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Last Updated 01/15/2006

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McFarland School District

• School Board Proposal
  In order to promote organic or healthier food options for the lunch menu within the McFarland School District, we have developed recommendations based upon successful school lunch programs in other districts. We have compiled information as to the health benefits of eating organic or nutritionally rich foods. We discuss ways to bring about change while working within the established National School Lunch Program (NSLP) framework. In addition, we share case studies that demonstrate the success seen by schools who are currently working to integrate healthier options into their school lunch programs
  

Homegrown Wisconsin

• Farm fields to School Cafeteria Infrastructure Development
  This project presents reasons why an organic food program is beneficial and a viable option for the McFarland school district. Included are reasons for buying locally and organically. In addition, examples of institutional organic food purchase programs throughout Wisconsin are presented. Finally, we present recommendations of organic food options that would be a good fit with the current lunch program at Indian Mound Middle School.
  

Madison Environmental Group

• Green Roof Project
  Green roofs are a new and exciting field that will definitely influence future building designs. Their benefits are enormous and show that this type of sustainable activity could potentially change our world and influence both the environment and the economy. Building a green roof requires preparation which is outlined in this report.
• Climate Neutral Certificate Program
  Our group worked to create a Climate Neutral certification program that Madison Environmental Group can offer to local and regional businesses. The program is based upon work that the Climate Neutral Network, the international body responsible for climate neutral work, has done with businesses and other environmentally-active bodies that seek to achieving a climate neutral impact. The recommendation outlines a five-step certification process that MEG can use as their own certification program, as well as an emissions calculator we developed especially for MEG’s use.
• Community Car
  This paper describes car sharing in general and the Community Car service in Madison in particular. Recommendations are provided as to how to build a membership base in Community Car within the academic community at the University of Wisconsin. A survey was done, and preliminary results are included in the appendices of the paper. Additional recommendations as to how to market Community Car to the University of Wisconsin-Madison professors, faculty, staff, and graduate students are provided.
  

Alliant Energy

• Economic Valuation of Environmental Assets
  Alliant is interested in valuing environmental resources it owns in the Merrimac area. This report describes multiple valuation methods that would be appropriate and suggests a combination of methods to be used. In addition, Alliant should pursue participation in government-funded conservation and tax programs in order to improve their understanding about the ecological significance of the property.
• Marketing Renewable Energy
  Alliant Energy requires marketing strategies to market renewable energy to the commercial market. Based upon market research and successful examples from Europe to Chicago, strategies have been formulated which envision professional demographic research, an internal push to motivate Alliant salespeople, and a number of creative strategies to market renewables to non-residential customers, including co-branding, the introduction of a spokesperson, ethical appeals, and others.
• Environmental Reporting
  Environmental reporting has grown in popularity in recent decades. The things companies do to report their environmental impacts and initiatives can vary widely. Using Alliant Energy’s 2002 Environmental, Health and Safety report this paper gives suggestions about how Alliant Energy could make their environmental reporting more stakeholder friendly.
• Environmentally Preferable Purchasing
  This project identifies and presents environmentally preferable purchasing options to Alliant Energy that offer an economic as well as environmental advantage over current practices. The study specifically focuses on conductors, wood reels, poles, and transformers, suggesting innovations and recycling options for these four products.