Greening Greater Racine: A Community Initiative
Workshop for Environmental Groups and Faith Communities
Leaders: Karl van Lith, Madison city organizer for the Natural Step and Stacie Reece of Sustain Dane
Present: sixty people representing environmental groups (29), faith groups (10), Businesses (3),
Municipalities (2).
Visioning Process for greening the greater Racine area. : 10 tables with 5 to 8 at each table.
Each Table was invited to name items for three categories: 1) the issues; 2) the challenges, and 3) the
opportunities. We kept the results of each table separate rather than combining them, because the
information provided by each table group had its own sense of coherence. Here are the results.
Group One
Issues I
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Air quality
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Water quality – lake river health

Over use of chemicals

Renewable energy (Oak Creek Coal plant)

Social needs – poverty

Transportation alternatives to cars (trains, bicycles, walking, buses)

Invasive species

Energy efficiency (old housing stock)

Lack of downtown housing

Need for reliable info

Local food production and marketing
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Making most vulnerable neighborhoods safe

Waste recycling (pharmaceuticals)
Challenges I
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Financial costs

Individual attitude

Lack of openness to change
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Differing priorities in government
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County/city or urban/rural divide
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Negative self-image of Racine

Differences of opinion in scientific community
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Municipal understanding
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Structural racism
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Economic system oriented to individual consumer comfort/convenience
Opportunities I

Coordination of programs resources already existing

Education of community
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Grassroots movement working from bottom up

Corporate incentives

Sustainable development and along waterways

Economic challenges drive greater efficiency

Clarify needs, demonstrate potential gains

Develop progressive thinking and cooperative action

Include broad community participation
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Group Two
Issues II

“Self” image of Racine Area

Are we recycling enough

Root River flooding

Implementation of existing plans

Lack of an ethic of care

Climate change/ coastal resilience

Future impacts on our improved beaches

Horlick Dam

Lack of transportation/ a comprehensive system

Invasives (emerald ash, buckthorn, phragmites)

Stormwater runoff (Agriculture sediment, leaves, grass, pesticides, salt)

Brownfields
Challenges II

Getting buy-in/awareness and communicating this need

Joblessness (access to jobs)

Backcasting in city planning

Competing priorities

Tendency to sprawl

Lack of land use planning

Development that started before babble
Opportunities II

Strategic management

Improved communication and awareness

Support of government officials in sustainability

Brownfield redevelopment – link to economic development

Machinery row – posterchild for sustainable design

Utilizing knowledge and passion base

Strategic location Chicago – Milwaukee corridor

Funding, GLRI, Conservation Programs, Nutrient offsetting compliance options
Group Three
Issues III

Climate Change (economic issues, fishing/water industries, food price increased, water
conflict/great lakes, drought and heat influencing food)

Water quality (from runoff/lawn care/salt/snow into lake

Food (local/better access)

Waste collection

Poverty/unemployment
Challenges III

Lack of community engagement/awareness powerlessness

WE energy stifling solar

political atmosphere
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business/short term problem

Algae bloom
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Lack of transportation to local garden
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Lack of waste wareness
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Opposition to recycling
Opportunities III

RUSD Audit, transportation audit

Local eating

Native plants

Less lawn use

Sustainable business council/ facilitator

City initiative

Solar/ renewable possibilities

Increase LED usage

1,000 letter project for legislation

Parkside sustainability office involvement

World resource on beach quality here in Racine

Aerobic digester/ Will Allen

Education on all topics (Eat Right Racine in RUSD)

Prairie restoration different than lawn/ outdoor gardens/community gardens

Train the homeless/unemployed to install better insulation

Coalition for farm/agriculture
Group Four
Issues IV

Resistance by energy companies to solar/wind

Community gardens, food waste

Eliminate plastic bags/bottles

Deposit on plastic bottles

Stewardship of water resources

Transportation (buses in Racine)
Challenges IV

Resistance to alternative energy – solar/wind
Opportunities IV

Community involvement (organizations, grassroots, individuals, diversity)

Adopt – a – block (collect trash)

Donations of leftover food grown in community gardens

Inventory of sustainable efforts

Recycling education

Support of mayor
Group Five
Issues V
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Lack of sustainability in big planning
Lack of awareness
Poverty (employment and jobs)
Energy use and type (policy)
Transportation
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
Storm water

National area management
Challenges V

Difference in ideology

Money

Resist change

Leadership involve

Lack of knowledge

Resist regulations

Follow through with action

environment versus conservation

how to make it convenient
Opportunities V

Find areas of agreement

Groups coming together

Involve government officials

Commitment of groups

Training

General openness to efficiency by officials

Recruit volunteers
Group Six
Issues VI

Lack of awareness and education

Unhealthy diet – carb intensive

High poverty rate

Food and its role in sustainability equation
Challenges VI

Lack of financial resources

Need for professional mentors

Lack of access to quality affordable food
Opportunities VI

Healthy choices need to be presented

Opportunity for education

Tax on certain food

Food labeling

Support local farmers without including animal-derived food

Corporation/educational inst. Involvement
Group Seven
Issues VII
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Transportation
Energy efficiency
Food deserts
Clean water
Clean air
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
Lack of recycling

Public perception of government control
Challenges VII

Funding

Child care

Lack of participation

Municipal/corporate involvement

Apathy/lack of motivation

Use of excessive packaging
Opportunity VII

Education

Sustainability

Community involvement
Group Eight
Issues VIII

Industrial agriculture system

Pollution in water runoff – pollutants/chemicals in biological systems

Energy use and emissions – air quality

Soil health

Impact on natural systems (insects, mammals, birds, etc.)

Animal welfare

Lack of local healthy food (production and consumption_

Water quality

City planning and management

Water runoff

Lack of roadway plantings (wildlife habitat)

Pollution (chemicals, plastic bags, CO2)

Soil contamination

Energy use and emissions

Transportation alternatives (buses, bikes, trains)

New and redevelopment of infrastructure

Waste (food, recyclables, energy)

Water quality

Invasives
Challenges VIII

Initial cost

Community mindsets (work ethic/motivation)

Momentum

Ideological differences/cultural divide (race issues)

Opposition to change

Labor

Poverty and unemployment

Involving more diverse populations
Opportunity VIII

Ample fresh water supply
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Idle labor force

Arable land

Geographic proximity to large urban markets

Involving more diverse populations in positive change and addressing/engaging race
issues

Money savings

Local employment opportunity

Education in churches/faith based groups, non-profits/community groups/civic
engagement, schools
Group Nine
Issues IX

Transportation

Invasives (emerald ash borer)

Disengagement, apathy
Challenges IX

Access

Planning

Education

Apathy

Demographics/capturing audience

Overcoming inertia, involvement, creating and sustaining audience
Opportunities IX

Master plan

Alternatives, access, “rely local”

Outreach, engage, engaging horticultural landscape by emphasizing healthy impact

Emotional intelligence, volunteering, incentives
Group Ten
Issues X

Reconciling differing viewpoints by finding common ground around the importance of
sustainability

Cultural assumption that “eco-friendly” is inferior or more expensive

Some people may not have the economic means to be as involved in sustainability as
they would like to be.
Challenges X

People don’t always understand how they can be part of the change as individuals

Problem is perceived as “too big”

Need to shift public’s belief that it isn’t worth it to pay more for sustainable products
Opportunities X

Encourage people to bring their own containers for left-overs

Break the problem down into small, manageable parts that people can do.

Educate about reducing food waste to offset greater cost of organic food

Encourage participation in community gardens

Let elected officials know sustainability is important to their constituents.
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