Buy Local initiatives--The Dane Buy Local initiative, first of its kind in Wisconsin, has nearly 450 locally owned, independent businesses as members. Wiith an active education and promotion program. Wiscpsa can assist your community with similar strategies. Wisconsin Partners for SustainAbility is a member of the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE) a network of more than 80similar alliances. BALLE's 21,000 businesses share ideas and host a national conference each year.

Wisconsin Green Exchange--If you are interested or already implementing green practices in your workplace, with your supply chain, in products and services, the Wisconsin Green Exchange can help you move forward for greater profit, healthy living and community benefit.  You first assess your own business.  Then we interview you. We make it easy for you to find businesses like yours and best practices.

"Show Me the Green: Profitable Practices for Small Businesses that Build on the Local Advantage"

There's more to this than merely buying compact flourescent bulbs or putting recycled items in the right place. It takes a systematic framework like The Natural Step as well as specific behavior change strategies. Workshops around Wisconsin can offer cost-effective strategies and resources.

This half-day training introduces you to what's doable, affordable and practical for your situation. To host a workshop in your area or find out more, call 608-265-4077.

Green Online Auctions--Each year we host and co-sponsor online auctions to promote businesses, products and services and support non-profit community efforts toward sustainability. The auctions benefit Wisconsin Partners for SustainAbility operations and outreach.

Collaboration for Action-- Do you know someone who has a sustainability-related community service project or enterprise that could benefit from creative and cross-disciplinary technical assistance? Using the principles of social marketing, dynamic facilitation and lateral thinking, WiscPSA can connect you to the help you need.  

Sometimes government and private sector groups come to us; sometimes we create the projects ourselves.

Tri Local Returns--It's often difficult to find investors and funding for local triple bottom line businesses.  Tri Local Returns explores methods to bring community programs, entrepreneurs and the financial tools to develop good ideas into action. 

Mercury Thermostat Recycling Project: Although much of the population recognizes the dangers associated with mercury, few thermostats with mercury in them are disposed of properly. The result is the gradual poisoning of water, air, soil and eventually human beings. After research on programs throughout the U.S., Wisconsin Partners for SustainAbility has begun to generate social marketing approaches to increase the amount of mercury thermostats replaced each year.

Story in the Bag: A social entrepreneur wanted to help poor women in Sri Lanka and non-profit causes in Wisconsin by establishing a business which sells canvas tote bags at fair trade prices. Food coops, grassroots organizations, TimeBanks, gardening groups and recycling programs have purchased the bags as fundraising and promotional tools.  Business students now run the enterprise.  To learn more, call 608-265-4077.

In the Works

Where We Live--Neighborhoods, Villages and Communities Around the World: Learning about "community" has often meant amassing economic and demographic data planning documents and policy-related information. The average citizen, however, rarely appreciates the complex interdependencies which comprise community life--between people, the natural and built environments and other relationships. Children, youth, adult men and women and elders in villages around the world are beginning to use the asset-based community development, participatory action, geography and ethnography to understand basic principles of sustainability and quality of life. Where We Live offers internet-based and "on the ground" tools for learning and action.