Brianna Bruyere, YVSC Intern | July 14, 2022
My name is Brianna Bruyere, and I am a senior at Colorado State University studying Ecosystem Science and Sustainability. This summer, I have joined Yampa Valley Sustainability Council in their Summer 2022 Internship Program. As part of my project, I will be working on the launch and development of the Yampa Valley Green Business Program (YVGBP).
Beginning this summer, Yampa Valley Sustainability Council (YVSC) will be launching the YVGBP in partnership with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). This program will encourage, support, and reward local businesses in the Yampa Valley area to create changes towards a more sustainable future. 
The program was created with the intention of helping Routt County and the State of Colorado achieve their climate action goals. Green businesses are becoming an important part of the solution to climate change. According to the 2021 Routt County Climate Action Plan, one of the largest contributing factors to Routt County greenhouse gas emissions was commercial buildings. YVGBP will help Routt County achieve its climate action goal of implementing green businesses to reduce carbon emissions to help create a sustainable future for generations to come.
Businesses who register for the program at https://app.greenbiztracker.org/business/index, will see a wide range of benefits to participating. Among these benefits include operational costs reductions, free technical assistance, direct installations, on-site assessments, workshops, and more. When local businesses make sustainable changes in their operations, businesses become eligible for recognition with YVSC and CDPHE.
In the program, there are three different levels of recognition that a business can receive which include bronze, silver and gold. Each level is based on how the business scores in their On-Site Gap Assessments. This recognition will allow businesses to be noticed by the public for their achievements and work towards a sustainable operation. According to the fourteenth annual Accenture Strategy Global Consumer Pulse Research that performed a study on consumers and their expectations of brands, found that consumers prefer to buy products from companies that reflect what they believe in. When consumers see that a business is making an effort to better themselves for the environment, consumers are more likely to purchase from green businesses.
As YVSC is launching this program, we have already registered our first pilot business, Aspen Tree Service. Thanks to Aspen Tree Service, we will be able to get this program running off the ground and have our first official business take on the program. YVSC is actively seeking Yampa Valley businesses to sign up for the YVGBP. This summer we are offering free consultations to help businesses get registered for the program. If you are interested in enrolling your business in the program, please reach out to me at brianna@yvsc.org or to Paul Bony, YVSC’s Energy and Transportation Director, at paul@yvsc.org.
