Green Biz PC

Park City, Utah

News

Park City’s Ride On Winter Rewards Are Back!

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Winter in Park City brings fresh snow, crisp air, and… friendly competition! The Ride On Winter Rewards Program is returning, and Green Businesses are in a perfect position to lead the charge toward cleaner air and lighter traffic.

From December through March, Green Businesses can earn points towards their certification through employee participation in Ride On, swapping solo car trips for sustainable travel – walk, bike, bus, scoot, carpool, vanpool, or use Park & Ride.

Employees can log their trips on the Ride On platform to earns points. With every point moving participants closer to cash prizes and a healthier community. Whether your employees are commuting to work, heading to ski, running errands, or meeting a friend for lunch, each one-way journey counts.

Participants can climb the leaderboard to compete for end-of-program cash prizes up to $450 or simply log trips on three separate days each month to be entered into a drawing for Mountainkind e-gift cards.

Share these simple steps with your employees to participate:

  1. Create an account at parkcity.rideamigos.com.
  2. Join the “Ride On Park City” network—and your employer network if available.
  3. Log up to four sustainable trips per day.

Examples of eligible trips include walking to the grocery store, biking to lunch, taking microtransit to the slopes, carpooling with coworkers, or using Park & Ride to hop on the bus. And if plans change unexpectedly, the Guaranteed Ride Home program has your back.

For businesses to earn points, reach out to the Green Team for more information.

This winter, let’s show the region what sustainable commuting looks like!

Lunch and Learn Recap – Sustainable Purchasing in Action

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What is sustainable procurement and why does it matter? 

It is estimated that purchasing accounts for more than 50% of a business’s carbon emissions, from the energy and resources required to make, transport, and dispose of products. Understanding the purchasing power of your business is essential to reducing your organization’s impact and driving meaningful sustainable change.

The November Lunch and Learn explored this topic and highlighted how businesses can take a more active approach to purchasing.

We were joined by Windy Aphayrath, Chief Procurement Officer for the State of Utah, and Michelle Brown, Coordinator for Resource Stewardship for the Utah Department of Government Operations, who discussed sustainable procurement practices. The Swaner EcoCenter team also shared how they approach sustainability when selecting products for their gift shop.

Key takeaways from Windy and Michelle for businesses looking to improve the sustainability of their purchasing strategies include:

  • Evaluate metrics and data you already have access to: Platforms such as Amazon now offer sustainability-related insights on your orders to help you better understand the environmental impact of what you buy. Under Amazon’s Programs & Features, you can also search for Climate Pledge Friendly products (look for the green leaf symbol indicating product sustainability features)
  • Use third-party certifications to guide purchasing decisions: To avoid greenwashing, rely on reputable third-party certifications that align with your sustainability goals. For greater assurance, look for multi-attribute certifications. Learn more about third-party certifications here
  • Ask for help: Whether internally across divisions or within the community, seek partners who can support your sustainable procurement journey through knowledge sharing and resources. The Green Business Team is also available to help!

Consider these guiding questions used by the Swaner EcoCenter to select vendors and products for their gift shop: 

  • What vendors and products are available locally?
  • What products promote sustainable behavior (e.g., rechargeable batteries, reusable bags)?
  • Is there a product that can educate customers about nature, community, or sustainability topics relevant to your industry?

Here are some ways you can challenge your staff to put these tips into practice:

  • After reviewing your purchasing history, you discover that you currently purchase 5 products from local vendors. Can your business set a goal to double that within a year?
  • In speaking with your staff, you learn that paper products are the most commonly purchased item in the office. Can your business set a goal to phase in 30%, then 100% recycled-content paper products?
  • When cleaning up after every board meeting, you notice that there are always plastic water bottles left to recycle. Can your staff pilot water pitchers and reusable cups for next time?

Check out the event slides for more information on the topics covered.

Stay tuned for more information on our February Lunch and Learn! 

Lunch and Learn Recap – Watt’s the Cost?

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Our May Lunch and Learn focused on energy management and energy efficiency strategies for businesses to reduce usage and save on utility bills. We heard from Evan Heil and Kate Whitbeck from kW Engineering, a partner of Rocky Mountain Power’s WattSmart program, and from Ben Liegert and Allan Hilton with Basin Recreation’s Facilities team. Read below for some key takeaways and lessons learned from kW Engineering, Basin Recreation, and the MARC.

Key takeaways:

kW has free energy management services to offer Park City and Summit County businesses and can advise on efficiency upgrades, including available utility incentives.

  • kW Engineering is here to help: At no-cost and with cash incentives available, kW can help businesses improve their building’s energy efficiency through multiple pathways including energy benchmarking, improvements to building system controls, and upgrades to building envelopes, HVAC systems, and lighting.  
  • Understanding your utility bill: The “Demand Charge” on your Rocky Mountain Power bill is where energy management and efficiency projects will produce the most savings for your business. This charge represents the highest amount of energy used in 15-minute intervals during a billing cycle. By focusing on reducing your building’s greatest energy loads, you can achieve monthly savings while also helping to extend the life of building equipment. 
  • How to get started with energy benchmarking and management: Start tracking your building’s energy use using your monthly utility bills. You can do this through Energy Star’s Portfolio Manager or by starting a simple spreadsheet that looks at monthly electricity and gas usage over the last few years. Need help? Reach out to Celia Peterson or Megan Nick to get started. 

Basin Recreation continues to see the benefits of energy efficiency improvements at the Fieldhouse. 

  • The facilities team at Basin Rec has been working on improvements to their buildings over the last 18 months. This included a no-cost building walkthrough with kW Engineering at the Fieldhouse, where multiple actions were identified to reduce energy use and improve the building control systems. 
  • Since updating their building control software system, Basin Rec has seen a consistent decline in monthly energy usage. They are also seeing energy use go down from repairing solar inverters and implementing other efficiency measures.
  • A key to Basin Rec’s success is internal support for facility improvements. By having a sustainability team made up of staff members from different departments who are passionate about driving change from within, Basin Rec continues to make sustainable improvements across their organization. 

The approach to energy efficiency at PC MARC continues to evolve through lessons learned at its facilities.

  • Keeping an eye on electricity AND natural gas usage is critical for effective energy management. During the wintertime, natural gas use is considerably higher than electricity in Park City. As a major source of emissions, and without a feasible renewable alternative (yet), natural gas must be included in energy benchmarking and efficiency measures.
  • The MARC has taken advantage of several incentives over the years, including lighting controls and fixture upgrades, installation of sensors in the basketball courts, and efficient pool pumps.
  • A focus on practicality and occupant needs is essential. While lighting sensor technology can be a nuisance in office spaces, simple solutions – like hanging a thermal blanket over a drafty door – can result in considerable savings. As a business, take the time to evaluate which efficiency upgrades will be most cost-effective for your operations. And remember, efficiency, especially related to heating spaces, is the cheapest form of energy you can use!

Stay tuned for our next Lunch and Learn in August on the topic of water! 

Park City Community Foundation Launches Food Waste Collection Program as Part of Its Zero Food Waste Initiative for Summit County.

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Park City Community Foundation today announced the rollout of a new curbside food waste collection program as the first phase of its Zero Food Waste initiative. Working together with local government, nonprofits, businesses, and donors, the Community Foundation’s Climate Fund has created and financed the Zero Food Waste initiative after announcing the Zero Food Waste 2030 goal last year. This community-led movement will reduce and divert all food waste out of the Summit County landfill by 2030 to curb methane release and create a healthier community….

Learn more and sign up today!

Learn More and Sign Up

Abode Luxury Rentals – 2023 Zest for Zero Award

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Abode Luxury Rentals won the Zest for Zero award which recognizes a company that has made fast progress entering the program. As they have done in their properties, their eco-friendly suggestions include reducing their heat to 55 degrees in unoccupied home; eliminating bottled water and liquid soap pump bottles; using timed aerated faucets; using dissolvable laundry detergent sheets; following local no-idling regulations; providing guests recycling bins and recycling guidelines; utilizing transit schedules and maps.

Park City Mountain – 2023 Green Business of the Year

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Park City Mountain Resort, performing at the highest black diamond level (now called GOLD), is the 2023 Green Business of the Year. Perhaps the most noticeable of their sustainability initiatives is their waste diversion operation. Restaurant guests take their food trays to sorting stations and staff sort it into compostables, recyclables, soft plastic wraps and snack wrappers. This system keeps contamination from improper sorting to a minimum. There are trash, recycling, and snack wrapper cans for guests to use outside. Last year, Park City Mountain diverted a whopping 546 tons of waste from the landfill with 185 tons of it being food waste! To work, it takes our cooperation.