Xeriscape to escape drought impacts

That lush, green lawn you’re so proud of may assuage your ego, but it’s a sponge soaking up water that’s becoming an ever more precious commodity during our 22-year drought. Don’t be fooled by the recent monsoons giving us a respite from the oppressive heat. They’re doing little to fill our reservoirs and it’ll take two or three more years of heavy rain and snowfall to pull us out of this dry spell.

Consider turning over that sod and putting that water to better use and other climate benefits by planting vegetables, xeriscaping, and native plants. Don’t know how? 350 Roaring Fork recently conducted a tour of some of the finest gardens in Carbondale’s Crystal Village neighborhood.

Gardeners showed their magnificent plots, offered tips, and answered questions. 

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Learn to grow vegetables so we can have locally-sourced produce instead of shipping it in from California, xeriscaping to avoid irrigation, and native plants instead of the invasive Kentucky bluegrass.

Corporate food production and transportation accounts for a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions. Eliminate the need for two-stroke engine powered lawn equipment like lawn mowers, weed whackers and leaf blowers. They’re not only noisy and kick up dust, pollen and mold, but they emit 23 times the carbon emissions of a standard internal combustion engine pickup.

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And, whatever you plant, our friends the pollinators will appreciate your replacing the sterile grass. Do you like fruit and pretty flowers? Pollinators will take care of that for you if you give them a chance.                                       Fred Malo Jr., Carbondale

Great day

On Friday, Aug. 19, GSHS students participated in our annual opening day’s adventure activities. We couldn’t have done it without the following local businesses helping to make it all happen: 

Patrick and Geoff and their amazing guides at Blue Sky Adventures; Michael McCrary and the great staff at Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park; Travis Baptiste at Sunlight and the “chill” newlyweds from Steamboat Springs who allowed us up there while they were setting up for their wedding; Tim Burr and the incredible Return to Dirt/High Fives Foundation. 

And a huge shout out to Andrew Tucker and the staff at Jimmy John’s for making 500 sandwiches for our students. We appreciate everyone’s support of our school and our students!

Paul Freeman, Principal, Glenwood Springs High School

Preschool says thanks                                  

OUR School, a private non-profit preschool serving children of the Roaring Fork Valley ages 6 weeks to 6 years old, would like to send out a huge thank you to Black Hills Energy, for their immensely gracious and amazing grant they were able to obtain for OUR School.

This grant will allow Our School to replace their second boiler within two years. These last two years have been rough on all preschools and childcare facilities, coming into 2022. OUR School is incredibly fortunate to have such an amazing corporation looking out for our community members.  

Upon finding the second boiler and its estimated installation costs in the “WOWZA” category we were humbled and thrilled to work with Black Hills Energy and unexpectedly were gifted a new boiler!

It feels amazing and we are thrilled at the thoughtfulness of Black Hills Energy. Kellie Ashcraft, vice president of Black Hills Energy’s Colorado operations writes, “We’re proud to partner with the communities we serve, and we can’t think of a better way to contribute to the well-being of a community than supporting children and working parents.” Our gratitude is beyond words! Cheers Kellie!

OUR School is so thankful to Black Hills Energy for keeping our youngest learners on the forefront of their minds and hearts.

Kelsey Ann Clapper, Executive Director OUR School , Glenwood Springs

Aspen phenomena

Gut-wrenching display of human ignorance. Let’s leave a window open, through the night, during bear season and see what happens. We could take odds, maybe throw down a few bucks and see who wins. Obviously it was not the bears.

Forget about relocation that requires planning and may be outside all job descriptions. Bears may return. May not. Odds. Perhaps the answer lies in fencing. A giant wall for human protection.

Win, win. The bears get back the wilderness they own and the humans can live in safety and cluelessness in little boxes on the hillside.

Erika Baker, New Castle