Our Mission
We will serve as a catalyst and resource to the Green Bay community to help its citizens, businesses, and government achieve a sustainable future. We will work together to proactively achieve a high quality of life by meeting the needs of people and building a healthy and robust economy and environment.
To achieve this mission we will:
- Educate and Influence – Provide examples of sustainable practices and policies, undertake projects and demonstrations, provide tool kits and local and regional expertise, formulate positions on key issues and make recommendations that help shape policy;
- Measure Progress and Recognize Achievements – Identify the positive impacts on the Community of sustainability activities by establishing benchmarks and metrics, undertaking assessments, initiating projects and developing reports;
- Foster Interaction and Facilitate Collaboration – Bring together those who understand sustainability and those who seek to know more by providing white papers, hosting conferences, roundtable discussions, and study circles, and creating partnerships and collaborative endeavors with other organizations in support of sustainable practices;
- Engage the Community in Sustainability – Take the next steps after education by putting tools into the hands of the people that are meeting in living rooms and coffee shops to carry out the mission. Investigate and implement methodologies/best practices to engage all levels of the community.
Core Values
- Sustainability (as characterized by the following)
- Economic viability
- Environmental health and quality
- Social equity and justice
- Collaboration
- Innovation
- Creativity
The Vision
of
The Sustainable Green Bay Committee
VISION: The long term result and aim of carrying out the MISSION.
Members of the Green Bay community are living out the core values of sustainability, and as a result, positive changes are readily visible in both the built environment and its social fabric. These positive changes are sustainable because they have helped government to be more cost-effective and businesses to be more profitable.
The city’s landscape is uniquely urban, vibrant, and robust as marked by active, dense, mixed-use environments with tree-lined streets, abundant gathering places, and healthy food sources. Urban gardens, fruit trees, solar collectors, and wind turbines are commonplace from downtown rooftops to the far reaches of the city. The community has taken great strides in terms of improving air quality, water quality, and becoming an active, healthy population.
The increasingly diverse people of Green Bay take pride in and advocate for the community because of the quality of life and abundant opportunities for education, the arts, and employment. Young professionals are moving into the community for these same opportunities. People are leaving their cars at home by walking, bicycling, and using transit. The community tackles new problems that arise through collaborative partnerships between government, business, non-profits, and grassroots involvement. The language and values of sustainability are understood and used by all population groups in the city, and policy choices are made based on the framework of people, planet, and profit.
The following elements further define Green Bay’s vision for a sustainable future…
Business
There is a collaboration between business and government as equals, and the business community has become an active partner in moving sustainability forward – including providing leadership to the effort. Sustainability is helping businesses “see green” in terms of their economic well-being.
Government
The language of sustainability is used as a discussion framework for all city committee meetings and appears within the structuring of agendas. Green Bay City Department initiatives, focused on sustainability, are saving the city millions of dollars, and government is taking a lead in, financially investing in, and experimenting with alternative, sustainable practices, including the use of 21st-century accounting practices.
Health
The national view of Green Bay and Wisconsin is changing – as a leader in sustainability initiatives and away from the stereotypes that are typically attached to the community. Obesity and the related health conditions are being reduced in the community. Healthy and safe food is available to all people.
Transportation
Mass transit is serving the entire community and a regional transportation network is established.
We are exploring and implementing opportunities to create walkways that encourage movement without the use of motor vehicles. A comprehensive system of bicycle lanes and corridors is being completed along with the related education and enforcement measures needed to make Green Bay a “bicycle friendly” community.
Collaborative Culture
We have become a national model for community involvement in sustainability and creating pride in the collaborative character of our initiatives. We have involved all population groups in these initiatives – social, economic ethnic, heritage, age, gender, etc. The majority of people speak the language and value the benefits of sustainability, for themselves and for future generations.
We have achieved a measurable gain in consumer responsibility from a sustainability perspective, and we are known for actively protecting our natural resources and utilizing the existing infrastructure for redevelopment.
Energy and Environment
Examples of renewable energy (utilizing alternative, renewable, carbon-neutral resources) are in place throughout the downtown and the community, including solar panels and wind turbines.
We are noted for preserving the existing green spaces, cleansing our waterways, establishing our riverfront as a positive and aesthetic resource to be shared by all and continuing to plant a significant volume of trees and other native plants throughout the urban environment.
Downtown Environment
Our city is viewed nationally as aesthetically pleasing and appealing because we have designed and created a vibrant, healthy, active and interactive downtown that reflects the uses and practices of sustainability.
Vibrancy and Robustness of the City
The community environment and infrastructure encourage walking and taking time to gather together and socialize and reflect a safe environment for all, including the young, in our neighborhoods.
Our young professionals are staying here because of the Community’s focus on sustainability. We are a community of choice – with a mix of work opportunities, arts and cultural celebrations, a diverse population that is inclusive and a community that knows how to have fun. We have established a Center for Arts and Culture to celebrate who we are in all ways.
Administrative
The Sustainable Green Bay Committee has an active advisory panel that guides our work and provides recommendations to government bodies and is a part of the process for implementing those recommendations. The committee has achieved a position of high influence and leadership on a regional basis, reflecting a collaborative approach.
Strategic Objectives
(For the next twelve months)
Educate and Influence
We will hold a major public outreach event that increases awareness and educates community businesses, interested citizens, city staff, and elected officials in the principles and application of sustainability.
Educate city staff in the principles and application of sustainability.
Educate younger people in the principles and application of sustainability. Visit Nicolet elementary school.
We will have an enhanced website and web presence.
Share resources and knowledge by identifying and gathering together the resources that can be applied to creating a sustainable Green Bay.
Measure Progress and Recognize Achievements
In every effort, project, or committee program of the Sustainability Committee, we will establish a metric including baseline and measurable goals.
We will establish base line measurements for sustainability in several key areas, benchmarking off of other state, national and global communities’ best practices. Energy audit from December of 2009 will be starting point for baseline.
We will establish short and long term tactics for improvement. We will recognize the achievements of organizations and individuals who help us achieve performance excellence.
Develop an annual report of committee actions and projects and use it as a starting point for update of strategic plan.
Foster Interaction and Facilitate Collaboration
We will set a goal of one Natural Step study circle being conducted with interested city staff and city elected officials.
We will set a goal of two Natural Step study circles being conducted with interested community members.
Identify opportunities to have ad-hoc membership with governmental, business, and non-profit/NGO organizations that touch sustainability.
Create a collaboration tool that helps the Committee respond to new ideas and the actions in this strategic plan. This tool should identify a process that helps move ideas toward implementation. It should identify people to talk to (city officials, committee members, etc.) and potential funding options.
Community Engagement
Recruit additional individuals and partners.
Increase awareness and presence. Web site. Logo. Tag line.