2 minute read
Green Bucks
Ryan Bonneau
Environmental policy and economic growth? The pair haven’t always found a happy nexus, but what’s good for the planet is often good for the pocketbook, argues Lauren Kirn, the Town of Mountain
Village’s new environmental efficiencies and grant coordinator.
Kirn’s position was created last year and seeks to provide insight and direction to residents and businesses as the Town strives to meet its goal of becoming a carbon-neutral community by 2050.
Since taking the job, Kirn has helped develop new initiatives and grow existing programs to tackle climate change.
“The more that Mountain Village can show it’s taking steps toward climate action progress, the more attractive we are to visitors — which is great for our economy,” says Kirn, who joined Town staff armed with an education in sustainable development and experience working on climate action in both the nonprofit and corporate sectors.
Protecting Mountain Village’s open space and natural resources is critical then for the community’s recreation-based economy as more and more visitors are paying attention to what steps the communities they choose to visit are taking to protect their environments. The Colorado Tourism Office, for example, noted in its 2021 annual report that more travelers are choosing a destination based on its sustainability practices, and about half of consumers consider a destination’s sustainability practices when planning a trip.
Mountain Village’s slate of environmental programs and incentives also have positive impacts on the individual level, with households and businesses realizing efficiencies that can lead to significant cost savings.
Take the newly revamped Smart Irrigation Controls incentive program: Homeowners can receive low- or no-cost irrigation audits, which identify where inefficiencies exist in the system. The Town also provides rebates for homeowners who upgrade to newer, “smart” irrigation controllers that further improve efficiency and, in turn, cost less to operate while decreasing overall water use.
Similarly, the Solar Energy Incentive Program provides hefty rebates to residents who install solar arrays on their home, making installation more affordable, while reducing energy-related costs for homeowners (and, of course, decreasing greenhouse gas emissions).
Mountain Village is also soon to roll out a community composting pilot program at Village Court Apartments, partnering with local compost company Dirty Sturdy’s.
“So, while the community can realize ecological impacts, this partnership also has an economic impact since the Town’s investment will go directly to growing local business,” Kirn explains.
The full array of available incentive programs and climate action policies can be found on the Town’s website, with links to the community’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory and other resources. Kirn encourages anyone interested in learning more about the Town’s programs to reach out to her. Another part of the job, she explains, is to verify through data collection and analysis that these programs are achieving their intended outcomes.
“These programs have been well thought-out, they have measurable impacts and really can improve the bottom line for both businesses and homeowners,” she says.
Mountain Village’s Lauren Kirn oversees green initiatives good for the pocketbook
BY MARTINIQUE DAVIS
Melissa Plantz
