Top 10 retailers with an environmental focus

Juice Energy Inc., an electricity supplier with a focus on renewable sources, has named the top 10 environmentally conscious retailers.

Patagonia: Recycles used fleece for use in new products; first California-based company to buy electricity from 100 percent renewable energy sources.

Kohl's: Second largest retail purchaser of green power; also building the largest rooftop solar project in U.S. history with installations at 63 of 80 California locations.

Whole Foods: Purchases green power equal to 100 percent of their electricity usage; promotes green living with in-store programs.

prAna: Purchases green power equal to electricity usage of 250 stores, the company's corporate headquarters and the homes of all their full-time employees; is purchasing wind power for 1,000 retail partners in North America.

REI: Purchases green power equal to 100 percent of its annual electricity consumption; committed to reducing CO2 emissions by one-third from last year by the end of 2009.

UPS: Operates the largest alternative fuel and low-emissions fleet in the industry, with 19,647 vehicles; purchases green power and streamlines delivery routes to eliminate 28.5 million miles of driving to date.

Timberland: Recently introduced Green Index tags on products, which rate products based on environmental factors, such as greenhouse gas emissions, the use of solvents and organic content; plans to become carbon neutral by 2010; uses recycled boxes and soy ink packaging on footwear.

Nike: Goal to be carbon neutral by 2011; purchases green power for its world headquarters; designs footwear to reduce waste, eliminate volatile organic compounds and increase use of environmentally friendly materials.

Wal-Mart: Commitment to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent over the next eight years; set goal to purchase 100 percent of energy from renewable sources; set goal to increase fuel efficiency of its fleet by 25 percent over the next three years; is the largest single purchaser of 100 percent organic cotton socks.

Target: Offers more than 500 certified organic produce products; reduces waste through food-donation programs, giving away nearly 7 million pounds of food last year; uses solar electricity in four stores, with systems in the works at 14 additional stores.

A five-diamond luncheon

The Broadmoor held a luncheon today at its Penrose Room to announce that AAA has given the restaurant a five-diamond rating for 2008 — the first five-diamond restaurant in Colorado. Here’s what was served:

• Fois Gras Ballotine with Caramelized Apple Butter
• American Kobe Beef Tartar with Harissa Relish
• Golden Beets Salad with Goat Cheese and Pistachios
• Dungeness Crab Bisque
• Ahi Tuna Carpaccio and Crispy Sweet Bread “Vitello Tonnato”
• Halibut Slowly Cooked in Black Olive Oil and Roasted Maine Lobster
• Baby Root Vegetables with Lovage
• Venezuelan Chocolate Parfait with Cocoa Nougatine
• Salted Caramel and Pear William Ice Cream

Brownfields conference set for November

Want to learn more about infill development, sustainable designs and other land-use issues? The fifth annual Colorado Brownfields Conference, co-sponsored by the Colorado Brownfields Foundation, will take place Nov. 15 and 16 at the Doubletree Hotel at Stapleton, 3203 Quebec St., in Denver. The event is a 1 1/2-day educational conference about real estate development and land recycling in today’s market. From meth-lab contaminated properties to corporate carbon footprints, the conference is designed to help professionals learn more about redevelopment and responsible land use. Keynote speakers include James Martin, executive director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment; Don Mares, executive director of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment; and Greg Weaver, managing director for Catellus, a Denver-based development and construction company. Some of the sessions include: Stapleton Redevelopment, Five Years of Successes; the Role of Land Use in a Sustainable Economy; Meth Labs in the Market; and Emerging Legal Issues Impacting Development. More information and to register: www.ColoradoBrownfieldsFoundation.org or (303) 962-0940.

Retired Colorado Springs planner sets up shop as consultant

Paul Tice, Colorado Springs' longtime development review manager, has retired from city government, but isn't giving up his involvement in local land use issues. Tice has launched his own consulting firm: Land Planning & Development Services Inc. Among other services, he’ll help businesses get their land-use applications processed by local governments; coordinate the work of engineers, landscape architects and other experts hired by applicants; assist financial institutions that want to know if borrowers have obtained the proper zoning for their projects; and help project applicants obtain zoning and clear other regulatory hurdles. Tice also hopes to consult with short-staffed local governments that might want to hire him to write a land-use ordinance or review project applications. Tice is based in Cripple Creek, but expects to do most of his work in the Springs area.

Construction industry energy summit scheduled in Denver

The second annual Energy Star Summit will take place from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Dec. 3 and 4 at the Hyatt Regency Denver Tech Center, 7800 East Tufts Ave. in Denver. The event brings together home building industry experts to discuss and educate builders, contractors, architects, manufacturers, code officials, remodeling professionals, utilities officials, students and educators about cutting-edge designs and techniques for the construction of high performance, energy efficient homes. In response to homeowners' demand for energy efficiency, homebuilders, remodeling contractors and real estate agents are discovering the need to expand their skills, and the Energy Start Summit provides an opportunity to learn more. This year's event has been expanded to two days, with an optional, pre-conference trip to a "zero energy" house. More information and to register: www.e-star.com/summit.