Utah Green Business awards: celebrating Utah's greenest companies, communities and people.

• Author: Kennedy, Linda T.

If environmental pioneers from 150 years ago knew about Utah Business magazine's first Utah Green Business awards, they might say it is an event long overdue. That's because the history of considering our relationship to the planet reaches far back--all the way to the Industrial Revolution's wave of mining, forest clearings and factory risings. Writer Henry David Thoreau published "Walden" in 1854 to describe the harmony that humans can experience with nature. And John Muir, naturalist and writer, founded the Sierra Club in 1892. A green tradition continued into the 1960s, when public awareness developed over the idea that humans were damaging the environment. Shortly after, the Kennedy Administration's investigation of the chemical industry brought bans on the insecticide DDT and corporate environmentalism and mandatory regulations emerged.

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Though there's a long history of sustainable practices, today's view toward the environment has turned a deeper shade of green, with more and more people, companies and communities adopting environmentally friendly policies and preparing to go green for the long haul. Utah Business is proud to present our first Utah Green Business award honorees. Selected from numerous nominations by Utah Business editors and an independent judging panel, these honorees represent Utah's green leaders who based their practices on sustainability long before eco became a buzz word. Join us in recognizing their accomplishments for doing business that acts in behalf of the planet and its inhabitants.

OVERALL

XANTERRA PARKS AND RESORTS

Talk about working under a spotlight. Xanterra Parks and Resorts has found ways to make visitors to Zion National Park enjoy and take part in the preservation of our natural resources.

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The company uses programs and innovations to enhance visits to the national park and to help the delicate environment in real ways.

Some of the most impressive results have taken place at Zion Lodge where, since 2003, water usage has been reduced by 47 percent and solid waste headed to the landfill has been reduced by 32 percent. This is just a part of the environmental management system that also saw major reductions in the use of gasoline and propane.

Guests who stay in the Fxologix Suites find biodegradable soaps, organic linens, filtered drinking water and a number of other sustainable features. Just this year, the Zion Lodge halted the sale of bottled water to reduce the amount of plastic entering the waste stream. Guests are now encouraged to purchase reusable plastic bottles and fill them at a water filling station. David Perkins, regional environmental director, says the re-education program has eliminated the sale of 30,000 bottles of bottled water so far this year. "Much of what has been accomplished is the result of programs and initiatives that have directly affected energy, water and fuel usage," Perkins says.

SRI SURGICAL

SRI Surgical believes that recycling is worthwhile, but the ultimate goal is to avoid creating waste material in the first place. Through reprocessing surgical linens and instruments based upon efficient water management, energy saving strategies, environmentally friendly chemicals and a sterilization approach that is the least harmful to humans, SRI Surgical helps reduce medical waste by providing reusable alternatives to disposable surgical products.

Since 2000, SRI Surgical clients have reduced medical waste in the amount of more than 120 million pounds of disposable gowns, back table covers, mayo stand covers and drapes utilizing SRI Surgical reusable products. Also, clients have avoided adding nearly 45 million pounds of packaging waste to the national waste stream.

Rich Baron, plant manager at SRI Surgical's Salt Lake City facility says though, that eliminating medical waste in the landfills not only helps SRI Surgical's clients; it has a positive impact on everyone in Utah. "Our goal is to continue to provide products and services that will have a positive impact on the wastestream."

In May, SRI Surgical received Practice Greenhealth's Champion for Change award, which recognizes business' accomplishments in "greening" their own organization; waste prevention, recycling programs, reuse of office and shipping materials are a company focus at SRI Surgical's corporate facility and reprocessing plants.

GREEN CONVERSION

BOEING SALT LAKE CITY

The employees at Boeing Salt Lake City have watched proudly as their efforts continue to receive honors in the area of environmental management systems. In the last year, the company has done everything from replacing high-energy light bulbs to drastically reducing the amount of waste it sends to landfills.

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This year alone, the company has recycled more than 15 tons of cardboard, many tons of plastic, and several thousand pounds of wooden pallets and skids. And as a part of the recycling and waste reduction efforts, Boeing Salt Lake City is the first Boeing manufacturing facility to achieve zero-waste to landfill use.

"We are pleased to see the efforts of this hard-working, cross-functional Green team being recognized," says Doug Dahl, site leader of the Salt Lake City facility. "The learn is comprised of talented people whose innovations are creating continuous improvement that is beneficial to the company and the environment."

In 2008, the fabrication manufacturing facility was awarded an ISO 14001 environmental management system certification from Det Norske Veritas, an accredited certification body of quality, environmental and safety management systems. The certification shows that the company has in place a system to monitor, manage and continuously improve its environmental management system.

"Achieving certification is a tremendous achievement and an important milestone by our employees in reducing environmental impacts and preserving precious resources. Working together, as a responsible corporate citizen and neighbor, we are focused on reducing energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, pollution and waste at our facilities," says Dave Moe, director of Boeing Salt Lake City and Auburn site.

MARRIOTT MOUNTAINSIDE

A green mindset has helped Marriott's MountainSide in Park City make significant strides toward reducing its environmental footprint, and Jim Marks, general manager, says he hopes to lead the way for Park City resorts and hotels to do the same.

The resort's green initiative, launched in 2008, has helped changed the attitude among employees and guests alike. A green committee formed two years ago ushered in programs such as property-wide recycling and the reduction of inter-office paper. Energy consumption has been reduced by 75 percent thanks to replacing incandescent light bulbs with CFL bulbs throughout the property and installing better insulation on pipes supplying hot water system for the pool and hot tubs.

Other resort green initiatives include transitioning to green cleaning supplies and donating used blankets and linens to local shelters and programs. In the coming year, Marriott's MountainSide will refurbish its 182 two-bedroom, two-bathroom villas with low-flow showerheads and toilets and Energy Star appliances--which will include 150 refrigerators, ovens and dishwashers. Used furniture and materials involved in the project will also be recycled.

GREEN PIONEERS

JOSEPH M. "JODY" GOOD

Since the mid-1970s, Joseph M. "Jody" Good has dedicated himself to how we use light.

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