Green Biz PC

Park City, Utah

Community

Lots of Local Action in the Wonderful World of Solid Waste

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The County and City want to bring a special update on two efforts related to waste: (1) Solid Waste Action planning, and (2) local waste diversion efforts.

First, we are calling all businesses to help shape the future of waste diversion in our community by taking a short (5 question) survey, sharing how waste diversion fits into your operations, what challenges you face, and what would help you recycle more. Your feedback will directly inform the solutions we pursue to extend the life of our landfill by another 10 years, from expanding voluntary programs to considering new recycling requirements for materials such as cardboard. Before anything is decided, we want to hear from you.

For several months, Summit County has been leading an effort to refresh the Solid Waste Plan. Key updates include:

  • Improved diversion of landscaping waste (though there’s still room for improvement)
  • Land for Recycle Utah’s future facility (near Home Depot)
  • Improve cardboard diversion through implementation of a vertical bailer (paid for itself within months!)

Key strategies moving forward:

  • Increase “remote” drop-off locations for residential recycling
  • Park City’s waste reduction ordinance (84060 only)

This recent Townlift article gives a nice summary of what has been accomplished, and what is planned.

On April 30th, Park City Council will be considering a new waste reduction ordinance for 84060 businesses. It will require that all businesses have an account &/or plan for both trash and recycling and provide details of how their landfill and recycling waste are hauled. This is a critical first step to more effective waste diversion. To learn more, visit the link here or reach out to Celia Peterson. 

It is an exciting moment with lots happening to advance solutions to our community’s complex solid waste challenges. The County and the City can’t be successful with our goals to reduce waste and keep it out of the landfill without you – the dedicated business community. Let us know how we can support you!

Warmest regards, 

The Green Business Team  

Lunch and Learn: Thriving Workplaces that Empower Working Parents   

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Join the Green Business Program at the Park City Library (Room 201) to explore how your business can create a thriving, family-friendly workplace for working parents. We’ll discuss the Best Place for Working Parents designation, tax credits available to small businesses to help offset childcare costs, practical policies and strategies to support working mothers, and more!

We’ll hear from:

  • Becca Gerber, Senior Director of Community & Government Affairs at the Park City Chamber, on key takeaways from the Best Place for Working Parents initiative and new tax credits covering up to 80% of childcare costs for small businesses
  • Sara Sargent, Alpine Distilling, sharing her experience achieving the Best Place for Working Parents designation and how they’ve created an inclusive and supportive workplace culture
  • Paige Mitchell, Health Educator with the Summit County Health Department’s Health Promotion Division, discussing lactation resources available to employers and employees, along with the County’s Infants in the Workplace program, to help businesses identify ways to expand support for working mothers

Please register for the event here.

Remember to bring your water bottle, business cards, and any green business news you’d like to share!

For public transit options, download the Transit app.

We hope to see you there!

Driving Change: Highlights from the Sustainable Transportation Lunch & Learn

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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 – Know Your Flow

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Join the Green Business Program on August 13th for a discussion on our rising water bills and ways your business can save and conserve. Representatives from Park City’s Water Utility will discuss how best to understand your water bill and how to reduce usage – including landscaping programs and indoor water efficiency and conservation tricks. We hope to see you there!

Bring your water bottles, business cards, and any other green business news you would like to share!

Please register for the event here!

SPECIAL NOTE: Parking is very limited at the water treatment plant. Please do not drive if you’re not carpooling.

Or take the bus!

The Three Kings Water Plant’s bus stop is called “Crescent Rd” on the 2 Green or “III Kings” on the 3 Blue.

Pull the yellow cord when you are approaching the Water Plant, the driver will stop.

Times change throughout the day, but we suggest using the Transit app (it was a green box with a white squiggly line for its app symbol), or here is a link for the schedules:

https://parkcity.gov/departments/transit-bus/routes-schedules

Lunch and Learn: Protecting worker health and well-being

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Join us on Wednesday, February 12th at the Blair Education Center for a Lunch & Learn on the topic of employee wellbeing and protecting the health of our workforce.

REGISTER HERE

The panel will include local experts who are working on the front lines of workforce wellbeing. Topics will include health issues and other vulnerabilities for Park City, and how the business community can better support the backbone of our economy.

  • Panel Moderator: Morgan Mingle, Dir. of Sustainable Tourism, Park City Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau
  • Maria Villar, Dir. of Charity & Social Services, St, Mary’s Catholic Church, will provide insight into the mental health challenges faced by our workforce and how employers can better support equitable health outcomes.
  • Sarah Myers, VP of Operations, Park City Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau, will showcase the workforce wellbeing initiatives and other support offered by the Chamber
  • Bailey Quinn, Multicultural Communication and Outreach Specialist, Summit County Health Dept., will showcase how the County has used innovative ways for reach underserved Park City and Summit County residents

Followed by a discussion with your Green Business peers and the panel.

Lunch kindly provided by the Park City Chamber’s Sustainable Tourism office. Please remember to bring your water bottle and a to-go container for any leftovers.

Lunch and Learn Recap – The Future of the Employee Commute

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For our last Lunch and Learn of 2024, the Green Business Program focused on The Future of the Employee Commute. For presenters, we had Janna Young, Summit County Deputy County Manager, Hannah Pack, Park City Municipal’s Transportation Planner, and Heleena Sideris, Park City Lodging’s General Manager.

As transportation is a challenge for our entire community, here are some key takeaways from our speakers that can help your business reduce commuter burdens and address local traffic issues. 

Cultivating a flexible and productive culture in an ever-evolving remote work environment. By ensuring everyone is in the office together at least once a week, allowing more flexibility to employees who are unable to work remotely, and maintaining a strong line of day-to-day communication, your business can improve employee retention while also reducing vehicles on the road. Many businesses have seen an increase in productivity with transition to remote working, however overworking can become an issue.

Alternative transportation needs employer support. The PC Transportation Department found that that #1 determinant for commuters to choose alternative transportation was having an employer that supports sustainable commuting. Take Park City Lodging, which provides a $3 a day carpool incentive, made bike racks more accessible, and added a shower for those who choose active transportation.

Local resources for commuters continue to expand. Ride On Park City provides employer networks, incentives, and carpool matching for all employees in Summit County:

  • Look out for their annual Commuter Incentive Program from December 1st to March 31st with cash prizes, up to $1500 for first prizes.
  • A vanpool program for Park City businesses will also be available for Wasatch back employees through Park City Municipal. Note that there is a Council meeting to discuss this topic and more during the Transit Pilot Projects and App updates on November 21st at 4:40 PM. Tune in, use your voice, and let your Council members know this topic is important to you!
  • Guaranteed Ride Home for Park City employees ensures that if employees take transit in, they don’t get stranded after operating hours. Workers can get reimbursement for an Uber or Lyft ride home.
  • Review Hannah’s slides to learn more!

Have any follow up questions or want to learn more? Don’t hesitate to reach out to the Green Business Team!