Environmental Sustainability

Welcome to the Division of Environmental Quality's (EQ) Environmental Sustainability page.

 

Sustainable Development

is defined as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Denver's sustainability efforts are based on the following principles:

• The economy is part of the environment and depends upon the environment both as a source of raw material and as a repository for waste,
• Resources, both renewable and non-renewable, should be conserved and preserved to the maximum extent possible,
• Waste should not be thrust into the environment any faster than nature can absorb it,
• Renewable resources should not be used faster than they are recharged, replenished, or restored by the environment,
• A portion of non-renewable resources should be used to develop renewable replacements or substitutes

 

EQ's Role

 

As stewards of the urban environment, we strive to incorporate sustainable practices into everything we do. In support of the Mayor's Sustainable Development Initiative, Greenprint Denver, the Division of Environmental Quality addresses and promotes sustainability in the City and County of Denver through a variety of programs and practices:

 

Environmental Management Systems (EMS) 

 An Environmental Management System (EMS) provides a structure for an organization to manage its environmental impacts.   EQ is leading the effort to develop and manage the City's EMS across all city operations.

 

Greenhouse Gas Reduction 

The City and County of Denver’s official Climate Action Plan specifies ten priority strategies and actions to be taken by individuals, businesses, and city government to meet reducce Denver’s per capita greenhouse gas footprint by more than 10 percent relative to 1990 levels. EQ manages the City's Greenhouse Gas Inventory as well as various energy and air quality programs to help the community achieve this goal. EQ also helps support the initiatives and programs offered by other agencies.