About Us

Sustainability is not a niche interest in the Fox Valley. It touches the furnace in your basement, the stormwater running off your driveway toward the Fox River, the trucks that bring food to your grocery store, the budget decisions made at your village board and the jobs in the mills and shops along Lake Winnebago. Our job is to make that big subject practical, local and doable.

The original Sustainable Fox Valley home page put it simply: whether you are young or old, a business owner or an employee, a municipal employee or a resident who influences local decisions, “you are part of creating a future we can all live with.” That is still the heart of everything we publish and teach.

Our mission

We help people across the Fox Cities of northeast Wisconsin understand what sustainability means in everyday life and take concrete steps toward it at home, at work and in local government. We do that through plain-language education, practical guides, small-group learning and hands-on tools.

How we define sustainability

We still use the definition that appeared on the original Sustainable Fox Valley website. Sustainability means:

“Being able to satisfy present human needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

The three guiding questions

A definition is only useful if it helps you make decisions. The original initiative turned it into a set of questions that any household, business or town can ask. We quote them here as they appeared:

“Without creating barriers that stand in the way of all people meeting their fundamental needs fairly and efficiently, how can our community

• Reduce our use of fossil fuels and other scarce substances taken from the earth’s crust?
• Reduce our use of toxic and man-made substances that do not break down in nature?
• Preserve or restore the natural systems that support life?

These are the questions we must continually seek to answer to keep moving toward a healthy future.”

These questions come directly from The Natural Step framework, a science-based approach to sustainability that we explain in depth elsewhere on this site. They are also why our guides never stop at “go green.” Each recommendation should move you toward at least one of these questions without making life harder or less fair for someone else.

Our history

Sustainable Fox Valley began as a grassroots initiative in the Fox Cities, started by residents who believed the region could lead on sustainability through local action rather than waiting for it to arrive from somewhere else.

The original website, preserved in a 2011 web archive, organized the work around a few clear audiences and tools:

• Households and neighborhoods, where daily choices about energy, water, food and waste add up.
• Businesses and organizations, where sustainability can cut costs and strengthen reputation.
• Municipalities, where policy, infrastructure and purchasing shape a whole community.
• The Natural Step, the shared framework used to judge whether an action truly moves toward sustainability.
• Study circles (also called community circles), small facilitated groups that help neighbors learn together and turn conversation into action.

The site also announced community projects such as the Fox Cities Unplugged Energy Challenge, which you can read about on our energy challenge page.

Where we are today

Today, Sustainable Fox Valley is an independent community-education project that carries the mission of the original initiative forward. We have kept the same structure, the same definition and the same guiding questions because they still work. What has changed is the toolkit: updated guides for Wisconsin homes, current information about local programs, workshops, and kits you can order to get started.

We want to be plain about what we are and are not. We are not a government agency, a utility or a registered charity, and we do not speak for any of the public organizations we mention. When we point you to a program such as Focus on Energy or your county recycling department, we do so because it is a useful public resource, not because we are affiliated with it.

Our values

What we do

Who we serve

Our audience is anyone who lives, works or makes decisions in the Fox Valley and Fox Cities region, including Appleton, Neenah, Menasha, Kaukauna, Kimberly, Little Chute, Oshkosh, De Pere, Fond du Lac and the towns and villages in between. In practice that means:

• Households and renters who want lower bills, less waste and a healthier home.
• Neighborhood groups looking for projects that bring people together.
• Small and mid-sized businesses and nonprofits that want a credible, structured approach.
• Municipal staff, elected officials and engaged residents working on plans, budgets and policy.
• Teachers, faith communities and libraries that host learning and discussion.

How we work

1. We cite our sources. When we state a fact about a program, rule or technology, we link to the official source so you can check it yourself.
2. We keep money matters honest. We do not promise tax credits or rebates. For example, the federal residential energy credits that many guides used to cite ended after December 31, 2025, so we point you to Focus on Energy and your utility for what is currently available.
3. We credit images. Photos and graphics on this site are credited on our Image Credits page.
4. We are clear about what we sell. Kits, workshops and consultations are described with their price and contents. Policies are on our Refund Policy and Terms and Conditions pages.
5. We listen. If something is out of date or unclear, email [email protected] and we will look into it.

How to get involved

There is no membership fee and no single right way to take part. Pick the option that fits your time and interests:

You can also follow new guides on What’s New, check upcoming events and read answers to common questions on our FAQ.