January 10, 2022
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OSCAR Newsletter | January 10, 2022
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January 10, 2022
Welcome to Boulder County's Office of Sustainability, Climate Action, and Resilience (OSCAR) newsletter. This newsletter contains stories and information about our work and ways the public can get involved in sustainability and climate action initiatives.
SUSIE STRIFE
Director of Sustainability, Climate Action & Resilience, Boulder County
Our hearts are with our neighbors, friends, and community members who are dealing with the painful aftermath of the Marshall Fire. We grieve the loss of life, the loss of homes and businesses, and the loss of security we've all experienced as a result of this catastrophe.
This firestorm swept through Superior, Louisville, and parts of unincorporated Boulder County, leaving a path of destruction as it picked up speed, and, although the exact cause of ignition is still being investigated, this much is clear: this fire was able to intensify and spread because of conditions created by the climate crisis.
Over the next decade, our communities will face more climate disasters like the Marshall Fire, and all of the social, emotional, and economic costs that follow. Given the record levels of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere fueling climate impacts, it is increasingly clear that we must look for climate solutions that simultaneously reverse climate change while improving our communities’ ability to respond to the disruptive impacts now taking place.
Right now, we are focused on providing immediate assistance to our community. Boulder County’s Marshall Fire page lists opportunities and resources for individuals who would like to contribute to relief efforts or for residents who are seeking help. However, in addition to direct outreach and support for our neighbors, we can take action and change the course of the future by reducing our contributions to climate change.
Local governments like Boulder County can lead the way in our communities, but we cannot do it alone. Federal leadership on climate change is required to help accelerate climate solutions. We need to change the system. We again call for federal leadership and investment in rapid emissions reductions and restoring our atmosphere through carbon dioxide removal.
You can make your voice heard by contacting your representatives and legislators. You can also learn about Boulder County’s landmark climate liability lawsuit against ExxonMobil and Suncor Energy or attend this informational webinar on fossil fuel disinformation. My heart breaks for our community. May this moment serve as a catalyst for action for us all.
— Susie
WEBINAR: Colorado's climate emergency and fossil fuel disinformation
Impacts from the climate crisis — including record drought conditions — created the circumstances for the Marshall Fire to intensify and spread in Superior, Louisville, and areas of unincorporated Boulder County. Science shows that fossil fuel activity is driving these conditions.
Stay informed and make your voice heard by signing up for this upcoming webinar hosted by the Union of Concerned Scientists on the fossil fuel industry’s disinformation campaign and its impacts in Colorado.
Join local health, legal, and community experts to learn how the fossil fuel industry’s deceptive campaigning in Colorado is contributing to the state's rising costs of climate impacts, how this climate disinformation threatens the ability of local decisionmakers to take climate action – and how you can make your voice heard.
Webinar: Fossil Fuels' Climate Disinformation at Play in Colorado
January 11, 2022, 12:00 – 1:00 PM
Register here.
Speakers will include:
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A special introduction from Congressman Joe Neguse
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Dr. Rachel Licker, senior climate scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists
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Dr. James Crooks, researcher at National Jewish Health
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Marco Simons, general counsel at EarthRights International
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Micah Parkin, executive director at 350 Colorado
2022 Sustainable Food and Agriculture Fund deadline extended
Boulder County’s Office of Sustainability, Climate Action & Resilience invites farmers, agricultural producers, the private sector, and non-profit organizations to apply for funding to accelerate and launch environmental sustainability projects that benefit Boulder County's food system.
This funding opportunity is provided to impact five broad areas within local food and agriculture including:
Any registered business, official non-profit organization, or government entity can apply for funding at a minimum of $40,000 to a maximum of $150,000 per project or apply to the small project fund at a minimum of $2,000 to a maximum of $5,000.
To apply, visit boco.org/SustainableFoodAgFund
Due to the Marshall Fire, the application deadline has been extended to January 19, 2022.
Kena and Mark Guttridge of Ollin Farms, 2020 Sustainable Food and Agriculture Fund grant recipients.
Boulder sued Big Oil. The Marshall Fire reminds us why.
Nearly four years after local governments filed suit, thousands in suburban Colorado rang in the new year as climate refugees, navigating the fallout of their lives in a disaster zone.
Read more in Exxon Knews.
Why a fire scientist sees climate fingerprints on the suburban Boulder County fires
Climate change has made severe wildfires common in Colorado. Until recently, however, the most destructive disasters occurred in communities in or near forested areas. Meanwhile, people living in the Eastern Plains and foothills often worried the most about incoming smoke. Not any more.
Read more at Colorado Public Radio.
Boulder County says new oil and gas requirements fail climate goals
Colorado’s oil and gas industry will have to abide by new measures to reduce pollution and stop emissions leaks, following an Air Quality Control Commission revision. But, Boulder County leaders said the requirements aren’t enough to make sure the state will meet its climate goals.
Read more in the Daily Camera.
Notice: Air quality and the Marshall Fire
Boulder County Public Health does not currently have air monitoring in or immediately downwind of the burn area. Air quality in burn areas should be considered poor until testing confirms otherwise. For those returning to a burn area or live downwind please take these precautions:
- Avoid engaging in physical exertion outdoors until air quality is deemed safe.
- Self-monitor when outdoors and if you experience shortness of breath, a sore throat, itchy or watering eyes, go indoors or leave the area.
For more detailed info on safety precautions, visit this link.
Scientists from University of Colorado Boulder offer valuable tips for mitigating the impacts of smoke in your home and staying safe. Learn more here.
For more info on safety precautions to take as you return to intact homes, visit this link.
WEBINAR: Fossil Fuels' Climate Disinformation at Play in Colorado
January 11, 2022,
12 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Join the Union of Concerned Scientists and local health and legal experts to learn how the fossil fuel industry’s deceptive campaigning in Colorado is contributing to the state's rising costs of climate impacts, how this climate disinformation threatens the ability of local decisionmakers to take climate action – and how you can make your voice heard.
Register here.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Sustainable Food & Agriculture Fund
January 19, 2022
Boulder County’s Office of Sustainability, Climate Action & Resilience invites farmers, agricultural producers, the private sector, and non-profit organizations to apply for funding to accelerate and launch environmental sustainability projects that benefit Boulder County's food system.
Apply here.
Our mission is to advance policies and programs that conserve resources, protect the environment, and safeguard our climate in order to build a sustainable, just, and resilient community.
Questions? Comments? Email cherrmann@bouldercounty.org. If you like what we’re doing, please spread the word and send this to your friends.
You can sign up here to get our newsletter delivered to your inbox each month.
