday of the Month at 5:30

in the Assembly Room in Town Hall (click here for a meeting schedule and agendas and minutes).

All Are Welcome to Attend!

The Committee

The Town of Menasha Board of Supervisors passed a Resolution in February of 2008 endorsing sustainability and authorizing the creation of a Sustainability Committee, which was subsequently formed in May of 2008.

Committee Members

Michael Dillon, Chair

Kris Koeppe, Vice Chair

Michael VanDyke

Dale McNamee

Rachel Osterling

Maury Cox

Jim Wise

Sustainability

Sustainability Definition: Sustainability is generally defined as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.”

Sustainability Rationale: We are all dependent on the environment in which we live. We all need clean air to breathe; a clean supply of water to drink and to use; nutritious, reasonably priced and readily available food to eat; and shelter from the elements. We all have a right to a safe living environment, where we have access to these necessities, and we have the responsibility to sustain resources for future generations. With a rapidly increasing human population, it is more important than ever that we do not waste, or destroy needlessly, the resources on this planet that make human life possible.

(From The Natural Step: www.naturalstep.org)

Sustainability Consists of Three Main Elements:

1) Environment – protecting the natural resources that we depend on for life (clean air, water, food, shelter)

2) Economy – providing cost effective goods and services

3) Society – meeting human needs fairly and efficiently

2009 Town of Menasha Sustainability Goals and Objectives

1. Develop a policy for sustainability to guide actions and decision-making to submit to the Town Board for approval and adoption.

2. Develop and implement a plan to raise overall awareness of sustainability within Town Hall and the greater community in hopes of causing a significant change in thinking and decision-making.

3. Develop and implement a plan to measure the current “carbon footprint” of the Town of Menasha.

4. Based on the results of the carbon footprint assessment, develop and implement a plan focused on reducing the Town’s carbon footprint and overall impact on the environment.

5. Within the Sustainability Committee, develop and implement a plan for continuous learning and improvement of the Committee and its effectiveness and impact on others.

Links to Learn More:

Calculate your Carbon Footprint: http://www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx

Green Tips Library:  http://www.sierraclub.org/tips/

The Natural Step Approach to Sustainability: http://www.naturalstep.org/en

US Green Building Council’s Green Home Guide: www.greenhomeguide.org/

ECOS-Fox Valley:

ecos-fv.blogspot.com/

Sustainable Communities Network:

www.sustainable.org/

Rain Garden Resource:

http://dnr.wi.gov/runoff/rg/

Click here to see a Sustainability Toolkit for Local Governments Created by UW-Extension

*Please contact the Town of Menasha’s Community Development Department for more information on the Town’s effort towards sustainability: 920-720-7105; rhull@town-menasha.com or gdearborn@town-menasha.com.