Sustainability

Over the past few years we have experienced unprecedented demands on natural resources including  non-renewable energy sources.  This has resulted in the rapid escalation of the cost of energy causing homeowners, businesses and institutions to find ways to use these resources more efficiently to minimize the financial and environmental impact.   In response to these pressures, Milwaukee County set forth a series of initiatives to promote practices intended to control operating costs and improve the quality of life for the citizens of Milwaukee County through sound environmental stewardship.

GREEN PRINT The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors and County Executive approved the Green Print Initiatives in 2007.  The goals include:
	Sustainable Construction Retrofit public buildings with high-performance, energy efficient technology to save money Require County-supported construction projects to meet LEED standards
	Resource Management Reduce the amount of storm water runoff and seek ways to use water more efficiently Enhance recycling efforts at County facilities Return unused park land to native grassland and prairie reserve areas
	Alternative Energy Examine the use of renewable energy sources Purchase, when applicable, cleaner technology fleet vehicles
	Education Improve staff awareness of green initiatives and programs Encourage staff participation in efforts to support green initiatives at work and at home Require departments to look for ways to improve energy efficiency
	Procurement Pursue the use of environmentally preferable products, in accordance with the recommendations of the Green Purchasing Task Force Replace traffic signals with LED signals