Milwaukee Business Journal names Bayside "Green Community of the Year"

The Milwaukee Business Journal has selected the Village of Bayside as its first ever Green Community of the Year.  The Village was selected for its progressive efforts in undertaking several core “Green” initiatives to enhance the energy efficiency of its facilities and operations, promote environmental stewardship in the community, and provide leadership in enhancing our environmental friendliness.  The six areas of focus include:  (1) building ; (2) village operational and procedures; (3) infrastructure; (4) community; (5) regulation; (6) communication.   The specific initiatives include:

·         The Village established a performance benchmark of reducing total Village building and facility energy consumption by 10 percent.  Consumption was reduced by 17.1 percent from the previous year. 

·         Increased recycling collections by 100 tons between April through October 2008 with single stream recycling. 

·         Diverted 520 tons of yard waste from the landfill.  Yard waste was stored and ground to create a high quality mulch material, which was then used on Village grounds and provided to residents. 

·         Implemented several performance measurement changes which reduced the amount of time spent collecting materials by 2,122 hours since 2006, reducing additional vehicle emissions by that same amount of hours. 

 ·         Revised snow and ice procedures to reduce in salt application by 25 percent.

·         Designated as a first time Tree City USA.

·         Held first Spring clean up days, a two day event to bring community together to clean yards, ditches, streets, collect yard waste, recycle materials, computer and electronic recycling program to reduce landfill impacts.  Over 100 computers and electronic equipment were recycled in the two day event.

·         Formed Greenscape Bayside Committee, whose mission is to “to educate and encourage a sustainable relationship with the environment while promoting an aesthetically pleasing community”.

·         Bayside has been featured by MMSD as a model program for other municipalities, as the Village purchases the rain barrels and then sells and delivers them to residents.  71 rain barrels have been sold to date, plus installation at Village facilities. 

·         Established tree planting program and tree farm for future tree planting. 

·         Enhanced environmental corridor collection site, now providing residents the opportunity to recycle used oil and dispose of yard waste in addition to single stream recycling drop off site. 

·         Distribute Bayside Buzz via email weekly as way to keep community up-to-date in lieu of printing publications and mailing/sending deliveries to 1,625 homes. 

The Village will receive its designation during an awards breakfast by the Milwaukee Business Journal at the Pfister Hotel on June 19. 

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