YellowDog is thrilled to announce that we’ve been awarded bronze-level achiever status through the State of Colorado’s Environmental Leadership Program. To qualify, Colorado businesses must demonstrate an impressive commitment to environmental stewardship. Bronze achievers are companies that have completed a significant environmental project and have one year of clean compliance.
YellowDog’s Environmental Initiatives
At the beginning of 2021, we made a resolution to improve our pawprint. This year has been a year of wins and making good on our goals. We applied these initiatives toward our Environmental Leadership Program application, which was accepted at the Bronze Level in August 2021. Here are our initiatives, as listed on our ELP profile:
- Green features of our new location buildout, such as skylights, LED lighting, improved roof insulation, and comprehensive access to recycling for all departments.
- Eco-friendly printing with eco-solvents and recyclable toners with closed-system cartridges.
- Official drop-off point for recycling coroplast (most commonly used for yard signs), which is a hard-to-recycle material.
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- Suppliers of 100% recyclable paper-based signage substrates as an alternative to synthetics such as coroplast, laminate-coated foam boards, expanded PVC board and styrene.
- Print and packaging design and production to meet environmental standards. We can design for EPA standards of 30% post-consumer recycled content, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standards of certified paper sourcing, or any other environmental standards our clients are aiming to meet with their print and packaging projects.
- Pallet recycling program to divert our own pallet waste, as well as that of other businesses in our warehouse complex.
About the Environmental Leadership Program
The Environmental Leadership Program is a statewide program that recognizes and awards organizations in Colorado that go beyond compliance with environmental regulations by advancing sustainability in Colorado.
This year’s program includes several new businesses, including five new Gold Leaders, five new Silver Partners, and 10 new Bronze Achievers. See all newcomers showcased in an online magazine.
Any Colorado business, industry, office, educational institution, municipality, government agency, community, nonprofit, or organization is encouraged to apply for the Colorado Environmental Leadership Program. Interested prospects are welcome to reach out to Rayna Oliker, Environmental Leadership Program Administrator, at rayna.oliker@state.co.us, or to visit the department’s website with any questions or for more information.
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Other Ways We Engage with Earth-Friendly Business Practices
In order to stay accountable for our environmental impact, we’re always looking for accountability partners and organizations. Here are a few of the green business networks YellowDog is involved with:
- Sustainably Green Denver. At the city level, we measure ourselves against Denver’s checklist for green practices every year in order to make the Certifiably Green Business Directory and the Colorado Green Business Network list.
- Terraloop. Still in its pilot phase, we’re working with other local businesses to create a closed-loop system for our production resources and materials. The Terraloop platform will match us with local businesses who can reuse or upcycle our discarded pallets, vinyl, foam core, etc.
- Women in Sustainability. We’ve gotten connected with this amazing community of women leaders and business owners in Denver who are committed to running their organizations sustainably. Excited for the return of live events to meet our peers IRL!
We’re Here to Help Other Businesses
Our own journey toward more accountable green business practices has been tremendously supported, locally in Colorado. We’ve worked with a CSR degree student volunteer who helped us with program research, a pollution prevention specialist from the CDPHE who did a walk-through and audit of our location, and great partner organizations who share our mission. If we’ve learned one thing, it’s that we are not alone!
We’d like to offer that same camaraderie and support to any other local businesses or nonprofits who would like to join us on the path toward verified sustainability. Get in touch if you’d like to visit our location or jump on a discovery call. We’ll find out where you are and meet you at any step of the way.
The journey is never “complete.” We’re always thinking up new initiatives, striving toward higher-level ELP certification (Silver in 2022!), and eventually pursuing B Corp certification. Let’s get together and talk about goals.
by YellowDog.