Welcome to the Sustainability Alliance of Southwest Colorado

Our mission is to promote the sustainability movement in Southwest Colorado by facilitating communication, collaboration, and integrated solutions among individuals and organizations, with a primary focus in La Plata County.

To get involved with sustainability activities in the community, please check out our current projects:

Community Collaboration Project
Education & Outreach
Food & Agriculture
Local & Regional Policy
Smart Energy
Sustainable Local Economic Development (SLED)

Help Increase Future Chemical Free Parks and Schools in the Durango Area

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Keep Brookside Park Chemical Free and Increase Future Chemical Free Parks and Schools in the Durango Area

Please help us in our efforts to let the City of Durango's Parks and Recreation Department know that we as a community appreciate Brookside Park, the only (so far) Chemical Free Park in Durango.

Write or call Cathy Metz at the Parks and Rec Department to let her know of your appreciation and/or concerns and requests!

"Transition from Coal to Clean Energy Makes Good Business Sense - Economic Study Demonstrates Profitability for Utilities"

Submitted by Kim Herb on Thu, 03/04/2010 - 11:24
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LONGMONT, Colo. – Utilities and other large-scale energy providers with significant percentages of coal in their generation portfolios can profitably transition toward more flexible and less capital intensive efficiency and renewables technologies using a business approach outlined in a new economic study released today. http://www.natcapsolutions.org/CoalPlantsinTransition.pdf

The report, “Coal Plants in Transition: An Economic Case Study,” provides a “proof of concept” for utilities to consider as they evaluate investments in new generation capacity and upgrades to existing facilities. It was developed by Natural Capitalism Solutions, a Colorado nonprofit research firm specializing in sustainable business strategies. 

Four Corners Green Living Expo – April 17 & 18, 2010

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The second annual Four Corners Green Living Expo will be held at the La Plata County Fairgrounds on April 17 & 18. The Expo is an exhibition of the latest and greatest Green Expo imagegreen products and services dedicated to making the world a better place while promoting a better life through smarter living.

The expo will host over 75 exhibitions, featuring informative workshops and seminars that emphasize specific actions individuals and households can take to live "greener" lives. It includes an interactive kid’s section, a bike recycling program, a clothing swap, a local café and beer garden, music, a local issues forum, and much more.

The evening keynote speaker will be Auden Schendler, Director of Sustainability for Aspen Ski Company. He will present on the topic of "Getting Green Done" at the Smiley Building Auditorium in Durango. Refreshments will be available.

Proceeds from the Expo benefit the Sustainability Alliance of Southwest Colorado.

Please visit the event website for a complete description and schedule.

La Plata Sustainability Dialogue: Sustainability 3.0 — Thriving as a Community of Collaboration

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"The urge to form partnerships, to link up in collaborative arrangements, is perhaps the oldest, strongest and most fundamental force in nature. There are no solitary, free-living creatures; every form of life is dependent on other forms. —Lewis Thomas

What is the Triple Bottom Line?
How have businesses elsewhere addressed these goals?
How could we collaborate to enable our businesses and our communities to thrive socially, environmentally, and economically?
How can the principles of Zero Emissions Research and Initiatives (ZERI) be applied to our local community?

View slides from the Sustainability Alliance's January 2010 La Plata Sustainability Dialogue, "People, Planet, Profit - Thriving as a Community of Collaboration," to find answers to these questions, and more....

 

Appleseed Series Recap: Recycling (January 2010)

Submitted by Eliza Searles on Thu, 02/04/2010 - 22:48
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January 2010 AppleseedOn January 6, 2010, San Juan Citizens Alliance hosted the fourth monthly Appleseed Series Event, on the topic of recycling, at the Durango Recreation Center. Ashleigh Tucker, a recent graduate of Prescott College with a degree in Education for Sustainability, facilitated the presentation. Ashleigh shared a local as well as a global perspective on recycling and related issues.

"The Winter Locavore: Four Corners Grows Into a Four Season Food Source"

Submitted by redhat707 on Sun, 01/31/2010 - 16:20
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by Amy Donahue, Durango Telegraph
January 21, 2010

Imagine a cupboard packed with neatly labeled jars of beans, pickles, jam and chutney; a freezer full of locally raised beef, lamb, turkey and raspberries; a root cellar stuffed with potatoes, onions and pumpkins. This is the image of abundance, of food sustainability, of the future of the local food movement as it expands to envelop the winter months.

The Durango local food movement has grown exponentially in the last several years, a self-fulfilling cycle of more fervent demand and an increasingly diverse supply... [Read Full Article]

Also see: Locomotives and Locavores

Local Sustainability Resources

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We've compiled a short list of key sustainability-related resources in La Plata County, CO, with links to relevant websites and contact information. We have also provided a brief list of recommended reading on sustainability issues.

Community Collaboration Project

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Nonprofit Organization Resource Guide

The Community Resource Project team is currently working on compiling a Nonprofit Organization Resource Guide for La Plata County. This guide is a step toward the larger-picture goal of creating a comprehensive Community Asset Inventory encompassing social, ecological, and environmental entities in our community.

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