Alumni, profs help sustain ‘green’ momentum

Go down the list of three dozen citizens who are taking the message — and actions — of sustainability to the streets, and you’ll see roughly half are alumni or faculty of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

The Sustainable Greater Green Bay Task Force was established in 2006 by Mayor Jim Schmitt. Whether consciously or not, he relies heavily on people with ties to the school once known as “Eco U.”

Heading the list are current faculty members John Katers and Sandy Stokes, and former assistant chancellor Dean Rodeheaver.

Katers, in particular, stands out. An associate professor of Natural and Applied Sciences, he is both faculty and alumnus, holding both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UW-Green Bay. He is a highly regarded researcher in the area of reclaiming value from industrial and farm “waste. He sometimes even conducts “dumpster diving” exhibitions (photo) to show clients they could be making more environmental and economical resource-management decisions.

His expertise is no doubt beneficial to the Task Force and its goal of boosting Green Bay toward becoming a more vibrant, resource-efficient and sustainable community.

A recent edition of the Chamber of Commerce magazine highlighted the group’s successes in promoting bicycle usage, encouraging use of rain barrels, distributing energy-efficient lightbulbs, and preserving groundwater by organizing a collection drive to keep unwanted medicine out of the sanitary system.

Task force members with UW-Green Bay ties:
Current or former employees

• John Katers, professor of Natural and Applied Sciences
• Dean Rodeheaver, former faculty member and administrator
• Sandy Stokes, professor of Education

Alumni

• Jeff DeLaune, Johnson Controls
• Gary Delveaux, Wisconsin Public Service
• Lisa Evenson, Metropolitan Sewerage District
• Katers
• Karen Kohlbeck
• Douglas Meek, Highland Building Consultants
• Crystal Osman, Downtown Green Bay Inc.
• Luanne Randolph, Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission
• Nick Reckinger, FEECO International
• Peter Schleinz, Brown County Planning
• Annette Weissbach, DNR
• Renee Wery