Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Four More Businesses are Now Resource Smart Certified

The Resource Smart Business Program (RSBP) recently certified Maria’s Bookshop, Housing Solutions for the Southwest, Pet Haus and San Juan Basin Health Department as ‘Ramping Up’. The RSBP process is helping them to make positive changes in their business and our community by reducing energy consumption, increasing worksite wellness and promoting sustainable business practices in the workplace. These businesses have made upgrades that will ultimately increase their profits by saving money on their bottom line.

“This program is guiding us on a path to deeper efficiency for our business,” said Peter Schertz, owner of Maria’s Bookshop. “Our staff is excited about the benefits and ideas the RSBP has introduced.  The culture of our work place as well as that of employee’s homes has shifted.”

Maria’s changed their lighting system by replacing 116 CFL light bulbs with LEDs, resulting in annual savings of $1,748, an investment with a return on investment of less than one year. They have also previously installed a bike rack for customers in the parking space outside the store, provide incentives to employees that choose not to drive, purchase 100% green power, built a shed to store reusable cardboard boxes for the community, and much more.

Pet Haus installed a thermal entrance door to minimize air infiltration and heat loss, and upgraded lighting to LEDs. Their estimated annual savings of $415 is expected to pay for itself in less than 6 months. Other Resource Smart actions previously taken by Pet Haus include sourcing local and made in Colorado pet products, offering whole, raw, organic and non-GMO pet food options, using green cleaning products, offering biodegradable plastic bags for products, accepting drop-off plastic bags for re-use, using slow-drip irrigators and xeriscape landscaping, and installing low-flow toilets and sink aerators, among other activities.

Housing Solutions for the Southwest installed programmable thermostats for swamp coolers, insulated and air sealed their warehouse garage door, replaced their bathroom exhaust fan for better ventilation, and signed up for single-stream recycling. Their estimated annual savings is $97 and 2,362 kWh.

San Juan Basin Health Department signed up for single-stream recycling and is working on building upgrades. Other Resource Smart Actions previously taken by San Juan Basin Health Department include ordering post-consumer recycled paper products, setting printers to print double-sided automatically, and sending out an educational wellness newsletter to staff, among other activities.

Maria’s Bookstore is located at 960 Main Avenue in Durango or at www.mariasbookshop.com. Pet Haus is located at 1444 Main in Durango or at www.pethaus.net. Housing Solutions for the Southwest is located in Bodo at 295 Girard St. in Durango or at swhousingsolutions.com. San Juan Basin Health is located at 281 Sawyer Dr. in Durango or at sjbhd.org. Stop by their businesses to support Resource Smart Certified businesses.

For more information or to apply for RSBP certification, please visit the website or contact Amanda Saunders with 4CORE at (970) 259-1916.


Tuesday, September 17, 2013

4CORE brings Healthy Homes Grant to La Plata County

4CORE is launching the Healthy Homes Project to increase community awareness of public health issues related to residential indoor air pollution. The goal is to share low- or no-cost methods for reducing indoor air pollution health risks for vulnerable populations, including low income families, children and the elderly.

4CORE received an Environmental Justice Grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to fund this effort in La Plata County. Throughout the next year the project will conduct 18 presentations across the county to provide information on topics such as asthma, radon, carbon monoxide poisoning, second-hand smoke and Sick Home Syndrome.

“The EPA says we spend an average of 80-90% of our time indoors and this air can be two- to five-times more polluted than air outdoors,” states Gregg Dubit, Executive Director of 4CORE. “We are excited to be able to provide this information to our region’s low-income populations, especially children and elderly people who are particularly at risk.”

A long-term goal of the project is to improve the health of program participants through improved indoor air quality in their homes as a result of information gained from presentations. Participants will receive free radon test kits, carbon monoxide alarms and information on low- or no-cost methods for the reduction of home-based health hazards.


Key partners in the project include: San Juan Basin Health Department, Housing Solutions for the Southwest and the Regional Housing Alliance. Interested community organizations, low-income housing developments and health providers are encouraged to contact 4CORE at 970-259-1916 to schedule a presentation.  For more information, visit www.fourcore.org.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

La Plata County Organizations Celebrate Local Sustainability Efforts

On Sept. 7, 2013, local businesses and area organizations will share their sustainability efforts with the community at the Sustainability Showcase Celebration. The event will feature food, drinks and music, and a ‘Passport’ that participants get stamped at educational stations and turn in to receive a prize.

In July of 2011, La Plata County received a Climate Showcase Community grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to decrease greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by optimizing business efficiency, educating youth, increasing the production and consumption of local food, and promoting ridership on local transit.

The Resource Smart Business Program is a certification program that helps businesses operate more efficiently by decreasing their energy consumption, increasing worksite wellness, and promoting sustainable business practices. Program partners include the Four Corners Office for Resource Efficiency (4CORE), Bright Green, Fort Lewis College Environmental Center, Healthy Lifestyle La Plata, La Plata Electric Association, Local First, and SWConnect.

The Durango Discovery Museum has been working to engage youth with innovative technology by creating a living laboratory that demonstrates the value and science of renewable energy and energy efficient building practices. Healthy Community Food Systems works with producers, processors, marketers, and consumers to make our local food system healthy, economically viable, and good for the land. Southern Ute Community Action Programs reduces commuter vehicle miles traveled by increasing ridership on Road Runner Transit. These groups will showcase their resource efficient programs and activities by educating and entertaining the community on September 7th from noon to 2 p.m., outside on the Durango Discovery Museum Plaza.

"The Climate Showcase Community program is an incredible opportunity to bring together a diverse array of community organizations to collaborate on innovative sustainability programs," says Amanda Saunders, 4CORE Program Coordinator. "We are excited to share what we have been working on for the past two years and how it benefits our community."