In 2006, we sent $12 billion out of our state and overseas to meet our energy needs, money that left the economy and didn’t find its way back to Wisconsin workers and consumers. We are intent on changing that statistic. We know that with energy independence and global climate change, there is no silver bullet; only silver buckshot will do.
Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton’s Green Economy Agenda is a series of proposals to empower smart individual and institutional action related to energy independence and climate change as a strategy to strengthen Wisconsin’s competitive position in a global economy.
Watch this space for updates as new proposals are introduced.
Lawton's National and International Leadership on Climate Change and Energy Independence
In 2007, the National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA) passed a resolution, authored and led by Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton, for the nation’s #2 executives to provide leadership in setting ambitious goals to combat global warming and invest in renewable energy.
WISC-TV said, “LG Lawton is one of the best, and we’re proud her leadership is valued on that scale.” The Capital Times praised her efforts saying, “Lawton's lobbying on behalf of the resolution secured support from Democratic and Republican lieutenant governors for a realistic approach to climate change -- a commitment that required the Republicans to break with their president and many party leaders who continue to deny the science of global warming and refuse to respond with the urgency that is required.”
Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton was honored to be selected by Oxfam America as a “Sister on the Planet” ambassador to advocate for mitigating the effects of global climate change on the world’s most economically vulnerable communities. She worked with Oxfam to recruit more Sisters of the Planet and worked with members of congress to craft a strong climate change bill.
Lt. Governor Lawton urged quick passage of the federal American Clean Energy and Security Act.
Lt. Governor Lawton authored and led a Great Lakes Preservation Resolution at the National Lt. Governors Association.
Lt. Governor Lawton joined top-ranking world leaders at the invitation of the former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, for the Women Leaders Intercultural Forum to address issues of climate change and global security.
Lt. Governor Lawton was selected to address the Nobel Women’s Initiative’s international conference Women Redefining Democracy in Guatemala, a gathering of global women leaders convened by the women Nobel Peace laureates.
Lt. Governor Lawton’s Energy Star School Challenge
“School districts are true leaders when it comes to energy efficiency - tight budgets demand it. I challenge 100 Wisconsin school districts to take the next step and commit to improve their energy efficiency by 10 percent.” – Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton
According to the Environment Protection Agency, U.S. schools currently spend $6 billion a year on energy costs, more than they spend on textbooks and computers combined. Inefficient technologies and building design rob them of an average of twenty percent of that energy purchased. With energy costs high and rising, and sure losses due to the inefficiencies of Wisconsin’s aging building stock, the Energy Star Partner program offers school districts an easy way to begin to change operations and habits, and save money doing it.
Lt. Governor Lawton met her goal to enroll 100 new Wisconsin school districts in her Energy Star School Challenge within one year.
Upon hitting her target, Lawton positioned Wisconsin as the nation’s leader in school energy conservation with this program. Lawton announced that Wisconsin boasts more school district Energy Star Partners than any other state -- 113 of 504 in fact, or 22 percent of all school districts and K-12 associations enrolled nationwide.
By joining the Energy Star School Challenge, districts agree to:
- Make a commitment to improve energy efficiency by 10 percent or more.
- Measure and track the energy performance of your organization’s facilities where possible. Tools are available through the Energy Star program at no cost.
- Develop and implement a plan consistent with the Energy Star Energy Management Guidelines to achieve energy savings.
- Educate staff and community members about energy efficiency.
The Office of the Lt. Governor’s website will connect participants to the Energy Star program and other resources, and provide testimony and coaching from Wisconsin school district energy managers. The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will provide participants with a key contact, as well as start-up and measurement tools and technical assistance, online trainings, strategic advice, new construction advice/guidelines, building upgrade manual, portfolio manager, target finder, service and product and program directory, calculators for upgrade and financial value and for cash flow, financing options, behavioral change suggestions, and “quick payback” projects.
If you are interested or want to learn more please call the Office of the Lt. Governor and ask for Matt Dulak at 608-261-2165 or email matt.dulak@wisconsin.gov.
You can click here to read more about the Lt. Governor's Energy Star Schools Challenge.
Wisconsin Communities Act on Climate Change
More than two hundred local government, private industry, environmental and other leaders from over 70 Wisconsin communities were convened by Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton at the Wisconsin Climate Change Summit in Stevens Point to create a framework for regional and local responses to global climate change and energy independence and sign a Climate Change Regional Action Resolution. The event was co-hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
Sessions throughout the day covered topics specific to transportation, bio-fuels and bio-energy, local food systems and community purchasing, opportunities for business innovations, and specific predictions for uneven climate change patterns across the state. Implications for industry and recreation were spelled out – i.e. even a 5.5 degree water temperature increase would eliminate trout habitats in Wisconsin.
“The President-elect committed to investment in a green future for this country; we’re making sure local leaders will be ready to move those resources, to transform it into new jobs and economic growth in Wisconsin,” said Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton. “We’re putting in place a power grid of informed decision-makers, ready to flip the switch on renewable energy and energy conservation in this state.”
Local leaders signed on to a Climate Change Regional Action Resolution. This resolution committed signatories to:
* Develop a community action plan built around the potential for governmental, non-profit and private actions to mitigate and adapt to the challenges of climate change. This plan will include options for energy, transportation, waste management, municipal infrastructure, community purchasing and local food purchasing.
* Create specific goals for the reduction of greenhouse gases and a timeframe for reaching those goals.
* Develop and implement a community-wide public information and education plan built around the issues of climate change and energy independence.
The summit’s unique form placed a region’s lead elected officials –mayors, village presidents, etc.—at the center of teams representing leaders from private industry, economic development, all levels of government, education, media and environmental organizations.
Summit participants submitted forms listing their own work in progress to reduce their carbon footprint, outlined their strategic plan going forward and what kind of assistance they will need to support their success. Data gathered will be compiled in a report to be submitted to the governor and all members of the state legislature.
Lt. Governor Lawton hosted the summit along with the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point, and partnering with Wisconsin Alliance of Cities, 1000 Friends of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin League of Municipalities.
Continue reading more information about the Climate Change Summit here.
Click here to read the Climate Change Regional Action Resolution
Click here to download the information presentations from the Summit
Click here to watch portions of the summit on WisconsinEye
Advising Farmers on Climate Change Opportunities
Going green can mean cash for Wisconsin’s farmers through new Carbon Credit programs trading on the Chicago Climate Exchange. That’s the message Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton and the Wisconsin Farmers Union brought to farmers in South West Wisconsin. They discussed the opportunity to profit through a private, voluntary program through which farmers earn money by implementing environmentally friendly practices.
“Commodity prices have never been higher, but profits to farmers are low today with the high price of fertilizer and diesel fuel," Lawton said. "The Carbon Credit Program puts farmers on the lead edge of recasting the challenge of global climate change as an opportunity to profit, and their participation creates offsets to help move our manufacturing sector forward in adapting to this carbon-constrained economy."
Lawton and Wisconsin Farmers Union President, Sue Bietlich, said the program is relatively simple. Farmers agree to implement certain environmentally-friendly practices, such as designating new acres as no-till, planting new trees or long-term grasses, or capturing methane in digesters. Independent verifiers then determine how many tons of greenhouse gas emissions are saved through each farmer’s efforts, and those tons are converted to “carbon contracts.” There is no cost to enroll.
Other businesses that join the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) agree to a cap on their greenhouse gas emissions, and agree to reduce emissions every year. When they exceed their caps, they must buy carbon contracts in order to offset those excessive emissions. For every 100 metric tons of carbon dioxide they emit beyond their cap, they must purchase one carbon contract.
Any Wisconsin producer who would like to participate in the program can visit http://www.wisconsinfarmersunion.com and click on “Carbon Credits” or call the Farmers Union at 715-723-5561.
Developing Tomorrow's Green Entrepreneurs
As a part of her Green Economy Agenda, Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton announced for the 2009 spring semester, the Business, Environment and Social Responsibility (BESR) Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business will offer “Sustainability Meets Entrepreneurship,” a Friday forum series designed to provide UW students and members of the community access to experts on clean technology and alternative energy.
“This new program will give bright entrepreneurs both the vision and tools they need to develop innovative strategies to address the opportunities of developing a green economy,” said Lawton. “Local economic growth and job creation begins with sustainable development. I applaud our UW-Madison School of Business and the campus’s Wiscontrepreneur initiative for targeting green innovators ready to grow new businesses right here.”
The “Sustainability Meets Entrepreneurship” forums are free and open to the public. However, seating is limited and individuals must register at this link if they want to attend.
“I am approached again and again by people wanting to start up a clean tech or alternative energy business,” said Lawton, who will be the presenter at the Friday, March 27 forum. ”Now they can learn from green business experts who will share their experience – stories of the challenges they’ve met, trends they see and the successes they’ve realized in this growing sector. We want Wisconsin’s entrepreneurs poised to take advantage of the opportunities that can come with a new president who is committed to driving green-collar jobs creation.” This initiative was highlighted on Harvard's Government Innovations Network.
Continue reading...
You can view the forums online at Wisconsin Eye
Energy Star Tax Holiday
Lt. Governor Lawton led off the Green Economy Agenda with her Energy Star Tax Holiday Bill, Assembly Bill 725 and Senate Bill 421, which boasted strong bi-partisan support. The bill would have created a seven-day period each year, anchored by Earth Day in April, during which all purchases of select Energy Star-certified household products costing $1500 or less would be exempt from sales tax. Qualified appliances –dish and clothes washers, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, CFL light bulbs etc.– use 10-50% less energy than standard models. Lt. Governor Lawton sees this bill as a strategy to introduce consumers to the habit of decisions that will conserve energy and save them money on their utility bill.
“The idea is to give the public a break on taxes, give the planet a break on energy use, and give merchants a little shot in the arm. And it’s a good idea which Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton suggested last week,” said the Racine Journal Times. The Capital Times said, “This is a smart, workable scheme, which should be implemented without delay.”
Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation reports that if just one thousand Wisconsin homes switched to an Energy Star refrigerator, dish and clothes washers and changed 25 light bulbs over to compact fluorescent light, they would
· Prevent 2.4 million pounds of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere
· Save $161,334 in electricity costs that year
· Prevent 662 tons of coal from being burned
· Reduce emissions equivalent to taking 214 cars off the road
State Senator Mark Miller and State Representative Pat Strachota were lead sponsors in the legislature, along with 22 Senators and 24 Representatives who signed on as co-sponsors. In addition to wide bipartisan support in the legislature, the measure has the support of Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, Sierra Club, Wisconsin Merchants Federation, Wisconsin Environment, National Federation of Independent Business, Wisconsin Independent Businesses, 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters, Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation and WISPIRG.
Click here to read more.
Go Green and Switch to Renewable Power
Lt Governor Barbara Lawton launched a new online tool designed to connect consumers to all they need to switch to renewable energy for their home or business. One hundred percent renewable energy is available to nearly every household and business in Wisconsin, but only about 1 in 100 take advantage. A modest increase in the number of electricity consumers switching to renewable energy would increase demand, lower cost and create jobs in the renewable energy industry.
Each household that switches to renewable energy prevents a ton of coal from being burned. For every 1,000 homes that switch to 100 percent renewable energy, 3.28 million pounds of carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere -- the equivalent of removing 300 cars from the road for a year. Lt. Governor Lawton said she made the change in her Madison apartment and home in Algoma in just minutes.
The website, hosted by the Office of Energy Independence, was created as part of Lawton’s Green Economy Agenda, a series of proposals to empower smart individual and institutional action related to climate change as a strategy to strengthen Wisconsin’s competitive position in a global economy.
Click here to visit the new online tool located at power.wisconsin.gov
Click here to read more...
EcoDriving
Advancing Wisconsin’s environmental leadership, Lt. Governor Lawton and State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster are encouraging new drivers to consider “Ecodriving” as a way help the environment, reducing emissions while saving money.
EcoDriving is a way to increase energy efficiency by utilizing driving habits that improve fuel efficiency in vehicles and cut carbon emissions. Using simple driving techniques and following easy vehicle maintenance practices, carbon dioxide emissions could be reduced by more than three million tons in Wisconsin alone.
Lawton partnered with Superintendent Burmaster to provide school districts information about EcoDriving and encourage driver’s education instructors to integrate EcoDriving information into their curriculum.
Click here to read more
Lawton's National Leadership on the Great Lakes
At the 2007 winter meeting, the National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA) passed a bi-partisan resolution, authored and led by Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton urging state legislatures of the eight Great Lakes states to ratify the Great Lakes Compact to protect the waters of the Great Lakes basin.
"The Great Lakes Compact is critical to the economic outlook of the entire nation,” said Lawton shortly after the Great Lakes Preservation Resolution passed. “We call on legislatures in the Great Lakes States to complete formal ratification of the Compact, and ask presidential candidates to clearly articulate their plan to preserve and protect the nation’s largest source of fresh water.”
Emphasizing the importance of the Compact for the regional and national economy, Lawton noted that nearly 30 percent of our nation’s gross domestic product is produced by Great Lakes States, which includes approximately 60 percent of all U.S. manufacturing.
The resolution passed on a unanimous vote from lieutenant governors representing all parts of the nation.
