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BRINGING SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY HOME
THE CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUE
• The U.N. gave us until 2030 to make substantial environmental improvements — how is Boulder County responding? • Local heroes take a stand • Colorado industries find ways to survive and thrive • Art kickstarts climate conversations
2019
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as part of Nest Pro. This was an easy decision, as our two At participating At participating stores only, stores notonly, all products not all products at all locations. at all locations. Photos for Photos illustrative for illustrative purposespurposes only. Notonly. responsible Not responsible for typographical for typographical errors. offers errors. cannot offers combined be combined with other with discounts other discounts or or companies share thebecannot same values. promotional promotional offers and offers are not andvalid are not on previous valid on previous purchases. purchases. ©Carpet©Carpet one Floorone & Home®. Floor & Home®. *See store *See forstore details. forSubject details.to Subject credit to approval. credit approval. †See actual †Seewarranty actual warranty at store for at store complete for complete details. details. Our goals are to provide the very best We are making a green commitment in our stores and offices C Aon RP E T • our Hemployees A R D W Oand OD • Vpartners; I N Y L • T I L Eproducts, • Linstallation A M I Nand ATcustomer E • service. AND MORE by focusing educating business We truly care for our customers conserving resources and reducing waste; and encouraging and want to make sure that they are recycling and green maintenance practices. comfortable and safe in their homes. Green Flooring Half Page 11.625X10.5
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o credit approval. Financing provided by CitiFinancial Retail Services Division of Citicorp Trust Bank, fsb. Finance charges begin to accrue at the time of purchase. No monthly payments required during the promotional period. Payment of amount financed in full must be received prior to the nal period in order for accrued finance charges to be waived. Otherwise, accrued finance charges will be assessed to the account. Standard rate 24% APR. Default rate 26.99% APR. Minimum finance charge $.50. See Cardholder Agreement for details. Available for a limited time only at store for details. Not responsible for typographical errors. Not all products available at all locations. Photos for demonstration purposes only. †See actual warranties at store for details. ©Carpet One Floor & Home 2007
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SPRING/ SUMMER 2019
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Scientists say we have until 2030 to prevent a drastic worsening of global warming and its impact on the planet
5.......... Winner, Winner
CU takes first place in Pac-12 sustainability challenge
8.......... Let the art do the talking
A CU exhibit presents climate change through texture and creativity
10........ Our most precious resource
staff
SUSAN FRANCE
3.......... 11 more years
A photo essay illuminating water
12........ Tossing and turning
What will be the future of Boulder Valley School District’s food waste?
15........ Further into the future
What will Boulder County’s climate look like in 2080?
16........ Naturally everywhere
Boulder County’s natural food community exports a vision of capitalism with a conscience
19........ Native gardens
Plant these Front Range species for an urban oasis that conserves water and other natural resources
22........ Q & A with Andrew Pappas of the Outdoor Industry Association How will climate change impact Boulder County’s outdoor recreation economy?
25........ A day in the life
The City of Boulder’s public transportation system
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Publisher, Stewart Sallo Associate Publisher, Fran Zankowski Special Editions Editor, Emma Murray Director of Operations/Controller, Benecia Beyer Circulation Manager, Cal Winn
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Editor, Joel Dyer Associate Editors, Matt Cortina, Angela K. Evans, Caitlin Rockett Editorial interns, Giselle Cesin, Lenah Reda
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Art Director, Susan France Senior Graphic Designer, Mark Goodman Graphic Designer, Daisy Bauer
Circulation Team, Dave Hastie, Dan Hill, George LaRoe, Jeffrey Lohrius, Elizabeth Ouslie, Rick Slama
27........ Waste not, want not
Three Boulder County food wastefighting heroes
31........ Get the inside scoop on local, sustainable CBD A Q&A with Moon Mother Hemp Company founder, Jessica Bates Boulderganic is a special issue of Boulder Weekly, which is available every Thursday throughout the county.
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IT’S NO SECRET
that life on Earth as we know it in 2019 is changing more and more every day — warming temperatures, poorer air quality and reduced water flows are but some of the symptoms the Front Range already experiences. While there’s cause for both environmental and social alarm, this issue of Boulderganic focuses on the robust efforts of local Boulder County businesses, organizations and forward-thinking individuals who have taken climate change seriously and are acting on the premise that we only have until 2030 to significantly address our impact on the planet before we pass a point of irrevocable damage. Equipped with more data and research than ever before — thanks to investigations like the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and local community reports — there might be a light on the horizon. In these pages you’ll see how school chefs are helping implement food-waste reduction strategies, learn ways art can instigate tough environmental conversations, glean advice on native lowresource gardens and so much more. There are many fine people in Boulder County out to make a difference in the trajectory of climate change — get educated here, and be inspired.
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2014-2018 AVERAGE VS 1951-1980 BASELINE
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GE IN THE LAS N A H C T RE
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2016, the U.N. So what is to come? The IPCC requested a spereport details how a 1.5-degree cial report on the Celsius increase will create new impacts of global warming climates around the world, and should temperatures rise 1.5 how (even in its dramatic degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees change) a 1.5-degree Celsius Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial increase is a far better scenario levels. At the time, the U.N.’s than a 2-degree Celsius increase. hope was that the global Let’s start with the oceans: response to climate change and Projections in the IPCC report sugits symptoms would be strengthgest seas could rise anywhere ened once countries and organizabetween 0.26 to 0.77 meters, displactions were equipped with specific ing millions of people. Marine ice data and information. As such, the sheets would grow increasingly unstaIntergovernmental Panel on Climate ble, and irreversible loss of Greenland’s ice Change (IPCC) took the lead, gathering sheet, in particular, could result in many more some of the brightest minds in the world meters of sea level rise in the next centuries to analyze the impacts and associated to come. risks of global warming. Coral reefs are projected to decline Of course, the knowledge that rising by another 70 to 90 percent, and if temtemperatures are threatening life on peratures rise 2 degrees Celsius, it Earth as we know it is not breaking could be more than 99 percent — irrenews. Between worsening air quality versible damage. affecting even the most remote corners On land, of the 105,000 species studied of the planet and sea conditions poisonin the report, 6 percent of insects, 8 pering marine life, global warming has cent of plants and 4 percent of vertebrates already altered the foundation of many are on track to lose over half of their tradiecosystems around the world. climatically determined geographic Scientists say we have until 2030 to prevent an irrevocable tional, It’s estimated that human activity has range. Joshua trees, for example, might worsening of global warming and its impact on the planet not be suited for the new climate of already caused an approximate 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degree Fahrenheit) temperaJoshua Tree National Park. By Emma Murray ture increase since the “pre-industrial” “Any increase in global warming is reference period — the average global projected to affect human health,” the surface temperature between 1850-1900. the contributions to and consequences of climate report states, “with primarily negative According to the 2018 IPCC report, another 0.5 degree of change are imperative if major populations are to consequences.” Aside from damaging air quality, warming is likely to occur between 2030 and 2052, if the remain healthy and safe. Education is an important first resource depletion and uninhabitable land, vector-borne rate of climate change stays the same as it is today. That step in understanding the issue and successfully diseases, for example, are projected to increase and gives us a roughly 11-year window to get serious about responding. shift in geographic range. reconfiguring, firstly, our response to the inevitability of From analyzing the IPCC report, there are two Of course, more extreme temperatures overall are to climate change, and, secondly, our continued contribuimportant things to note. First, even if someone could be expected — with “high confidence” the report details tions to warming climates — or else we face irreversible wave a magic wand and pause all pollutants and increases in frequency, intensity and amount of heavy precipitation; with “medium confidence” they predict the damage. active ecological destruction right now (deforestation, intensity or frequency of droughts will occur, too. We need “the full involvement and alignment of our mining, water waste, etc.), the warming that human In sum, humans have already kick-started a centuriestechnical, social and political dimensions,” Glen Peters, activities have already initiated and its effects would long, climate-changing domino effect. What’s left for us to the research director at Norway’s Center for continue, albeit at a slower rate, potentially for centuwork with at this point in time is the rate at which things International Climate Research, told National ries to come. change — can we slow down the fall of dominos? Geographic after the IPCC report was released. Or, he As such, the second important thing to note is our According to the IPCC report, our best chance of says, keeping temperature rise to a minimum of “1.5 reality: We don’t have a magic wand, and change to setting ourselves up for success is swift action. If we [degrees Celsius] and even 2 [degrees Celsius] won’t our status quo is inevitable, so what’s left to focus on can employ mitigation strategies before 2030 hits, we be possible.” is the slowing and managing of the climate’s rate of have a chance of preventing a snowball, err, sunball With this reality looming on the horizon, communichange — can we give humans more time to assess, effect. ties are beginning to realize holistic responses to both acclimate and adapt to what’s to come?
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GROW YOUR FUTURE WITH ESCOFFIER Sustainability-Centered Culinary Education
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ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO BOULDER ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER
Winner,winner E
by Emma Murray
ight years ago, the dozen Pac-12 universities all became Green Sports Alliance members — the conference’s student-athletes, coaches and sports fans agreeing to support and prioritize campus and game-day sustainability initiatives under a new organizational umbrella. Pac-12 Team Green helps promote the “greening and sustainability efforts taking place on and around the Pac-12 Conference and all 12 of its member universities,” according to Pac-12’s website. No more single-use plastic cups finding their way into trash cans, for example, and no more water-intensive sports fields. But, of course, to really get the sustainability ball rolling, the 12 universities and their teams needed a little healthy competition. Thus, the Pac-12 Zero Waste Challenge was born. During the past four football and basketball seasons, every Pac-12 campus has been competing with one another to produce at
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CU takes first place in Pac-12 sustainability challenge
least one zero-waste CU HAS EMERGED home game. Among AS a leader in year-round and different categories — game-day sustainwhich include an overability across its all winner, best fanathletic programs. engagement, mostimproved and best student-athlete engagement — the Pac-12 recently announced University of Colorado Boulder as the overall 2018-19 Zero Waste champions. With five judges from diverse backgrounds, this is an honor CU is proud to include among its many athletic accolades. “Sustainability is a very important key for us, something we take a great deal of pride in,” Rick George, athletic director at CU, said in a press release. “We want to be leaders in this area and we are certainly See WINNERS on PAGE 6 2 0 1 9 • P G
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WINNERS FROM PAGE 5
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THROUGH A DIVERSE array of engagement strategies like social media campaigns, educational initiatives and healthy competition, students, athletes, faculty and spectators alike are encouraged to incorporate sustainability initiatives into their game-day habits like tailgating, eating out and commuting to and from the stadium.
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excited about being recognized in this way.” CU’s big sustainability win this season was a natural progression. During the 2016-17 football season, CU placed third among Pac-12 Green Sports Alliance members with a waste-diversion rate of 87 percent. That same basketball season, however, CU placed an encouraging second, boasting a wastediversion rate of 92 percent at one home game. The following year, during the 2017-18 football season, CU won the Athlete/Player Engagement Award. Indeed, raising awareness and garnering interest in personal sustainability among sports fans is just as much a priority of the competition as it is creating a zero-waste game-day environment. Ralphie’s Green Stampede, the nation’s first NCAA Division I sustainable athletics program, played a large role in reaching this Pac-12-inspired goal at CU. Ralphie’s Green Stampede has implemented or installed zerowaste programs across all of the university’s sports venues, zero-net carbon emissions and zero-net water use in all facilities, a zero-net-energy football practice facility and a zero-waste carfree tailgating zone. CU also collects plastic bags from stadium activities and sends them to a recycler that manufactures new plastic bags for collecting tailgate recycling on game days. The home game on which CU’s sustainability win was based took place on Oct. 6, 2018 against Arizona State. The fact that it came on top of an athletic win made it that much sweeter. In a close game, CU defeated Arizona 28 -21. More importantly, however, a 91.82 percent diversion rate was achieved that day — more than 8,700 pounds of waste were composted; more than 3,900 pounds of bottles and cans were recycled; and just over 1,300 pounds of waste were sent to a landfill. Go Buffs!
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Let the art do the talking A CU exhibit presents climate change through color and creativity
ALL PHOTOS JEFF WELLS / CU ART MUSEUM
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iving at the base of the foothills, it’s impossible to notice all the changes that the mountainscape is undergoing. Such change simply occurs too slowly. But make no mistake, when shifts in climate are combined with the passage of time, the changes can be significant. Fortunately, scientists help us record the changes to our natural landscapes, but they aren’t the only ones. One of the University of Colorado’s Art Museum’s (CUAM) Spring/Summer 2019 exhibits, Documenting Change: Our Climate, The Rockies, takes a multifaceted look at the many ways that this changing terrain has been closely documented by academics, scientists, explorers and artists alike. The other exihibit, Our Climate (Past, Present, and Future) takes a global approach to this theme, and in tandem, both explore the historical scope of documentation strategies implored by both artists and scientists in their study of climate and our natural surroundings. Our Climate, The Rockies takes a more localized approach by shining the spotlight on our own backyard. This exhibit combines historical materials on loan from the University’s libraries with artwork from CUAM’s own permanent collection as well as newer works. Our Climate, The Rockies displays paintings, drawings, mining maps and photography within two galleries. Neither gallery is organized in chronological order or by medium. Instead, the viewer is invited to create their own experience by deciding how to explore the space. Regardless of how you choose to take it all in, the eclectic nature of the exhibit is immediately apparent. Classic paintings of mountain landscapes, such as Charles Patridge Adams’ “Sunrise on the Mountains at the Head of Moraine Park, Near Estes Park,” are situat-
by marysia lopez
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ed among black and white snapshots, sketches and old maps. While the wide-ranging collection can overwhelm at first, a closer look at each work quickly proves they have all been thoughtfully chosen to illustrate the various ways in which the Rockies have been explored, researched and catalogued throughout history. While science-based research and records are undeniably an important component of understanding how climate change is impacting our landscape, artsdriven efforts in this area also offer a unique viewpoint to the subject. Those who don’t find themselves particularly moved by the science behind climate change may find that exploring this exhibit is just what they need to fully grasp the concept of climate change. By combining the scientific with the artistic, CUAM presents a comprehensive view of this important issue that is easily accessible. One of the first things to catch your eye in this exhibit is the presentation of three mining maps grouped together along a wall. One map in particular, formed almost entirely of red, green and blue rectangles, is reminiscent of a Piet Mondrian painting. This map displays mineral surveys of the Cripple Creek Mining district in the year 1900, giving the viewer a rare look at what lies beneath the surface that was covered in mining boom towns at the time. Charting the region’s mineral deposits and showing the locations of resources, the map serves as a reminder that while natural beauty has always been a draw to our region, it was the potential for material wealth that was the earliest magnet for the area. On the wall opposite the mining maps is something that, while historic, also speaks powerfully to our time. “A Lady’s Life in the Rocky Mountains” is comprised of small snapshots housed within albums in a display case. The photographs are from the travels of Isabella L. Bird, a Victorian traveler touring the Rocky Mountains in 1873. The photos show Estes Park as it was at the
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ABOVE LEFT, AN INSTALLATION view of Documenting Change: Our Climate (Past, Present, Future), featuring works by Trine Bumiller. Above right, an installation view of Documenting Change: Our Climate, The Rockies, featureing works by Trine Bumiller and Meghan Wilbar.
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time — an unexplored, uninhabited landscape. Though Bird came from modest means, she managed to travel extensively and even climbed James Peak without specialized gear. CUAM’s curator of collections and exhibitions Hope Saska is quick to point out the similarities between these photos taken by Bird and the photos all of us take today on our phones while hiking. A quick glance through the “#Boulder” section of Instagram on any given sunny weekend will turn up hundreds of photos of people enjoying the nearby trails. While the work in this gallery is both informative and beautiful, it is the work in the adjoining gallery by Trine Bumiller that is at once visually alluring and particularly thought provoking. For this installation, Bumiller traveled to nine of the 14 named glaciers in Colorado and created small watercolors of each. Displayed neatly in two rows, the contrast between light and dark coupled with dramatic linework immediately reminds me of Hokusai’s iconic wave prints. Bumiller also recreated each of these watercolors in large format using printed chiffon. Hung in two semi-circles in the middle of the gallery, viewers can walk among the glaciers, completely engulfed in their grandeur. Saska explains that Bumiller specifically wanted to visit these glaciers herself in order to document them for future generations, assuming they won’t be around forever. This chilling thought leads me to ask Saska how she sees climate change affecting how artists here in Boulder and the surrounding areas work. “I think they might be seeing how important art is in the dialogue... and we’ll see artists and scientists teaming up to find a way to present that to the public.” In other words, artists and scientists will be working together to convey this sense of loss and warn viewers of what is to come. And perhaps this collaboration between artists and scientists is just what the effort to combat climate change needs. Merging various disciplines allows information to reach more people while facilitating a more wellrounded understanding of the issue, especially for those who count themselves among the scientifically-challenged. When asked what she hopes museum visitors will take away from this exhibit, Saska doesn’t hesitate. “I think really recognizing that we have a special place in time and point of view that we can share with the future. We
can engage with the past, but also think: what do we want to communicate with future residents of Boulder?” Documenting Change: Our Climate, The Rockies will be on display at CUAM through June 8, but Bumiller’s installation will only be on display through April 12. The exhibition Documenting Change: Our Climate (Past, Present, Future) will be at CUAM until June 20. Be sure to visit CUAM’s website for a list of future programs offered at the museum, including guided meditations and a terrarium workshop.
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water our most precious resource
ALL PHOTOS BY SUSAN FRANCE
THERE IS A LOT GOING ON IN COLORADO:
great outdoor activities, a blooming culinary scene, rocking music, boundary-pushing arts, cars on I-70. But what we don’t have an abundance of is a critical resource: water. Yes, four major rivers originate in this state — the Colorado, Rio Grande, Southern Platte and Arkansas — but much of the water they carry is contracted out to 17 downstream states and Mexico, according to American Rivers, a river advocacy group. Plus, while 80 percent of Colorado residents live on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains, about 80 percent of the state’s precipitation falls on the Western Slope — vast networks of dams, pipes, reservoirs and diversions get our precious water where it needs to go; up and over the Continental Divide, out to rural areas, and in between city streets. Boulder County’s Resource Central estimates the demand for water on the Front Range will exceed its supply by 2050, or sooner. Because we love this resource and want to spread appreciation for all it does for us, we sent our photographer and art director Susan France on a mission to capture water’s beauty in its many wild forms.
LOCATION: Oxbow Bend, Wyoming
Water is a vital component of all ecosystems — from urban to wild. The health of lakes, rivers and streams is directly correlated to the vitality of our national parks and other protected landscapes that drive much of the West’s iconic recreational areas and ecotourism opportunities.
LOCATION: Maroon Bells, Aspen There are five types of wetlands in Colorado: fens, marshes, wet meadows, riparian wetlands and salt flats. Since Anglo settlers arrived in the area, nearly half of the wetlands that were once here have been lost. Now only about 2 percent of Coloradan land is classified as wetland, and those areas provide critical habitat for the majority of the state’s wildlife.
LOCATION: Union Reservoir, Longmont
In Colorado, 86 percent of our water goes to agricultural use, 7 percent to municipal/domestic use, 3 percent is dedicated to recreation and fisheries, 2 percent is used by industrial and commercial projects, and the final 2 percent is made up of miscellaneous necessities, according to Resource Central. • B O U L D E R G A N I C
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LOCATION:
Long Lake, Brainard Lake Recreation Area
LOCATION:
Beaver Reservoir Road, Boulder County Storm drains in Boulder County are connected directly to creeks and ditches. So anything that gets swept away with the rain or somehow finds its way down a storm drain — such as litter, fertilizers and oils — gets deposited directly in your neighborhood creek. Pay attention to your streets and yard! Everything is connected.
Thousands of people visit Long Lake over the course of the year to soak in the fresh and frozen water recreational opportunities. In winter, it’s a popular cross-country ski, backcountry ski and snowboard, and snowshoe destination. In the summer, people picnic on the lake and hike along its shore.
LOCATION: North
Platte River, Colorado and Wyoming
Rivers are an interstate and international affair. The North Platte River runs a little more than 700 miles, starting in Colorado and arcing north into Wyoming before heading east into Nebraska and over to the Mississippi River. Humans have been using this very water source for over 11,000 years, according to the Wyoming State Historical Society.
LOCATION: Hanging Lake, Glenwood Springs
This lake sits (just a mile off I-70) on a fault line, and hundreds of years ago, the lake bed dropped away from the valley floor above, creating a waterfall and its subsequent hanging lake. The lake’s shoreline is fragile, composed of dissolved carbonates that give the water its mystical green-blue color.
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BOULDER VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Tossing
BOULDER VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICT
“WE’RE RUINING our planet by being picky,” says Cindy Ullman. She’s on a mission to reduce food waste in school lunch rooms.
& turning What will be the future of food waste?
By Sarah Tuff Dunn
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I
magine winning $1,500 in the lottery — and then throwing the money into the dumpster. That’s essentially what happens to almost every family, every year, as nearly a pound of food every day is tossed from the average household. From overripe bananas and wilted spinach, to leftovers and not-finished meals, to spoiled milk and moldy cheese, millions of tons of food end up in the garbage each year, and Boulder County is no exception. “We need to institutionalize food waste prevention,” says Cindy Ullman, the self-proclaimed kitchen queen at New Vista High School. “We’re ruining our planet by being picky.” As a passionate anti-food-waste crusader, Ullman has found a suitable home for that mission in the Boulder Valley School District (BVSD). That’s because BVSD is implementing district-wide programs to dramatically decrease the amount of food discarded at mealtime. “We’ve been working on positive change in school food for 10 years now,” says Chef Ann Cooper, an author and former restaurant owner who serves as director of food services for BVSD. Known as the Renegade Lunch Lady, Cooper joined BVSD in 2009, two years after a group of mothers decided that school food needed improvement. Known as the School Food Project, their efforts (with Cooper’s deep involvement) have sprouted more than 200 nutrition education programs each year and nearly 14,000 scratch-cooked meals each day, all contributing to significant food-waste reduction. BVSD is tracking food waste through Leanpath, a system (made possible through grants) that has kitchen-ready food trackers and automatically creates reports. From August 2017 to March 14, 2018, BVSD tossed 18,163.72 pounds of food costing $13,393.11 from 2,805 transactions. For the same time period this school year, the district has thrown out 15,739.04 pounds — a 13-percent reduction — costing $10,725.22 (a 20-percent reduction). Signage around schools reminds students to take what they need, and eat what they take, which can be
tricky with USDA-mandated serving sizes. Milk, for example, typically comes in 8-ounce cartons, so a student can’t just take 6 ounces. “So we serve bulk milk, and it’s serve-yourown,” says Cooper. “We’ve had significantly less wasted milk.” Meanwhile, students are undertaking their own efforts, through green-teams and other clubs, to reduce food waste, efforts bolstered
by people like Ullman. “You may not like bruised fruit, but eat around the bruise,” she tells students. Ullman urges Boulder County residents to hide ugly food and play with their food in order to reduce waste. “Chop up the roots of those ugly carrots and put them in pasta sauce,” she suggest. “You can ferment ugly food, you can compost it or you could make a slurry to feed to animals.” If a
pear has over-ripened, Ullman might add the mushy part to her oatmeal in the morning. Meal planning, savvy shopping and meal prepping can also reduce food waste and help to offset the global temperature increase predicted for the next 11 years. “We can change the paradigm,” says Ullman, “so we can be accountable at every level — every single level.”
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Further into the future PETE UNSETH VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
BOULDER COUNTY’S climate will start to feel like Clovis, New Mexico by 2080, scientists predict — about 9 degrees hotter and nearly 50 percent wetter than current conditions.
DENVER KANSAS CITY KANSAS
ARDENZ87 VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
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ithin the next generation, scientists project the climates of many North American cities will undergo dramatic transformations in response to greenhouse gas emissions. They’ll shift, therefore, to match the climates of other U.S. cities hundreds of miles away, creating a series of tragically linked, newly paired climate sister cities of sorts.
What will Boulder County’s climate feel like in 2080? Emma Murray By 2080, Boulder County, for example, will start to feel like the current climate in Clovis, New Mexico — a 40,000-person peanut- and cottonfarming town bordering the western edge of the Texas panhandle. This is according to an interactive web application built by scientists at the University of Maryland. The typical summer in Clovis is 9.2 degrees (Fahrenheit) warmer and 46.9 percent wetter than summer in Boulder, they report.
Unfortunately for those enjoying cool summer nights with fresh breezes and outdoor activities like rock climbing and mountain biking, whether we keep our emissions as they are or reduce them, the data shows Boulder County’s trajectory is pretty much set. More thunderstorms, here we come. According to U.S. Climate Data, average July highs in Clovis hover above 90 degrees, and January lows sit just above 50 degrees. It’s windy, and winters are typically the driest months. With the U.S.’s current emissions levels, the University of Maryland’s Center for Environmental Science predicts “the average urban dweller will have to have to drive more than 500 miles to the south to find a climate similar to their home city by 2080.” Clovis, then, will start to feel like West Odessa, Texas — about 10 degrees warmer and about 5 percent drier than its current conditions. Washington D.C. will start to feel like Mississippi. Portland, Oregon will feel like Sacramento, California. Billings, Montana will be like Hurricane, Utah. Everything is changing. To create this statistical model, scientists at the University of Maryland used 12 different measures to “describe climate, including minimum and maximum temperature and total precipitation for winter, spring, summer and fall,” according to the report.
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DUE TO CLIMATE They also considered numerchange, scientists ous future forecasts propredict by the time duced by 27 different climate today’s kindergartmodels. ners are 70 years old, Boulder County Many cities, they found, will most likely be had no perfect matches. “In unrecognizable to fact, because of the magnianyone who lives tude of expected climate here today. change, for many cities the ‘best’ match is not all that similar. This means that many cities could experience a future climate unlike anything present in North America today, especially if rates of greenhouse gas emissions are not reduced,” according to the report. “Within the lifetime of children living today, the climate of many regions is projected to change from the familiar to conditions unlike those experienced in the same place by their parents, grandparents, or perhaps any generation in millennia,” stated study author Matt Fitzpatrick in a press release. “We can use this [interactive web application] to translate a future forecast into something we can better conceptualize and link to our own experience. It’s my hope that people have that ‘wow’ moment, and it sinks in for the first time the scale of the changes we’re expecting in a single generation.”
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ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF NATURALLY BOULDER
Naturally I everywhere Boulder County’s natural foods community exports a vision of capitalism with a conscience
by John Lehndorff
t’s not easy going green, especially when you’re an entrepreneur trying to launch a new organic product. There are daunting hoops to jump through including regulations, financing and sourcing ingredients and packaging, all while trying to survive with your vision intact. It can be a lonely mission because doing the sustainable thing is still not mainstream in American business. But since Naturally Boulder, a sustainable business accelerator, was founded in 2005, some local companies have found a feeling of togetherness. In 2019, companies in San Francisco, Austin and Chicago are joining the newly extended Naturally family, bringing that community sensation across the country. Naturally Boulder is not your grandfather’s trade industry or chamber association. This being Boulder County, it’s more like a support group. “We are a community of natural products producers, not an economic club,” says Arron Mansika, executive director of Naturally Boulder, which now has 1,400 members. “On paper, Naturally Boulder delivers education and networking. In practice, members tell us it is much more than that. There’s so much dysfunction and negativity in business. I
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can’t tell you how many newcomers have told me that Naturally Boulder is a relief. They are looking for community.” For the past 14 years, Naturally Boulder has provided business education, contacts with industry mentors and opportunities to gather with industry peers. The guiding principles were created to promote regenerative business practices that improve human, animal and environmental welfare, and to make the information available to every company, large or small. Naturally Boulder is best known for the annual Pitch Slam, which allows budding businesses to pitch their idea and their vision. The winner gets a package of business help to get their idea launched. The first Pitch Slam in 2006 lasted 15 minutes, Mansika says, and was won by Phil Anson. He pitched the foil-wrapped organic burritos he made in Eldorado Springs that became Evol Foods, now a hugely successful national business. (The Pitch Slam, by the way, now lasts two days.) DRINKING THE ORGANIC KOOL-AID Mansika doesn’t think it was accidental that this non-profit organization was birthed in Boulder. “There is an unusually high degree of collaboration in
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the Boulder NATURALLY business BOULDER started by community, helping local natural but it’s not products businesses collaboration find their footing in just to make the larger food a profit. It’s industry. It’s since for the greatexpanded its reach er good. It’s across the country. a sense of: ‘You have plenty, I have plenty. We need to share.’ The natural products industry has always been mission driven,” he says. The largest food companies used to ignore or mock smaller natural foods businesses. “Now they are marketing products that have fewer ingredients, better sourcing and less packaging, and they are buying small natural products companies. In the process they buy into the values because it’s part of the mission statement. They drink the Kool-Aid... well, the organic version,” he says. Justin Gold was selling his organic nut butters at the Boulder County Farmers Market. He joined Naturally Boulder, grew his Justin’s Nut Butters and then sold it in 2016 to Hormel Corp., the makers of SPAM. In the early days of Boulder County’s natural products industry, such a company would have been dismissed as a “sellout” to corporate interests. “I like what Justin said: ‘We’re not selling out. They’re buying in,’” Mansika says. “Hormel can see that natural foods is the only growth point in the industry. They bought it and have left it alone. The office is still right on Pearl Street.”
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It’s not feel-good blather but rather solid, economic sense. Acute Market Reports predicts the natural and organic market to continue a compounded annual growth rate of 11.1 percent through 2026. “We demonstrate to companies that there is largescale demand for environmentally sound business practices, including cleaner supply chains and better-for-theplanet packaging,” Mansika says. LEVERAGING ECONOMICS FOR THE GREATER GOOD Justin’s Nut Butters and numerous other now-famous Boulder County-born natural products are available at thousands of mainstream supermarkets across the nation. “When you talk about the greater good you have to think about reaching a greater number of people and having an influence on how they spend their dollars,” Mansika says. Over the years Naturally Boulder has fielded thousands of calls from companies and small organizations across the nation with questions about financing, scaling and sourcing. “We’ve always been happy to share information and our model,” Mansika says. “Some have asked how they could replicate Naturally Boulder in their area. I’ve always said that it helps to have 45 years of natural foods legacy like Boulder does.” ‘THEY WANTED THE INTEGRITY PIECE’ The spark for the dawn of the new Naturally network came from inquiries from a group of natural products companies based in the San Francisco area. “It was really just a collection of like-minded people,“ Mansika says. “They didn’t just want our free advice, the mentorship and such. They wanted to directly align with Boulder. They wanted that integrity piece. We decided to expand the brand to the Bay Area last year. “We have had an impact locally. We wanted to know if we could expand beyond the Boulder bubble to encourage sustainability nationally and push the envelope on food waste, electricity usage, packaging and other issues,” he adds. After only a year of operating, Naturally Bay Area had already attracted 400 members and the word continues to spread. “Naturally Bay Area provides a community for busi-
nesses that share environmental and social concerns working through similar challenges,” says Michael Anzalone, program director of Naturally Bay Area. “My favorite thing is that it is a big tent and includes everyone: manufacturers, service providers, investors, suppliers and growers.” “Naturally Boulder has set the gold standard for creating collaboration in the natural products community,” says Don Buder, board member of Naturally Bay Area. “We wanted to replicate in Northern California what Naturally Boulder has done so well in its region.” WHERE ARE YOUR EXECUTIVE COMPOST BINS? With this track record of success, it wasn’t long before other cities started calling, which challenged Naturally Boulder to do in-depth due diligence. “When we were approached by Chicago to affiliate, they gave us a list of people in the industry there who were supporting the idea,” Mansika says. “We looked at how these individuals supported and mentored companies even before they were profitable. Did they mentor just because the company had the right commitment to environmental stewardship? Do they give freely of their time to support entrepreneurs? We looked at how they handle the supply chain and food waste and support local agriculture, right down to maternity and paternity leave.” Determining if companies share the same vision sometimes comes down to the little things that reveal whether a person and company are serious about sustainability. “We ask if there are compost bins in the company headquarters to see whether there is a genuine commitment,” he says. Along the way there have been companies which have tried to ‘greenwash’ themselves and only talk-the-talk. But, integrity is of the upmost importance to Naturally Network. “We welcome newcomers into a community where we hold each other accountable,” Mansika says. “When there is a sense that someone isn’t doing the right thing, it is detected.” In other words, the community that reveres transparency has a first-class B.S. detector when it comes to sustainability.
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Naturally Network debuted ACUTE MARKET recently as a new Boulder-based REPORTS predicts national organization replicating the natural and the model of Naturally Boulder organic market to but adjusting it to local needs. continue a comNaturally Bay Area is joined by pounded annual Naturally Chicago and Naturally growth rate of 11.1 Austin. Next up is Naturally North percent through Bay. 2026. Groups in other cities have already expressed interest in joining Naturally Network including New Orleans, Boston, Eugene, Boise, Miami and two cities in New York state. “I see a hunger out there in the industry for a sense of community and doing something meaningful,” Mansika says. LEAVING A LEGACY FOR THE YEAR 2030 Can natural products make a significant difference in the direction the planet is heading in the next 11 years — before global warming passes the point of no return — regardless of what the federal government does policy-wise on sustainability? For Mansika, that is a personal question. “As a dad, I think about my little guy, who will be 16 or 17 in 2030. What kind of world will he have?” he asks himself. “I hope by then all companies are extremely mindful of the environmental impact of everything they do. They should have an approach that is virtually cradle-to-cradle and takes responsibility for the product throughout its lifecycle. It won’t be a choice. It will be an eco-mandate. We’ll be forced by the environment to make serious changes,” he says, adding, “For consumers, natural products can be a gateway to greater mindfulness about sustainability. These are things they and their children interact with personally every day. The question they have to answer is: Where are you going to put your dollars? It’s like voting.” John Lehndorff writes the Nibbles column for Boulder Weekly and hosts Radio Nibbles on KGNU.
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Native Gardens
Plant these Front Range species for an urban oasis that conserves water and other natural resources
by Kate Ruder
BOTH PHOTOS COURTESY DERYN DAVIDSON
B
reathe life into your yard and conserve natural resources by planting native species. These hardy plants are adapted to our Colorado soils and climate, so they often use less water and fertilizer. They also provide essential wildlife and pollinator habitat. Local bees love them — and your whole garden will thank you for that. We spoke with Boulder horticulturalist Deryn Davidson about how to get started with native plants. “The benefits [of native plants] are many,” says Davidson, who is a Colorado State University horticulture extension agent in the County. “Potentially, you’ll use fewer resources. You generally don’t have to amend soil as much. You’re not going to need to use as much, if any, fertilizer. Water, of course, is generally less.”
What are native plants?
Most basically, native plants are ones that grow naturally in a given region. They can be trees, shrubs, perennials, grasses and other vegetation. We have many different species native to Colorado, and more specifically the Front Range. (See sidebar for specifics.) “[Native plants] can survive with our cyclical drought periods and periods of heavier precipitation,” Davidson says. “They’re adapted to our climate and our soils and that’s why they tend to do really well and thrive here.”
Encouraging native pollinators
NATIVE GROUND COVER OFFERS A variety of opportunities to reduce water consumption. By also adding ornamental stone work for detail — like flagstone and paver stones — you can create artistic lowmaintance gardens. (Pictured: Deryn Davidson) • B O U L D E R G A N I C
Native pollinators and native plants evolved together so they have a longstanding symbiotic relationship. Pollination is that biological dance in which animals travel from one flower to the next, trailing pollen on their bodies and completing a vital life cycle in plants. Honeybees first come to mind when we think of pollination, but they’re actually not native to Colorado. It’s hard to believe, but we have 900 species of native bees in Colorado. In addition to bees, native pollinators include butterflies, wasps, birds and other animals. So how and why would we want to encourage native pollinators? Native pollinators are more attracted to native plants, according to one study in California, so planting more native plants could encourage local pollen lovers. “Generally speaking, on an ecosystem level, it’s beneficial because we’re
See NATIVE on PAGE 20
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MAP RENDERED BY CALTOPO
THE FRONT RANGE (mapped left) is known for drastic seasonal swings in temperature, and significant day-tonight changes.
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AN NATIVE FROM PAGE 19 BARRY BRECKLING FOR SEINET
going to have more robust biodiversity if we can support what is found here naturally,” says Davidson.
Native plants and rising temperatures
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Here in Boulder County, our communities could face the issue of the urban heat island effect — something important to consider with rising temperatures and climate change. Heat islands often happen in cities made of concrete and asphalt, which tend to absorb and retain more heat than the open space around them. One strategy to combat the urban heat island effect is to plant more vegetation in cities. More vegetation might help with storm runoff by helping water seep into the ground rather than flowing off sidewalks and streets into storm drains, Davidson says. Temperature also affects plants and determines how hardy they might be in an environment, says Davidson. The Front Range is known for drastic seasonal swings in temperature, and significant day-to-night changes. This can make it a challenging environment for non-native plants. Rising temperatures due to climate change also affect the range of where plants, insects and other animals can live, producing an ecosystem-wide ripple effect. Davidson adds that although native plants might not necessarily be superior to other species, they have other benefits that might tip the scales in their favor when considering which plants to choose for your garden.
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getting started DIVING IN WITH NATIVE PLANTS
shouldn’t be intimidating. It’s not all-or-nothing with native plants, Davidson says. You can mix and match natives with what you already have or with some exotics. Planting a native perennial can be a good way to get started in your own yard. “They flower and bloom and bring a nice pop of color to your garden,” she adds. Pay attention not to water too much or make the soil too rich. Sometimes, native plants are harder to find at nurseries, so Davidson recommends a few that are usually available locally.
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Perennials
Chocolate Daisy (scientific name Berlandiera lyrata) is a native perennial with a beautiful bright yellow color that blooms all summer long. It’s super tough, doesn’t need much water once established, and is usually readily available at nurseries. It also smells like chocolate!
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Shrubs
Fernbush (scientific name Chamaebatiaria millefolium) has pretty fine foliage with white flowers that bloom in the summer. Golden Currant (scientific name Ribes aureum) blooms bright yellow in the spring and grows fruit. It’s good for pollinators, particularly as you think about flowers during the early, springtime season. It has a clove scent.
Trees
Bee-Friendly Emerald Ash Borer Control
with Treeazin®, systemic biopesticide. We’ve treated 1,600 Boulder County Ash trees, and have lost none to date.*
MAX LICHER FOR SEINET
*Trees that were treated on schedule, and were less than 30 percent thinned when we started treatment.
Bigtooth Maple (scientific name Acer grandidentatum) is a good native alternative for people who love maple trees and their gorgeous fall color. The bigtooth maple has adapted to our soils, whereas other exotic maple trees need more iron and are more susceptible to disease.
303-443-1233
Brian Bergen, Injecting a White Ash tree • B O U L D E R G A N I C
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www.berkelhammer.com Serving Boulder Since 1988
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ZACH DISCHNER VIA FLICKR
Q & A with Andrew Pappas of the Outdoor Industry Association
How will climate change impact Boulder County’s outdoor recreation economy?
By Sarah Tuff Dunn
COURTESY ANDREW PAPPAS
It
should come as no surprise, thanks to our state’s stunning geography, that the outdoor recreation economy generates $28 billion in consumer spending, not to mention $9.7 billion in wages and salaries, $2 billion in state and local tax revenue and 229,000 direct jobs. What remains puzzling, however, is how a 2.7-degree rise in temperature during the next 11 years would affect the outdoor recreation economy in Colorado and Boulder County. So we checked in with Andrew Pappas, manager of state and local policy at the Boulder-based Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), for his take on the topic. Boulder Weekly: In a recent U.N. report, climate experts say we have about a decade to get global emissions under control to prevent warming in excess of 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit. I’m wondering if you can tell me how you see global warming impacting outdoor recreation in Boulder County if we don’t mitigate this in any way? Andrew Pappas: Yeah, looking at those reports, they actually call out tourism and recreation as specific areas that will be impacted by climate change — more wildfires, flooding, animal migrations. We’re a recreation and tourism hotbed. It’s hard to predict the future of what that may end up looking like if we don’t start to work towards a solution. BW: So it seems like the most obvious area would be skiing, if • B O U L D E R G A N I C
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TOURISM AND RECREATION — two of Colorado’s largest economic sectors — have been identified as two of the main economic areas that will be impacted by climate change, according to the U.N.
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REID NEUREITER VIA FLICKR
there’s not enough snow? The winter of 2018-19 not withstanding. AP: Yeah, when you’re looking at the impact of snowfall to runoff, it impacts the entire economy of Boulder County and the surrounding areas, as these kinds of recreation havens have local businesses that rely on tourism. Businesses are trying to predict for the next season, and the next couple of seasons, not only what products they are making, but also what products they are buying as retail shops, and how to develop a kind of plan based on projected snowfall and runoff. Are they going to be able to plan based on what happened this year, with a large amount of snowfall, or plan based off the last two, three years where it’s been a little bit more difficult for these companies in the winter? It really does end up having an impact on a lot of the brands and these outdoor recreation communities. BW: What about hiking and mountain biking? I know you mentioned it’s hard to predict, but, if there is less snowfall, would hiking and mountain biking be better and attract more money? AP: There’s no real data that goes with that, but when you look at summer, fall, spring, one of the fears there is wildfires and drought. We’ve had massive fires in California that impact the air quality in California. So we worry that climate change will increase natural disasters; it does impact recreation and while it might not be directly tied, climate change does affect the quality of those experiences. BW: And what about water sports? AP: In water sports you see the impact of runoff on the guiding economy as well, where they’re trying to predict the season and the safety of the rivers. A lot of the guides, their first goal is to make sure that people who are coming and experiencing these waters stay safe, and that can be difficult with the high-runoff seasons as well as the low-runoff seasons, and they might be forced to shut down early. So it does have that full cycle impact. BW: So if we could go back to animal migrations changing, I’m wondering if you could give me a couple of examples of how that might impact outdoor recreation? AP: Bird-watching, hunting, fishing, angling, all those things are a massive part of the outdoor recreation economy and are affected by what’s happening with the temperatures. As the heat rises, it impacts how the animals migrate, where they’re finding their homes. And that will impact the recreation economy as people come to experience those activities. BW: Could you identify some local companies here in Boulder County that are pursuing innovative ways to fight change? AP: You’re seeing a lot of companies doing this in a variety of ways. You’ll see a company like REI investing in renewable energy; other companies are really looking at what they can do with their entire supply chain. So here in Boulder at OIA, we have an entire sustainability working group in the department. We focus on what is our impact on the environment, how are we going to be better stewards and really walk the walk ourselves and talk the talk before we make a policy. The outdoor industry is really looking at it from a holistic approach.
JOSEPH VIA FLICKR
JOSEPH VIA FLICKR
LOVZ2HIKE VIA FLICKR
Editor’s note: Quotes from this conversation have been edited for clarity. • B O U L D E R G A N I C
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A day in the life: photos and story by Lenah Reda
I
waited at the bus stop near my home. When the bus finally arrived, the doors made a suctioning sound and opened to reveal the smiling face of a bus driver with an orange hat on. I scanned my RTD pass, which I, like all University of Colorado-Boulder students, was given during freshman orientation. I gave a nod to the driver and walked toward the back. The bus was completely vacant. I took a seat and stared out the window. For many, public transportation has become a well-integrated part of their lives. But for people like me who have the luxury to not take public transportation out of necessity, there exists a negative connotation about riding the bus. So I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and see first-hand what it would be like to go from driving cars and riding Ubers every day to adding public transportation to my travel routine. The first thing I noticed is that the City of Boulder’s public transportation system (a collaboration with the Regional Transportation District and Via Mobility Services) is innovative and easy to navigate. There are bus stops conveniently placed all over the city, and the schedules are straightforward. My goal was to grocery shop at the Target near the 29th Street Mall and then walk around Pearl Street after. That meant I had to take the HOP. This bus provides services between University Hill, the 29th Street Mall and downtown Pearl, traveling either clockwise or counterclockwise depending on whether it is a weekday or a weekend. There are phone apps and websites available to riders that provide exact schedules on any given day — check out the Transit app for up-to-date bus arrival times, help planning your route and more useful information. As someone who had not ridden a bus in years, I was wary about the excursion out of fear of getting lost or
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The City of Boulder’s public transportation system
taken to some far-off place; however, my trip was fine. One reason for my first-time success on Boulder County’s public transportation system is that the bus route on which I traveled passed landmarks that kept me oriented — Pearl Street, 29th Street Mall and the CU campus are all very recognizable sites for people who live around here. As the HOP traveled farther, continuing to pull over and stop every so often, more people kept boarding, and soon I was sitting next to a stranger. Once I reached my destination, all told, it took me about 20 minutes longer to get there than if I had driven; however, I found traveling with a bus load of strangers made me feel closer to my community. I realized: Here are all these people, from all different backgrounds, who were all going to different places, but were traveling together as one unit of energy. That means that each person who rode the bus that day was collectively contributing to the conservation of our resources, and supporting our community and our values by doing so. Indeed, Boulder County is home to many energy conservation initiatives, and our local governments have incentivized a variety of different methods of promoting eco-friendly lifestyles. It’s something, I’m sure, we all take pride in as Boulder County residents. And while there are many ways to use these tools to protect the Earth, burning less fuel by riding the public transportation system is a good way to start. Riding the bus gave me a sense of awareness of the other people and things around me. Even if it was only for a moment, each passenger who got on and off the bus became connected to this community, and it was refreshing to take all these new faces in and wonder about where they were all going. But the biggest thing I took away from my experience with Boulder’s public transportation was selfawareness. Once I looked beyond myself and what was the most convenient for me, I realized my fears about getting lost and the stigma about public transportation were unjustified. Others may have realized this long ago, but for a public transportation beginner like me, it was an eye-opening experience. Many people, including myself, live in a bubble, only caring about the things that are happening directly to them or right in front of them. People may not want to take the time out of their own days to take public transportation when their car is parked a few steps away, but it’s the right thing to do and it brings you closer to the community. At least that’s what I learned. But if you’re still a skeptic, the answers are only a HOP away. Happy riding.
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“We’re here so you can live and die your values.”
102 West Chester Street (Just off S. Public Rd in downtown Lafayette) Parking: South of our center off the alley, or in public lot on S. Public, by the florist. TM
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COURTESY OF ECO-CYCLE
MICHAEL BENKO
Waste W Not, Want Not
e all love those prized Palisade peaches that are so easily devoured, crate after crate, at the end of summer every year. But did you know that one out of four peaches doesn’t even make it out of the orchard? Or that after 253 miles of transporting them to Boulder County (about 10 gallons of gas per truck, round-trip), there’s no guarantee that any particular peach will even hit the shelf before it’s discarded to make room for the next day’s shipment? If the peach bruises or over-ripens in your kitchen, do you know what your options are, besides (God forbid) the trash? Thankfully, Boulder is home to a slew of proactive efforts dedicated to save foods like the very peaches we love (and tons of other produce) to create an overall better environment and community for future generations. Jamie Harkins, sustainability coordinator for the City of Boulder, says decreasing food waste is increasing in priority for the local government. By updating the City’s Climate Commitment and Action Plan, continuing educational projects and expanding the Food Waste Awareness Week program this September, things are looking bright on Boulder’s food waste reduction horizon. But locals are also leading the charge: Here are three Boulder County organizations and businesses helping the City reach its zero waste goals.
Three Boulder County food waste-fighting heroes
By Claire Lardizabal
ACCORDING TO A 2016 City of Boulder Food Waste Audit, consumers are responsible for 60 percent of the City’s food waste. Organizations like Boulder Food Rescue and Eco-Cycle are trying to change that.
BOULDER FOOD RESCUE In 2011, Hayden Dansky kick-started a food recovery program named Boulder Food Rescue, which bridges the gap between problems in Boulder’s food infrastructure and food insecurity. “There’s food waste on all levels,” Dansky says — the farm, transportation sectors, distribution systems, grocery stores and, ultimately, consumers, who contribute 60 percent of overall food wasted, according to the 2016 City of Boulder Food Waste Audit. Dansky, who is the program’s executive director, endorses the EPA’s Food Recovery Hierarchy, which pinpoints “source reduction” and “feed hungry people” as the top two prerogatives when it comes to managing a more sustainable food system. After finding out that 40 percent of food produced ends up in a landfill, Dansky began to reach out to grocery stores and restaurants to see if businesses would donate any See FOOD WASTE on PAGE 28
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COURTESY OF ECO-CYCLE
FOOD WASTE FROM PAGE 27 excess produce. Grocery stores such as Sprouts, THE STONE CUP IN LYONS Lucky’s and Whole Foods now participate in the (pictured right), owner Mindy Tallent has partnered program, resulting in 1,200 pounds of produce with Eco-Cycle to encourthat’s redistributed to low-income communities age customers to both every day. These businesses benefit by reduccompost and recycle as ing trash collector fees and receiving an incenmuch as possible. tivized federal tax credit, and the community benefits from the nourishment. Looking ahead, Boulder Food Rescue plans to create a more engaging environment for the people they serve by sharing the community’s stories about food insecurity. They also plan to continue educating businesses about food donation policies and working with the City of Boulder to develop strategies to reduce even more local food waste. ECO-CYCLE In the summer of 2015, the City of Boulder, along with the green minds behind Eco-Cycle, passed the Universal Zero Waste Ordinance that requires all restaurants, businesses and schools to reduce waste by recycling and composting. Eco-Cycle has been in the pro-environmental game since 1976 — when founders Roy Young and Pete Grogan started to collect recyclables on an old school bus — and the organization has helped create recycling facilities and conduct research programs for Boulder County ever since. Nowadays, Eco-Cycle focuses on educating the community about composting and how they can dispose of organic waste both curbside and in their own backyards. Communications Director Harlin Savage says businesses have many questions and obstacles to address when first learning about the logistics of composting, such as space constraints, but the long-term benefits to composting have sparked interest in working beyond these hurdles. Composted soil adds nutrients to the land, it’s more resistant to erosion and grows plentiful produce. “By diverting waste, it prevents methane gas’ heat trapping power,” Savage adds, a toxic emission that is many times more powerful than carbon dioxide. In the next 11 years, Eco-Cycle envisions Boulder achieving their zerowaste milestone and continuing intensive compost research within the county. • B O U L D E R G A N I C
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COURTESY OF THE STONE CUP
THE STONE CUP The Town of Lyons has committed to becoming a zero-waste community and The Stone Cup’s owner Mindy Tallent is fully on board. While it’s a costly practice for the restaurant and a continual process of educating customers, Tallent says it’s worth it because the country’s astronomical food waste needs to be addressed. Within her shop, Tallent uses ceramic ware and stainless steel silverware for dine-in guests and compostable to-go containers. Customers are encouraged to bring in their own mugs. She also use an in-house composting and recycling program through Eco-Cycle. The Stone Cup hopes the current government will address climate change and pass legislation that causes change in manufacturing, production and purchasing so it will be more affordable to be environmentally responsible. “Our hope is that folks become more educated about how our environment is impacted by our decisions and actions,” Tallent says. “As business owners, we will continue to do what we can in educating [others] and leading by example.”
COURTESY OF ECO-CYCLE
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ALL PHOTOS COURTESY MOON MOTHER HEMP COMPANY
Get the inside scoop on local, sustainable CBD A Q&A with Moon Mother Hemp Company founder, Jessica Bates
by Emma Murray
M
oon Mother Hemp Company is a woman-owned business with a focus on environmentally responsible hemp farming and safe hemp supplements. Moon Mother Hemp’s founder, Jessica Bates, is a certified clinical herbalist who has spent the last 10 years working with medicinal herbs. As such, Bates is passionate about the development of sustainable health and beauty products. Bates’ interests lie in formulating and creating products for women’s health and wellbeing, such as the Wise Woman Bath Salts and the Wise Woman Healing Balm for menstrual relief. Just over a year ago, Bates and her partner, Edward, who has over a decade of experience in cannabis cultivation, combined their experiences and love for plants to collaborate on Moon Mother Hemp Company. The mother of two young children, Bates ensures that Moon Mother Hemp Company provides not only the cleanest possible supplements, but does so in a way that helps preserve the environment for generations to come. We asked her a few questions about hemp production, integrity and sustainability in a world now saturated with hemp and CBD products.
HEMP IS A BIOACCUMULATOR, meaning the plant will absorb any residual toxins in the soil from previous crops. Moon Mother Hemp Company grows its plants from seed on an organic Front Range farm with clean soil and nourishing mountain views.
Boulder Weekly: What inspired Moon Mother Hemp to put down roots and grow in Boulder? Jessica Bates: We are part of the Boulder community and have been since before the conception of Moon Mother Hemp. We love raising our children here and doing business in Boulder. Our hemp plants have an amazing view of the mountains while they soak up the sun under Colorado blue skies. BW: What does a “day in the life” of a lead herbalist look like? JB: On a very normal day, this lead herbalist answers a lot of emails and does clerical work. I am back and forth between my home office and our retail store in Boulder, organizing the day-to-day workings of the company. On a fun day, I am in the lab and kitchen experimenting and formulating new See MOON MOTHER on PAGE 32
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MOON MOTHER FROM PAGE 31 products. It takes months for a new product and formula to unfold, and creating and testing is my favorite part of the work. BW: Moon Mother Hemp is committed to providing the highest quality and purest CBD wellness products possible. Can you walk us through what exactly that means to you, and why it’s important in a community recently hyped on CBD? JB: First it starts with the farm and the soil. We have partnered with a local certified organic farm to insure that the soil that we are working with is clean and free of pesticides and heavy metals. This is extremely important because hemp is a bioaccumulator and will absorb any residual toxins in the soil from previous crops. Our hemp plants are all started from seed by our own team and tended by us. We literally know each plant personally and ensure quality and purity through organic practices. Our hemp is certified organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture so we are doing the legwork in advance for our customers in having our organic practices and standards verified by a third party. Our certified organic hemp is accompanied by only certified organic ingredients including our carrier oils, steam-distilled essential oils, herbs and more. We carefully choose each ingredient for specific therapeutic benefits and source them from reputable and ethical companies to ensure that our impact on this planet is a positive one. BW: Tell me more about growing hemp in Boulder. What is Moon Mother’s operation like, and what’s one surprising thing people might not know about the hemp growing process? JB: We were tremendously blessed to partner with one of Boulder County’s most successful and experienced organic farmers. He contributed a wealth of knowledge about farming in general, and that combined with our farm manager Ed Bates’ 10-plus years of cannabis cultivation made our crop a success. We started each plant from seed in the spring and harvested each plant by hand in the fall. It was a huge learning process, and we are excited to do it again this year. Growing hemp in Boulder County and the Front Range in general is a bit more challenging than growing in other parts of the state. One big challenge that we faced last year was being hit with a severe hail storm on our field about two weeks after we had planted the hemp. Luckily there wasn’t too much
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damage and the plants survived the storm. BW: How is CBD extracted from hemp? JB: Our full spectrum hemp extract is made with the safe and clean supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2) extraction method, which is a process where CO2 is turned into a liquid and pressurized in order to extract beneficial components of the hemp plant. BW: Looking to the future of the CBD industry, what are you most looking forward to? JB: I’m looking forward to nationwide standardized regulations around CBD. This is extremely important for consumers because CBD is widely unregulated and it is a matter of public health and safety at this point, with different companies across the country putting little-to-no actual hemp extract, or using harmful synthetics and other potentially toxic ingredients in their products. It will also be nice for the manufacturers to have standardized regulations as different states and cities are all creating their own, different regulations and hoops to jump through. BW: Are there any general or public misconceptions you’d like to set straight about CBD? JB: There are so many misconceptions about hemp that it is hard to choose, but one of the biggest misconceptions is that hemp is a different plant than cannabis from the dispensary. The hemp that we grow in our field is literally the same plant that is grown for THC. It is just different cultivars or strains bred for high quantities of one cannabinoid or another. Another is that hemp is the male plant. The flowers produced by the female plant are the parts of the plant that carry the most cannabinoids including CBD and THC, the terpenes and other therapeutic constituents. BW: What’s one product you’d encourage a first-time CBD buyer to try? JB: My go-to product for first-time buyers is our 1000 MG Full Spectrum Hemp Extract Tincture in the peppermint flavor. It is our best seller and a customer favorite for so many health issues from anxiety, sleep disorders, pain, inflammation and more. BW: What’s your favorite Moon Mother product? Why? JB: My favorite Moon Mother product is our GLOW skin serum because it keeps your skin healthy and glowing even in our dry Colorado climate. Editor’s note: Quotes from this conversation have been edited for clarity. 3 2 •
JackPot
The shelves at Drift are stocked with three dozen strains to suit your every taste and mood. That’s the advantage of scouring the four corners of the state for the finest growers. Of more than 700 licensed artisan cultivators, Drift selects just ten to deliver a dazzling assortment of exotic genetics, pure fire and vintage strains. And, occasionally, Big Bud.
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