Committee reports: tree sale pilot success, plastic‑film drop boxes, UW energy study and hazardous‑waste event promotion

The Monona Sustainability Committee reviewed updates on several ongoing programs: the city’s tree sale pilot, the plastic‑film recycling drop boxes, a UW–Madison energy analysis for the community center and pool, and promotion of a Dane County hazardous household waste event.

Highlights: - Tree program: The pilot exceeded its goal with over 20 orders; most customers picked up and planted their trees and the April 12 pick‑up date was set. The city forester and volunteers will support planting assistance where requested. - Plastic film recycling (“Next Trick”): Three collection boxes are now deployed (Habitat ReStore, Aldo Leopold location, and a local beer lab), and the initiative is coordinating with a high school sustainability committee for an Earth Day competition; collection weights will be tracked and reported. - UW energy analysis: University students are conducting a detailed energy and operations analysis for the community center and pool with access to utility data; an interim presentation is scheduled for next week. - Hazardous household event: The committee is promoting Dane County’s Clean Sweep hazardous household event (April 14–19); 15 tickets sold so far with up to 100 available and county reimbursement for unsold tickets.

Nut graf: Committee members asked staff to continue promotion, track results (tree pickups, plastic‑film weights, UW interim report) and coordinate volunteers for planting assistance and outreach.

Votes at a glance: - Approval of minutes from Jan. 23 (with one correction) was called; members present said “aye,” no opposition was recorded and the minutes passed. No mover/second were recorded in the transcript.

Ending: Staff and volunteers will continue program outreach, track metrics for each initiative, and report back to the committee at future meetings.