Izaak Walton League of BC announces Junior Ikes

Keeping with the weekend theme of the environment, ecology and sustainability, from the Izaak Walton League announces a BROWN COUNTY CHAPTER OF THE IZAAK WALTON LEAGUE JUNIOR IKES, A Youth Chapter For Students Ages 8 – 17

Founded in 1922, the Izaak Walton League is one of the nation’s oldest and most respected conservation organizations. For more than 80 years, the Brown County Chapter has been active in the League protecting the natural resources in Brown County.

In an effort to reconnect children with nature, the Brown County Chapter has recently formed a youth program, Junior Ikes, along with a chapter for
college students. The Junior Ikes program works to involve young people in wildlife conservation and the outdoors.

The Junior Ikes is for any children ages 8-17 who are interested in conservation, wildlife, outdoor activities, community service, and of course, having FUN.

The Junior Ikes Program is designed to introduce youth to our natural resource by involving them in fun, educational activities. The program will
emphasize awareness, appreciation and understanding of wildlife and natural resources.

Members will participate in various conservation and outdoor activities throughout the year. The Junior Ikes program will mix active education with active fun. While the first year has been mostly planned by the Chapter, students will be responsible for determining and planning the group activities.

The Junior Ikes will meet on the 2nd Saturday of each month. Most meetings will occur at Osprey Point but will also take place throughout the area
depending on the activity.

Because the Junior Ikes is a new program, the Brown County Chapter has put together a schedule for 2010 year. The schedule is subject to change depending on the students and their interests.

2 0 1 0 S c h e d u l e

• Jan. 9, 2010 – Build birdhouses and learn about various bird species at Osprey Point
• Feb. 13, 2010 – Snowshoeing / cross-country skiing /winter activities
• March 13, 2010 – Search for fresh whitetail deer sheds
• April 10, 2010 – Plant trees / wildflowers / native plants (weather dependent)
• May 8, 2010 – Nature Photography
• June 12, 2010 – Hiking Trip / birdwatching
• July 10, 2010 – Fishing / Learn to tie flies
• August 14, 2010 – Camping / Wilderness Skills
• Sept. 11, 2010 – Stream Improvement Project Oct. 9, 2010 – Archery
• Nov. 13, 2010 – To be Determined
• Dec. 11, 2010 – Make Nature-Oriented Christmas Gifts

A D D I T I O N A L  E V E N T S  F O R J U N I O R  I K E  M E M B E R S  A N D
T H E I R  F A M I L I E S

T E D D Y  B E A R  H U N T – A p r i l / E a r t h Wee k
The Chapter’s largest community-oriented event is its annual Teddy Bear Hunt which is held as part of the Chapter’s Earth Day celebration. As part of the Teddy Bear Hunt, the Chapter hides teddy bears throughout the trails at Osprey Point so children are able to “hunt” for a special teddy bear while acquainting themselves with the trails and natural resources Osprey Point has to share. Member families purchase a “hunting license” for $10.00, which covers the cost of lunch for the entire family, a teddy bear for each child, and other special
outdoor activities such as fishing, bird watching, geo-caching and nature crafts. The day also includes an educational component wherein families are able
to learn about a conservation related topic or learn a skill they can use in enjoying the outdoors.

F A L L  F E S T – 1 s t  S a t u r d a y  i n  O c t o b e r
During the first Saturday in October, the Chapter sponsors a fall festival which is open to the public. This is another family-oriented event which brings together family members of all ages, including grandparents. It is an afternoon of fun-filled, outdoor activities for the family. The biggest hit is the horse-drawn wagon rides on the nature trails. The children also enjoy the various arts and craft projects, including pumpkin painting and peanut butter bird feeders. There are also other fun activities such as a nature scavenger hunt, fishing and
roasting of hot dogs and marshmallows. The cost per member family is $10.00, which includes the cost of lunch.

F O R  M O R E  I N F O R M A T I O N Visit  www.iwla.org/browncounty,
www.iwla.org/browncounty or contact the President, Jodi Arndt at jla@lcojlaw.com or 920-639-2302.

Sustainability

One year ago, SEED’s for De Pere, (Social, Ecological, Economic Development for De Pere) became part of the De Pere Area Chamber family.  My environmentalist heart and my business head are both very excited to have SEED’s part of the family and I am quite excited about what this initiative can and will accomplish.

I’ve long believed chambers are not only uniquely placed to be an incubator for birthing large concepts and ideas, but also that we have a responsibility to do so.  Think about it, chambers of commerce are the one place where everything intersects in a community.  Businesses (all types and sectors since we aren’t a trade group so no specific industry affiliation), individuals, governments, non-profit organizations, faith-based groups and education all are part of the chamber.    Chambers can be the middle ground where all points of view come together and answer the big questions because everyone needed to achieve Big Hairy Audacious Goals are part of the conversation.

In my mind, sustainability from programs like this one should have five “arms” of activity bases that work on parallel, complementary tracks:

1. Community
2. Individuals
3. Businesses
4. Government
5. Organizations

The basic premise of “sustainable development” is it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of  future generations to meet their own needs.   SEED’s Vision is An Ecologically Sustainable De Pere and the Mission is to Generate Ecological integrity, Economic prosperity,and Social equity for De Pere. Further, SEED’s is:

• A local citizen organization
• A part of a growing worldwide concern
• Creating understanding
• Educating our neighbors
• Encouraging participation
• Promoting a better community
• A 501(c)3 charitable organization as part of the De Pere Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Inc.

They seek to take a “Systems Approach” - We will facilitate a systems approach to create contacts, relationships, and links between different assets and people across all sectors to create a holistic approach to sustainable development.

The group has come up with a comprehensive powerpoint presenting their concepts.  You can download it from here (WARNING:  it is a VERY large file – 7mb, click then get coffee).

Interestingly, in the American Chamber of Commerce Executives newsletter this month, is  a link to a report called:  Enterprise at Home for Progress at Large: The Economics of Sustainability – Chambers of Commerce as the New Civic Players in Environmental Sustainability which is a report on several chambers around the country being key players and leaders in sustainability.

While national debates rage over which production methods will lead to a stronger, more
sustainable environment, and while research and development teams struggle to produce
the next revolutionary technology, it is on the local level that incredible progress is being
made in advancing sustainability measures beyond rhetoric. City governments and grassroots activists are often the most obvious players, but there is a powerful—and perhaps unexpected—player in the green arena that is leading the charge in cutting emissions and conserving energy while boosting regional economies: the business community.

Chambers of commerce throughout the country are instituting green business recognition
programs, working to attract clean industries, creating green jobs, and providing resources to local businesses to implement more sustainable practices. These activities are not wild expansions of their mission, but are essential to fulfilling it. Businesses that emit little emissions and consume fewer resources are the stronger, leaner and more agile businesses of America’s future and as the organizations that work to support economic development and improve local quality of life, many chambers of commerce have dedicated themselves to aiding in the success of green businesses. The ingenuity and forward thinking exemplified by the chambers highlighted here are the first bold steps toward a more sustainable and robust American economy.

Big Hairy Audacious Goals are scary, intimidating and exhilarating.   They are also the first step in achieving anything worth achieving.

If you are interested in being part of the conversation for our area, contact  either SEEDS@deperechamber.org or Volunteers@deperechamber.org and we’ll include you!

Green jobs? Does that mean you get a paycheck?

“Green Jobs.”  We’ve been hearing a lot about those haven’t we?  What *is* a green job?  Have you wondered how your state is doing?  To answer these questions comes the National Governor’s Association Center for Best Practices.

Definition of a “Green Job”
There are many different definitions for what constitutes a “green job.” This, along with a lack of standardized industry data on “green” products, services, and occupations, has resulted in the development of multiple methodological approaches for analyzing the green economy. The approach taken by Collaborative Economics in the link is based on quantifying the core green economic activity defined as business establishments that provide products and services that do the following:

• Provide alternatives to carbon-based energy sources;
• Conserve the use of energy and all natural resources; and,
• Reduce pollution (including GHG emissions) and repurpose waste.

The Green Economy Summary for Wisconsin is below and HERE IS THE LINK for the full report for Wisconsin.  For any other state, click HERE.

WISCONSIN’S GREEN ECONOMY SUMMARY

The emerging green economy is diverse and widespread. To varying degrees, every state is witnessing growth in some green industry segment, and more often than not, this business growth is building off of existing strengths in the state. Familiar products and services are finding new uses or are taking new forms in response to new market demands. As policy makers implement new standards (e.g. building effiency standards, renewable portfolio standard), incentives and regulations, new business opportunities emerge to meet growing demand.

Analyzing a state’s green economy in terms of the scope of green business activity can reveal areas of comparative advantage, promising areas for R&D investment and workforce development, and opportunities for building partnerships within and across green industry segments. Additionally, as incentives and new regulations are introduced, this information reveals the extent of a state’s business base for meeting the coming demand for things such as highly efficiency appliances, renewable energy generation systems, high-efficiency building products, and low-emission fuels.

This analysis examines core green business activity and focuses on businesses that provide products and services that do the following:1 Provide alternatives to carbon-based energy sources Conserve the use of energy and all natural resources Reduce pollution (including GHG emissions) and repurpose waste.

In addition, this summary provides an initial view into innovation in the fields of clean and green technology. State trends in venture capital investment and patent registrations can provide some indication for areas of future business activity.

Green Business Activity

Wisconsin’s green economy summary displays a diverse array of green businesses with different levels of specialization. Compared with the national average, Wisconsin has a strong concentration of green business activity in Transportation and Energy Infrastructure (see Employment Concentration by Green Segment graph, commonly called a “bubble chart”). Areas of growing comparative advantage are in Green Building and Agriculture.

Each “bubble” represents one of the 15 green segments, and its size represents the employment size.2 (The 15 green segments are described in a detailed table below.) With nearly 4,000 jobs, Recycling & Waste accounts for the largest employment of Wisconsin’s green segments. Other green segments with high employment levels include Air & Environment (3,500 jobs), Energy Efficiency (2,800 jobs), and Water & Wastewater (2,550 jobs).

High employment concentration in a particular green segment indicates an area of strength and comparative advantage for a state. This means that the percentage of total employment in a particular segment is higher than the national average.3 For example, Wisconsin’s Transportation segment (which includes non-carbon fuels, vehicles and equipment) is 3.5 times more concentrated than the U.S. average, Energy Infrastructure is more than three-times as concentrated, and Energy Efficiency is twice as concentrated.

Between 1995 and 2007, some segments have witnessed a change in concentration either by becoming more specialized over time or diminishing in concentration. This change is displayed by the placement along the horizontal axis (i.e. x-axis). Of all green segments, Wisconsin’s employment concentration in Transportation increased the most from below the national average to 3.5 times the national average.