Sustainability in Silverthorne

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Sustainability Strategic Plan

Silverthorne's sustainability plan centers on five focus areas:

Energy, to ensure that we use energy wisely, produce it responsibly, and ensure that our energy is always reliable, clean and affordable;
Water, to conserve the precious, clean water source that we have relied on throughout our history, even as more people come here to live, work and recreate;
Materials, to maximize reuse, recycling and reduction options to minimize the waste we create and send to the Summit County Landfill, so that it can remain open for many decades;
Mobility, to ensure that we have more options than just the car to go where we want when we want, in ways that make travel convenient, healthy and enjoyable; and
Greenhouse gas reduction, to do our part to prevent the worst harms that rapid human-induced climate change can do to our mountain environment and economy.

Learn More About the Sustainability Strategic Plan

Sustainability Hero: Sherie Sobke

Sherie Sobke has been pointing the Silverthorne community to water-smart landscaping choices for nearly 40 years. Since founding her business, Alpine Earth Gardens, in 1986, she has helped myriad residents choose plants that are appropriate for the Town’s dry mountain climate. Sherie emphasizes soil health in her practice, counseling that healthy soils allow plants to thrive with less water. Sherie is a true local water sustainability hero.

Sustainability Hero: Virgina "Jenny" Hammock

Jenny Hammock is the founder and CEO of Minimal Impact, LLC, a Silverthorne business that helps minimize waste at public events like music festivals. The Alabama native relocated to Silverthorne as an adult and previously served as a community program coordinator for the High Country Conservation Center. In addition to her event advisory services, Jenny sells consumer products for sustainable living through her retail outlet adjoining Alpine Gardens at 998 Blue River Parkway. By demonstrating that communities can have minimal waste events and people can enjoy a wonderful life with a minimal impact on the environment, Jenny is a local waste reduction sustainability hero.

Sustainability Hero: Scott Winn

Scott Winn is a self-powered enthusiast with a strong dislike for busy parking lots. To this end, Scott will walk or bike to work nearly every day of the year and has been the bike tech for the Silverthorne stop at Bike-to-Work-Day for over 5 years. If the weather cooperates, he’ll ride his touring bike from Silverthorne to Dillon City Market for grocery shopping or walk to Target on the Silverthorne Rec Path. As an enthusiast of Silverthorne’s proximity to wild areas, he’ll make sure that his friends and family take the Summit Stage from the Silverthorne Transfer Station to whichever trailhead they may be using that day. Scott is a local mobility champion.

Sustainability Hero: Mark and Kendra Hane

Mark and Kendra Hane are leaders in reducing GHG emissions. After an energy audit of their home in Willowbrook, they realized that their furnace needed to be replaced. Thanks to a federal tax credit and local rebate incentives, they replaced their higher-carbon gas furnace with a dual-fuel heat pump that uses lower-carbon electricity for all but the coldest days of the year. They have reduced their carbon footprint while giving themselves a more comfortable home. They are leading the way as local HGH reduction heroes.

Recycling and Composting in Silverthorne woman and child sorting recycling at recycling center

Summit County has several free drop-off recycling centers, including one in Silverthorne, located at 0255 River Road, Silverthorne, CO 80498. Drop-off recycling centers accept different items than single-stream, curbside recycling at a private home or business. Please review the drop-off recycling guide below.

For more information on what is and isn't accepted in recycling, please visit the High Country Conservation Center website.

Drop-off Recycling Centers

All items must be clean, sorted and placed in the correct bins at the Silverthorne Recycling Center.
There is an additional glass recycling station at the Willowborok Bus Stop, at the entrance to the Willowbrook neighborhood. This drop-off station accepts GLASS ONLY. More recycling locations and glass drop off spots may be found here.

Drop-off Recycling Guidelines

Single-Stream Curbside Recycling Guidelines

Single Stream Recycling Guidelines

Summit County Watering Schedule

Help Summit County use water more efficiently by following the Summit County watering schedule. The time to water is overnight from 6 p.m. to 9 a.m.

Last full number in address is even: Nights to water are Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday
Last full number in address is odd: Nights to water are Wednesday, Friday and Sunday

For more information on how to water efficiently, please visit the High Country Conservation Center's website.

Do Exit 205 Right

There are plenty of ways to enjoy Silverthorne sustainably. Do Exit 205 right and help make Silverthorne a greener place for all by adhering to the following practices. For more ways to Do Exit 205 Right, click here.

Car-Free Mountain Travel

Enjoy your trip to Silverthorne completely car-free by using transit options:

Bustang or Pegasus can take you from Denver Union Station or the Federal Center to Frisco.
Once you arrive, use the FREE Summit Stage to travel throughout the county. Apps like TransLoc or Transit can help you plan your trip using the free bus. Or use local taxi services, as well as Uber & Lyft.
There are multiple airport shuttle services to transport you from DIA to Silverthorne, including Summit Express, Peak 1 Express or Epic Mountain Express.
Plus, there is a new way to carpool to the mountains! TreadShare is a carpool app that connects drivers and passengers heading in the same direction so they can share a route and split the associated costs.
Learn more about the many options available to get from the Denver metro area to the mountains at www.GoI70.com/transit

Trash Your Trash

If we all do our part, we can protect area wildlife and their habitat; keeping nearby streams, rivers, lakes and forests beautiful for all to enjoy!

Pack it in, pack it out. Or pick it up to leave a place better than you found it. Take litter, even crumbs, peels and cores with you, until you can dispose of them in the proper waste/recycling bins.
Bring along reusable water bottles or hot drink tumblers to limit waste and stay hydrated in our dry climate.
If you have to poo, walk at least 70 steps from trails, water and people. Dig a cat hole 6 inches deep, do your thing in the hole, cover it and pack out your TP. Or, use a wag bag (a disposable bag found in most outdoor stores) so you can pack out your waste. This goes for your furry friends as well- please pack out their waste.

Keep Wildlife Wild

Colorado is home to tens of thousands of furry, scaly and feathered creatures. To keep them — and you — safe, don’t approach them.
Do not feed wildlife no matter how hungry you think they might look.
Keep your furry buddies leashed when enjoying dog-friendly trails, and pack out their waste. All the way to a trashcan.
All wildlife, from squirrels to moose, have to work a lot harder to survive in winter. Observe all wildlife from a distance, and do not follow or pursue them. Fleeing forces them to burn energy they need to survive the colder months.
Spring can be a particularly sensitive time for wildlife since many species are nesting, having their young or coming out of hibernation. Be sure to travel quietly and give all wildlife extra space during this time.

Town of Silverthorne, CO