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John Imes: Wisconsin blends environmental innovation and commitment to economic growth
1/19/2005

By John Imes

Wisconsin is once again poised to be a global leader in environmental protection while pursuing a competitive advantage.

Business, government and environmental experts from around the world will meet in Madison Jan. 31 to discuss how new regulatory strategies and policies, including Wisconsin’s goal-oriented “Green Tier” law, will improve environmental performance and business success.
 
The conference, “Environmental Law in a Connected World,” will gather speakers from Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia, the Netherlands, China and the United States.  Participants will look beyond the top-down, traditional regulatory solutions of the past, and examine strategies and policies that can lead to better environmental results and a more productive business climate.
 
The conference is a natural follow-up to last year’s passage of Green Tier and a related fact-finding mission to Germany, where a Wisconsin delegation examined innovative technologies, “green building” practices and new directions in environmental governance.  The broad-based Wisconsin group explored how the Green Tier law (modeled, in part, after the Environmental Pacts of Bavaria) might encourage companies to improve environmental performance while boosting productivity and cutting costs.
 
What sets Germany apart is its “can-do” attitude and ability to achieve superior environmental results through collaboration and cooperation.  Under the Environmental Pacts of Bavaria, government works in partnership with business and trade associations to achieve environmental goals while providing flexibility and incentives. 
 
One such example is the self-responsibility and certification systems which exist between government and the German Industry Association.  Using a voluntary approach to reduce environmental impacts, participating companies receive regulatory relief and other benefits such as: reduced costs for energy, pollution control fees, and insurance. Since 1995, more than 5,000 German companies have been certified.
 
Klaus Mittelbach, director of environmental policy for the Federation of German Industries, (which is akin to Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce) explains the commitment:  “For business, it is a clear objective to take responsibility… and do our outmost best to reduce the burden on environmental systems all over the world. We do it by innovation processes, by new and better products, which have lower emissions in all ways. And we want to do this in a very competitive way. In short, companies need more flexibility for achieving innovation goals and are willing to take responsibility for social goals.”
 
Mittelbach is a featured speaker at the Jan. 31 conference.
 
Upon returning from Germany, delegation members have taken steps to achieve better environmental performance. For example:

  • Veridian Homes, Wisconsin’s largest home builder, is working with the Department of Natural Resources, municipalities and other stakeholders to develop a Green Tier Charter agreement to significantly reduce construction site erosion. The agreement will require Veridian to have an approved environmental management system and to implement best practices that far exceed minimum requirements.  In exchange, Veridian will receive single point of contact approvals and expedited project review. Veridian already builds all homes to “Green Built Home” and “Wisconsin Energy Star” standards and has implemented comprehensive resource reduction, reuse and recycling initiatives to reduce construction waste by more than 50 percent.
     
  • The Development Council of the Wisconsin Builders Association recently voted unanimously to pursue a Green Tier Charter with the DNR.
     
  • Printing industry representatives returned with an interest in making Wisconsin a leader in “green” printing.  As a first step, the Printing Industries of Wisconsin is working with stakeholders on ways to incorporate green design, technology and practice into the proposed Printing Applied Technology Center at Waukesha County Technical College.  The center will help southeastern Wisconsin become a national printing hub and meet new demands driven by technology advances.

These efforts demonstrate the potential for improved environmental performance, saving money and achieving competitive advantage.  Imagine if most Wisconsin companies and economic sectors made similar investments in technology, practice and mindset and realized environmental and economic benefits.  The result might be a “green company” benchmark and brand for Wisconsin, a business climate that attracts clean jobs and investment and furthers our state’s long tradition of environmental stewardship.

--Imes is executive director of Wisconsin Environmental Initiative, a statewide coalition based in Madison. The “Environmental Law in a Connected World” conference is sponsored by UW-Madison’s La Follette School of Public Affairs.  Registration is open to the public at http://www.lafollette.wisc.edu For more information about the trip to Germany, including videos and presentations, please visit http://www.greentierwi.info


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