Downing Street Garage - Denver, CO Car Repair Denver CO Auto Repair Denver, CO Automotive Services Denver CO

A Sampling of what our Partners have to say . . .

"As the Administrator of the Colorado Environmental Leadership Program (ELP), I am please to acknowledge Downing Street Garage as a Gold Leader member of the program. A central goal of the ELP is to celebrate partnerships among businesses, governments and organizations. The program strives to foster good relationships, reward environmental performance and create a healthier, cleaner and more sustainable Colorado. Although I cannot include all of their accomplishments, DSG has demonstrated "above and beyond" compliance achievements by installing a UL listed waste oil furnace to help heat their facility with used motor oil collected from customer's performance vehicles. In addition, DSG is part of the ELP Support Committee and participates in mentoring projects which help potential members learn more about the ELP and criteria.

Should DSG be selected for the Sustainable Company of the Year, the award would be given to a company that has a proven track record of success in the field of sustainability."

Lynette Myers

Administrator, Colorado Environmental Leadership Program

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

 "Downing Street Garage, lead by Rebecca and Doug Kirchdorfer, is one of the shining lights in the city's green business community.  They have demonstrated time and time again that a business can be an environmental, economic and community leader.   Towards that end, DSG and the Department of Environmental Health (DEH) have established a mutually supporting relationship: we help them improve their environmental operations and they help us test new methods of assisting Denver's businesses in reducing their environmental impact, saving money and reducing risk from their operations through the implementation of an environmental management system (EMS).  Their assistance has been invaluable in improving DEH's outreach to the small business community."

Paul Schmiechen,  EMS Program Manager

Environmental Quality Division

Department of Environmental Health, City/County of Denver

"Downing Street Garage was instrumental in assisting the City and County of Denver's P2 Partners Program in the development of a "Green Certification" for the auto repair sector. The certification recognizes businesses that voluntarily adopt sustainable practices to minimize the use of hazardous materials, improve energy efficiency and water conservation, and decrease the use of natural resources and generation of waste. DSG was the first auto repair shop to achieve certification with the program criteria which also requires continual improvement to maintain certification. In addition, DSG has been found to be in conformance with ISO 14001 standards by a team of third party auditors".

 Janet Burgesser,

City and County of Denver's P2 Partners Program

Department of Environmental Health, City/County of Denver

"Rebecca Kirchdorfer's participation this past May as an instructor in the Greater Good Academy; (an 8-week business training program for low income entrepreneurs), was a powerful experience for the students. Most impressive were the examples she offered of how DSG was walking the talk around its commitment to sustainable business practices.  She highlighted the company's environmental stewardship strategy as well as its active engagement with community organizations. Yet, what made the greatest impact was her description of the inclusive and caring organizational culture of the company. 'Always make time for the team to come together and acknowledge each others good work and resolve outstanding issue' she advised our class of emerging entrepreneurs. DSG is truly a leader among Denver area small businesses in building a responsible economy."

Richard Eidlin, Greater Good Academy

"It is not often that an enterprise - whether organized as a for-profit, not-for-profit (or even governmental program!) - illustrates sustainable business practice that incorporates social, environmental and economic initiatives - but Downing Street Garage is one such example.

DSG is a model business in the field of sustainability.  The credit should be extended to Douglass and Rebecca Kirchdorfer. As enterprise owners they have vested their personal values - anchored by authenticity - into the policies, practices, programs and practice that model sustainability within the automotive industry.

The field of sustainability is constantly changing and challenging- often creating a field of confusion as to compliance, regulation and general operating requirements of what "accommodates" the base requirements of the criteria deemed as "sustainable."   This is the critical juncture where DSG stands apart  - and becomes a market leader - taking an informed leadership position to help set the pace, tone, and style to integrate sustainability into Denver small business practices.

I have learned a lot of about the applied practice of sustainability through my involvement with DSG during the last year.  As an adjunct professor at the University of Denver, Daniels College of Business, I have designed several course iterations of the required MBA course titled, "Creating Sustainable Enterprise."  Downing Street Garage has hosted four groups of MBA students - throughout four separate learning terms - illustrating applied sustainable business practice.  Their time, commitment and "real world practice" helped bridge the critical juncture of theory into application.

Sustainability is constantly evolving - on behalf of the University of Denver, as well as Regis University - I extend my personal request and endorsement that Downing Street Garage be recognized for the model they are creating for our Denver, and Rocky Mountain, community."

Nancy Fell, Adjunct Professor

Daniels College of Business, University of Denver