La Crosse County, WI Sustainability Vision

Type: Policy

Status: Adopted in 2008

Source File: Click here

Text:

La Crosse County Sustainability Vision

• 100% Carbon Neutral Energy
• Top 10 healthiest counties in Wisconsin/US
• 100% Waste Free
• Impacts of decisions on grandchildren
• Roofs with PhotoVoltaics
• Weekly media “green series”
• Lower annual traffic below expansion

• Lower SOV

• No more sprawl

• Increase density

• Education on sustainability for all employees, students, and citizens
• Know carbon footprint

• Cost is—be lowest in WI

• Use Natural Step Framework as compass
• Position La Crosse as regional center for green enterprises
• Increase local food use

• 10% annually

• SustainLANE Top 20

Facilities

• Shut off lights/signage
• Reduce lawn
• Internal recycling/centralized/convenient
• Smart power strips
• Carbon neutral fleet
• Reduce electrical demand/high peak demand alert
• Complete energy audits/incorporate results
• Itemize/summarize results of actions
• Increase stormwater management areas
• Sustainability education/green clean
• LEED certified/ equivalent buildings
• P.V. solar hot water, etc. at facilities

Internal Education

• Office sustainability coordinator
• Training/orientation for new employees
• Online sustainability training
• Regular columns, newsletters, etc.
• Recognitions/awards
• Lead by example @ facilities and events
• Labor/management
• Plan to provide education (internal education plan)
• Accounting system to measure savings (green thermometer)
• Education for developers and public re: sustainable land use (win-win-win)

External Education

• Regular columns in local newspaper
• Op-eds
• Radio, etc.
• Savings reports - past history
• Intergenerational involvement - involve schools
• Our savings and yours - public/private
• Personal success stories
• Dedicate staff time for education (to provide)

Information Technology

• Expand lifecycle to 7-8 years
• Green standards for all IT equip. With life cycle costs considered
• Power management for desktops/servers
• Balance efforts to reduce paper/equipment
• Promote electronic imaging/scanning
• Basic education to reduce paper
• Administrative officials training
• More single devices that serve multi-uses (PDA’s, etc.)
• Use technology to reduce transportation
• Set default for two-sided printing
• Tele-conferencing

Purchasing

• Cradle to Cradle
• Green power
• Green products/definitions
• Vendor standards/RFP
• Life cycle/life cycle costs
• Buy local program
• Triple bottom line (TNS principles)
• Preferences to TNS vendors
• Share purchasing with others
• Reduce packaging
• Group purchasing
• Promote State policies for Green purchasing
• Product Stewardship
• 100% post Consumered
• Electronic credit/debit

Transportation

• Land use/commuting education
• Ride share
• Transit pass
• Incentives for carpooling, etc.
• Encourage public transit in urban/rural
• Tele-commuting
• Full-cost parking
• Bike-friendly (showers, storage, etc.)
• Mopeds, alternative vehicles in pool for use
• Financing for alternative vehicles
• Financing for low-commute housing
• Corridors for pedestrians/elec. vehicles/bikes
• Car-sharing
• Slugging
• High-speed rail