Dear Eartha, I’ve been noticing the strides our residents are making towards sustainability, but what about our businesses?
From glass recycling and selling eco-friendly products to the adoption of LEDs and low flow toilets, businesses are doing their bit – big or small – to maintain the beauty of Summit County, just like our residents do. In fact, several businesses were recently recognized by the Resource Wise sustainable business initiative for their commitments to sustainability. Let’s shine a spotlight on just a few.
The National Repertory Orchestra has reduced their impact by transitioning their office lighting to LEDs and recycling at their office. And, their most noteworthy effort engages over 75 visiting summer musicians. The NRO’s summer musicians live, work and perform in Breckenridge for a few short months. Along with being welcomed like locals, the musicians get a crash course in Summit County sustainability, a reusable water bottle and a shopping bag to cut down on single-use plastic. Plus, NRO staff maintains a gently used stock of household items including bedding and kitchenware for musicians to use during their stay to reduce the amount of buying and tossing for their short stay. At the end of the season, NRO staff ensure leftover items find another home in our community rather than the landfill.
For concertgoers, the NRO developed an app that provides digital tickets and concert programs thus reducing the need of paper programs. For all the efforts over the past year, and their ongoing commitment, the National Repertory Orchestra earned the title of Summit County’s Sustainable business program, Resource Wise, 2023 Rookie of the Year.
When it comes to sustainability, restaurants have a big role to play. Just think of all the potential food waste. Rootstalk in Breckenridge slashed their trash in half by composting food waste from their kitchen, bus stations and bar. That’s why they’re the Resource Wise 2023 Recycling Champion. Additionally, the staff ….. ADD A SENTENCE HERE ABOUT HOW THEY ARE BEING ENERGY EFFICIENT
has made sustainability a priority. Beyond being an energy-efficient restaurant and diligent with reusing and recycling. Rootstalk, like many other restaurants, still had to battle a lot of trash, well, mostly food scraps. Adding food scrap collection to their kitchen, bus stations and bar, slashed their trash in half and is reducing greenhouse gases. That’s why they’re the Resource Wise 2023 Recycling Champion.
AC Hotel by Marriott in Frisco took over the building that used to be Summit Suites – however, when they did their remodel, they created a construction and demolition plan to make sure to divert as much waste as possible –from scrap medal to old mattresses. They donated or recycled anything else that was applicable. When it came to heating and cooling the rooms – they upgraded to energy efficient heat pumps. Saving energy and diverting waste during their remodel and now, as they are open, earned AC Hotels by Marriott Resource Wise 2023 Most Improved.
Also in Frisco, Prescription Alternatives enhanced the efficiency of their pharmacy through LED lighting, low-flow faucets, and efficient heating. They minimized their impact on the landfill by recycling traditional items such as cardboard and paper, and by adding a specialty waste box to recycle disposable gloves. Additionally, the community can safely dispose of old and expired prescriptions through the medication disposal box. Thanks to their ongoing commitment and their recent improvements, Prescription Alternatives achieved the title of Resource Wise 2023 Peak of Sustainability.
And let’s not forget the homeowners’ associations! Mountain Plaza, a large HOA at Copper Mountain, swapped all their common area and business lights for LEDs and bid farewell to their 40-year-old boilers – that has reduced the buildings’ energy use significantly, naming them the Resource Wise 2023 Energy Champion. Mountain Plaza officials also took a deep dive into their high water use. A smart meter revealed leaky toilets, so they systematically tested them all and fixed or replaced the culprits. The result? An 80% reduction in water loss, saving a whopping 600,000 gallons annually – that’s like 96 Americans skipping showers for a whole year!
These achievements represent just a fraction of the sustainability work thriving in our community. Whether your business occupies a huge building or a cozy office, the High Country Conservation Center can help you uncover simple and impactful ways to become more sustainable.