Green Ideas
Grow with the Milwaukee Public Library as we celebrate Earth Month! Earth Day is April 22, but programming will be blooming at MPL throughout April. Our year round green programming is rooted in our commitment to educating our community on the importance of sustainability and environmental stewardship. In addition to programming, learn more below about the history of Milwaukee Public Library’s Green Initiatives and how we support a climate-resistant Milwaukee.
Container Gardens for Sun and Shade with Melinda Myers
Wednesday, April 2, 6:30-7:30 p.m. | Virtual
Container gardens add color and seasonal interest to balconies, patios, decks, and even your front entrance. No matter where they’re placed, matching the plants to
the available sunlight will help boost success. Gardening expert and author Melinda Myers will share container plant combinations for both sun-filled and shady locations, and will provide tips on the proper care to keep them looking good all season long. Registration is required.
Pot Decorating Workshop with Aaron Boyd
Saturday, April 12, 1-2:30 p.m.
Washington Park Branch Library, 2121 N. Sherman Blvd.
Join us for a fun Earth Day celebration featuring award-winning local artist and illustrator, Aaron Boyd. Aaron is the author and illustrator of Giving Good, which was honored by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center on their best books list for 2025. In this all-ages workshop, paint a pot for an indoor plant! No prior art experience is necessary and all supplies will be provided, including pots and art supplies.
Time, Beauty, and Grief - An Afternoon With Author Betsy Korbinyr
Saturday, April 26, 1:30-3 p.m.
Central Library, 814 W. Wisconsin Ave.
Join us for an afternoon with the award-winning author, Betsy Korbinyr, as she speaks about her book Time, Beauty, and Grief: A Hike Through Wisconsin’s 50 State Parks. After retiring, Betsy successfully embarked on a remarkable quest to hike five miles in all 50 Wisconsin State Parks in one year. Time, Beauty, and Grief is part trail guide and part memoir, and will inspire you to get outdoors and develop a quest of your own.
Celebrate 125 Years of the State Parks!
Tuesday, April 29, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Tippecanoe Branch Library, 3912 S. Howell Ave.
Celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Wisconsin State Park System! Learn about the history of the parks, and get an introduction to the available recreation
opportunities (such as hiking and camping) for visitors of all abilities and experience levels. Presented by Mia Noel from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Havenwoods State Forest.
Climate Action Book Club
Wednesday, April 30, 6-7 p.m. | Virtual
A book club bringing together folks to listen, learn, and discuss sustainability and climate change. Build your climate change knowledge, uncover untold stories, and be inspired to action. Our title for April is Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World by Christian Cooper. Place a hold today at countycat.mcfls.org.
Seed Libraries
The Tippecanoe Branch Seed Library was first created in 2018 with donated seeds from the Seed Savers Exchange. The selection began with all heirloom seeds, but the library now purchases various seeds each year. There are typically 20-30 types of seeds, some of which come from patron donations. Look for an updated selection coming in April 2025!
A History of Green Initiatives at the Milwaukee Public Library
The Milwaukee Public Library is a leader in eco-friendly initiatives for the city in many ways. In the last two decades, MPL has made significant advances in systemwide green initiatives and remains committed to climate action and education.
When the Washington Park Library was built in 2003, it included the integration of a unique geothermal heat pump system to heat and cool the library. The system was one of the first vertical bore heat exchangers in southeast Wisconsin. The building also integrates various energy-saving strategies, including efficient glass, daylighting, and automated lighting controls to reduce the energy demand compared to a typical building of a similar size. These renewable energy technologies can help reduce building operation costs, reliance on imported fossil fuels, pollution, and greenhouse gas generation.
In 2010, MPL received two awards used toward its addition of a 33,000 square-foot green roof at the Central Library. The living roof collects and stores thousands of gallons of rainwater during downpours which helps to prevent street sewers from overflowing and contaminating local lakes and rivers. The installation of the green roof is expected to double the life of the roof to 40 years. A $250K grant from the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District provided for the addition of an educational component to the Green Roof project.
In addition to the green roof, Central Library added 30KW of solar panels to its roof in 2010 which reduced the building’s energy usage by more than 10% in only two years. This roof receives solar exposure almost 100% of the year. Improvements to Central Library drew attention from Barack Obama’s Better Buildings Challenge in 2013. MPL was also recognized in 2013 by the Milwaukee Business Journal for “Green Design of the Year” and by the Public Policy Forum for “Effective Use of Technology.”
In 2016, MPL was awarded more than $70K in grant money from the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District for the installation of the following at the Tippecanoe Branch Library:
- 1,500 square feet of permeable pavement to reduce the overall irrigation demand
- 900 square feet of bioswale to manage surface water runoff
- 6,100 square feet of native landscaping which doesn’t need to be mowed like a conventional lawn, reducing the demand for non-renewable resources while improving the water and air quality
- 1,500 square feet of rain garden which mimics the natural absorption and pollutant removal activities of a forest, a meadow, or a prairie and can absorb runoff more efficiently, sometimes as much as 30% - 40% more than a standard lawn.
Milwaukee Public Library extended the environmental benefit even further by eliminating toxic herbicides from its landscaping practices including products such as Roundup™, Weed B Gone™ and salt-based NPK fertilizers. Instead, MPL uses non-toxic strategies such as spot weed control, flame weeding, horticultural vinegar, manual weeding, wood chip mulch, corn gluten meal, worm castings, and compost.
A “Secret Garden” was also added to Tippecanoe through a generous $50K donation to the Milwaukee Public Library Foundation in 2016 from Barbara Stein. As a result, Tippecanoe became more invested in green programming and was subsequently awarded $20K between two James E. Dutton grants (in 2016 and 2017) to expand on those initiatives. These were the beginnings of what is now a large facet of green programming systemwide.
In 2018, Tippecanoe added a Seed Library from which patrons can select free seeds to plant in their gardens. The first batch of seeds was donated by Seed Savers Exchange. The selection began as all heirloom seeds, but the Library now purchases seeds each fall. There are typically 30-40 types of seeds, some of which come from patron donations.
A 2019 project added an additional 180KW of solar power for a combined total of 210KW across three Milwaukee Public Library locations: Center Street, Central Library, and Tippecanoe. These additions save the City of Milwaukee around $35K per year in energy costs and help toward its goal of having 25 percent of its energy come from renewable resources by the year 2025.
In 2020, the Atkinson, Bay View, Center Street, Washington Park, and Zablocki Branches underwent green infrastructure projects. In partnership with the City of Milwaukee’s Environmental Collaboration Office, parking lot work was done to mirror the improvements made at Tippecanoe in 2015. Other organizations who awarded over $800K in funds for these projects include Wisconsin’s Coastal Management Program, Fund for Lake Michigan, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, and Milwaukee Public Library Foundation.
In 2020, Milwaukee Public Library was selected as one of 25 U.S. libraries to participate in Resilient Communities: Libraries Respond to Climate Change, an initiative of the American Library Association (ALA) that will help libraries engage their communities in programs and conversations on the climate crisis. Resilient Communities strives to raise awareness and provide accurate information about the climate change crisis to the public through libraries.
Central Library underwent renovations to its heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system with energy-efficient replacements in 2020. Good Hope Branch opened in July of that year with high-efficiency automated building systems, HVAC, LED lighting, and the use of natural light throughout the building.
A butterfly garden was added at Tippecanoe in 2021 with a rain barrel that is painted to represent the children’s book We Are Water Protectors, winner of the 2021 Caldecott Medal. An herb garden was also installed in the Secret Garden this year, generously donated by Alice’s Garden.
The new Martin Luther King Branch, which opens in 2025, is equipped with the latest in green infrastructure, including a Darcy Solutions Geothermal System for heating and cooling, a solar photovoltaic array on the building’s rooftop, energy efficient windows, and two electric vehicle charging stations in the library parking lot.
The plan for the future is to continue to invest in sustainability measures at all 12 neighborhood branches and expand on green programming and collections. Green infrastructure and enhancements are built into all plans for branch enhancements and renovations, and a Sustainability Focus Group was formed for building projects. Milwaukee Public Library plays a key role in educating and informing citizens about issues affecting precious freshwater resources today…and tomorrow. By providing free access to green information through highly skilled staff, expansive library collections, discussion groups, tours, lectures, and social media, the contribution Milwaukee Public Library can make to protect the environment is immeasurable.
Green Programming
Milwaukee Public Library offers a vast array of year-round green programming. To deliver the best programs possible, MPL frequently partners with community organizations such as Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, Fresh Coast Guardians, Groundwork MKE, Schlitz Audubon Nature Center, Wehr Nature Center, and Wisconsin Water Library.
Visit our calendar for more information about library events and programming focused on Sustainability, Green, & Environmental topics.
If you would like to learn more about Earth Day or how you can help invest in our planet, our Climate Action Booklist has recommendations prepared by staff.
View an on-demand video library of past MPL Green Ideas programs like the one below on How to Plan Your Rain Garden, with gardening expert Melinda Myers. Or, schedule a tour of our Green Roof at Central Library!