For various reasons, more Wyoming businesses are going green

Business has historically been portrayed as an enemy of the environment. But in Wyoming, where the environment is often THE business, managers and owners are finding that caring for the resource can be profitable.

Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of stories looking about how and why Wyoming businesses are becoming more environmentally friendly.

By WILLY ZIMMER Star-Tribune staff writer

Jackson Hole and Teton County, blessed with world-class natural assets that include two national parks, in particular have become a hub for green initiatives. Steve Duerr, the executive director of the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce, said the business community as a whole has awakened to the fact that "going green" can be good for business.

To reflect that attitude, the chamber recently adopted a new logo with the motto "Respecting the Power of Place" to reflect its conservation message.

"When you take a 20-year view of the foundation of our economy, it’s clear that we’ve got to protect the natural environment and wildlife," Duerr said. "Anything we do that’s consistent with that long-term vision is an investment in the future economy. Eco-tourism, cultural tourism — those types of business ‘light’ activities will become more and more important.

"Our chamber, in the brand promise, uses words like awe and reverence for the natural world. Pretty mystical stuff for a business group, but we’re getting there. … It’s a special place. We’re trying to treat it that way."

Jackson-area businesses that rely on the tourist trade have been particularly active. For example, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and Grand Targhee Resort are both part of the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) Sustainable Slopes program.

JHMR’s program includes purchasing wind energy to power two of its lifts, burning bio-diesel in its fleet, offering bus passes for employees and car-pool incentives.

The resort was presented with a "Silver Eagle" award from the NSAA last year for its energy conservation efforts.

"We’ve got a whole bunch of stuff we’re doing. … We actually started a sustainable slopes program two years before the NSAA," said Jerry Blann, president of JHMR.

Few companies have been more active than Grand Teton Lodge Co. GTLC uses wind energy to entirely power Jenny Lake Lodge in Grand Teton National Park.

The company has adopted other green practices, including the use of low-energy lighting, reducing the use of products with extravagant packaging, and utilizing citrus cleaning products.

GTLC’s environmental initiative has also extended to another company property, Jackson Golf and Tennis Club. Golf course superintendent Guy Evans said no-spray zones have been established near sensitive streams and other water features.

The golf course is chartered with the Audubon Society for its efforts to promote bird habitat.

Clay James, the president of GTLC, said "as a company we try to be a good corporate citizen … and take care of our responsibility toward the lands."

"If I’m not mistaken we were the first concessionaire in the National Park system to start a recycling program. … It’s just something we felt we wanted to do in the first place, and it’s our responsibility to do it — to take care of our resources," said James. "They don’t make land anymore, so we want to protect what we have."

Green business practices appear to be attractive to potential customers. Julie Klein, the environmental safety officer for GTLC, went as far as to say going green gives her company "a competitive advantage."

"People are here because they’re drawn to looking at the wildlife and to experience a natural experience," Klein said. "You don’t want to be looking out at the Tetons and see a bunch of trash or see another family harassing some wildlife. Or come into the facility and see that we have a lot of waste by having too many lights on or faucets dripping. It’s at all those levels that we look at our impacts and want to be sure that our guests embrace that."

Outside the tourist industry, going green has been slow to catch on. Wyoming Business Council Field Director Steve Elledge said there is "not too much, yet" in the way of green businesses within his sphere of influence.

But some specific efforts are paying dividends for companies.

Carol Stark, lead environmental field engineer for Mid-America Manufacturing Technology (MAMTC) in Casper, said she is seeing more manufacturers willing to look at green solutions. Stark offers as one of her services environmental assessments of business operations. She said her assessments often conclude the old proverb "waste not, want not" still applies.

"It costs more money to dispose of a hazardous waste than to be in compliance and switch to a green product," Stark said. "In the last couple of years, this has really taken off. Usually every year I’m really trying to get businesses interested and this is the first year that I have a list of people that I’m going to go down the list in order and do the assessments on them," Stark said. "This is the first year that has happened to me."

Stark cited Star Tech, Inc., of Riverton, as an example of a company that has improved the bottom line by going green. Star Tech manufactures rollers for exercise treadmills and once created selenium waste as a by-product of a black-oxide process it used to coat its products.

Star Tech Vice President Cory Fabrizius said the company increased profits once it found a less wasteful process.

"We don’t have to deal with the cost of evaporating the water out of the selenium. Then we had to ship it off to a company back in California. Now we have nothing we have to dispose of and we don’t have all that record keeping. And it’s a lot safer here in our shop," Fabrizius said.

Local power companies are also entering the environmental arena with renewable energy programs. Lower Valley Energy, which serves Jackson and much of Teton County, offers both residential and commercial customers wind power options as part of its energy portfolio.

Vice President Chad Jensen said the program has exceeded expectations in northwest Wyoming, although "commercial has been a little slower."

Jensen added Lower Valley Energy is attempting to add to its current roster of 32 businesses using wind power with a new package of incentives.

PacifiCorp, which serves much of Wyoming’s electrical needs as Pacific Power, also offers wind energy to business customers through its "Blue Sky" program. Spokesperson Kimball Hansen indicated the program hasn’t been an overwhelming success, however, with only nine commercial customers purchasing 4,800 kilowatt hours per month.

A typical residential customer in Wyoming uses approximately 750 kilowatt hours per month.

The energy industry, which is often demonized by the environmental community, is making strides in how it handles itself in the field. And numerous federal and state regulations aren’t the only motivation. Self-employed geologist Jimmy Goolsby said most of the larger energy companies have left Wyoming, changing the complexion of the industry. Those left behind are here because "we love the outdoors and Wyoming," Goolsby said.

"People like myself, and I think anyone that works in this office with me and most people that I know, are in Wyoming because we love this state, we love the countryside, we love hunting and fishing and all the outdoor activities," Goolsby said. "The last thing we want to do is totally screw it up. Even without regulations, I think we’d see a great improvement in the way oil and gas operations are carried out here in Wyoming."

Members of the environmental community welcome any green business initiative with cautious optimism. Speaking to the efforts in and around Jackson, Franz Camenzind, executive director of the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance, said he is encouraged by some of the things he sees going on.

But he hopes businesses become even greener.

"It’s not a black and white issue," said Camenzind. "But the good news is any step in that direction is a good step. We would hope that they see an economic reward from it and that it will encourage them to broaden that throughout the full business that they have … that it really starts encompassing the whole business plan."

Camenzind will almost certainly get his wish — as long as going green remains profitable.

http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2003/11/16/news/business/bdc50682836dfd287661e687bd362cb7.txt