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EVENTS IN SUSTAINABILITY

Maywood

The Ellwood H. May Environmental Park, or Maywood for short, will be focusing on providing information on various aspects of sustainable development throughout the next year.  Their series on sustainability will kick off on Tuesday, October 3, with a program entitled Sustainability – What Is It and Why Should I Care?  This event is free, but pre-registration is required.  Please call (920) 459-3906 for more information.

Through support from the City of Sheboygan and the Ellwood H. May Environmental Park Association of Sheboygan County, Maywood provides environmentally related programs to people of all ages throughout the year.  Today, the Association has about 600 members, and although the 120-acre park is owned by the City of Sheboygan, the land, buildings, and programs are open to everyone.  For more information on Maywood or on upcoming programs, please visit their website.

FOCUS ON BUSINESS

The Kubala Washatko Architects, Inc

The Kubala Washatko Architects, Inc. of Cedarburg, Wisconsin recently began construction in Baraboo, Wisconsin on a new headquarters facility for the prominent environmental organization, the Aldo Leopold Foundation. Named the Aldo Leopold Legacy Center, the new facility will employ a variety of advanced sustainable design techniques and strategies, including the extensive use of wood harvested on-site from trees originally planted by the famed naturalist, Aldo Leopold, in the 1940's. When completed, the new facility will include one of the largest photovoltaic arrays in the state, which will help achieve an innovative performance goal of zero net energy use. A Platinum LEED rating is also projected for the Leopold Legacy Center, which is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2007.

THE MILLER ADVANTAGE

Rain Gardens

Rain gardens are a way for homes and businesses to protect surface water while recharging groundwater and promoting environmental stewardship.  Designed to capture and retain storm water, rain gardens hold water and allow it to soak into the ground as it naturally would.  These gardens are much like any other yard landscaping, except that the plants are planted in a small depression dug near downspouts or areas where rainwater would collect. Rain gardens are usually planted with native plants and wildflowers, which can tolerate the wet conditions.  Some of these plants have the added benefit of attracting hummingbirds and butterflies.

Rain gardens provide many advantages that conventional landscaping does not.  Recharging groundwater, decreasing local flooding issues and the need for costly municipal storm water management, and bettering water quality by trapping and breaking down pollutants are only some of the benefits to utilizing rain gardens in landscaping.  For more information on adding a rain garden to your landscape see the 32 page UW-Extension Publication #GWQ037 Rain Gardens: A How to Manual for Homeowners.

BLUEPRINT FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Seminar Update

Due to the interest in our seminar last March, Miller Engineers & Scientists will be hosting a comprehensive, full-day “sequel” on Thursday, December 7, 2006, at Maywood Environmental Park in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.  We have an all-star line up of presenters, and will be covering a wide range of topics relating to sustainable design and building practices.  Please visit our website for more information on the seminar. We invite you to call us at (800) 969-7013 or email us to receive information directly.

"GREEN" LINKS

Cooperative Environmental Assistance Bureau
Wisconsin Great Lakes Strategy
Wisconsin Wetlands Association
Wisconsin Green Building Alliance
Focus on Energy
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
UW Extension

Miller Engineers & Scientists
5308 S. 12th Street | Sheboygan, WI 53081-8099
(800) 969-7013