Commissioners review sustainable business accelerator and Neighbors for Nature plant-kit program

Commission members heard updates from work groups on local sustainability outreach and programs, including a new sustainable business accelerator and the Neighbors for Nature plant-kit giveaway.

A clean-energy work-group representative said the Sustainable Business Council is running a Green Bay sustainable business accelerator aimed at helping small and mid-size companies measure and reduce environmental impacts using nature-based solutions. The first session accepted five companies; two attended, two notified staff with reasons for absence and one participant was unresponsive, leaving an expected cohort of four. Sessions are scheduled every other Friday from April through June, with installations July through September and recognition in October.

The healthy-habitat work group reported pollinator corridor plantings at Marquette and Fort Howard parks, Sullivan School, Metro Boat Launch and Mir Park, and discussed mapping efforts to incorporate public data and existing programs (for example, Monarch Waystations). The group announced plant-kit pickup dates for giveaway winners: Friday, May 15 (10 a.m.–2 p.m.), Friday, May 22 (3 p.m.–6 p.m.) and Saturday, May 23 (9 a.m.–2 p.m.). Organizers said registration was capped at 300 due to space, funding and staffing constraints; staff noted donations from Green Bay Botanical Garden and Stone Silo of roughly $5,000 each in materials.

Commissioners suggested pursuing additional community education and outreach to boost participation in the accelerator, and discussed coordinating photographs or field visits for cohort members. They also discussed press and communications strategies for the plant-kit program; staff said capacity limited issuing a press release but welcomed coordination with the communications director and commission volunteers to support interviews at pickup events.

The reports were received and placed on file by voice vote.