Environment, Energy and Sustainability

Colorado’s climate and environment make it unique and magnificent. The rugged Rocky Mountains, clear blue skies and cascading rivers are what brought me here 33 years ago and are what continue to draw people today. As a nineteen time Pikes Peak marathoner and a 25 year season ski pass holder, I feel an inexorable bond with this land and from that, springs a duty to protect the environment.

The Challenge

As stewards of this irreplaceable land, we have an obligation to ensure that we pass along the same quality of life to our children and grandchildren.

This is a challenging responsibility in times of climate change, global warming, an oil driven economy and the growing demands for energy, water and other natural resources.

The Response

The challenges of environmental sustainability can be met with commitment, resolve and technological focus. The beginning of change is public awareness and engagement, followed by focusing market forces and incentives.

By encouraging public and private investment in early-stage, clean technologies and partnering with the research prowess of our universities and research institutions, we can move towards achieving economic well-being and environment sustainability.

We need to apply creative thinking and entrepreneurial spirit—the same indomitable spirit that our community’s founders demonstrated—to address the challenges of 21st century.

Reducing our footprint

Colorado can create a business climate to protect our environment and create jobs. A revenue policy and market incentives can propel capital investment by businesses and entrepreneurs. We can achieve substantial reductions in greenhouse gasses without significant adverse consequences to the economy. (More at www.edf.org/climatecosts)

Colorado made a great start last year with Governor Ritter’s Climate Action Plan. It calls for a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 levels by 2020, and an 80% reduction by 2050. To achieve those goals and preserve the healthy Colorado environment, the legislature should support programs promoting energy savings and efficiencies.

We need to encourage and find ways to help utilities and large industrial customers reduce emissions and implement energy savings programs.

Meeting our commitments

We should explore a cap and trade policy in conjunction with other western states, to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Cap and trade, also known as emissions trading, involves setting maximum emission limits, "caps", and establishing markets to buy and sell credits, or allowances, for the excess emissions. This market incentive approach has been successful in reducing acid rain, (nitrous oxide) in other areas.

We should assess methods to reduce tailpipe emissions as California has successfully done.

We should encourage new buildings to become more energy efficient by compliance with the LEED standards established by the US Green Building Council. (More at www.usgbc.org)

We should encourage builders to adopt a whole building approach to sustainability by using recycled building materials, installing efficient heating, cooling and lighting systems and complying with standards for human and environmental health.

Policies designed to promote and reward smart growth
can contribute to meeting the environment challenges.

Colorado’s environment is a precious resource. It is capable of sustaining us into the future if we act responsibly and commit ourselves to policies that are evidence based, market driven and goal oriented towards long-term sustainability.

Sustainability can be achieved with commitment, resolve and technological focus.

Let’s make Colorado the sustainable energy leader
for the country and into the future!