In Their Own Words
Special Guest: Sarah B. Jones, Steamboat Ski and Resort Corp.
To understand my passion for sustainability and waste diversion, you need to understand the way I was raised. I am originally from New Hampshire, with generations of ancestors from New England. If you are unfamiliar with old-school New Englanders, they are very pragmatic and frugal (sometimes to a fault). That is my father. Following his New England sensibilities, we grew almost all of our own vegetables, raised our own meat, and heated our house with wood because, according to my Dad, “If you cut your own wood, it will warm you twice!” Leftovers from dinner went to our pigs. Compost went to our garden. And wood scraps went to our wood stoves. Nothing was wasted and the connection between the natural world and our lives was tangible. Sustainability wasn’t a concept, it was my life and an amazing way to grow up.
So now, here I am, having made a career of sustainability. Some of you may have heard my presentation at Recycle Colorado’s 2020 Summit for Recycling on food rescue when COVID-19 required the Steamboat Resort to shut down. With our frozen and canned food, we were able to make more than 6,000 meals for members of our community. We were also able to donate 1,200 lbs. of perishables to the local food bank and nonprofits, and the last 200 lbs. to a local pig farmer. Sustainability for me today looks a little different than it did when I was growing up, but the fundamentals are the same. And some days I get to feed both people and pigs.
Sarah Jones (she/her/hers)
Director of Sustainability and Community Engagement
Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation
Recycle Colorado Board of Directors 2021-2023
[email protected]
