After months and months of battles in the Capitol, recall elections, and political attack ads, Wisconsin has become known as a state bruised by deep political divides where neighbors and friends are pitted against one another.

Unfortunately, this perception is all too accurate. For more than a year, we have focused on a few things that bitterly divide us as Wisconsinites, while forgetting about the many things that unite us. With the recall election behind us, we now have the opportunity to step back and rediscover those things that bring us together instead of tear us apart.

It is not being a political battleground state that makes Wisconsin special, it is the celebration of cheese, beer, bratwurst and the Green Bay Packers. It is getting out to enjoy a fish fry with friends, and knowing your neighbor is always there to reach out a helping hand. It is a love of all of the things that make our state such a wonderful place to live – the beautiful forests, beaches, state parks, and thousands of lakes, rivers and streams.

At Clean Wisconsin, we have fought for over four decades to protect Wisconsin’s wonderful environment. We do this work so that we can catch fish that are safe to eat, our families can enjoy a day on a beach that’s not closed, we can swim in clean lakes, drink clean water, and breathe clean, fresh air when we step outside or go for a hike.

And these are things that almost all of us can agree are important. A bipartisan poll taken in January of this year found that nearly 9 out of 10 Wisconsin voters want our state to increase investments in solar and wind energy, and 4 out of 5 would like our state to require that 30 percent of our electricity comes from renewable sources.

Now is the time to stop focusing on our differences and and let our collective love of Wisconsin unite us. At Clean Wisconsin, that means fighting to protect the wonderful places that are special to all of us, regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum.

-Post contributed by Sam Weis, communications director