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Dane County Office of Energy & Climate Change

Blog Posts

Heat Pump Conference Success - 5/16/2023

There’s nothing more exhilarating than being in a room where you can feel change happening. I had that experience on May 3 when our office partnered with HVAC industry partners to host almost 100 HVAC contractors for a conversation about air source heat pumps in Dane County.

Diverse cartoon adults talking
Conference Affirms that the IRA Can Change Everything - 11/29/2022

If you have spoken with me lately, it is likely that I mentioned the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) at least four (or seven) times in our conversation. If that was annoying, buckle up because you can expect that I will be talking about the IRA a lot more going forward.

students sitting in conference room in round tables
Local Youth Lead on Climate Action - 11/28/2022

“This is our time. This is our space,” asserted Stephanie Janeth Salgado Altamirano during the opening plenary at the 2022 high school climate conference which was titled Gen Z: Meeting the Challenge of Our Changing Environment.

Groups at tables talking
Environmental Justice Conversations - 11/1/2022

Anyone who knows me will attest that I am not likely to be sitting quietly in the corner, especially when people are talking about energy and climate issues.

Joe Parisi at celebration
Climate Champion Celebration - 10/13/2022

It was an incredible experience to meet with our current and past Climate Champions and celebrate everything they’ve done to make Dane County more sustainable.

People at round tables discussing sustainability
Stoughton Sustainability Community Dialogue a Huge Success - 9/26/2022

If it takes a village to raise a child, then surely it also takes a community to accelerate sustainability and climate action. I saw that in action at the “Sustainability Community Dialogue” in Stoughton.

Clouds with sunlight
Faiths Connect for Climate - 7/25/2022

At a climate protest last week, I saw a sign that said, “Only everyone can save us now.” It’s a powerful reminder that climate action isn’t individual, but instead requires all of us to work together.

Yahara Solar groundbreaking
Yahara Solar: An Important Milestone - 6/27/2022

On June 22 Dane County Executive Joe Parisi stood with partners from Alliant Energy and SunVest to announce Yahara Solar, a 17 MW solar project that will enable Dane County to achieve a big goal, the goal of getting all of the electricity used in Dane County’s facilities from renewable sources.

People load bikes onto the bus
Catch On To Catching the Bus - 4/26/2022

Adopting new practices—like riding the bus to work instead of driving—can mean replacing familiar habits with less familiar ones.

Sustain Dane Summit climate commitments
Sustain Dane Summit Inspires Climate Action - 11/29/2021

Last week I had the privilege of attending the 2021 Sustain Dane Summit. This annual gathering, hosted by Sustain Dane and co-sponsored by the Office of Energy and Climate Change, was a clear call to climate action, providing me and the rest of the attendees with an actionable framework to reduce my carbon footprint and inspiring me to make changes to my everyday life.

Climate Change Summit participants
Climate Summit Delivers Big Dose of Hope - 11/10/2021

The “Glasgow to Dane County: A Youth Climate Summit,” a local climate event in Oregon, Wisconsin was held in parallel to the COP26 proceedings last weekend. This one-day climate summit for local high school students at the Oregon High School showcased more than 50 local high school students, a handful of school green team advisors, and about a dozen volunteers.