Monona became part of the Green Tier Legacy Communities Charter (Sustainability Component) in July of 2012, under which the City agreed to carry out sustainability initiatives in five categories:
- Transportation
- Land use
- Energy
- Water
- Waste
The City of Monona is taking a stance on sustainability and others are taking note.
The collaboration between the City of Monona, the non-profit organization The Natural Step Monona, and the University of Wisconsin has made the “Year of Water” a huge success. Monona has made great strides in improving its water conservation and management. Efforts have shown direct increases in awareness, conservation, and management techniques on behalf of the residents and the City of Monona.
Other sustainability projects include the reconstruction of Monona Drive, including incorporation of native landscaping and bike lanes, Green Monona Map, inventory of known contaminated properties for reuse planning, LED Exterior Lighting retrofit Project, HVAC systems upgrades, Water Sense Partnership with the EPA, and Preparing Construction and Demolition Recycling Ordinance.
While the City of Monona and its Sustainability Committee have achieved great success this spring, the work does not end here. Much of the recent accomplishment is due to high levels of commitment of all involved parties. It is crucial that this degree of dedication continues in order to build upon our realizations. From this point on, we encourage more parties to get involved in the movement of the City of Monona becoming a more sustainable place. All environmental issues are caused by a combination of problems, varying in degrees and subject matter. In order to build a thriving environment in Monona, everyone must come together to do their part.
For more information on Monona, please visit the city website.