Environment

Editor's note: Hilary Lempit of EcoAction Partners launches a new series called "Mountain Facts" that is all about answering your questions about the environment and sustainability. The first question: What makes the aspen trees turn colors? This week is the prime time for leaf-peeping. The cloudless, crisp blue...

Climate change is happening now. One year after Superstorm Sandy caused $80 billion in damage, there have been raging forest fires induced by extreme drought conditions burning thousands of acres of pristine forest, killing dozens of people, and destroying hundreds of homes. More recently, an extreme...

[caption id="attachment_34982" align="alignright" width="300"] The face of e-waste. Not pretty.[/caption] Need to get rid of your busted  TV or old computer monitor? Do you have an old flip phone or other household items or office electronics that are obsolete or no longer in use? Instead of throwing...

[caption id="attachment_34842" align="alignright" width="225"] Weatherstripping (diyadvice.com)[/caption] As snow begins to fall on the highest peaks around Telluride, I can’t help thinking of winter. I’ve managed to avoid turning the heat on in my small apartment, but know that colder outdoor temperatures are quickly approaching. I haven’t...

Some people say the cleanest kilowatt is the one that is never used. The Town of Mountain Village is taking that philosophy to heart by working with the International Center for Appropriate and Sustainable Technology (iCAST) to perform energy audits and modeling on its government...

It was a real treat to get it in to see the documentary "The Slow Food Story" at the Telluride Film Festival. A special thanks to Charlotte for introducing me to Alice Waters and Michael Pollan before the show. I know our Indian Ridge Farm...

Mountain Village's new Green Energy Program features discounts on solar panels Mountain Village wants to support its community members who want to invest in renewable energy. So the town, in partnership with Clean Energy Collection (CEC), will offer a discount to Mountain Village community members who...

[caption id="attachment_33811" align="alignright" width="300"] Zone 1 design[/caption] From week one at hot and dry Redlands Mesa to week two on Tomten Farm where both rain and temperatures fell, the fourth annual Permaculture Design Course was an exercise in adaptation and flexibility. Thirteen students, twelve permaculture principles,...

“The discovery of natural gas and fracking technology give us about 40 more years. Whether good or bad, these buy us enough time to make solar work,” said Joseph Hupp, Professor of Chemistry at Northwestern University. Porfessor Huff is referring to the time remaining on Earth’s...

The 21st century adage, “Think Globally, Act Locally,” continues to ring a bell of truth as humanity sails into the future. Increasingly, local communities that have rightfully become inpatient with our country’s polarized political gridlock and corporate greed are seeking out solutions to address critical...