'A great day to be green:' Tosa Green Summit teaches residents how to live more eco-friendly life

Tosa Green Summit

WAUWATOSA -- The City of Wauwatosa is helping hundreds of residents make strides in being more eco-friendly. Saving money and the environment makes it easy to be green.

Recycling products like electronics, medicine, shredded paper and hazardous waste can make all the difference.

"It's a great day to be green," said Jeff Roznowski, chair of the Tosa Green Summit. "If these things aren't being recycled today, they are going to a landfill. We are trying to divert things from a landfill."

Roznowski says right now, the diversion rate -- the percentage of refuse diverted from landfills -- is only at 30%.

Tosa Green Summit

"What this event is doing is trying to increase that number," said Roznowski. "If that number could be 50%, it turns out to be not only an environmental impact, but also an economic impact. If we go from 30 to 50% diversion rate, we save about $300,000."

The Tosa Green Summit is trying to create awareness and action. Folks toured sustainability exhibits and learned how to make a lasting impact.

"They can learn about things like land, transit, the water, transportation," said Roznowski.

Tosa Green Summit

From composting to renewable energy, finding a way to do your part is easy. For Karen Suarez-Flint and her daughter, Kate Flint, being green is a lifestyle.

"We don't own plastic bags," said Suarez-Flint. "We use recycled materials to make different projects and things."

The summit planted seeds in Wauwatosa residents to take part and spread the word about ways to conserve.

"If we don't take care of the earth, she is not going to take care of us," said Suarez-Flint.

Tosa Green Summit