Green Biz PC

Park City, Utah

Celia Peterson

Driving Change: Highlights from the Sustainable Transportation Lunch & Learn

by

On February 11, 2026, local employees and business leaders gathered at the Park City Library for Driving Change: Sustainable Transportation in Action, to hear real-world examples of electric vehicle adoption and car-free commuting. Speakers shared practical insights on fleet electrification, operational planning, and local options to support a car-free workforce that can be implemented today.

Why Electrify Fleets?

Kelbe Goupil of Utah Clean Energy opened by highlighting the outsized pollution impact of heavy-duty vehicles. Though they account for only about 7.5% of vehicle miles traveled in Utah, they produce roughly 30% of transportation pollution and nearly half of vehicle NOx emissions. Electrifying fleets can significantly reduce these impacts while also lowering fuel and maintenance costs and giving businesses access to incentives and rebates.

Her key message: start with data. Analyzing vehicle routes, mileage, and usage helps organizations determine which vehicles are best suited for electrification, how to size fleets efficiently, and what charging infrastructure is needed. She also highlighted a free, bi-monthly Electrified Fleets Community of Practice, where fleet managers can learn from peers and experts.

Summit County reinforced this point by sharing results from a recent fleet analysis showing many organizations operate more vehicles than necessary. Simply right-sizing fleets before electrifying can produce immediate cost savings and emissions reductions.

Real-World Lessons from Fetch Park City

Tony Saylor, owner of Fetch Park City, shared a candid account of transitioning his dog-transport fleet to electric vans. His company operates daily routes of about 100 miles with frequent stops and steep terrain — conditions well suited for EVs.

After a year, he reported:

  • About $18,000 in annual fuel savings
  • Reduced routine maintenance
  • Reliable performance for multi-stop routes
  • Quieter rides appreciated by drivers and dogs alike

Challenges included higher upfront costs, charger installation expenses, and initially limited local maintenance options. His biggest pro-tip for businesses: start with one vehicle first to manage the learning curve before scaling up.

Vanpooling: Another Path to Lower Emissions

Transportation planners highlighted the regional Vanpool Pilot Program, which helps employers reduce local traffic and commuting emissions. Summit County and Park City currently subsidize up to 50% of vanpool costs, and businesses can share vans with nearby employers if they have at least four riders. A Guaranteed Ride Home program in Park City provides backup transportation in emergencies, removing a major barrier for participants.

Key Takeaways for Businesses

Across presentations, several themes stood out:

  • Use real fleet data to guide decisions.
  • Plan charging infrastructure early. Overnight charging is most cost effective.
  • Evaluate total cost of ownership, not just purchase price.
  • Partner with regional programs and peer networks.

Many of these actions — such as adopting an electric-first purchasing policy or supporting alternative commuting — can also earn points toward Green Business Certification.

The next Green Business Lunch & Learn will take place in May and focus on Thriving Community & Equity. Let us know if you are interested in a particular topic!

Lunch and Learn Recap — Know Your Flow (8/13/25)

by

In the heat of the summer, our August Lunch and Learn focused on one of our community’s most pressing topics- water! The Park City Water Department hosted us at the Three Kings Water Treatment Facility where we discussed the importance of water management, leak detection, landscape incentives, and more! 

Key topics covered by our presenters, Jason Christensen, Susan Cordone and Christine Williams from the Park City Water Department included: 

  • Park City’s water rates are structured to incentivize water conservation — the more a customer uses, the more expensive the charge 
  • Commercial customers of Park City have the ability to choose their base rate — businesses should ensure their current base rate is optimal for their operations
  • Water use in a mountainous community requires lots of pumping which is energy intensive, meaning when you conserve water, you contribute to conserving energy too 
  • Stormwater flows directly into creeks in our community which is why we should always prevent pollutants entering stormwater drains and educate our staff on stormwater best practices

Important takeaways

  • Identify who receives the water bill for your business and start a conversation about tracking cost and consumption — you would be surprised at how quickly you can start noticing overusage with basic tracking
  • If your water provider has an online platform to track usage — Park City, Mountain Regional, and Summit Water all do — determine which two people at your business should have access to this portal to enhance day-to-day water management 
  • Take advantage of landscape incentive programs offered by the state or your water provider to replace turf with water efficient landscaping 
  • Minimize stormwater pollution by reducing salt use in the winter, removing turf to reduce pesticide use, and bringing fluorinated ski wax to Recycle Utah

Resources

Lunch and Learn Recap – Protecting worker health and well-being

by

On February 12th, the Green Business Program hosted a lunch and learn on the topic of protecting worker health and wellbeing. The discussion included strategies to engage hard-to-reach audiences and for workplaces to support employees navigating political and policy uncertainty at the federal level.

Our panel was moderated by Morgan Mingle, Director of Sustainable Tourism for the Park City Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau.

Bailey Quinn, Multicultural Communication and Outreach Specialist with the Summit County Health Department shared best practices for connecting our Spanish speaking community with health resources. She showcased the Spanish Facebook page Condado de Summit and a recently launched WhatsApp group. Leveraging NextDoor neighborhood groups has been another useful tool to reach Spanish speaking or rural audiences.

Another unique way to connect with community members is by riding the bus! Summit County and Recycle Utah pooled together resources for bilingual communication in January to connect with individuals on public transit in Spanish and English.

Maria Villar, Director of Charity & Social Services with St. Mary’s Catholic Church, shared the importance of employees feeling welcomed and valued in their workplace. She showcased a booklet of available community resources, many pro bono, for community members in need, which can be provided to employees. Last year she helped over 400 families with financial housing and basic needs assessments – many of whom are members of our local workforce. The current increase in scrutiny of Latinx workers’ immigration status is already having real impacts, with many people not showing up at work or school. Maria advised against publicizing events where large numbers of Latinx community members may congregate.

Sarah Myers, VP of Operations for the Park City Chamber, reiterated that things are changing quickly with the new federal administration, and that certain rights around discrimination based on gender, sexuality and race may go away. She encouraged everyone to understand their rights and explained the difference between judicial and administrative warrants. The Chamber has prepared many workforce resources on this topic and more.

The panelists all reiterated the importance of ensuring that employees are seen and valued, which is a form of workplace wellness and the foundation for employees feeling safe and motivated at work.