DENVER (9/29/23) – The Colorado Green Business Network today held a recognition event at the Denver Zoo to celebrate 36 current and 117 newly certified green businesses across the state. The network also gave out a series of awards to businesses that have gone above and beyond to advance sustainability and prioritize energy efficiency in their operations.
“I’m thrilled to recognize the many businesses across our state that are truly making an impact to protect our environment while helping our economy flourish,” said Rayna Oliker, Colorado Green Business Network Administrator. “I’m proud of our green businesses for recognizing the value of transitioning to cleaner, greener equipment, which will help us create a healthier and more sustainable Colorado for all.”
In total, certified businesses saved almost 35,000 metric tons of CO2e, which is equivalent to the greenhouse gas emissions from over 7,000 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles driven for one year.
The Alliance Center received the 24-Karat Gold Award, which is a voluntary, members-choice competition between gold-certified green business network organizations. In May 2021, the center installed one of the first vehicle-to-building electric vehicle chargers, including a publicly available carshare, in North America. The project will reduce energy consumption for the building while serving as a carbon-free service for carshare members and a research opportunity for broader market impacts. Other top nominees for this award included the Denver International Airport and Broadcom.
The Green Business Network also awarded five businesses with the Innovation Spotlight Awards, which gives organizations at any level the opportunity for recognition if they have demonstrated outstanding progress and innovation in a specific area of operations, including water, energy, waste, transportation, community, and equity. This year, the award winners are Arapahoe Libraries, Essencify Design LLC, Greater Park Hill Community, Inc., Broadcom, and Corden Pharma Colorado.
Arapahoe Libraries distributed over 6,000 packets of Colorado native seeds this year, reaching approximately 2,100 patrons in the community, and plans to work with local community gardens and provide educational programs on patio gardening, harvesting seeds, and composting.
Essencify Design LLC redesigned its website and transitioned it to a clean energy host. As a result, the organization achieved a 63% reduction in emissions and a 48% reduction in energy consumption on average per year.
The Greater Park Hill Community Inc. installed solar panels onto the community building, and secured funding to convert the building to 100% electricity thanks to the work of Board Member and Sustainability Chair, Tracey MacDermott.
Broadcom is installing more efficient pumps, LEDs, and EV charging units as well as designing an energy-efficient building due to the work of Steve Wolley. Through his dedication, the Broadcom Fort Collins facility reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 73% in 2022.
Corden Pharma Colorado has made dramatic improvements to the waste management program thanks to the work of Environmental Operations Engineer Glenn Smith, allowing for the recycling of substantial volumes of solvent from different manufacturing steps into a secondary market.
For more information about Colorado green businesses, refer to the GreenBiz tracker, visit the Colorado Green Business Network website, or contact CDPHE.greenbusiness@state.co.us.
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