Green Tier

Taking care of our planet is definitely a team effort. While kids can do their part, we definitely need adults to pitch in too. And since businesses often have the biggest impact on the environment, it's especially important for them to help keep things green. To encourage businesses to do their part, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR for short) has started the Green Tier program. Basically, some companies are agreeing to do even more for the planet than they have to by law. In return, they get to use the Green Tier logo as kind of a "badge of excellence". They also get extra help from the DNR as they work hard to improve the environment.

A great example is how one electricity transmission company moved a bald eagle's nest to a safer place. The eagle had built its nest on top of a power transmission structure. The problem is that if sticks or grass from a nest fall onto an electrical line, it could start a fire that might burn the nest and spread to the land below. Not only that, but it also might cause a major power outage to the cities nearby.

To fix this problem, the company that builds these structures-and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-decided to attach a platform that is farther away from the wires and move the nest to that platform. Moving nests is just one example of how Green Tier companies are making a difference. For more info on the Green Tier program, go to:

Wisconsin DNR Green Tier Program