Philosophy

“Going Green” has been a marketing trend for the past several years. That fact raises an ‘ends-justifying-the-means’ ethical quandary for some, but at the end of the day we’d say we’re all better off for mainstream brands jumping on the environmentally conscious bandwagon.

 

Since our early days here in Breckenridge we’ve embraced green concepts, not as a marketing strategy, but as an extension of the responsible use philosophy. Here are some of the tactics that frame our overall environmental strategy:

• A rabid anti-litter policy. Drop a gel packet on purpose and face disqualification.
• The purchasing of renewable energy credits for our facilities partners as payment for use.
• Recycling receptacles throughout the venue and start/finish areas.
• Compostable serving ware and a Styrofoam free environment
• Organic meals made with local ingredients
• ‘Zero-landfill’ status – everything we use will be able to be reused or recycled
• A partnership with Summit County’s High Country Conservation Center focusing on their soon-to-be-launched carbon offset program

The Epic is the cornerstone event of our parent organization, The Greenspeed Project (501(c)3 status pending). Established to underwrite often underfunded open space initiatives, The Greenspeed Project uses the medium of ‘distinctive backcountry events’ to raise both awareness and hard dollars in the service of that goal.

Here in Summit County, backcountry users benefit from the shared vision and collaborative dynamic between three different agencies; Breckenridge Open Space and Trails, Summit County Open Space and the United States Forest Service. The work that these folks have done sets the standard nationwide for placing an emphasis on quality of life issues and backcountry access for all. Our goal with The Epic is to generate enough revenue to fund the addition of one extra seasonal worker (or the equivalent, as forest health remediation may be the more pressing issue) for each of the land management agencies with a stake in Summit County’s backcountry.

The message is simple – open space is vital. And Summit County is a wonderful representation of how 3 disparate land management entities can work together to create something truly amazing. Preservation, conservation, responsible use…whichever way you’d choose to describe it. There’s a great story to tell here in Breckenridge, one that’s been years in the making. Town leadership decided early on that ‘quality of life’, as a concept and in practice, needed to be elevated and reprioritized in order to achieve more harmonious balance with the commercial pressures unique to resort communities. In looking around at some of our counterparts across the state it’s obvious that we’re head and shoulders above most of them in both principle and practice.

We also want to underscore the fact that Breckenridge is an amazing place to visit and live. There are many old Victorian mining towns in Colorado, but few with a world-class resort and none (other than us) with almost unlimited backcountry access.

Sustainability. Stewardship. Responsible use. These are the hallmarks of all Greenspeed Project events. Because protecting our backcountry is just as important as enjoying it.