Celebrating Local Leaders in Sustainable Business
Walking Mountains recently hosted the annual Actively Green Awards Party, bringing together sustainability leaders, local businesses, and community partners to celebrate 16 businesses that received the Actively Green Certification, recognizing their commitment to sustainability in the Eagle Valley.
Held at Ridge + River at Manor Vail Lodge, the event brought representatives from the Town of Vail, Eagle County Government, and dozens of local partners to gather around these business leaders. While each business forges its own path to sustainability, the goal is the same: reducing greenhouse gas emissions and driving positive environmental change in our community. The Actively Green standard allows each business to find their own methods to meet the criteria required to become certified.
Congratulations to the 2025 Actively Green Certified Businesses: Alpine Bank Avon, Betty Ford Alpine Gardens, Blue Moose Beaver Creek, Blue Moose Vail, Eagle River Water & Sanitation District, Eagle Valley Commercial, East West Hospitality, Encore Electric, Four Seasons Resort and Residences, Lion Square Lodge, Manor Vail Lodge, Minturn Whisky Co., The Community Market, The Westin Riverfront Resort and Spa, Vail Public Library and Walking Mountains.
Climate Impact Award: Innovation in Action
As part of the evening’s celebration, Walking Mountains presented the annual Climate Impact Award to the Eagle River Water & Sanitation District, recognizing its significant strides in reducing energy use and forging an innovative partnership with the Eagle County Landfill.
The Edwards’ Wastewater Treatment Facility implemented targeted improvements that reduced power consumption and optimized essential systems. By correcting programming errors in its aeration system, the team cut energy use by 230 kWh per day, saving more than 83,950 kWh annually. Additional improvements to the UV disinfection system now allow it to operate with 50% fewer bulbs, while still meeting strict water-quality standards.
The facility also launched a successful partnership with the Eagle County Landfill to reuse its nutrient-rich biosolids for land reclamation. In 2025 alone, the landfill accepted more than 4,400 tons of biosolids, improving soil stability and vegetation growth while saving the district over $250,000 in disposal fees across 2024–2025. This would not have been possible without the extensive efforts of Eagle County and the staff at the landfill.
Together, these innovations showcase how technical problem solving and collaboration can benefit the ecological, economic, and cultural health of our community.
Sustainable Business Leadership Program
Another focus of this year’s celebration was the recognition of businesses that completed the Sustainable Business Leadership Program (SBLP). In the program, businesses meet twice monthly for sustainability coaching, collaborative learning, and to work incrementally toward Actively Green certification. Sustainable Business Coordinator, Cat Moloney, leads the class each month and coaches each business through the certification process.
Both Vail and Beaver Creek Blue Moose Pizza locations and Vail Four Seasons Resort earned certification through the program this year. US Bank, The Sebastian Vail, and Ethos Landscaping also participated and are on track toward certification.
For many businesses, the SBLP offers structure, clarity, and confidence. Participants shared how the program helped them transform sustainability from an abstract concept into practical, effective action.
At Vail Four Seasons Resort, the program brought new awareness to the team.
“I brought in some of the team to help get organized and get some of the systems in place,” shared Simon Purvis, Executive Chef. “It really opened my eyes to what we can do in our industry and how we can impact our environment. There is a lot of waste and we have to be really careful, and I am really proud of the work we have done.”
Their experience underscored how sustainability becomes powerful when it is shared.
“I think what we gained is a sense of community and green initiatives we can share with our team through this program,” shared David Nakhle, Director of Engineering. “Our hope is to use all of this knowledge and all of the work we have done through Walking Mountains to encourage our team and push them forward into being part of green initiatives.”
Practical Impacts and Real Results
Throughout the evening, businesses described how the Actively Green experience helped them make changes with direct operational benefits. Blue Moose Pizza shared how certification not only reduced their environmental footprint but also cut expenses.
“We have changed every dishwashing machine in our restaurants to the most modern low-energy, low-water consumption dishwashers,” said Wil Nolan. “Through the process of learning about energy rebates and energy reduction, we’ve already saved at least $15,000.”
The process also strengthened business partnerships with local governments and waste providers. “Through the process of getting certified, we’ve needed to work with local governing authorities to figure out the best way to compost and reduce our impact within their structure,” Nolan said. “The start of composting has us focusing on food waste reduction in terms of portion sizes and drives home what it means to be a good business operator and community steward at the same time.”
For some businesses, the program shaped their sustainability plans from the ground up. Minturn Whisky Co., which pursued certification while building and opening their tasting room, shared how impactful the Actively Green framework was during those early months.
“We were building our business at the same time we were being AG certified,” said Stephanie Neubauer, Owner and Operator. “It was a very exciting time. We learned all the things we should be doing, from equal hiring practices to cleaning bathrooms. Every single thing we needed for a new business was in this handbook, this amazing golden tablet of what to do as a new business. It was really a great thing for us.”
Their experience reflects what many new businesses discover: sustainability isn’t an add-on, it’s a guide that can strengthen the foundation of the entire organization.
Join the Movement!
One theme echoed throughout the event: whether a business has dozens of employees or just a few, every step toward reducing waste, improving energy practices, or training staff contributes to a healthier community. Cat Moloney, shared, “We are lucky enough to live in a place where people want to do the right thing and care about the environment, and business owners have a particular ability to make an impact here on a larger scale than an individual, who is still very important.”
The Actively Green program continues to expand as more businesses look for ways to incorporate sustainability into their culture, operations, and long-term planning. For some, the changes come through equipment upgrades or energy audits; for others, through staff engagement, guest education, or rethinking product sourcing. Regardless of the approach, each certified business helps build momentum and inspires others to follow.Contact Walking Mountains to learn more about how you can make your business more sustainable!
Cat Moloney is the Sustainable Business Coordinator and Hannah Remke is the Sustainability Outreach Fellow at Walking Mountains
