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Who's Doing What on Sustainability in Colorado?

What kinds of sustainability activities are already on the ground and working well in Colorado? Here are some model projects that Alliance staff discovered during regional Sustainability Roundtable meetings across Colorado.

Learn more about the Alliance's Roundtable meetings here.

To submit information for a successful sustainability program or project occurring in your area, email a detailed description and web link to education@sustainablecolorado.org.

Area of Sustainability

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Comprehensive Sustainability Plans

  • Boulder County
    Boulder County's sustainability practices and programs are extensive and include a Climate Smart Loan Program, Energy Corps, a Green Jobs Pipeline, Zero Waste/recycling, and a Sustainability Education Committee to promote internal employee education.

  • City of Golden
    The City of Golden developed the Golden Sustainability Initiative in 2006 for creating healthy sustainable communities in Jefferson County and serves as a model for similar efforts across Colorado. Citizen groups established aggressive goals for the community around such issues as transportation, water, energy efficiency and renewable energy, solid waste and recycling, buildings, and economic health, education and communication.

  • Fort Carson, Colorado Springs
    The Fort Carson Sustainability and Environmental Management System strives to set an Army model of comprehensive sustainability management and community involvement for Fort Carson soldiers and their families. The program focuses on issues of energy and water, transportation, procurement and zero waste in army operations.

  • Town of Eagle
    The Town of eagle hired a sustainability coordinator in 2008 and implemented sustainability initiatives that include establishing a free curbside recycling program, community bike sharing program, adopting the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code with code-exceeding standards for roof and wall insulation, and creating a Webpage devoted to sustainability outreach and education.

  • Town of Fowler
    A town of 1,200+ in southeastern Colorado that is committed to a future of sustainability. Ongoing efforts include a renewable energy infrastructure using wind, solar, geo-exchange and feedlot biomass; LED lighting and waterless solar-powered toilets in the park; recycling of residential waste; and conservation education programs.

Cultural Heritage Tourism

  • Buena Vista Heritage
    Preserving and sharing the history of Buena Vista and Chaffee County through restoration and operations projects like The Turner Farm and St. Elmo Schoolhouse.

  • Canyons and Plains Southeast Colorado Regional Heritage Taskforce
    Provides education and training, research, marketing of historic sites, technical support to private landowners and entrepreneurs, youth and preservation programs, stewardship, the promotion of adaptive reuse of historic buildings, and the introduction of heritage tourism as a viable new economic sector. A 2009 report on SECHORT for heritage managers, policy makers and community organization has just been published by Dr. Rudi Hartmann, CU-Denver.

  • Chaffee County Heritage Area Program
    This program seeks to preserve the heritage area of Chaffee County with a focus on natural landscapes, historic structures, and resource stewardship. Under this program, more than 2 acres of the working open space Hutchinson Homestead was donated to the Town of Poncha Springs for preservation as a Museum and Cultural Center.

  • Collegiate Peaks Scenic Byway
    This 57 mile scenic byway stretches through the heart of three historic communities in Chaffee County: Buena Vista, Salida and Poncha Springs. Tourists along the way can experience commercially developed hot springs, and rafting trips or fishing tours on the Arkansas River.

  • The Durango Discovery Museum at the Powerhouse
    An expansion of this interactive science and energy museum is planned at the oldest standing coal-fired, steam-generated AC current power plant in the country. Every year museum programs reach more youth during and after school through science clubs, summer camps (Camp Discovery), and the new Solar Roller - a mobile science energy + discovery lab.

  • Northeast Colorado Cultural Tourism Alliance
    This alliance, comprising nonprofits, businesses, restaurants, chambers of commerce and museums, is working to create a shared vision and strategic plan for developing cultural tourism in Larimer and Weld Counties, including an initial survey to identify sites for cultural and historical tourism in Northern Colorado.

  • Northwest Colorado Cultural Heritage Tourism Program
    Currently embarking on its initial objectives of heritage site inventory and marketing product development. The project intends to expand current tourism industries in this area to include local cultural and agri-tourism to directly benefit local economies throughout the region.

Economic Development

  • Be Local Northern Colorado
    This organization is dedicated to building a local and globally-fair economy and reaches out to more than 300 independent community- and land-based businesses in the northern Colorado region.

  • Buy Local Campaign
    Created through a partnership between the Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association and a dedicated group of local business owners to promote the importance of supporting local commerce.

  • Green Business Roundtables
    The The San Juan Citizens Alliance conducts monthly networking meetings that involve local businesses and interested groups to focus on topics related to sustainability.

  • Green Guides of the Grand Valley
    Provides a directory of green and sustainable businesses for the Grand Valley. The organization aims to provide education among businesses within the network and to the community.

  • Local First
    A collaborative effort to help locally-owned, independent businesses thrive in La Plata County. The Be Local Coupon Book offers coupons for products and services at over 100 local businesses for $2,500 in savings.

  • The Mile High Business Alliance
    The Alliance believes that locally owned businesses are the foundation for building resilient local economies and works to build an network of local businesses who are working together to build a healthier local economy.

  • Northwest Colorado Products
    A collaborative effort of CSU Routt County Extension and Steamboat Ski and Resort Corporation to establish and maintain a market for products and services that originate in Northwest Colorado.

  • Pikes Peak Sustainable Business Network
    A program of the Catamount Institute, PPSBN provides networking, information, resources, and tools as it relates to sustainable business practices in the entire Pikes Peak region.

  • Southeast Colorado Businesses Retention, Attraction and Expansion
    SEBREA is a six-county regional economic development partnership designed to retain, expand and attract businesses to the Lower Arkansas Valley.

  • The Sustainable Steamboat Business Program
    This program includes 65+ businesses and is available through the Steamboat Chamber Resort Association. Participating businesses are provided a consultant to learn how to reduce energy use and waste in their operations, quarterly networking luncheons, a Green-link e-letter, and annual awards.

  • Veterans Green Corps
    This corp was created to empower veterans to transition to civilian life and provides training and employment in a variety of green jobs including environmental conservation, habitat restoration and forestry, as well as residential energy conservation and weatherization.

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Development

  • Calhan School Heating and Cooling System
    This rural school northeast of Colorado Springs will have their indoor environment transformed from a new highly efficient ground-source heating and cooling system that will use 40-70% less energy and produce a savings of up to $80,000 per year in reduced energy and maintenance costs. The project benefited from a partnership with GEO, DOLA, the Colorado Department of Education and the Calhan school district and brought economic relief to a small Colorado town.

  • Cameo Power Plant Hybrid
    Xcel has brought online its first Innovative Clean Energy Project near Palisade, Colorado. This project is the world's first known demonstration of the hybrid solar-coal approach using parabolic-trough solar technology, which concentrates solar energy to provide heat to produce supplemental steam for power generation.

  • Clean Energy Pioneers
    The Environmental Defense Fund, Rocky Mountain Farmer's Union, and Western Resource Advocates have collaborated to profile individuals, schools, businesses, and communities across the West that are harnessing innovative ideas to develop economic opportunities through homegrown clean energy solutions.

  • Colorado State University Extension Clean Energy Strategic Initiative Team (CESIT)
    CSU Extension is committed to educating farmers and ranchers on how to create renewable energy as a value added business, and how to implement and use them at home and at businesses. Workshops are being conducted around the state and cover wind, solar, geothermal, micro hydro, and bio energy as viable energy sources.

  • Colorado State University - Pueblo Solar Power System
    An innovative three-way partnership with CSU-Pueblo, Black Hills Energy, and BP Solar allows CSU-Pueblo to host a 1.2MW solar power system on 4 acres of otherwise unusable land, one of the largest solar systems at any educational institution in the U.S. BP Solar operates and maintains the system, Black Hills Energy buys the renewable energy credits created, and CSU-Pueblo buys zero-carbon electricity at a 20-year, fixed-rate deal.

  • Conserving our Resources Efficiently Program
    This City of Grand Junction program was formed to assess and monitor the progress of proposed initiatives and current conservation practices in all city operations, including mobility/fleet, energy and buildings/facilities, PV solar installations, and an employee education program with incentives, and mandates.

  • Confluence Energy Wood Pellet Plant
    Confluence Energy in Kremmling produces and sells wood pellets as heating fuel produced from mountain pine beetle-killed trees. This type of energy offers the benefit of being produced and consumed domestically, minimizing transportation, and optimizing efficiency.

  • Durango Strater Hotel
    The Strater Hotel in downtown Durango is the first member of the Historic Hotels of America that will be adding the Energy Star rating to its property. Hotels that have earned the Energy Star perform in the top 25 percent of hotels nationwide use at least 35 percent less energy and emit at least 35 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than their peers.

  • Energy Village Plan
    The City of Rifle on the western slope of Colorado is striving to become a community that bridges the gap between the traditional fossil-fuel economy and the evolving renewable energy economy. Completed and current initiatives include the construction of a 1.72MWh solar array on the former site of a uranium mill tailings operation, and the founding of the Western Colorado Carbon Neutral Biofuels Consortium (WCCNBC) with Colorado Mountain College, Colorado State University, and Flux Farms to test the viability of switchgrass-based ethanol in the area.

  • Flux Farm Foundation
    Flux Farm Foundation contributes to the economic viability of agriculture by providing landowners with research driven information on how to profitably integrate renewable energy and carbon sequestration technologies onto farms and ranches in the intermountain west.

  • FortZED
    This net-zero energy partnership in Old Town Fort Collins involves public, private and university collaboration. The project will implement Smart Grid and renewable energy technologies to achieve local power generation and energy demand management, while developing key industries and new business opportunities.

  • Garfield New Energy Communities Initiative
    GNECI is a regional partnership of local and state governments, nonprofits and clean energy businesses that are working to build a clean energy economy in Garfield County. Current programs have already resulted in the Roaring Fork District saving more than $24,000 in energy bills and Garfield residents receiving more than 9,000 free energy efficient light bulbs.

  • Governor's Energy Office
    GEO plays a critical role in advancing energy efficiency and renewable, clean energy resources across Colorado. Recharge Colorado provides comprehensive information for its programs, policies and intiatives, including available rebates, their Main Street Efficiency Intiative, Colorado utilities and transmission reports, greening government initiatives, renewable energy projects, and financing programs.

  • Heaton Middle School Renewable Energy Demonstration Project
    Heaton Middle School in Pueblo was awarded a StEPP Grant to create an environmentally sustainable campus that integrates green technologies into both operations and curricula. Program highlights include a 7.5kW wind generator with weather bugstation, a 6.3kW photovoltaic array with interenet monitoring, and a PV system that will offset 146,000 lbs of CO2

  • Green Cents Program
    San Miguel Power Association offers a program for members to choose to have their monthly bill rounded up to the nearest dollar, which will go into a fund used for the development of renewable energy and conservation programs within SMPA's service territory.

  • Northern Colorado Clean Energy Cluster
    A nonprofit economic development organization that includes groups such as ICE Energy, Spirae, Colorado State University, New Belgium Brewing Company, and Platte River Power Authority, whose focus is on growing clean energy primary jobs in the region through start-ups, existing businesses, and companies relocating to the area.

  • Peetz Table Wind Energy Center
    This wind center project is comprised of three different wind parks along the Peetz Plateau in Northeast Colorado. Peetz Table is a 400MW wind generation plant, generating enough electricity to power approximately 100,000 homes.

  • Recovered Energy Project
    Highline Electric Association and partners built a recovered energy generator to capture excess heat from a natural gas pumping station in Logan County. It began commercial operation on June 24, 2009 and produces 27,600 megawatt-hours of clean energy annually, enough for a small community of 1,200 homes.

  • VESTAS Wind Power Systems
    Vestas has created more than 1,000 highly skilled manufacturing jobs through their blade factory in Windsor, tower factory in Pueblo and nacelle factory in Brighton. A research and development facility is being located in Louisville, lifting that city's stature as a hub for clean-energy research.

  • Weatherization Programs
    The Governor's Energy Office has partnered with local agencies to offer a Weatherization Program to Colorado's low-income residents, giving them the opportunity to access free, cost-effective energy efficiency services. To find the local agency offering weatherization services in your region of the state, visit here.

Green Buildings - LEED Certified

  • Chipeta Elementary
    This elementary school in Mesa County is LEED-Registered and seeking Silver certification for new construction features that resulted in 30% water reduction, 35% sustainable energy production from a roof PV solar system and wind power program, and 36% vegetative open space of the entire site.

  • Durango Public Library
    The library has recently been LEED-Gold certified. Its energy and cost-saving features include a raised-floor heating, cooling and ventilating air delivery system.

  • Fort Lewis College, Durango
    Animas Hall, FLC's newest residence hall, just earned a LEED Gold rating for its state-of-the-art environmental design. The new biology wing in Berndt Hall will achieve LEED certification and the Student Union is on track for LEED-Gold status.

  • Southeast Colorado, Commercial Building LEED Certifications
    Across Southeast Colorado, LEED certifications were obtained or are currently being sought for several buildings, including Maple Leaf Orthopedics, Pueblo West Library, the new Pueblo City-County Health Department offices, and Pueblo Animal Welfare Society for Life Animal Campus.

  • Salida Early Childhood Center
    LEED-Silver certification is pending for new construction. Green features include passive solar and natural lighting, occupancy sensors, a high-efficiency water heater with separate-temperature water shuttled to kitchen, and all no-to-low VOC materials including linoleum, glues and paints.

  • University of Colorado - Colorado Springs
    UCCS strives to create a sustainable infrastructure with buildings that exemplify best practices, as well as provide a sustainable "living laboratory". LEED status has been achieved or is pending for the Campus Recreation Center, Conference and Events Center, Heller Center, and the new interdisciplinary teaching and research Science & Engineering Building.

  • Western State College, Gunnison
    WSC participates in the state's High Performance Building Program and is committed to having all new buildings and renovations earn LEED-Gold certification or its equivalent. As of March 2010, Western has one LEED Silver certified building, two buildings pending LEED Gold certification and a renovation project for Taylor Hall that will seek LEED certification.

Green Building Programs

  • Colorado State University: Institute for the Built Environment
    A multidisciplinary research institute whose mission is to foster stewardship and sustainability of the built environment through a research-based, interdisciplinary educational forum.

  • City of Fort Collins LEED Requirements
    The City of Fort Collins requires Gold or Silver LEED Certification for all new city-owned buildings of 5,000 sq ft or more. Existing buildings use the LEED standard as a guide for sustainable operation and maintenance. For comprehensive information on green building for the City of Fort Collins, residential homes, businesses and existing city codes, visit here.

  • Governor's Energy Office High Performance Building Program
    This program provides a series of FREE workshops and webinars for planners, funders, designers, builders, operations and maintenance managers.

  • Green Building Code Programs
    Green Building programs are being adopted by local governments across Colorado, including Boulder, Longmont, Steamboat Springs, Eagle and Summit County. These programs range from a point-based system to prescriptive, and details for each program can be found here.

  • Rocky Mountain Institute RetroFit Initiative
    This aggressive initiative follows an award-winning retrofit design of the Empire State Building and hopes to spur the retrofit of at least 500 commercial buildings within five years.

  • Sustainable Building Education Program
    4CORE hosts bimonthly brown bag lunches and dinner seminars on educational topics throughout Southwest Colorado, ranging from Insulation to LEED Certification for Homes. The program to date has resulted in 17 newly built ENERGY STAR-rated homes.

Local Food Production and Community-Supported Agriculture

  • Agricorps Colorado
    This program was started by the owners of Happy Heart Farms, on th west side of Fort Collins, in which youth exchange work on the farm for learning about sustainable agriculture and training in greenhouse management, plant propagation and biodynamic farming.

  • Backyard CSA
    A group of gardeners out of Salida who formed a CSA project to use homeowner's yards and other unused spaces in Salida to produce vegetables, flowers and other value-added products. Produce is marketed through CSA shares, and at the Salida and Buena Vista farmers markets, local natural food stores and restaurants.

  • Cameron Place CSA
    This CSA provides more than 150 families with organically grown vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers across Mesa County.

  • Colorado Farm to School Programs
    Several school districts in Durango, Greeley-Evans, Pikes Peak and southwest colorado communities have implemented Farm to School Programs that include purchasing fresh produce from local farmers, school gardens, local purchasing and health and nutrition education.

  • Central Colorado Foodshed Alliance
    A cooperative organization that unites local food producers within 100 miles of Salida with consumers and assist members with development, marketing and promotion, product distribution and education of consumers about the value of local foods.

  • Community Food Initiative
    The Community Food Initiative is a coordinated effort between schools, local farmers, Permaculture educators and non-profit organizations to inspire a new generation of growers and revive the local food economy in the Roaring Fork Valley and beyond. Current efforts are geared towards establishing a 42' dome greenhouse and edible schoolyard project at the Roaring Fork High School in Carbondale.

  • Community Agriculture Alliance
    This organization works to preserve the agricultural heritage and landscapes of the Yampa Valley by supporting programs and policies that connect agricultural producers and consumers.

  • Deep Roots Local Food Trust
    A local food trust in Steamboat Springs that works towards developing more local and sustainable food production through implementing strategic projects and developing educational programs. The Trust hosts a blog sharing best practices called Beet List.

  • Farmer's Markets
    Farmer's Markets run successfully and are well-attended all across Colorado and offer fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers, organic meat and dairy products, live entertainment, and local art. The Colorado Farmer's Market Association maintains a comprehensive list of Colorado Farmer's Markets here.

  • Fort Collins Food Co-op
    Originated in the 1970's from a Colorado State University student-buying club and is a successful model of a member-owned grocer offering a good selection of locally grown and produced goods.

  • Grow Another Row
    This is a community project in Grand Junction that signs up gardeners who anticipate having extra vegetables or fruit, sends volunteers to collect the fresh produce, and then delivers it to area food banks.

  • GrowHaus
    The GrowHaus is a new center for food justice and urban agriculture sprouting out of an old 20,000 square-foot greenhouse in the Elyria-Swansea neighborhood of Denver. Consisting of an indoor farm, a local market and an educational center, the GrowHaus aims to be a catalyst for transforming the food desert of North Denver into an oasis of fresh, local, healthy food and community.

  • Guidestone
    A non-profit organization dedicated to the integrity of the agricultural resources of the Upper Arkansas River region by fostering a local food economy, stewarding agricultural lands in production, educating for ecological literacy, and supporting sustainable development.

  • Happy Heart Farms CSA
    Out of Fort Collins, this CSA provides members with scheduled pick-ups of fresh veggies, fruits and herbs from a 20-week growing season, a newsletter, gourmet food tastings, recipes, and member-appreciation festivals. Friends of Happy Heart is a newly formed nonprofit to support the educational efforts of HHF.

  • Home Grown Food
    This Fort Collins-based organization inspires people to develop organic food-producing gardens on donated public or private land or in their own backyards. Members give public talks and workshops, host a Google Discussion Group, and provide local mentors.

  • La Familia Community Garden
    This local community garden project was the result of a three-year effort by the Pueblo City-County Health Department and 23 local businesses and in addition to growing vegetables, aims to educate residents on the issues of local regulations, land lease agreements, soil quality, water availability, and funding.

  • Local Farms First
    This online Farmer's Market for the Gunnison and Crested Butte area offers shoppers the chance to buy directly from North Fork farmers and food artisans. Farmers create their own accounts, upload what they have every week and determine price, and customers then shop online.

  • Osage Gardens
    Osage Gardens is a USDA-certified organic family farm and CSA providing year-round herbs, vegetables, flowers and eggs for communities across the Western slope.

  • Peaks to Plains Alliance
    The PPA advocates local food resources in the Arkansas Valley Watershed communities and works to enhance the public's knowledge of local food, water and land resources, and create a stable local food and farming system.

  • Slow Food USA Chapter
    The New Community Coalition is involved in the new Slow Food USA Chapter in Telluride and supports a local parent group working collaboratively with the Telluride schools to enhance local, fresh and organic school lunch offerings to students.

  • Sustainability Alliance of Southwest Colorado
    SASCO provides a comprehensive list of local food initiatives for the Southwestern region that highlights the groups and individuals in the area that are working in various ways to help rebuild a healthy and local food system.

Open-Space Preservation

  • Colorado Coalition of Land Trusts
    The CCLT is the collective voice for land conservation in Colorado. The member land trusts and local government open space programs have protected nearly 2 million acres of Colorado's wildlife habitat, working farms and ranches, and significant natural landscapes.

  • Land Trust of the Upper Arkansas
    LTUA advances the conservation and stewardship of agricultural lands, wildlife habitat, open space, scenic beauty and other diminishing natural and historical resources in Chaffee, Fremont and Lake Counties. The trust established a voluntary 1% tax program for conservation easements.

  • Larimer County Green Legacy
    Larimer County has become a national leader in land preservation by using tax-based acquisition, transfer of development rights and a user-friendly form of conservation development.

  • Mesa Land Trust
    Efforts have resulted in preserving more than 55,000 acres that provide local food production (orchards, vineyards, cropland), large working ranches, and wildlife (deer, elk, and sage grouse) and riparian habitat across Mesa County.

  • Rural Land Use Center
    The Rural Land Use Center assists property owners in Larimer County who wish to develop their property while maintaining their land in agriculture or other open space.

  • Yampa Valley Land Trust
    YVLT is Northwest Colorado's nonprofit land conservation organization and focuses its preservation work on the Yampa River Basin in Routt County and the White River Valley in Rio Blanco County. To date, 65 conservation transactions have permanently protected 44,811 acres in Northwest Colorado.

Organizations Focusing on Sustainability

  • Chaffee Citizens for Sustainability
    This organization was created in opposition to Nestle Waters North America Plan to bottle water from two Nathrop Springs. The organization's focus is to support programs that ensure long-term community viability and well-being.

  • Four Corners Office for Resource Efficiency
    4CORE has been integral in promoting resource conservation, energy efficiency, and the use of clean, renewable sources of energy in La Plata County.

  • Green Cities Coalition of the Pikes Peak Region
    This organization works to promote ecologically, economically and socially healthy cities in El Paso County through working groups that focus on issues of recycling, energy, transit, food, water, government, business, schools and faith.

  • High Country Conservation Center
    HCCC works to administer programs and promote advocacy for waste eduction, energy conservation, green living and green building for Summit County. Efforts over the last 30 years have recently resulted in Summit County Government institutionalizing the nonprofit's recycling operations into a stable government department.

  • High Country Citizens' Alliance
    HCCA champions the protection, conservation and preservation of the natural ecosystems within the Upper Gunnison River Basin. Current efforts focus on climate and clean energy, and the Save the Red Lady campaign.

  • Mancos Valley Sustainability Initiative
    This initiative was formed to understand and create healthy ecosystems and strengthen biodiversity and human conditions as Mancos faces rapid growth and development. A major project involves protecting, managing and enhancing the 800 square mile Mancos River Watershed.

  • Montezuma Climate Action Network
    Formed in Montezuma County in 2007 with the goal of reducing the county's carbon footprint. The organization has "Green Teams" that focus efforts and education on renewable energy, recycling, local food, technology and global warming science.

  • Office for Resource Efficiency
    ORE facilitates resource savings through energy services and education programs that empower the Gunnison Valley to lower utility costs, develop renewable energy sources, decrease carbon emissions, and build a more sustainable self-sufficient economy.

  • Rocky Mountain Sustainable Living Association
    This Fort Collins-based nonprofit is committed to educating people and communities in the Rocky Mountain region about healthy sustainable choices. 2010 marks the 11th Annual Sustainable Living Fair and features keynote speakers, exhibitors, youth workshops, live music and hands-on sessions.

  • Sustainable Ways
    Sustainable Ways is a volunteer community organization in the Wet Mountain Valley to educate, advocate, and demonstrate ways of living that are consistent with the principles of sustainability for individuals, families, and community.

  • Sustainability Alliance of Southwest Colorado
    SASCO works to promote sustainability primarily in La Plata County by facilitating communication and collaboration for projects related to food and agriculture, local and regional policy, smart energy, and local economic development.

  • The New Community Coalition
    A nonprofit organization formed in 2007 to coordinate and manage efforts that direct regional sustainability projects across San Miguel County. TNCC works in collaboration with organizations and individuals in the community to re-localize economy and food sources, develop a greener built environment, reduce their carbon footprint, and expand educational resources.

  • Yampa Valley Sustainability Council
    A grassroots effort consisting of individuals, businesses, government employees, and residents of the Yampa Valley responsible for a yearly Education Sustainability Summit, monthly speaker event series, the ENERGY STAR component of the green building program for Steamboat Springs and Routt County, and the Yampa Valley Recycles and Zero-Waste Initiative.

  • Yampa Valley Partners
    YVP is a nonprofit organization that works to advance decision making and community collaboration in the Yampa Valley. Their 2009-2010 Community Indicators Project Reports documents the regional quality of life in the Yampa Valley through social, economic, environmental and civic measurements.

Recycling/Composting Programs

  • Angel of Shavano Recycling
    Provides comprehensive recycling capability for Chaffee County, including plastics 1-7, with multiple drop-off locations throughout the county. It has provided commercial pick-up since 2007 and volunteers services for many community activities and events upon request.

  • City of Fort Collins Recycling
    Residential trash haulers apply a variable "pay-as-you-throw"(PAYT) rate to trash pick-up and must provide curbside recycling services at no extra charge. A recent ordinance further requires haulers to provide a larger, lidded recycling cart upon customer request that will reduce collection schedules.

  • City of Loveland Composting
    The City of Loveland collects organic materials from the curb and at a drop-site from Loveland residents and works with a local company, A-1 Organics, to make a high-quality soil amendment that is sold locally. In 2009, over 16,000 tons was collected.

  • Durango Curbside Recycling
    The City of Durango offers curbside recycling service free of charge in conjunction with regular trash collection. Recycling bins hold 3 brown paper grocery bags side by side for separation and storage of recyclables.

  • Fort Lewis College Composting
    The FLC Environmental Center has operated an Earth Tub composter since May 2007 for waste from the River Rock Cafe, with hopes of establishing a municipal composting program in the future. For details on how the Earth Tub composter works, visit here.

  • Grand Junction Composting
    The Organic Materials Composting Facility in Grand Junction accepts organic waste free of charge (avoids landfill disposal fees) and then provides high-quality compost products for sale (closes the loop).

  • Grand Junction Recycling
    Curbside Recycling Indefinitely Inc. is a locally owned business that provides residential curbside recycling in partnership with the City of Grand Junction. Electronics waste drop-off is available six days a week with an attendant on site to help off-load items.

  • Happy Worm Herders
    This subsidiary program of Gaia Institute Wellness Center offers composting, vermicomposting, materials recycling and reuse capabilities for the Pueblo area.

  • Home ReSource
    A nonprofit arm of Milner landfill facilities in Steamboat Springs that provides construction material recycling and used material sales for reuse of building materials. They will help with the deconstruction of a building, donations of material for resale, avoiding disposal expense, green credits, computer recycling drop-off or pickup, bio-solids composting, use of wood chips and sawdust, and sale of screened TwinGro Compost.

  • National Center for Craftsmanship
    This group in Fort Collins works with industry, institutional and government partners to provide education, training, community service and research to support the retention and extension of craft skills at all levels. The DeConstruct Training Program teaches youth and adults emerging deconstruction technology and LEED certification protocols, which has resulted in the deconstruction of 9 buildings in the last 2 years, keeping 75-80% of materials out of the landfill.

  • Pueblo City-County Health Department Recycling
    The Pueblo Health Department provides drop-off sites for recycling of glass (all colors), newspaper, and aluminum and tin cans.

  • Recycling Resources Economic Opportunity Fund Grants Program
    This program funds implementation projects that promote economic development through the productive management of recyclable materials. For a full description of grants that are scheduled to begin July 1, 2010 in communities across Colorado, visit here.

  • Sterling Correctional Center Recycling and Composting
    Since 2001, this recycling and composting program has resulted in 910 tons of recycled materials, bringing in revenue of $77,000. Figures indicate that 5,716 tons of waste has been diverted from the landfill (composting and recycling) for an annual average waste diversion of 57%.

  • Twin Enviro Services Composting
    This commercial program is already composting beetle-killed wood and bio-solids from the wastewater treatment plant using 10 acres under static aeration. It is engaged in a pilot program with Steamboat Ski Resort to compost food waste and offer compost materials to residents.

  • Waste-Not Recycling
    Provides comprehensive recycling services to commercial, institutional and government accounts in Loveland. The company is developing a recycling curriculum for state schools, as well as a voluntary Environmental Stewardship Program for businesses.

  • WE RECYCLE
    This community-based recycling coop, serving residents of Pueblo and Pueblo West, offers drop-off and curbside membership for a variety of recyclable materials. The WE RECYCLE Center offers information on sustainable practices, including composting, alternative energy, and better waste diversion methods.

  • Yampa Valley Recycles
    YVR provides curbside and/ drop-off recycling for hazardous household waste, electronics and standard recyclable materials. YVR also supplies "Green Machines", which are free, large event recycling containers that are easily transportable.

  • Zero Waste Initiative
    This program of the Yampa Valley Sustainability Council was launched in June 2009 and incorporates zero waste practices into ski resort operations and throughout major public events in Steamboat Springs. In 2010, 15 large-scale community events, including the entire line-up of the Steamboat Springs Free Summer Concert Series, will take away their trash cans and move toward Zero Waste.

Transportation

  • City of Steamboat Springs Transit
    A regional bus system that now goes between Craig and Steamboat has eliminated 17,000 trips per year. The Steamboat Springs Transit (SST) provides a fixed route and daily transit service around town and between downtown and the Ski Resort Mountain Base area that is "free-to-user".

  • Colorado Clean Diesel Program - School Bus Retrofits
    A project in Pueblo resulted from a settlement agreement from the Comanche 3 Power Plant for 200 city school bus retrofits to reduce diesel emissions and energy usage. Over 60 school buses in several school districts across Garfield and Rio Blanco counties were retrofitted in the summer of 2009 with new equipment that will reduce emissions, cut fuel consumption and make busses safer for students.

  • Colorado Front Range Trail
    This project, which envisions eventually connecting Wyoming to New Mexico, has completed many of its trails through dense population areas like Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley and Denver and offers recreation and bicycle commuting opportunities throughout.

  • Colorado Springs Streetcar Feasibility Study
    This study, completed in June 2010, explores the relationship between streetcars and urban development in Colorado Springs by examining the feasibility of implementing a streetcar system for downtown Colorado Springs and surrounding areas along with the associated economic impact. The streetcar system would encourage business, residential and cultural development in the downtown core.

  • Fort Collins Colorado Carpool Center
    This website provides current carpool listings available within a 10 mile radius of Fort Collins, with detailed leave and return times, days available, and carpooling contact information.

  • Get Around Durango
    This multi-modal program provides comprehensive information on the many ways to get around Durango, including biking, the T system, carpooling, walking, and flying. Visit the Multi Modal Master Plan to be part of the plan being developed for Durango.

  • Go Alpine
    This ground transportation service instituted a Colorado Carbon Offset Fund request in May 2009 to every passenger that calls in or places reservations online. Contributions of $.50 to the Hayden Regional Airport and $1.00 donations to DIA are calculated into the total fare.

  • GoSmart Technologies
    Located in Denver, CO, GoSmart Technologies designs and builds electric vehicle charging stations for public and private use. As many as 25 different auto manufacturers have announced research and development in zero emission vehicles.

  • Grand Valley Transit
    GVT operates 11 routes that serve Grand Junction, Palisade, Clifton, Orchard Mesa and Fruita and ridership was up 20% in 2009. Every bus is equipped with bike racks with bike transport free of charge.

  • Roaring Fork Transportation Authority
    RFTA has been in operation since 1983, and includes the communities of Aspen, Snowmass Village, Pitkin County, Basalt, a portion of Eagle County, Carbondale, Glenwood Springs and the newest member New Castle. A Bike Express bike bus begins on June 19th and runs every Saturday and Sunday until September 6th.

Water Conservation

  • Coalition for the Upper South Platte
    Since 1998, CUSP has worked to protect the 2,600-square-mile watershed that reaches from the Continental Divide to Strontia Springs Reservoir, southwest of Denver. CUSP works with partners to provide essential services such as project planning, implementation, and monitoring within the watershed.

  • Colorado Foundation for Water Education
    CFWE is Colorado's only statewide nonprofit, non-advocacy organization to promote better understanding of Colorado's water resources and issues by providing balanced and accurate information and education.

  • Colorado Water Conservation Board
    CWCB represents each major water basin, Denver and other state agencies in a joint effort to use water wisely and protect Colorado's water for future generations.

  • Drought Response Information Project
    DRIP is a collaboration between the Grand Junction Valley's domestic water providers and CSU Cooperative Extension to provide information and educate the public concerning the Drought Response Plan, the importance of water conservation, and how to reduce water use.

  • Routt County Water Conservation and Drought Preparedness Plan
    Put into place in 2009 for the Yampa Valley, this comprehensive plan aims to raise awareness of the need for and benefits of water conservation and help create a "conservation culture" in the valley that protects its limited and essential water supply.

  • Water Center at Colorado State University
    The Water Center brings together a rich history in water-related education and research with diverse talent from 25 different departments at Colorado State University to form a group of educators and researchers interested in water resources.

  • Water Center at Mesa State College
    Mesa State College and the Mesa County Water Association are establishing a new Water Center at Mesa State College to help local communities understand and react to emerging water challenges. To get on the mailing list for more information as this project develops, email Hannah Holm at hannah@mesacountywater.org

  • The Water Information Program
    This program was created in cooperation with Southwestern Water Conservation District and several southwestern Colorado water agencies and entities to provide a common forum for communicating shared information and goals for water conservation and management.