vail green business of the year application

8/9/2019 Vail Green Business of the Year application

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SEVENTH ANNUAL VAIL VALLEY SUCCESS AWARDS

FINALIST APPLICATION FOR:

Green Business of the Year

Congratulations on being chosen as a finalist for the 2010 Vail Valley Success Awards! Please type answers to

the following second round questions and return to Suzanne Sloan at the Vail Valley Partnership by Friday, December18

th.If you do not respond by this date you will no longer be eligible for this award. Thank you for your attention to this

and congratulations on your business accomplishments!

Category of Nomination: Green Business of the Year

Your name: Kristen Bertuglia, Environmental Sustainability Coordinator

Business Name: Town of Vail

Contact Information: 970-477-3455

Number of Business Locations: Municipal Govt. (1)

1. Please detail your level of accomplishments during 2009 that you believe qualify your business of be chosen

as ‘ Green Business of the Year’.

The Town of Vail is honored to be chosen as a finalist for the 2010 Vail Valley Success Award. We feel that

environmental stewardship is and should be a part of daily operations, and we are proud of our success this past

year related to green initiatives. We look forward to working with the community to make Vail an environmental

leader. Some highlights of our accomplishments in 2009 follow.

In January, 2009, the Town of Vail adopted an Environmental Sustainability Strategic Plan, which establishes 6

key goals for the Town of Vail and set the course for our work over the past year:

1. Solid Waste Stream Reduction and Recycling: Reduce the amount of Town of Vail landfill

contributions by 10% within 5 years, and 25% within 10 years.2. Energy Efficiency: Reduce the Town of Vail municipal and community energy use by 20% below

2006 levels by 2020, in order to effectively reduce the Town’s contribution to greenhouse gas

emissions and impact on global climate change.

3. Ecosystem Health: Ensure that the natural environment, specifically air and water quality, water

quantity, land use and habitat are maintained to current or improved levels of biological health.

4. Sustainable Economic and Social Development: Lead programmatic efforts to promote sustainable

and profitable business practices within the Town of Vail and the Vail community. Implement

employee sustainability programs to maintain high quality of life.

5. Public Education and Communication: Increase public education and awareness, communication

and environmental stewardship in the Town of Vail.

6. Transportation: Reduce the environmental impact of transportation by supporting efforts within the

Eagle Valley to decrease total Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) by commuters and guests by 20% by

2020.



Before Recycling Center Upgrade

After Recycling Center Upgrade

Policy & Regulatory Actions

• Created the position of Environmental Sustainability Coordinator to focus on the town’s

environmental goals full-time.

• Updated the town’s regulations making dead trees a nuisance to assist in the town’s wildfire

protection actions.• Completed feasibility study and regulatory options for a volume-based, or Pay-As-You-Throw waste

reduction program.

• Adopted 2009 International Energy Conservation Code with amendments containing more stringent

requirements for boiler and window efficiency.

• Adopted 2009 Fuel Gas Code with amendments that improve natural gas usage related to

decorative, gas-burning outdoor fire pits.

Monitoring & Measurement Actions

• Established a baseline scenario for Town of Vail organizational green house gas emissions and

energy consumption, residential waste levels and recycling participation rates, water quality and

forest health and established measurable, attainable goals for improving the baseline.

• Completed stream tract survey to identify encroachments on public property to ensure protection

of water quality and riparian corridor.

• Initiated the RiverWatch stream health monitoring program, to assess metals, dissolved oxygen, and

stream health on Gore Creek sites.

• Installed monitoring device on 4.53 KW solar system at Colorado Ski Museum.

Public Education & Environmental Stewardship

• The Town Public Works department accepts used oil and

antifreeze from the, and provides free ground cover (wood

chips) from Christmas trees and other landscaping, to keep

these items out of the landfill. The Town also burns used

motor oil for heat in the mechanics’ shops.

• The Town of Vail library switched to biodegradable plastic

bags for book checkout and return, and recycles used plastic

bags.

• All Town facilities recycle paper, commingled items,

cardboard, batteries and electronics.

• Completed a $135,000 recycling center improvement project,

installing a cardboard compactor that greatly increases the

volume of cardboard collected before it is hauled away.

• Completed facility-wide energy assessment and

implementation plan goals and released a request for

proposals, Re: energy audit for town facilities.• Initiated the Green Events program in cooperation with the

Commission on Special Events, event producers and the

Special Events review team that has resulted in less waste,

more awareness, and strong partnerships.

• Received the following environmental grants: 1) USDA waste

composition, recycling education and survey ($100,000) for Garfield, Pitkin, Eagle counties; 2)

NWCCOG Technical Assistance grant ($5,243); Pay-As-You-Throw feasibility study; 3) $6,000

awarded for a stream bank restoration project in Stephens Park by the Colorado Water

Conservation Board Healthy Rivers Fund; 4) AIA Colorado Chapter grant for Sustainable Design

Assessment Team project ($15,000)

• Prepared U.S. Department of Energy grant for biomass project, which would utilize beetle-killedwood in a boiler that would offset natural gas usage for Town sidewalk snowmelt systems.

• Implemented Electronics-waste recycling program, collecting over 8,000 lbs.



4th

Grade students plant blue spruce at

the Vail Golf course during Trees for Vail

program in October.

Town employees learn about composting on an

employee environmental education field trip.

• Implemented Trees for

Vail Forest Restoration

Program. Red Sandstone

students planted 75 trees

with another 100 trees

donated to Vailresidents.

• Facilitated a pilot

recycling program for

bars and restaurants in

Vail Village that has

diverted thousands of

glass containers from the local landfill.

• Completed Black Gore clean-up project to prevent road sand on I-70 from migrating into the creek.

• Completed a Gore Creek water quality protection plan.

• Conducted a successful program and finished 5th out of 30 in the Colorado Association of Ski Towns

Reusable Bag Challenge to raise awareness about the benefits of reusable bags. As a result of the

Challenge, Vail visitors and residents used more than 20 times the amount of reusable bags as

recorded in 2007, resulting in nearly 300,000 plastic bags diverted from circulation.

• Created a citizen’s advisory committee to assist with improving recycling and waste diversion

practices, and exploring the Pay-As-You-Throw concept.

• Held Sustainable Building Initiative public workshop to gain community feedback on green building

practices.

• Served on steering committee, held community charettes, compiled data for Sustainable Design

Assessment Team project.

• Retrofitted the Community Development Department lighting system, saving approximately

$1500/year in operating costs.

• Conducted Town Clean-Up Day event with 100 citizen volunteers.

• Initiated municipal composting program for all

landscaping and flowers, and have begun in-office worm

composting for food waste and coffee grounds. This has

significantly reduced trips to the landfill as well as cost.

• Led volunteer effort for 4 miles of Gore Creek as part of

the Eagle River Clean Up.

• Led volunteer effort for 6 miles of I-70 as part of the

ERWSC Highway Clean Up Day.

• Purchased more hybrid vehicles for the Town’s fleet in

place of less efficient vehicles, and operates a fleet of

hybrid buses in the Town’s free bus system.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN VAIL

In 2010, among other initiatives, the Town plans to continue to work on our green building program - the

Sustainable Building Initiative, upgrading buildings to reduce our carbon footprint, incorporating more hybrid

vehicles into the fleet, improving recycling practices, increasing public education and awareness, improving

water quality and improving the green events program. The Town’s Green Team will launch an incentive

program rewarding employees that go above and beyond in helping us achieve our goals, as well as a

grant/incentive program for green businesses.



2. Utilizing your mission and core values as guidance, please define what differentiates your business from your

competitors and qualifies you for this award.

Town of Vail employees take the mission of providing the citizens of Vail and our guests superior services,

outstanding environmental stewardship and an abundance of recreational, cultural and educational

opportunities to heart. Vail values the interdependent relationship between the resort, community and

municipality. Vail's success as a resort depends largely on its success as a community, as the community fosters

relationships between locals and visitors. We are in the unique position to make plans and take actions that are

investments in the experiences and lives of many different generations, today and into the future.

Official Town values include respect, trust, integrity, innovation, and collaboration.

Particularly related to this nomination, our mission of environmental stewardship and our value of collaboration

has strengthened over the past year. The Town’s Green Team has helped to drive culture change within the

organization, resulting in an improved environmental ethic and emerging leaders within each department.

Energy conservation in the office and in vehicles has begun to resonate, and talk of carbon emissions reductions

has become commonplace. New ideas are heard each day on how to ensure a positive environmental impact,

and employees have the opportunity and support to take action.

The Town listens to event producers and community members, and is in the unique position to provide

environmental services such as recycling of regular and hard-to-recycle materials and education programs. We

also provide a place for the community to gain information and for their voices to be heard.

3. Please provide an example of your company’s success in terms of revenue and growth over the preceding

year.

Vail has weathered the economic storm well this past year, and though sales tax numbers are slightly lower than

preceding years, proactive Town initiatives have allowed Vail to come out as industry leaders in several areas.

Vail continues to outperform other mountain communities in lodging occupancy. Vail Mountain saw more skiers

this year than last winter, and has sold more EPIC passes for this coming season than last. Enplanements at Eagle

County Airport are reported up 4.5% for this coming ski season over last season. Recent attendance figures from

special events indicate an increase in people coming to Vail for events.

Over the past year, the Town has completed key milestones that have contributed to growth and revenue, and

exemplify our success in these areas:

• In Fall 200, the Town of Vail adopted Vail’s first-ever Economic Development Strategic Plan which

contains 6 goals, including a focus on building a year-round economy:

1. Build a strong relationship between the Town of Vail and Vail business community.

2. Increase the Town of Vail’s economic activity as measured by sales tax revenue to exceed annual

3. inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index.

4. Focus on building a year-round economy; reduce economic seasonality by growing the summer

5. economy (May-October) at a rate greater than the winter economy (November-April).

6. Provide support for a workforce delivering world-class service to positively impact Vail’s economy.

7. Provide support for sustaining, upgrading and maintaining Vail’s capital assets as it relates to

sustainable economic health.

8. Support the stimulation of diversity of services and businesses locating in the Town of Vail.



• Contributed $550,000 in winter marketing stimulus funding for “Vail All the Love” campaign which

resulted in 7,000 incremental room nights during the season. Winter 2009

• Expanded the community host guest services program to include coverage on Fridays. Winter 2009

• Developed and shared monthly economic indicators and trends to help respond to changing

economic conditions. FY 2009

• Provided $1.4 million plus in-kind services to help fund special events to generate summer and

shoulder season business which resulted in increased attendance during select events. FY 2009

• Implemented $2 million summer and shoulder season marketing campaign from Vail Local

Marketing District which resulted in 11,000 incremental leisure room nights and $1.6 million of

group sales room nights being booked in the Town of Vail. FY 2009

• Embarked on a partnership strategic alliance to leverage the Vail brand with well known companies

in the sports, fitness and wellness categories resulting in 20 potential partners as well as hosting a

Women’s Wellness Summit. FY 2009

• Vail indicators outpaced resort competitors during the winter of 2008-09 and the summer of 2009.

• Commissioned an economic impact study of the Vail Valley Medical Center to the Town of Vail.Spring/Summer 2009

WHAT’S NEXT FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN VAIL

The Town of Vail will continue to work with the Vail Economic Advisory Council to advise the Vail Town Council,

Town Manager and the community on economic issues that will sustain, enhance and diversify the town’s economy.

The Town will also continue successful marketing efforts and special events and remain flexible for new

opportunities given the “new normal” environment to maintain the goal of being the “premier mountain resort

community.” Finally, the Town plans to continue to build long-term brand awareness that drives short-term sales

and continue to position Vail as a world-class, year-round destination.

This application is due by Friday, December 18th at 4:00 p.m.

Your answers and documentation will be reviewed by a selection committee. Winners will be presented February 5, 2010 at the Vail Valley

Partnership’s Seventh Annual Gala and Success Awards to be held at The Lodge at Vail. Please address any questions about the application process

to Suzanne Sloan at [email protected]. For event tickets, please contact Michelle Kobelan at [email protected] or 970-477-

4001.

Please return your application to: Suzanne Sloan (970-477-4009) or Fax 970-476-6008. Or mail to: Vail Valley Partnership, PO Box 1130, Vail, CO

81658

vail green business of the year application

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