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. The Jeffco Board of Commissioners announced this year’s winners in early June.
Jeffco Sustainability Award Winners 2023
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 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.
Volunteer of the Year: Tim Berg 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.
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. Jeff was the driving force behind the planning, fundraising, and development of Jefferson County’s Climate Action Plan.
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.