Giveadaam Ventures was born out of necessity, said Marissa Michalkiewicz.
“When we went to find our first house off-campus, it was really challenging," she said. "UW Green Bay was not like other state schools where are you have rows and rows of college housing, so for us, we have to hop all around the city to find housing.“
The LLC's founder's mission is simple: to get more people to give a 'daam' about the environment.
“It’s not just the midwest that’s experiencing extreme weather conditions but the west coast, overseas, everywhere is experiencing the impact global warming and climate change, so it’s just modifying the way we live too slow that process so we can continue living our lifestyles.”
Tuesday, Giveadaam laid the foundation for its first sustainable housing project at 320 S Webster Avenue in Green Bay for college students and young professionals, designed to retain heat better, regulate airflow and keep energy costs low. The goal of this first property is to be a net-zero energy household, which means throughout the course of a year, the amount of energy consumed by the tenants will be offset by the production of energy generated by solar panels on the roof of the building. Burt Rynish, who has been building sustainably for almost 50 years, said this project is different than anything he's ever worked on.
“We owe it to ourselves if we consider ourselves a part of the planet," he said. “It’s exciting because as a builder we feel that we can bring a lot to the table to help you plan the way you want to plan your home.“
It will be a few months until the building is finished, but the housing project isn't the only initiative Giveadaam has going on. The organization is optimizing waste streams by assisting local bars and events through the 'Can-paign,' collecting and recycling aluminum cans and tabs. Since launching, Giveadaam has prevented more than 1,123 pounds of aluminum, which is approximately 35,922 cans, from entering the landfill, said Michalkiewicz. Giveadaam is also currently running its 'Suns Out, Funds Out' campaign to fundraise for the solar panels required to generate the amount of clean, renewable electricity needed to offset the property's anticipated usage.
“People are always scared to be more sustainable," she said. "They think they have to give so much up of their lifestyle, but really it’s just introducing different ways of living life, and making it more beneficial for environment.”
If you'd like to become a 'Giveadaamer,' you can find Giveadaam Ventures on Facebook, Instagram and Tik Tok.
