The Jefferson County Sustainability Awards are held annually to acknowledge and celebrate environmental stewardship and sustainability efforts made by businesses, employees, students, and residents in Jefferson County.
- Sustainable Business Award
Cactus Jack’s Saloon & Grill continues to set a high bar for sustainability in the business community. They have displayed a commitment to composting & recycling, as well as energy & water efficiency. Cactus Jack’s Saloon & Grill is also an active participant in community outreach around these topics, and has an excellent staff also committed to sustainability.
- Educator of the Year
Dr. Timothy Ohno has created several sustainability related programs at the Colorado School of Mines to engage future leaders in the field of sustainability. Dr. Ohno founded the Solar Decathlon & Tiny House Club and, as the Director of the Rocky Mountain Industrial Assessment Center, leads student teams conducting free energy audits for businesses in the Rocky Mountain region. On top of that, Dr. Ohno is a professor in the Physics program and the co-Director of the Energy Minor at Colorado School of Mines.
- Volunteer of the Year
Tim Berg has spent countless hours volunteering to support sustainability in and around Jefferson County. He has volunteered with West Metro FD, Rotary Wildfire Ready, the Colorado Native Plant Society, the Denver Botanic Gardens, Colorado State University, among others. Tim has also started his own volunteer organization, KC Volunteers.
- Future Leader Award
The 5th Grade Class at Shelton Elementary, with the guidance of their dedicated teachers, have become active participants in the sustainability movement. As a result of student letter-writing, representatives from the EPA came to educate students on regional air quality issues. The 5th Grade Class also collects recycling at Shelton Elementary.
- Eco-employee Award
Jeff Wong is the Senior Sustainability Planner for the City of Lakewood where he advances the City of Lakewood's adopted sustainability goals related to energy, water, the built environment, climate change mitigation, and community resilience. On top of that, Jeff was the driving force behind the planning, fundraising, and development of Jefferson County’s Climate Action Plan, all of which he performed as a volunteer.
The Sustainability Awards are spearheaded by the Jefferson County Sustainability Commission. This commission is comprised of Jeffco residents who volunteer to help advance sustainability efforts across the county.