SUBMITTED NEWS RELEASE
It’s fall. For Reno’s environmental community that means it’s Golden Pinecone time. The Golden Pinecones are Nevada’s only awards dedicated entirely to environmental achievements across multiple categories, such as businesses and individuals. The celebration, a collaboration between Nevada EcoNet and greenUp!, is at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 16, at the Peppermill Resort Spa Casino. The event will feature live music from the Jazz Guys of the Mile High Jazz Band, dinner, eco-presentations and more. Tickets to the event are $35 before Nov. 9 and may be purchased at www.nevadaeconet.org.
The Golden Pinecones have celebrated environmental stewardship in the Truckee Meadows for 24 years. Over the years, the event has been held at various locations. The Peppermill’s decision to sponsor this year’s celebration provides a setting that is both elegant and sustainable, a good fit for the awards, says Jo Simpson, President of Nevada EcoNet.
“The Peppermill is the only resort in the United States heated by geothermal power,” said Simpson. “So they are a perfect location for the Golden Pinecone Celebration.”
Dean Parker, Executive Facilities Director at the Peppermill, says the company aligns with the Golden Pinecone mission because the resort invests a significant amount of time and money into reducing its energy consumption. They don’t believe guests should have to make a choice between luxury and sustainability.
“This whole entire resort campus, a 2.2 million square feet facility, is heated by geothermal water,” Parker said.
Parker is the Golden Pinecone Celebration keynote speaker. He will present the Peppermill’s geothermal operations to event attendees.
“To be a spokesperson at these awards will be pretty exciting,” Parker said.
Nevada EcoNet is a local nonprofit founded in 1990 as an environmental and education resource for northern Nevada. Its two signature events are Earth Day at Idlewild Park and the Golden Pinecone Celebration. As Nevada EcoNet dissolves in December, greenUp! assumes sole responsibility for the Golden Pinecone awards. GreenUp! was organized in 2007 by community environmental advocates as a resource of sustainability expertise for the business community, creating networking opportunities and fostering an eco-inspired business culture in the Truckee Meadows.
