April 4, 2023
April is Earth Month
Boulder County, Colo. -- The Boulder County Commissioners have proclaimed April 2023 as Earth Month in Boulder County and called on Boulder County residents and businesses to celebrate Earth Month by working to improve energy efficiency, reduce consumption and waste disposal, electrify their transportation, conserve natural resources, and electrify their buildings with the support of the county’s services.
The proclamation (included below) was read at the commissioners’ weekly Business Meeting on April 4.
Earth Month Events
Boulder County’s Office of Sustainability, Climate Action & Resilience, Resource Conservation Division, and Parks & Open Space teams are hosting and taking part in free events open to the public throughout the month.
Backyard Compost Workshops
- April 10 - Virtual Workshop (Registration required)
- April 29 - In person Workshop: Louisville Public Library (Registration required)
- May 2 - In Person Workshop: Boulder County Parks and Open Space Building, Longmont (Registration required)
Hazardous Materials Outreach Events
Household Hazardous Waste is collected by the county at the Hazardous Materials Facility at 1901 63rd Street in Boulder (appointments are not required). The Hazardous Materials Team will also be doing several outreach events in the county to collect household hazardous waste:
- April 7 – Premier Credit Union, Arapahoe Branch, Boulder: Collecting paint, batteries, and fluorescent bulbs
- April 15 – Town of Superior Hard to Recycle & Mower Take Back Event
- April 22 – City of Lafayette Hard-To-Recycle Collection Event
- April 22 – Hard to recycle materials drive at Nude Foods Earth Day Event, Boulder
- April 29 – City of Louisville Recycle Electronics, Household Hazardous Waste and Gas Powered Lawn Equipment
Parks & Open Space Earth Day Events (April 22)
- Watershed Extravaganza – Attend a very special Earth Day event at Walden Ponds Wildlife Habitat with Parks & Open Space and the Keep It Clean Partnership. This event will have something for every age group and interest!
- Planting Project – Help open space staff plant 150-200 native shrubs for a stream restoration project along the St. Vrain Creek.
- Trail Project – Trail work is needed at Ron Stewart Preserve at Rabbit Mountain. Help Parks & Open Space staff improve the trails to reduce the number of days they are closed due to excessive mud.
- Ditch Clean Up Project – Parks & Open Space needs help clearing out the brush that has accumulated along the ditch at Walden Ponds Wildlife Habitat. This work will allow water to flow freely and efficiently and helps maintain water levels in the ponds.
- Letters of Promise – This program will lead participants through conversations and activities that help us become better protectors of the wildlife and natural resource we’ve come to appreciate. All materials will be provided.
EnergySmart Events (April 22, 29)
EnergySmart, Boulder County’s program that helps homes and businesses become more comfortable and energy efficient, will be at the 9th Annual Longmont Earth Day Celebration (April 22) and the City of Lafayette’s Earth Day, Every Day Celebration! (April 29).
Electric Landscaping Equipment Demonstration (April 13)
Professional gardeners and landscapers are invited to a free demonstration of electric landscaping and gardening equipment hosted by Partners for a Clean Environment (PACE). Try out electric equipment, attend a training session, and learn about upcoming cash incentives for electric equipment purchases. Free food and refreshments! Registration required.
Nine Simple Actions That Residents and Businesses Can Take To Make an Impact During Earth Month:
- Stay Informed: Sign up for climate and sustainability news from Boulder County or follow Boulder County’s Office of Sustainability, Climate Action & Resilience on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.
- Join PACE’s Climate Action Challenge: Boulder County businesses that join the challenge receive no-cost advising services and incentives that can help lower energy costs and reduce waste.
- Enjoy a meal at a Zero Foodprint Restaurant: 1% of your bill goes towards Restore Colorado grants that fund regenerative and climate beneficial practices on local farms and ranches.
- Protect the Boulder St. Vrain Watershed by visiting the Keep It Clean Partnership website to learn how you can prevent water pollution and keep our streams and waterways clean.
- Read about ways you could electrify your home and cut your fossil fuel use. Visit EnergySmart for information and resources.
- Learn about the Front Range’s new composting rules so we can keep our compost stream clean and usable for agriculture.
- Protect your family’s health: Colorado’s climate is changing and we are experiencing more extreme heat events and days of poor air quality due to ozone and wildfire smoke. This spring, learn what steps you can take to protect your health and your family’s health from ozone, wildfire smoke, and extreme heat this summer.
- Sign up for Boulder County's electric vehicle mailing list to be kept in the loop about future electric car and bike information, deals, and incentives coming to Boulder County!
- Organize a custom group volunteer project on Boulder County open space.
2023 Earth Month Proclamation
A PROCLAMATION DECLARING APRIL 2023 EARTH MONTH IN BOULDER COUNTY
WHEREAS, Earth Day, observed annually on April 22, has, since its first observance in 1970, transformed into a global day of action aimed at changing human behavior and driving global, national, and local policy changes to safeguard the environment and combat the climate crisis; and
WHEREAS, Earth Day commemorates the birth of the modern environmental movement and Earth Month provides a month-long opportunity to take action on shared values concerning a broad range of issues, including air and water pollution, desertification, deforestation, declining wildlife populations, collapsing fisheries, depletion of aquifers, biodiversity loss, climate change, and more; and
WHEREAS, human activity, including the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation, have already caused a 1°C increase in global average temperatures since the pre-industrial era, resulting in rising sea-levels, increased spread of diseases and increased risk of wildfires, floods, drought, and extreme weather, as well as the sixth mass extinction of species; and
WHEREAS, the United States of America has disproportionately contributed to the global climate and ecological crises and has obstructed global efforts to transition toward a sustainable economy, and thus bears an extraordinary responsibility to help address these crises; and
WHEREAS, in Boulder County these impacts are already manifesting themselves in the form of wildfires burning twice as much acreage now as they did in 1980, periods of drought, diminished snowpack and spring runoff, and more frequent and more severe flooding, such as the devastating flood of 2013; and
WHEREAS, Boulder County’s government is committed to advancing policies and programs that conserve resources, protect the environment, and slowdown or reverse climate change in order to build a sustainable, just, and resilient community; and
WHEREAS, Boulder County’s Comprehensive Plan, Environmental Sustainability Plan, Land Use Code and Building Code Amendments promote environmental and land stewardship through coordinated planning, sustainability, energy efficiency, and green building; and
WHEREAS, Boulder County provides resources for residents to learn how to adopt sustainable ways of living by recycling, composting, and commuting in ways that protect our air, land, and water, and learn how to protect themselves and their families from environmental health risks; and
WHEREAS, Boulder County has adopted bold goals to reduce community Greenhouse Gas Emissions to 45% below 2005 levels by 2030 and 90% below 2005 levels by 2050; and
WHEREAS, the major electric utilities that serve Boulder County are shifting towards renewable energy sources and reducing their emissions; and
WHEREAS, of Boulder County’s total greenhouse gas emissions, transportation accounts for 31%, commercial buildings account for 38%, and residential buildings account for 22%, and transitioning the fuel sources for transportation and building heating to electricity is necessary to meet Boulder County’s climate goals; and
WHEREAS, the climate crisis affects everyone, however, communities of color suffer more because of a lack of assessment of needs related to climate impacts such as extreme heat, dangerous air quality, and response to floods, fires, and extreme weather; and
WHEREAS, Boulder County recognizes that low-income communities are disproportionately affected by the climate crisis and is committed to equitable solutions that put community voices at the center of our efforts; and
WHEREAS, Boulder County is supporting residents and businesses to improve energy efficiency, reduce consumption, increase composting and recycling, and electrify their transportation and buildings through programs like EnergySmart and Partners for a Clean Environment; and
WHEREAS, Boulder County is committed to the radical transformation needed to meet the challenges of the climate crisis through programs and policies that foster innovation, coalition-building, and equitable outcomes through cutting emissions, removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and supporting systemic change.
NOW THEREFORE, THE BOARD OF BOULDER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PROCLAIMS THAT IN BOULDER COUNTY APRIL 2023 IS EARTH MONTH AND A TIME FOR ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE and encourages residents and businesses to improve energy efficiency, reduce consumption and waste disposal, electrify their transportation, conserve natural resources, and electrify their buildings with the support of the county’s services.
ADOPTED on this day 4th day of April 2023
