Dunn County, Wisconsin “Dedicated to our environment, the community and the future.”

Dunn County, Wisconsin“Dedicated to our environment, the community and the future.”

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sDunn County, Wisconsin“Dedicated to our environment, the community and the future.”

Bob Colson, Dunn County PlannerVoice: 715-231-6522Email: [email protected]

Dunn County Websitewww.co.dunn.wi.us

Eco-County ResolutionSustainability Action Plan CharterSustainability Action Plan

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.co.dunn.wi.us/

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ssDunn County, Wisconsin“Dedicated to our environment, the community and the future.”

Five Key Planning Elements:

•Education•Support•Eco-County Designation•Sustainability Action Plan Charter•Sustainability Action Plan

Natural Step Framework

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Education

External •Sustainable Dunn•Energy Providers•City of Menomonie•UW Stout•WorkshopsInternal•County Officials and Staff •County Sponsored Workshops

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Support

Internal •Chair of County Board of Supervisors•County Board of Supervisors•County Manager

•Department Heads•Employees

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Eco-County Designation

An Eco-County strives to develop an ecologically, economically, and socially healthy community, using the Natural Step Framework as a guide, and a democratic, participative process as the method.

An Eco-County collaborates with other communities and assists in their change processes.

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Sustainability Action Plan Charter

A blueprint for developing the County’s Sustainability Action Plan.

It spells out what the County will do to make itself sustainable.

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Sustainability Action Plan

It’s an “Internal Plan” focused on Dunn County as an organization.

It’s based on the notion that every Dunn County employee has a responsibility to promote the Principles of Sustainability now and into the future.

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NATURAL STEP FRAMEWORK (NSF)

What is it?

How did Dunn County utilize NSF in our

Sustainability Planning Process?

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BackgroundStrategic PlanningSystems Thinking

NSF was created to help organizations and communities backcast from principles of sustainability.

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BackgroundStrategic PlanningSystems Thinking


NSF does not constrain individuals to work only with existing technologies, political systems and laws.

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BackgroundStrategic Planning


NSF does not constrain individuals to work only with existing technologies, political systems and laws.

NSF assumes that things will change and plans far enough into the future, that change becomes an advantage.

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What is NSF?

It’s a way to balance individual approaches and

methodologies with community needs.

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NATURAL STEP FRAMEWORK (NSF)Common Language Strategic PlanningSystems Thinking

The Principles of Sustainability are FOUR basic operating rules. When ALL FOUR

RULES are followed, there will be a sustainable present and a

sustainable future.

Principles of Sustainability



1What We Take From The Earth.



1What We Take From The Earth. Rule: Reduce dependence on fossil fuels and extracted underground metals and minerals. (heavy metals and fossil fuels)



2What We Make.



2What We Make. Rule: Reduce dependence on chemicals and other manufactured substances that can accumulate in nature. (dioxins and PCB’s)



3What We Do To The Earth.



3What We Do To The Earth. Rule: Reduce dependence on activities that harm life sustaining ecosystems. (overharvesting and building over critical habitat)



4How We Meet Our Needs.



4How We Meet Our Needs.

Rule: Meet the hierarchy of present and future human needs fairly and efficiently. (unsafe working conditions or earning less than a living wage)



However, the Principles of Sustainability aren’t like baseball;

batting 1 for 4, 2 for 4 or even 3 for 4 isn’t good enough!!



However, the Principles of Sustainability aren’t like baseball;

batting 1 for 4, 2 for 4 or even 3 for 4 isn’t good enough!!

GO BIG OR GO HOME…IT’S GOT TO BE 4 FOR 4!



Triple Bottom Line (The 3 P’S)

“Take away my people, but leave my factories and soon grass will grow on the factory floors. Take away my factories, but leave my people and soon we will have a new and better factory.”A. Carnegie



Triple Bottom Line (The 3 P’S)

People

Planet

Profit

Everybody and Everybody and everything everything working together, working together, like a teamlike a team



These principles DO NOT imply, we must stop extracting materials or that all substances produced are bad, nor does it imply we should never disturb the natural environment.



The problem isn’t that we mine heavy metals, or use chemicals, or disrupt natural processes, or even that we temporarily interfere with people’s capacity to meet their basic human needs.



The problem is that extracted materials and chemicals produced are accumulating in the natural systems.



The problem is that extracted materials and chemicals produced are accumulating in the natural systems.

It’s this progressive build up of pollutants that’s harming natural systems.



It’s the cumulative impacts of our activities that are threatening the continued well-being of us, the human race.



It’s the cumulative impacts of our activities that are threatening the continued well-being of us, the human race.

Because left to it’s own devices, the earth is a sustainable system.

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•Education

County Supervisors and staff attended a NSF workshop sponsored by Sustainable Dunn.

To gain sponsor and stakeholder support the County sponsored several NSF/sustainability workshops from global, regional and local perspectives.

•Support•Eco-County Designation•Sustainability Action Plan Charter•Sustainability Action Plan

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•Education•SupportWith the support of key stakeholders the Eco-County Resolution was drafted and offered to the County Board.

•Eco-County Designation•Sustainability Action Plan Charter•Sustainability Action Plan

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•Education•Support•Eco-County DesignationMarch 19, 2008 the SUSTAINABLE ECO-DUNN COUNTY resolution is adopted.

•Sustainability Action Plan Charter•Sustainability Action Plan

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Eco-County Designation

The Eco-County Resolution

•Supports the application of the principles of sustainability. •Directs County staff to create a Sustainability Action Plan.•Directs County staff to work collaboratively with Departments, outside agencies and organizations.



The mechanics of the Principles of Sustainability are built on– Systems Thinking– Common Language– Strategic Planning (Backcasting)

NATURAL STEP FRAMEWORK (NSF)Common Language Strategic PlanningPrinciples of Sustainability

Systems Thinking

SYSTEMS THINKING is the concept, that allows individuals to work together within complex systems like a County


Systems Thinking

SYSTEMS THINKING recognizes that what happens in one part of a system affects every other part. – Takes into account all of the components of a

system, to understand• How components interact with each other • The cause-and-effect relationships of interactions

Systems Thinking

Think of it as a team, where the organization is the principles of sustainability and the individuals, the owners, coaches and players represent all the details, specific problems and specific areas of expertise.

Systems Thinking

Let’s suppose our football team missed a field goal and lost the championship game by one point and everyone wants to know what happened.

Systems Thinking

You won’t be able to explain that loss until you understand it from the team (system) perspective.

Systems Thinking

If you want to understand the loss, don’t focus ONLY on:

Details

The Kicker

Instead, focus your attention on: the line, the center, the holder, the weather, the distance, the wind and so on….

Systems Thinking

Team/Big Picture

Kicker

Wind Distance

Line

Systems Thinking

Individuals (details) are important, but complex, confusing, and sometimes politically charged issues shouldn’t be approached from such a narrow focus.

Systems Thinking

Systems Thinking recognizes that the team is made up of individuals and that each person:

Is necessaryHas a role to playMust work together

Systems Thinking

Understanding the system:

prevents getting lost in the details.

Team/Big Picture

Systems Thinking

Imagine all the sustainability ideas, opinions, special interests, etc. within a County.

Systems Thinking

Without a systems approach, dialogue could quickly degenerate into bickering, confusion and misunderstanding…

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Systems Thinking

Without a systems approach, dialogue could quickly degenerate into bickering, confusion and misunderstanding…

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….We’d soon realize we’ve created another problem, and go on and on……

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Systems Thinking

…Eventually, we’d get confused or frustrated and give up!

Systems Thinking

…Eventually, we’d get confused or frustrated and give up!

WHY?

Systems Thinking

Because we’re probably trying to solve individual problems. We’re dealing with the details.

Systems Thinking

Because we’re probably trying to solve individual problems. We’re dealing with the details.

Too often it’s the details that sidetrack most sustainability efforts.


Systems Thinking

Back to the Football Game…..Systems Thinking broadens the scope, allowing you to figure out why the team missed the field goal.

Now……you can explain it…but you need a common language…

– A common language allows you to tackle the details and communicate with each team member to get them working towards the common goal.

Common Language

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Blueprint for developing the Sustainability Action Plan.•To provide Organizational “Buy In” (common language), prior to developing the Sustainability Action Plan. •An Ad-Hoc Committee of County employees and the Sponsors was formed to draft the Charter.

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Table of Contents•Based on the Natural Step•Contains a Vision Statement•Establishes objectives •Defines deliverables•Defines roles and responsibilities•Describes a general planning process•Defines benefits and constraints

NATURAL STEP FRAMEWORK (NSF)Systems Thinking Strategic PlanningPrinciples of Sustainability

Common Language

Allows everyone to communicate (gets them on the same page)…so, the details become relevant.

NATURAL STEP FRAMEWORK (NSF)Systems Thinking Strategic PlanningPrinciples of Sustainability

Common Language

Allows everyone to communicate (gets them on the same page)…so, the details become relevant.

To this end a Vision Statement was crafted.

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Elements of a Vision Statement•Is consistent with other organizational policies•Applies to all major operations•States beliefs and intentions (what) not (how)•Provides direction for decision making•Provides a foundation for planning and action•Is documented and communicated to employees•Drives change in the workplace•Inspires commitment•Serves as a unifying theme

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Vision Statement.Dunn County will serve as a community leader in sustainability by conducting daily operations through balanced stewardship of human, financial, and environmental resources for present and future generations.

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•Education•Support•Eco-County Designation•Sustainability Action Plan CharterThe charter was the vehicle that provided an understanding of the components to be dealt with (system thinking), it got everyone on the same page…(common language)…and got them facing the same direction…(shared goal/vision). Now, we were ready for meaningful dialogue, ready to deal with the details without the usual confusion.

•Sustainability Action Plan

Common Language

We soon realized the task of creating a sustainable Dunn County was pretty complex…no one person could have all the answers…there’s simply too much information.

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Environmental Leadership Team (ELT)

The ELT was charged with developing the plan and overseeing implementation.

Group of representatives that is “deep and wide”. “Deep” refers to involving all levels of Dunn County Government (not just management). “Wide” refers to involving as many participants from the Dunn County community (not just County government).

NATURAL STEP FRAMEWORK (NSF)Systems Thinking Common LanguagePrinciples of Sustainability

Strategic Planning

Backcasting Is a way of planning in which a successful outcome is imagined in the future, followed by the question: “What do we need to do today to reach that successful outcome?”

Backcasting

Anticipates and avoids problems before they occur, rather than reacting to their downstream effects.

Backcasting

It’s more effective than forecasting, because forecasting tends to limit the range of options, and it projects today’s problems into the future.

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Table of Contents•Purchasing•Energy•Education & Public Relations•Baseline & Gap Analysis

“Internal Plan” focused on Dunn County as an organization based on the notion that every Dunn County employee has a responsibility to promote the Principles of Sustainability now and into the future.

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SMART Goals

A SMART Goal evaluates if a goal/target has been met, they establish lines of accountability. SMART is an acronym for the five characteristics of well-designed goals.SpecificMeasurableRealisticAttainableTimely

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Backcasting & SMART Goals

Backcasting was used as part of the goal setting process. A successful outcome (goal) was imagined in the future, the necessary steps were identified and those steps were then applied to a SMART goal template developed as part of the County’s plan.

Dunn County, Wisconsin“Dedicated to our environment, the community and the future.”


The Natural Step & Dunn County – The Four Principles of Sustainability.

• Education • The Triple Bottom Line (3 P’s)

– System Thinking• Education• Team Analogy• Support



The Natural Step & Dunn County Cont… – Common Language

• Education• Eco-County Designation• Sustainability Action Plan Charter

– Strategic Planning• Backcasting• Sustainability Action Plan


FA

Q’sDunn County, Wisconsin“Dedicated to our environment, the community and the future.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How long did it take?•2007-2009 Education•2008 Eco-County Designation•2008-2009 Sustainability Charter•2009-2010 Sustainability Action Plan

FA



How much staff did it take?•Sponsors

County Board of SupervisorsCounty Manager

•PlannerFacilitator/project manager

•ELTDeep (Not just County management)Wide (Not just County resources)

FA



How much did it cost?•Education

Cost of workshops•Plan Development

In houseUsing available County resourcesNo special budgetNo sustainability consultantNo sustainability coordinator

Con

tact

sDunn County, Wisconsin“Dedicated to our environment, the community and the future.”

Bob Colson, Dunn County PlannerVoice: 715-231-6522Email: [email protected]

Dunn County Websitewww.co.dunn.wi.us

Eco-County ResolutionSustainability Action Plan CharterSustainability Action Plan

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.co.dunn.wi.us/

Que

stio

nsDunn County, Wisconsin“Dedicated to our environment, the community and the future.”

Dunn County, Wisconsin “Dedicated to our environment, the community and the future.”

Documents

Transcript of Dunn County, Wisconsin “Dedicated to our environment, the community and the future.”