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The Denver Zoo is looking for green-minded zoo employees willing to give up their cars and ride a bike, grab a bus or carpool to work for a year.

The program, Wild Ride, will choose one full-time zoo employee to reap the big benefits of shrinking his or her carbon footprint.

Jennifer Hale, the zoo’s sustainability coordinator, said the Wild Ride idea was inspired by Fort Collins-based New Belgium Brewing’s Tour de Fat, a bike bash that takes place in 13 cities, kicking off in Chicago on Saturday. (See schedule at .)

“They think more companies should encourage alternatives to driving cars, and they were totally up for our program,” Hale said. “The whole idea is to take a car off the road.”

The chosen biker, bus rider or carpooler will be selected July 12. For the sacrifice, the winner will receive a custom-made recycled commuter bike, a Mountain Hardwear messenger bag and jacket, a netbook with one year of service, one year’s bike maintenance and (ah!) spa treatments.

At the six-month mark, the Wild Rider will receive a bamboo bicycle hand-crafted at Fort Collins-based Panda Bicycles.

“The first day the challenge was announced, I got 12 e-mails from employees wanting applications (deadline July 5),” Hale said. “We also found out about so many employees that have already ditched their cars.”

One of the zoo’s eco-incentives gives full-time employees free RTD EcoPasses. The zoo has created EcoWheels, a transportation database that tracks EcoPass usage.

Bikers.

Mayor John Hickenlooper led his “bad to the bone” bike gang (OK, more like his mild-mannered staff) two-wheeling on distinctive red Denver B-cycles on Wednesday to pay homage to Ride Your Bike to Work Day, an annual eco-initiative to get drivers to trade their cars for bicycles.

Hizzoner, along with Denver marketing director Steve Sander, mayoral mouthpiece Eric Brown, chief services officer David Roberts, chief of staff Roxane White, Greenprint director Michele Weingarden, communications deputy Sabrina D’Agosta, city attorney David Fine and Deputy Mayor Bill Vidal, saddled up at 6:45 a.m. at the Cherry Creek mall and rode to Civic Center via the Cherry Creek bike path.

The gang stopped to refuel with fruit, bagels, juice and coffee at the bike station along the Cherry Creek path. Hizzoner Hick was joined by Gov. Bill Ritter (who rode with a different entourage) at Civic Center to address a crowd of close to 1,000.

Mexi milestone.

Denver-based Chipotle Mexican Grill hit a big-burrito milestone by opening its 1,000th restaurant Wed nesday in Flower Mound, Texas.

It’s a figure that founder and co-chief executive Steve Ells never intended to achieve. His original business plan called for opening a single unit near the University of Denver campus.

“My plan was to use Chipotle as a cash cow to help me finance my own restaurant,” said Ells, a classically trained chef. “People loved it, so I opened another, and another, and so on.”

EAVESDROPPING

A man:

“I like girls who don’t drink. They’ll drive, and they’ll tell you what happened.”

Penny Parker’s column appears Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Listen to her on the Caplis and Silverman radio show between 4 and 5 p.m. Fridays on KHOW-630 AM. Call her at 303-954-5224 or e-mail pparker@denverpost.com.

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By the numbers

1,000

The number of locations of Denver-based burrito-shop chain Chipotle with Wednesday’s opening of a restaurant in Flower Mound, Texas

999

The number of eateries by which the venture has exceeded founder Steve Ells’ expectations, he says

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This article has been corrected in this online archive. Originally, due to a designer’s error, the graphic incorrectly described Chipotle stores. All Chipotle locations are
company-owned operations.

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