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Welcome to the quarterly sustainability newsletter at the City! These newsletters are all about
information and updates around sustainability efforts here at Englewood.
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Check Out Englewood's Community Climate Resiliency Framework
Finalized in October 2025, the City of Englewood's Community Climate Resiliency Framework is a document and roadmap co-developed by the Englewood community and city staff. With the goal to make Englewood a more resilient community, this framework highlights solutions Englewood can implement to address its highest climate vulnerability risks it faces. Solutions address three top vulnerability threats: extreme heat / drought, extreme weather, and bad air quality (wildfire smoke, ozone, etc).
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City Reaches SolSmart Silver
The City is proud to have reached silver designation in the SolSmart program. SolSmart is a a free program that helps local governments streamline processes and remove barriers to affordable solar energy in their communities.
Want to learn more about solar in Englewood? Go to the City's solar resources page.
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 Apply to Be On the Sustainability Commission
Interested in helping advance sustainability within the Englewood community? If so, apply to the Sustainability Commission by December 17th for your chance to be part of a high-impact group of Englewood residents. Learn more about the Sustainability Commission here.
Sustainable Business Partnership Biz Highlight:
What inspired you to join the Sustainable Business Partnership program?
At Pesto Italiano, we believe great food begins with respect, for our ingredients, our community, and the environment that sustains both. Joining the Sustainable Business Partnership felt like a natural extension of our values. We wanted to align our daily operations with practices that reduce waste, support local producers, and create a more resilient food system here in Englewood. SBP offered a framework and a community of like-minded businesses to help us deepen that commitment.
What sustainability improvements or practices are you most proud of so far?
We’re especially proud of several improvements we are currently implementing:
- Local sourcing: A majority of our produce now comes from farms and suppliers within Colorado, reducing transportation emissions and strengthening regional agriculture.
- Food-waste reduction: We’re working on adopting a waste-tracking system, composting nearly all our pre-consumer scraps, and repurpose ingredients creatively to minimize what ends up in the landfill.
- Eco-friendly packaging: We are working on making all our takeout materials compostable or fully recyclable.
- Energy and water efficiency: Recent back-of-house upgrades, including LED lighting, low-flow faucets (planned), and high-efficiency equipment, have significantly lowered our resource use.
- Each of these improvements helps us serve dishes we’re proud of while reducing our environmental footprint.
How has being part of SBP supported your business and community impact?
Being part of the SBP has connected us with expertise, tools, and mentorship that helped us make meaningful, measurable changes. Their guidance has allowed us to track our progress, identify areas for improvement, and implement practices we might not have known were within reach.
More importantly, SBP has helped us strengthen our role in the community, whether through partnerships with local farms, participating in sustainability events, or simply inspiring our guests to make greener choices. It has elevated our visibility as a business that cares about Englewood’s long-term wellbeing.
Can you share a little about your business story and what makes you unique?
Pesto Italiano was built on a simple idea: bringing the warmth of an Italian kitchen to Englewood while honoring the land that provides our ingredients. We opened our Englewood location at the end of June, bringing with us years of experience, community connection, and a commitment to authentic Italian cooking. From house-made pastas to seasonal regional specials, our goal is to create a space where guests feel both nourished and at home.
Although our Englewood restaurant location is new, our roots in the community run deep. For years at our previous location in Downtown Denver, we were actively involved in local initiatives, including contributing to Madsgiving, an event that feeds thousands of Coloradans in need through community collaboration and generosity. That spirit of service continues with us today. Here’s a story about the event that reflects the type of community we’re proud to support [(Video link here)]
Ultimately, what makes Pesto Italiano unique is our blend of tradition, sustainability, and community involvement. We pair classic Italian hospitality with modern responsible practices—showing that comfort food can also be conscious food. Even as a new addition to Englewood, our mission remains the same: create a place where people feel welcomed, nourished, and connected to one another.
Resource Library
Below are sustainability-related programs and resources eligible to Englewood residents. If
there's a program or resource you'd like to be considered to be added to the newsletter, email
menglund@englewoodco.gov.
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