To be sure, there's a lot going on in Jackson Hole on the plus side of the looking-after-the-environment ledger. There's so much going on, in fact, that the Town of Jackson, the Charture Institute and The Murie Center are sponsoring a get-together today to give local businesses, government agencies and nonprofits a chance to share stories about the steps their organizations are taking to be more sustainable, including reducing resource use and emitting fewer greenhouse gases.

Dubbed the "brag session" by some, one thing is sure to come out of today's session at The Wort: some little known stories of success are going to be made public and, perhaps, inspire others to do more to protect and preserve this place we call home.

In the press release announcing the brag session, Mayor Mark Barron said:

When the Town signed the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection agreement in November, we became actively involved in our own energy efficiency efforts. It was a sound business decision and good for our special environment. But we humbly recognized that many businesses and people have been making strides for years. This event intends to celebrate those who have been engaged in environment and efficiency initiatives for some time.

One need look no farther than Mayor Mark's two businesses (Blue Spruce Cleaners and High Country Linen Service) for evidence of Mark's longstanding commitment to taking care of our "special environment."

Blue Spruce Cleaners was the first retail dry cleaner in Wyoming to implement Green Earth Cleaning (a silicone solvent based dry cleaning system that replaces the typical, environmentally harmful petroleum based product perchlorethylene, which is still used by 85% of dry cleaners around the world).

As Mark says:

Switching to Green Earth Cleaning solutions was an ethical decision–a no-brainer for me. It is competitively priced, there is no comparison for the safety of our employees, and it simply will not pollute our water, soil or the air we breathe.

On a much larger scale, Mark's other business, High Country Linen Service is the ultimate recycling business. They take a single napkin, uniform, or bed sheet and use it over and over again, always returning it to the customer in pristine condition.

In 1998, Mark had the unfortunate experience of losing his entire plant to a fire. That gave Mark and his team a chance to look at how they could rebuild with significant improvements. They rebuilt the business into the most fuel efficient, water efficient and labor efficient operation that they possibly could–and they continue to invest in more environmentally-friendly, fuel efficient machinery to this day.

Mark's mantra is "time is fuel," and High Country Linen Service makes every effort, through a focus on water conservation, to utilize the least amount of carbon fuels possible:

Remember that 66% of all BTUs used in a laundry facility are used to heat water. So, if we save water, we save power. The industry averages between 2.5 to 4 gallons of water per pound of laundry. In 2005, High Country Linen Service was able to reduce our water use to an average of 1.88 gallons of water per pound of laundry.

So what's next for a guy who strives for constant improvement? Plans for 2007 will focus on implementing energy efficient lighting; in 2008 look for biodiesel powered delivery vehicles.

Finally, what tips does this modern-day Jackson Hole pioneer have for the homeowner?

Get a front loading washing machine and start saving money. And visit High Country Linen's Paper & Cleaning Supply Outlet for all your home cleaning needs.

Carbon Neutral Journal's kudos are brought to you by Grand Targhee Resort.

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