Ale Asylum is forging a path toward sustainability by becoming the first Wisconsin brewery to sign a nationwide declaration for environmental protection in the beer industry.

Breweries sign the Brewery Climate Declaration to demonstrate their commitment to the environment. Companies who join take steps to reduce their carbon footprint such as using renewable energy, measuring greenhouse gas emissions and investing in environmentally friendly technologies, according to the declaration’s website.

Tyler Huebner, executive director of RENEW Wisconsin, said he thinks the real value in the Brewery Climate Declaration is that a popular consumer product like beer can bring companies together in order to advocate for the environment.

“A number of companies are taking action and investing in clean energy solutions because … it makes good business sense and … from their view it’s the right thing to do for the environment and for the future,” Huebner said.

Ale Asylum recently activated a 100 kilowatt solar roof top system called the solar array, Hathaway Dilba, director of promotions at Ale Asylum, said. All the beer they brew in their facility is now powered by the solar array.

Dilba said she felt good about increasing their production while simultaneously lowering their greenhouse emissions.

Ale Asylum also has taken steps to increase renewable energy by recycling grains, reusing energy given off while brewing to reheat water and harnessing the winter air to cool in their walk-in cooler, she said.

Dilba hopes other breweries will get on board with signing the Brewery Climate Declaration.

“I think that other breweries can collectively rise together and show people that it’s possible to make a product, and be sustainable at the same time,” she said.

Dilba believes a small step all breweries should take is learning how to recycle grain. Then, as breweries get bigger they will hopefully be able to increase the number of sustainable energy methods they use, she said.

“The little things add up, they really do,” Dilba said.

Correction: The article previously misquoted sense as friends. The Badger Herald regrets this error.