Green & growing: environmentally friendly business takes many forms.

• Author: Lewis, Pete

COLORADO'S ENVIRONMENT MAY BE THE STATE'S GREATEST ECONOMIC ASSET.

Economic development campaigns hawking Colorado as a great place for business invariably feature our quality of life, pristine mountains, blue skies, wide-open space, and abundant opportunities for outdoor activities.

So how are Colorado businesses caring for this valuable economic asset? Are businesses any more environmentally responsible today than they were 40 years ago?

There is little empirical data, but plenty of anecdotal evidence that at least some Colorado companies recognize that what's good for the environment also is good for business.

"There are no perfect companies," said K.J. McCorry, a Boulder-based organization and efficiency consultant. "Every company can do more. But there is evidence that businesses that do business ethically -- who care about their employees, their communities and the environment -- outperform those that don't. Is it a trend? I don't know. But it's good business practice."

McCorry is president of P3: People, Planet, Profit -- an organization of about 150 Colorado business people that promotes and supports socially responsible business practices. P3 spun out of Business for Social Responsibility, an international organization based in San Francisco with a similar mission.

McCorry and many other business people prefer "social responsibility" or "sustainability" as a descriptor of their mindset rather than "environmental responsibility."

The reason? All businesses consume resources and produce waste, so, in almost every case, the most environmentally responsible way to conduct any business would be to stop doing business. Sustainability, however, brings people into the equation, and recognizes that people need products, services and the jobs that business provides.

Sustainable businesses try to meet the needs of today without preventing future generations from meeting theirs. A sustainable business takes on a stewardship role toward its environment, its employees, its customers and its communities.

"If you want your business around in 15 years, everything you need today to conduct business must be available and accessible in 15 years," said Christopher Juniper, an environmental consultant and director of strategic planning for the Colorado Sustainable Business Network.

Sustainable companies recognize that their success and survival depend on clean air, water and other natural resources, but also on a workforce. Conservation oversimplifies...