Spring into Environmental Action

By Amy Peters, Telluride Daily Planet

A regional nonprofit driven by data-driven solutions, EcoAction Partners (EAP) supports creating more sustainable communities by working with regional governments, utility providers, schools, businesses and residents for climate action. EAP is hosting next week’s waste drop-off and community clean-up days, and the organization also implements home energy audits, provides workforce development for jobs in the energy fields, holds monthly environmental coffee talks and collaborates on the goals of the Regional Climate Action Plan (RCAP).

This summer, there are many upcoming local opportunities to participate in EcoAction’s sustainability events.

In partnership with SMA and the Wilkinson Public Library (WPL), EAP puts on monthly coffee and climate conversations. This month's chat on Thursday, May 22, will address the power of storytelling in climate action with free coffee, tea and pastries at the WPL from 8:30-9:30 a.m.. EAP will then partner with Mountainfilm for a special coffee chat on Saturday, May 24, at 8 a.m. at Telluride Mountain Lodge in Mountain Village to discuss successes and challenges around local sustainability initiatives.

The third annual Trash Bash — hosted by the Town of Telluride Ecology Commission in partnership with Sheep Mountain Alliance (SMA), EAP, the Telluride Foundation and Telluride Rotary Club — takes place rain or shine on Sunday, May 18, from 12-4 p.m. at Elks Park. Participants can grab a trash bag, grabber, and gloves, walk local trails and public spaces collecting trash, and return to Elk's Park with full bags of trash where they can enjoy free pizza, non-alcoholic beverages, music, and prizes.

“This is a great way to give back to your community and gain volunteer hours if you need them,” enthused Ecology Commission Chairperson and SMA Program Director Ruthie Boyd. “All ages are welcome.”

Locally, there are several upcoming dates for drop-off opportunities for household waste (scrap metal, appliances, furniture, tires), electronics recycling (items with batteries) and hazardous waste (solvents, motor oils, pesticides). Charges may apply for disposal of certain items.

At Carhenge in Telluride, deposit household hazardous waste on Friday, May 16, from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Electronics recycling and household waste drop-off is Friday and Saturday, May 16 and 17, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Mountain Village (MV) is hosting a Community Clean Up on Wednesday, May 14, from 3- 5 p.m. at Village Court Apartments followed by free pizza, a raffle and prizes. Electronics recycling takes place Friday, May 16, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Market Plaza Parking Lot.

In Norwood drop-off is at the San Miguel County Fairgrounds on Saturday, May 17, from 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. for household waste material and from 10 a.m. -2 p.m. for electronics recycling and household hazardous waste.

EAP and Telluride Mountain Club (TMC) are partnering to host used outdoor gear collection at Carhenge on Friday and Saturday, May 16 and 17, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. All collected gear will be distributed during TMC’s Community Fiesta scheduled for Thursday, July 24.

Along with upcoming events, EAP offers a year-round Colorado Affordable Residential Energy (CARE) program to implement weatherization energy audits available to residents at or below 80% AMI.

“CARE has served nearly 300 regional homes and continues to grow each year,” reported EAP Executive Director Emma Gerona. “Whether that’s installing efficient windows, a new refrigerator or insulation. Recently EAP provided new heat pumps and water heaters for residents in need. In turn, clients see lower utility bills, and homes are more comfortable. It’s also a chance to address safety issues, like gas leaks, that a homeowner may be unaware of.”

Renters are also eligible.

“You don’t have to own a home to qualify,” said EAP Outreach Coordinator Mollie Theis. “It’s based on your income, and if you rent, you just need approval from your landlord for the audit. Even if you’re not income qualified or you’re a business, we can still conduct an energy audit for a small cost.”

EAP also hosts a workforce development program for jobs in the energy field with a stipend for people to train online and/or in-person across eight technical categories.

“We offer funding in partnership with the Telluride Foundation and SMPA to help pay for training to install solar panels, for example, or to be an EV mechanic, or to install heat pumps,” Gerona noted.

Through a Colorado Energy Office grant, EAP recently hired carbon dioxide removal expert Siobhan Montoya Lavender as full-time regional climate action development director to help implement Ouray, San Juan, and San Miguel counties’ RCAP. Established in 2021, the goal of the RCAP is to reduce 2010 baseline greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 and 90% by 2050. Lavender refers to the RCAP as a “roadmap to clean, thriving communities that are preserving the land and seasons that we all treasure."

Having already met with all 10 regional municipalities to track progress on resilience goals and identify capacity hurdles, Lavender’s role involves offering technical expertise, project management and grant writing support to help communities implement climate goals without having to hire full-time sustainability personnel.

“I function as a shared resource across multiple jurisdictions, helping bridge the gap between planning and implementation while identifying economic opportunities in the transition to clean energy,” said Lavender.

Every action towards implementing the RCAP, from microgrids and improved composting to new renewable energy and protecting healthy forests, Lavender called “a win.”

“I’m focused on turning planning into action while ensuring that economic benefits around the clean energy transition are felt throughout our communities,” she said.

For more information on these events and offerings, visit EcoActionpartners.org.

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