Berthoud’s City Star hometown cleanup among Earth Day events, efforts on tap

Marble Distilling’s Water Energy Thermal System

Thirst Staff Report

City Star Brewing is trading beer for trash this weekend for Earth Day. It’s one of several events that highlight the growing sustainability efforts in Colorado’s craft libations scene.

The brewery wants to help clean up the streets and parks of Berthoud by offering a free beer in exchange for a bag of trash. But don’t bring your stinky refuse into the taproom.

Show the bartender a photo with a bag of trash, or drop off the bag at the rented roll-off dumpster on site, and get a free beer (or root beer). The beer-for-trash trade is available from 12 to 7 p.m. on Friday, April 22 (officially Earth Day) and from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday, April 23 (beer vouchers are available for folks who don’t drink beer for breakfast).

City Star asks patrons not to dump electronics, hazardous waste, tires, etc. Those prohibited items will be collected during a Berthoud Clean-Up Week in May.

Breckenridge Brewery river cleanup

A family participates in a river cleanup.

Breckenridge Brewery is also working to clean up its neighborhood by sponsoring a river cleanup on Saturday, April 23.

The brewery is teaming up with the River Network, South Suburban Parks and Recreation, Carson Nature Center, Denver Audubon and Aspen Grove to host volunteer crews to remove litter and plant trees in three locations.

The crew will work from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Reynold’s Landing, Denver Audubon Nature Center and Carson Nature Center.

Pre-registration is required, and all ages are welcome.

Earth Day every day

We will highlight some more Earth Day-related activities in our events roundup tomorrow, but we also wanted to give a shout-out to libations businesses crafting sustainably all year.

Marble Distilling Co. in Carbondale designed and built what it claims is the industry’s first Water Energy Thermal System to capture and reuse water and heat generated in its distilling processes. The system saves more than 4 million gallons of water and recaptures 1.8 Billion BTUs of energy each year.
Ska Brewing in Durango also recycles much of its energy and water, and is 100-percent wind-powered. Ska also uses reclaimed materials in construction, from blue jeans in the insulation to bowling alley surfaces on the bartops.
Great Divide Brewing has two Denver locations that have both been certified by the state as certifiably green businesses, and has won several sustainability awards. A dedicated staff “green team” has managed to divert 99 percent of all waste from the landfill.
Odell Brewing in Fort Collins has roughly halved its water usage per gallon of beer, installed 10,000 square feet of solar panels and lights much of the facility with solar tube lighting.

And that’s just the big guys. If we missed your favorite sustainable craft libations business, please let us know. We publish regular lists of sustainably and charitably crafted breweries, distilleries and wineries.

Also, the state government offers free on-site environmental assessments and pollution prevention strategies to Colorado breweries.