Open House invitation to Growing Power Community Food Center.

Join us as we celebrate Earth Day with plenty of good food, drinks, free tours and opportunities to mingle. This year, we honor Earth Day with our new solar panel installation and a stormwater collection system. Our solar panel allows us to be energy independent, while the stormwater collection system augments our aquaponics system, which will be used to raise lake perch and rainbow trout, as well as irrigate vegetable crops.

However, there is more to these systems than meets the eye. The rainwater collectors, totaling 18,000 gallons capacity, will also serve as reservoirs for raising 18,000 lake perch and rainbow trout. The solar array is also an effective sunshade for our new sidewalk market. And these systems work together: The only energy need of our coldwater fish-farming systems is the electricity required to power pumps to circulate the water to keep our fish and plants healthy. Some of that power will now be supplied by the sun, and the water arrives free as rainfall.

The solar-electric array was made possible by a grant from WE Energies. The rainwater catchment was funded by the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, which is responsible for managing stormwater in the Milwaukee watershed.

The installation of these two integrated systems is another step Growing Power has taken toward making our entire operation a model of sustainability in Milwaukee and in Wisconsin. By showcasing these innovative principles and practices to the more than 10,000 people from across the country and around the globe who visit Growing Power every year, we demonstrate vision and leadership that can inspire widespread change.