Going Garbage Set for Third Discussion in Environmental Speaker Series

With two successful environmental programs under their belt, Going Garbage and Recycling Inc. of Sister Bay is set for the third topic in its newly formed Environmental Speaker Series. The lecture, “Travel Green Wisconsin– Certification Information and the Benefit for Door County Businesses,” will take place on Wednesday, March 12 at 7 pm at the Sister Bay Fire Station, located at 220 Mill Road in Sister Bay.

The success of Wisconsin’s tourism industry is heavily dependent upon the state’s scenic areas – our lakes, forests, rivers, and other open spaces – and the wildlife that inhabit them. Understanding this, the Wisconsin Department of Tourism is working closely with the hospitality tourism industry to preserve Wisconsin’s pristine natural product attractions. The outcome of this working relationship is the Travel Green Wisconsin program, an initiative that encourages tourism operators to reduce their environmental and social impact and deliver a marketing advantage for both their business and the state as a whole.

The Travel Green Wisconsin Certification Program was launched in 2006 as a pilot, with the program opening up to the state in 2007. TGW is a voluntary program, and features a point system that highlights specific categories of environmental protection, such as waste reduction, energy efficiency, and water conservation. Certification is based on this point system and each tourism entity has the opportunity to personalize their own program by choosing additional conservation practices to implement. The program is designed to encourage participation from every sector of the business community, and shows that all businesses – small or large – can do their part to reduce their overall impact on the environment.

Christi Decker, co-owner of Going Garbage Recycling, is excited about the prospect of the Travel Green Wisconsin program and the effect that it could have on tourism businesses in Door County. “Being that Travel Green is a new program, I think Door County has a great opportunity to be at the forefront of sustaining Wisconsin’s natural resources and culture. Our beautiful landscapes and shoreline is the reason that we get so many visitors to the peninsula, so a business participating in the Travel Green Wisconsin program seems like a natural step.”

The Travel Green Certification lecture will feature Will Christianson, the Outreach Coordinator of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism. Christianson joined the Department of Tourism in January 2004, and headed a department effort to establish a sustainable tourism program for Wisconsin. “Travel Green Wisconsin is the first program of its kind led by a state tourism agency in the United States,” says Christianson. “The program is gathering much support all across Wisconsin, including Door County. There are a few Door County businesses that have been Travel Green certified, and I’m hoping that number can grow after people come to the Going Garbage lecture and learn about the certification process. It’s voluntary, it’s affordable, and it makes a big statement about your business.”

Going Garbage encourages all Door County businesses who are currently Travel Green certified to attend the lecture and speak up about the reasons for becoming certified and what the certification has done for their business. In addition, all businesses curious about Travel Green Wisconsin certification are encouraged to attend as well.

The next Going Garbage Environmental Speaker will be Wes Damro, who is the Solid Waste Administrator for Brown County. Damro’s concentration is on hazardous waste, and topics in the lecture will range from what is classified as hazardous waste to how to properly dispose of it, specifically e-waste. Attendees of this lecture are encouraged to come at 6:30 pm before Damro speaks to see a film screening of “The Digital Dump,” a 22-minute documentary about exporting digital waste to Africa.

For more information about the Going Garbage Environmental Speaker Series, or about Going Garbage and Recycling Inc, please call Christi Decker at 920.854.2114.