Around Telluride

Telluride’s TNCC: Permaculture for local sustainabilty

Cooperation, coordination, community. The words resonate for Kris Holstrom on two fronts: at work as Sustainability Coordinator of Telluride's The New Community Coalition and at home on the Tomten Farm.

Cooperation, coordination and community certainly are key drivers for moving the region into a sustainable future, but how do they function on her family farm? The answer is simple yet complex: they merge into a design system known as "permaculture."

The clock is ticking on Dave Allen’s Challenge

Alpine Bank is the big sponsor for the event, the question is will Telluride be the big winner? Eco-entrpreneur and Telluride Outside fly fishing guide David Allen leads The Challenge, a friendly competition among 31 participating mountain towns to reduce consumption of single-use...

Check it Out…Literally…the Telluride Townie is Back!

by Eileen Burns

A new definition of the popular bike library will go into the books on Friday, June 26 , as Telluride’s Wilkinson Public Library, in collaboration with The New Community Coalition (TNCC), pioneers one of the first ever libraries to literally check out bikes to locals with a library card.  Yes, berry-pink bicycles, affectionately known as “Telluride Townies,” will be loaned out to adults who have a desire to be more eco friendly and want to cruise town in lieu of driving.

The townie bike was a popular concept years ago, but lost its drive when all the bikes disappeared over a short period of time.  Thanks to Jacey DePriest, director of the Telluride Townie program, a new chapter is being written about this favorite local freebie.  While taking a sustainability class from TNCC Director Kris Holstrom, DePriest was challenged to come up with a program that involved getting the community to adopt a sustainable issue and act upon it.  DePriest borrowed the Telluride Townie concept and gave it a new cover: a home at Wilkinson Public Library.  “People are going to have to be accountable this time around,” stated DePriest.  Locals will have to show their library card to get a key to one of the 20 plus bikes that have been donated, stripped down to a single gear, outfitted with a front basket, and painted bright berry-pink.  There are all sizes and styles of bikes to choose from.  The 4-day rental is free to adults, 18-years of age and older.  Should you be over due returning your bike, you will receive a notice and an extended use fee charge of $5 per day.  Lose it and you will be fined $250, which you can work off with volunteer hours if necessary.

Telluride, your Ah Haa moment

(Editor's note: Telluride's Ah Haa School for the Arts opened for business in 1990, and has become a beloved institution, a community center. Ah Haa is all about the triumph of personal discovery. Telluride Inside... and Out is proud to present "Your Ah Haa Moment" each Wednesday.)

by Lauren Metzger

Summer is a time for freedom and exploration for kids of all ages and art levels. Let the Ah Haa School for the Arts channel your energy with our full range of four-day art camps and Fabulous Friday one day art classes. Next week your kids could be taking a walk on the wild side exploring the exotic creatures of the jungle and developing their drawing and painting skills in Come On A Safari with Me. They could be  creating their own Garden Gnomes out of clay. We have wide range of fun and creative classes for ages 4+ guaranteed to keep them engaged.

Andrew Karow of Telluride’s Alpine Bank supports The Challenge

Put the words "green" and "bank" in the same sentence and the conclusion is obvious: we are talking about money, right? In this case, half right. Headed by regional president Andrew Karow, Telluride's Alpine Bank is one of 37 branch locations on the Western Slope, whose primary business is managing its collective total of $2 billion in assets. However, the bottom line at Alpine is not just the bottom line: it is about accomplishing its goals in as environmentally friendly way as possible.

Alpine Bank, which is employee-owned, was one of the first businesses in the country to declare a goal of becoming a paperless environment, and they are well on their way. In 2005, the institution took the next big step, creating a Green Team. As the initiative evolved, Alpine did what banks do: It found a way to measure the success of its good idea. Alpine's Environmental Management System (EMS) is now earning recognition statewide for environmental leadership.

The Challenge continues through September

Telluride eco-entrepreneur/Telluride Outside fly fishing guide David Allen leads The Challenge,  a competition among 31 mountain towns in the Western United States to encourage the use of reusable shopping bags. The Challenge began on March 1st 2009 and will run until September 1st 2009....