Sustainable Middleton April 2018

Hello! You are receiving the Middleton Sustainability Committee's 'Sustainable News.' The goal of this quarterly newsletter is to ensure that all Middleton residents gain a better understanding of the initiatives that are being undertaken by the City related to sustainability. To continue receiving this newsletter, be sure to subscribe to the City’s Notify Me list for Sustainability/Environmental Education.

Sincerely, Spencer Schumacher, Chair, Kathy Olson, Vice-Chair, JoAnna Richard, Council Representative, Jessica Kim, High School Representative, and members Deb Saeger, Angie Carey, Kris Koenig, Lee Schwartz, Dave Clutter, and Bradley Harris.

Earth Day Events

In celebration of Earth Day, the following events are happening throughout Middleton:

Explore Wisconsin State Parks with Scott Spoolman – Thursday April 12th at 7:00pm

Author, Scott Spoolman, discusses his book Wisconsin State Parks: Extraordinary Stories of Geology and Natural History, taking you on a journey through our state’s striking geologic and natural history! Find more information and registration details for this event on the Middleton Library website.

Plant a Salsa Garden: A Family Earth Day Event – Monday April 16th from 6:00-7:00pm

Make your own salsa garden! Using peat pellets and peat pots, plant seed to grow salsa ingredients: tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, and onions! Take home your own seed container and plant in the ground when the weather warms up! Find more information and registration details for this event on the Middleton Library website.

Michael Edmonds on ‘Taking Flight’ – Tuesday April 17th at 7:00pm

Author, Michael Edmonds, discusses Taking Flight, his dynamic account of ornithological history in America's heartland, just published by Wisconsin Historical Society Press. Find more information and registration details for this event on the Middleton Library website.

Diamond Girl – April 20th & 21st at 7:30pm; April 22nd at 2:00pm

This performance, at the Middleton High School Performing Arts Center, follows the story of a young girl with an enchanted necklace. The play is sponsored by Save the Rainforest, Inc., a nonprofit organization that promotes purposeful travel, inspires students, saves rainforests, and alleviates poverty. Arrive early to the performance to see Earth Day exhibits and learn about volunteer opportunities available!

Get Green With The Middleton Earth Day Cleanup: Tiedeman and Stricker Pond Cleanup – Saturday, April 21st from 10am-12pm*

Clean up Tiedeman Pond and Stricker Pond, possibly surrounding area. Refreshments and trash bags provided. Bringing gloves would be helpful, but we will have some backups. If possible, please RSVP to getgreenmiddleton@yahoo.com. Walkups are welcome too. *Feel free to come for part of the time!

Middleton Beach Road Neighborhood Trash Pick Up – Saturday, April 21st

We ask our neighbors to spend 30 minutes at their convenience cleaning up a portion of the area. Then join us for refreshments and camaraderie on April 21st from 10:30-11:30 AM in the driveway of Ginny and Red Corwin’s home at 2319 Middleton Beach Rd.

Capital Brewery Earth Day Activities – Sunday, April 22nd, activities run from 10am to 5pm

10 AM – Noon Capital Brewery Bike Club will host a HWY 12 trail cleanup.

Noon – 5PM Brewery open to the public. Capital Earth Day IPA on tap.

1PM – 5PM Solar power demonstration at Capital Brewery Patio on Terrace Ave.

1PM – 5PM Representatives from a number of environmental groups will be in hand to discuss their efforts.

Tween Paint Night: Our Earth – Monday, Apr 23rd from 6:00-7:00pm

Create your own planet in space using acrylic paint on canvas. Step-by-step instructions provided - no previous painting experience is required. Wear your artist smock or grubby clothes as acrylic paint is not washable. Find more information and registration details for this event on the Middleton Library website.

Residential & Commercial Water Conservation Programs

You can still apply to our residential water conservation program! The City of Middleton Water Utility offers residents a rebate of up to $100 when you replace an outdated, inefficient toilet with an EPA WaterSense-Rated High Efficiency Toilet, just look for appliances with the WaterSense label! For program details and application forms, visit the City Website.

The City also offers a commercial water conservation program to commercial customers! In addition to the $100 rebate mentioned above, the commercial program offers water efficiency audit reimbursements of 50% of the cost of the audit and/or a rebate of up to a $25 for customers who replace old or inefficient pre-rinse spray valves with WaterSense-rated models. For program details and application forms, visit the City Website.

Focus on Energy

Do you want to improve energy efficiency in your household or business? Focus on Energy is a free statewide program dedicated to improving energy efficiency and promoting renewable energy projects by providing residents with information, resources, and financial incentives for implementing energy saving projects. Focus on Energy will send you a free starer pack full of energy saving products for you home to help you start using energy smarter! Please visit the Focus on Energy website to create an account and get your first free pack now!

Middleton Recycling Center Updates

The Middleton Recycling Center, open Saturdays from 8am-noon, will no longer offer latex paint recycling. The vendor we had worked with is no longer accepting latex paint. We recommend recycling latex paint at Dane County Clean Sweep, or letting your latex paint dry completely and then disposing the paint containers in your brown trash carts. Middleton also encourages residents to reduce waste by reusing excess latex paint, only purchasing what you need, or giving it away to someone who could use it!

As an additional reminder, the MRC no longer accepts hard plastics, #2 and #5, at this time, due to recycling market changes. Hard plastics include items like toys, laundry baskets, lawn furniture, and more. Curbside cart recycling will not be affected by this change.

For all updates, details, and information regarding recycling, please read over our A to Z Recycling Guide!

Community Gardens

Are you interested in growing your own produce this year? If so, there are still a few garden plots available at Bock Community Garden! Bock Community Garden is an organic community garden located in the beautiful Pheasant Branch Conservancy. Through your plot rental, gardeners will have free access to garden tools, wheelbarrows, water, compost, and wood chips for their garden. Visit the Bock Community Garden website for more information about joining the community for the 2018 season!

Middleton Station Community Garden, located next to the Middleton-Cross Plains School District Building, is completely booked and has all plots registered for 2018. If you want to get on the waiting list for next season, please email mscgardens7106@gmail.com. Stop by during the 2018 growing season to take a tour of Middleton Station Community Garden!

Farmers’ Markets

Mark your calendars! The Greenway Station and the Downtown Middleton Farmers’ Markets are gearing up for the 2018 growing season! The Greenway Station Farmers’ Market meets every Thursday, May 10-October 4, rain or shine from 8am-1pm in the parking area near Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano. The Downtown Middleton Farmers’ Market will run on Tuesdays, May-October, from 2:30pm-6:30pm, and will be held under the TAP at Capital Brewery. Stop by both markets to find the season’s freshest produce, home baked goods, jams, cheeses, meats, and much more!

Electric Vehicles 101

On Wednesday, June 27 from 6:30-7:30pm, Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) is partnering with the Middleton Public Library and the Middleton Sustainability Committee to offer an “Electric Vehicles 101/Kick the Tires” event. Over the course of an hour, learn about the basics of EVs, their costs and benefits, types, where and how to charge them, and available incentives and programs. Get connected to MGE resources that can make buying, owning and charging your EV easier. See a variety of EVs on display -- from hatchbacks to luxury sedans, crossovers to minivans -- and talk with the owners about their EV experience. Come with your questions; leave with a better understanding of what it would mean to own and operate an electric vehicle!

Free Paper Shredding Event

Mark your calendars! The Middleton Sustainability Committee and Pellitteri Waste Systems are sponsoring a FREE paper shredding event on Saturday, July 14 from 8am – 10am at the Middleton Recycling Center at 4330 Parmenter Street. Each attendee can bring up to 50 pounds of paper for confidential shredding. Staples, rubber bands, and paper clips do not need to be removed. We will not accept three-ring binders, hanging file folders, credit cards, plastics, media items (CDs, tapes, x-rays, etc.), photos, or other non-paper products.