Below are links to maps about climate change and climate action here in Dane County. These maps will help you understand:
Use the maps provided here to orient yourself. Understand where we are now and where we are going. Review the Climate Action Plan for a deeper dive. Then, when you are oriented, check out What You Can Do for ideas about what you can do to help us accomplish our ambitious climate action goals. As with any major journey, we will need everyone to do their part for us to reach our destination.
In 2020 we launched a Climate Champion program to recognize entities leading on climate action.
The Climate Champion map features all of the Climate Champions with details about their accomplishments.
Learn more about how you can earn a Climate Champion status.
The interactive map showcases Climate Champions in ten categories—energy use, building design, fleet, employee commuting, land use, water savings, waste, emissions, catalysts and other.
Within each category Champions are ranked based on their achievement with a 4 Star Climate Champion being one that has completely transformed some aspect of their operations. (So, for example, an entity with a 100% Clean Energy Fleet, would be a 4-Star Climate Champion.)
The aim of the map is to celebrate local leadership. Dane County residents want to see governments and business take action on climate; we are excited to share stories about the entities that are leading the way.
Learn more about these leaders on our Climate Champions map!
Dane County government, local governments, local businesses and residents have made investments in cost-effective job-creating clean energy and land conservation projects.
Now you can learn more about these projects in one interactive location--our clean energy map!
These projects are great examples of how, as County Executive Joe Parisi likes to say, "in Dane County, we get things done." We don't just talk about climate action; we make change happen.
The interactive map includes solar, wind, and biogas installations as well as land conservation projects. The various projects identified on the map deliver multiple benefits. These projects:
Perhaps most important, these projects set an example for others by showing what is possible. The solar system on a local school might inspire a private business to explore solar for their own facility, for example. That's the aim here--we want you to see what others are doing so that you are inspired to take action as well. We hope our map will inspire more entities to explore the benefits of clean energy and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
More clean energy is being installed in Dane County all the time. If you've got a project that is not on the map, be assured we want to add you to the map! Fill out this form to get your project added to the clean energy map. Note that the map includes clean energy installations at local governments, schools, businesses and nonprofits. We do not include residential installations, largely because there are too many to track!
Are you curious about how your carbon emissions compare to other households in Dane County?
Dane County is working with CoolClimate Network, a UC-Berkeley consortium to help Dane County residents understand their carbon emissions.
Check out the CoolClimate map of average annual household carbon emissions to better understand how emissions vary across the county and around the US.
We've created a local Dane County map using the CoolClimate Network data. On our local map you can look at total household emissions and you can also look at the specific emissions associated with housing, with transportation, and with goods and services. Check it out!
The map illustrates how various aspects of emissions--transportation, housing--vary from one area to the next.
As your understanding of emissions increases, you can use our CoolClimate carbon calculator to see how your household compares to others in your zip code. The tool will also help you identify ways you could reduce your carbon emissions.
When it comes to understanding climate change, we are lucky to have access to world-class scientists via the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts (WICCI).
WICCI is a partnership between the University of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
WICCI's website features numerous maps showing both historical climate trends (how things have already changed) and projections about future changes in our climate. Definitely check it out!
More maps are in the works! If there's something you'd like us to share via a map, let us know by emailing us at OECC@danecounty.gov.
