It's Easy to Be Green
“2006 was a year of awareness for environmental issues, and 2007 is a year of action,” says Tom Ward, founder and chairperson of the Park City Board of Realtors Environmental Issues Committee (EIC). Public environmental awareness came in the form of mainstream “green product” ads for everything from laundry detergent to cars to building materials. It also came in the form of an Oscar-winning documentary about climate change. But awareness alone is not enough, and therein lies the mission of the EIC.
“We see ourselves as a stepping stone for getting things accomplished,” says EIC member and Park City Board of Realtors Director Karin Ross. “Our primary goal is to educate our members so that they, in turn, can educate their clients.” The EIC is comprised of approximately 18 members who have made a personal commitment to making a difference.
For many people, a local realtor is the first person they contact when they consider becoming part of a community. In part through that relationship, they learn that Park City residents are concerned about the environment, recycling, open space, traffic and green building. “Those people, in turn, become residents themselves, and we have then effectively raised awareness,” Ross says.
The EIC is focusing on two main areas to effect change. The first is environmental issues that play a part in real estate transactions. “Realtors work daily with everything from mold and radon to energy efficiency, comfort in the home and green building practices,” Ward says. Several EIC members have gathered information and created summary reports on specific issues such as radon and the Park City Soils Ordinance. With the goal of providing one convenient place for realtors to access this information for their clients, the findings will be posted on the Park City Board of Realtors (PCBOR) Web site in the form of links, PDF files and local professional resources that agents can share with potential homeowners.
The second focus of the EIC is to work directly with the community on education and action. The PCBOR has long partnered with Recycle Utah to effect direct change on as many levels as possible. Now Recycle Utah Outreach Director Lola Beatlebrox is working with the EIC to organize a series of workshops designed to educate local business leaders and decision makers. The first of these “Carbon Footprint Workshops” was held in March, and focused on recycling.
Beatlebrox says that Park City wouldn’t exist the way it is without our beloved visitors, but our community is shouldering the burden from tourist trash. “The average per capita rate of trash disposal in the U.S. is 4.5 pounds of garbage per day,” Bea-tlebrox explains. “In Park City, the average is 13 pounds a day — nearly three times the national average,” she warns. Our landfill is quickly filling up, and Beatlebrox says there’s much we can do to stop putting recyclable items in the trash.
One big step is for homeowners’ associations, vacation properties and property management companies to provide recycling choices for owners and guests.“Many of our visitors are used to recycling at home, and they’ll recycle here if we make it directly available to them,” Beatlebrox says.
Logistics for recycling can be difficult for some properties, and there’s a perception that recycling is expensive. “The goal of the workshop was to work together to overcome obstacles to recycling, develop consortiums for effective recycling pickup, and train and motivate staff,” Beatlebrox says. “We helped them see that by working together, their businesses could actually save money through recycling while giving owners and guests what they want.”
Tom Ward and his business partner (me, the article author) are Utah’s first certified EcoBrokers®. The EcoBroker® designation is a training program focused on environmental and energy issues as they pertain to real estate. “We help people save on utility costs while living in a healthier and more comfortable home,” Ward says. The two also actively encourage fellow agents to become EcoBrokers®. “It’s easy to make a difference,” Ward says. “The technology is there and affordable, and when people understand how much effect one individual can have, the light goes on.”
What You Can Do To Make Park City Greener
Existing Homes or Businesses:
Change at least your five most-used light bulbs to compact fluorescents (CFL’s). Modern CFL’s come in different light levels and are available in aesthetically pleasing casings and as dimmable lights. They’re 70 percent more efficient and last longer than regular light bulbs. Don’t forget to change outdoor lights, too.
Use an energy checklist to audit your home or business. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it can show you the easiest and most cost-effective ways to save energy and money. Download one at www.coloradoenergy.com.
Sign up for at least three blocks of renewable wind energy from Rocky Mountain Power’s Blue Sky program. www.rockymtnpower.net.
New Construction / Remodel:
Choose a builder and architect that use green building practices. Download a Green Building Check-list and find local green builders at www.utahgbi.org (Utah Green Building Initiative). Visit www.skiproperty.com and click on a list of nearly 50 “Home Energy Saving Tips,” including redesign and rebuild tips.
David Grover is a full-time Park City realtor, part-time freelance writer, and all-time bike nut. When he is not obsessively protecting his clients’ best interests, he can be found riding one of his bikes in the Park City area.
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