In our last post on this issue, we discussed sustainability, which is about providing the best for people and the environment — now and for the indefinite future. Several organizations in the Fox Valley have put forth a commitment to sustainability by implementing such practices in their operations or by offering sustainable products to their customers.
Recently, many companies have implemented wind energy into their operations through installation of wind turbines. This free-to-use, sustainable form of energy is being used at:
SCA, which installed four 100-foot-tall, 20 –kilowatt wind turbines at its Service Excellence Center in Menasha, Wis. Along with the 115 solar panels on the roof, the new turbines are delivering approximately 2 to 2 ½ months of the facility’s annual electrical power needs.
Menasha Corporation installed five wind turbines for electrical generation at its office and manufacturing complex on the southwest side of Neenah, along Highway 41. The turbines are producing enough power to provide for the basic office needs for the company’s headquarters building and Menasha Packaging.
J.J. Keller & Associates has three wind turbines at its Town of Vinland facility that produce 80,000 to 90,000 kWh of energy for the company each year.
Bergstrom Mini in Grand Chute was the first dealership in Wisconsin to feature a wind turbine to generate clean energy for the facility — a first for an automotive dealership in Wisconsin. The facility was also constructed in accordance with LEED standards.
These four companies have all purchased their turbines from Renewegy, an Oshkosh-based wind power innovator.
While they may not have wind turbines, many other Fox Valley companies, institutions and municipalities are also committed to sustainability, including:
Harmony Cafe, a (former) non-profit coffeehouse whose sales support Goodwill of Northeast Wisconsin, composts their coffee, filters and food waste, and uses recyclable cups. Located in downtown Appleton, the café also uses environmentally friendly cleaners, and support sustainability programs & initiatives in the community.
Just Act Natural in downtown Appleton has a mission to offer products and knowledge that benefit people’s well-being. The local offers a variety of green goods, from organic clothing, kitchenware, natural body care, eco-friendly cleaners and laundry soaps, recycled cards and stationery, gifts and more.
The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh has been working to become more sustainable institution for over a decade. For their efforts, he University has achieved many accomplishments and awards, including becoming the nation’s first fair trade university, being named in the Princeton Review “Guide to 286 Green Colleges, being ranked 35th nationally in Sierra Magazine’s Cool Schools survey and building the nation’s first dry anaerobic biodigester, which will heat and power generators, which will produce up to 10 percent of the campus’s electricity and heat.
Neenah, whose citizen-based Sustainable Neenah Committee seeks to identify and foster economically feasible energy conservation and efficiency measures; promote recycling, use of renewable resources; and increase public awareness and access to sustainability programs and services.
Know of other organizations in the community committed to sustainability? Let us know!
Next time, we’ll review sustainable practices that you can implement in your home or business.
