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Events and Network Building

Build Your Community!

Sustainable businesses are well connected and interact with the business community. To support businesses, SAGE facilitates and encourages relationships between businesses that foster “best practice” sharing, collaboration and learning opportunities.

SAGE offers learning opportunities and brings together sustainable business leaders with environmental trainings, best practice workshops and experiential activities that focus on the following: 

  • Opportunities to learn about best practices that benefit businesses’ triple-bottom line
  • Educational events and experiences to learn and implement sustainable practices, strategies and techniques
  • The sharing of experience and best practices to advance businesses knowledge and application of sustainability
  • Cultivating knowledge and understanding of practices that advance the sustainable growth of the Westminster economy and businesses.

Colorado Green Business Network--Overview and Programs

In this event, the Colorado Green Business Network (CGBN) provide information on the following:

  • CGBN Overview
  • Colorado C-PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) financing 
  • Charge Ahead (Electric Vehcile) Grant opportunity information (Colorado Energy Office) 
  • CDPHE's Small Business Assistance Program
  • Information about Xcel Energy's Small Business Solutions
  • Business Case Studies

 Event Slides Here! and Learn more about CBGN Here

Sustainability for Small Businesses: Panel Event

Operating a small business with sustainability in mind takes intention and outside resources. Figuring out how to start, where to go for help, and how to make time for it all is a challenge, but we're here to help! In this special panel event, the North Metro SBDC is joined by a variety of professionals in the sustainability industry who are ready to help equip small business owners to make these changes a reality. 

Watch Event Here

This event was moderated by Justine Roberts, Program and Communications Manager with the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility, Leeds School of Business. Panelists include:

  • Berenice Garcia Tellez, Equitable Implementation Administrator with Energize Denver
  • Bridger Tomlin Sustainability Associate with the City of Westminster
  • Ethan Rouse, Business and Economic Development Specialist with Adams County
  • Gina Schley, owner of SHEGROWS
  • John Schneider, Field Representative with Xcel Energy
  • Maria Gonzalez, CEO with Adelante Community Development.

Zero Waste Webinars

SAGE teamed up with Kate Christian, the Corporate Sustainability Manager at Eco-Cycle, one of the oldest and largest non-profit recyclers and Zero Waste organizations in the U.S. to host a series of workshops on zero waste specific strategies, resources, and opportunities for Westminster businesses.

Ongoing training opportunities:

  • Westminster Economic Development Business Trainings: See here for a calendar of upcoming trainings 

  • ENERGYSTAR and EPA Best-Practices: See here for a calendar of upcoming trainings. You can also find answers to frequently asked questions about ENERGY STAR Buildings at here. 

Training Library:

Below are videos and slides on trainings and educational opportunities 

  • Financing Energy Efficiency Projects: Learn best practices and tips on what to know before you sign. Access slides here. 
  • ENERGYSTAR Trainings: Access ENERGYSTAR videos, slides, and information on Portfolio Manager, ENERGYSTAR Certification, and how to use their tools
  • COVID-19, Ventilation, and Energy Efficiency for Building Owners and Managers:  A webinar focused on the latest science of covid-19 in indoor air, dos and don’ts of modifying your ventilation system, and how to maintain energy efficiency. Commercial building owners and managers learned what changes to their heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems will best reduce risk for their occupants, common limits of HVAC, and how to preserve energy efficiency while making modifications.
  • Brewery Energy Efficiency (Treasure Hunt): Learn about ENERGY STAR's "Energy Treasure Hunt" process for brewers to uncover opportunities to maximize efforts in reducing energy costs. Energy costs can be 5-10% of cost of goods sold in breweries. As the brewing industry continues to grow, start questioning why things are the way they are and how to reduce your bottom line

Waste Reduction: 

  • Zero-Waste Training Videos: Eco-Cycle's webcast about recycling, composting, reducing waste, and more! These short and informative video lessons are accompanied by a variety of activities that will help integrate the week’s lesson into your life—like doing a waste audit, recipes and DIYs for commonly-packaged foods and products to help you avoid plastic packaging, and viewing documentaries for an in-depth look into a topic.
  • Employee Producer Responsibility: Check out this recording on Extended ProducerResponsibility with Kate Bailey and Rachel Setzke was incredibly informativeand a great look at what we can be doing to further zero waste solutions andsustainability in Colorado. 

Food Waste:

  • EPA's reducing wasted food & packaging toolkit: a step-by-step guide for conducting a wasted food assessment.  
  • Food Waste Insights Engine: Learn new best practices and insights around food waste reduction and prevention! The ReFED Insights Engine is a data and solutions hub for food loss and waste, designed to provide anyone interested in food waste reduction with the information and insights they need to take meaningful action to address the problem. Download the slides here and access the Insights Engine here. 

Water Conservation:

  • Reducing Water Use at Breweries: Learn about how breweries can implement simple water conservation techniques that not only use natural resources more efficiently, but also make sense for the bottom line.

Climate Action:

  • Restore Colorado: Restore Colorado is a voluntary program that gives participating restaurants the opportunity to fight climate change and support local agriculture. restaurants that choose to participate can add an optional 1% surcharge to the customer receipt. this surcharge revenue will be used to support carbon farming on regional farmland. visit Zero Foodprint's Website for more information about the program.

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARDS: 

2022: GQue BBQ

GQue stands out among the business community in the following ways: 

  • GQue became SAGE Certified by completing over 30 sustainable business best-practices

  • Participated in Xcel Energy’s Small Business Energy Solutions program to identify high-impact energy saving opportunities for their building

  • Recycles and/or sells their used cooking oil.

  • Provide compostable plates and service-ware in their catering services.

  • Supports the local community through donations and sponsorships to over 35 different organizations ranging from schools to sports teams to humane societies.

2021: Vestar: The Orchard Town Center  

Vestar: The Orchard Town Center was selected due to their outstanding sustainability achievements, including: 

  • Becoming SAGE Certified through completing over 30 sustainable business best-practices

  • Partnering with the City and Drive Clean Colorado to put on and promote an Electric Vehicle show-case at the summer farmers market

  • Promoting and partnering with the City and Xcel Energy to encourage business tenants to participate in the Small Business Energy Solutions campaign.

  • Maintaining and promoting the use of two on-site EV charging stations

  • Planning to retrofit their parking lots with LED lightings

  • Utilizing water efficient landscaping throughout the property

  • Being a dedicated community member and neighbor through community donations and sponsorship to A Precious Child, Mark Junior Fund, and Food for Hope.

2020: Premier Members Credit UnionPMCU_Logo

Premier Members was selected due to their outstanding sustainability achievements, including: 

  • Conduction of a comprehensive sustainability assessment that included gathering energy, waste, natural gas, paper, and water use baseline data and setting 2020 and 2021 reduction goals and achievement strategies.
  • Responsible purchasing practices, notably using copy paper made of 100% recycled-content and printing 100% of their marketing materials on uncoated, 30% post-consumer recycled paper with soy or corn-based inks.
  • Sourcing renewable energy across their branches through a solar electric system that offsets 14 tons of CO2 pollution each year. This is equivalent to planting 1,078 total trees or to reducing 30,500 miles of auto travel per year.
  • Educating consumers on ways to integrate sustainability into their finances, home, lifestyle and community activities.

Additional Recognition Opportunities 

  • Environmental Leadership Program:DEHS_MainELPLogo637509330796933547
    our statewide environmental recognition and reward program which offers benefits and incentives to members that voluntarily go beyond compliance with state and federal regulations and are committed to continual environmental improvement. There are three levels: gold, silver and bronze. Check out the ELP Brochure for details. 
  • B Corp: BCorp_Logo
    B-Corp Certification measures a company’s entire social and environmental performance, evaluates how your company’s operations and business model impact your workers, community, environment, and customers. From your supply chain and input materials to your charitable giving and employee benefits, B Corp Certification proves your business is meeting the highest standards of verified performance.
  • Best for Colorado:BestForColorado
    Best for Colorado program serves as the hub for corporate social responsibility for Colorado businesses. It allows companies to measure and improve their social and environmental impact, regardless of where they are on their corporate social responsibility journey.

Contact SAGESAGE Long Logo

Email SAGE@westminsterco.gov or call 303-658-2662 to set up an advising session, get your questions answered, and to provide comments.  

 

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