John Fielder presents his work with GOCO

The Rocky Mountain Chapter is hosting Colorado landscape photographer and nature writer, John Fielder.  This is a fundraiser to  help raise funds that are critical to reaching their environmental goals in Colorado.  John Fielder will present his fabulous multi-media program and is one of Colorado's most eloquent spokespersons for the environment. 

 John Fielder presents his work with GOCO. 

There also will be a book signing and silent auction.

Friday, December 7, 2012 @ 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM

Unity Church of Denver, 3021 S. University Blvd., Denver, CO  80210 

Link to Facebook Event or http://on.fb.me/YoKvT7

Link to Chapter Event Signup  or http://bit.ly/TpvDhf

Poudre Canyon Group (PCG)

Executive Committee Elections

The PCG is governed by an entirely volunteer leadership group, its Executive Committee or "ExCom." There are seven positions on the ExCom and each year some number of these spots come up for election; this year, four spots are up for a vote. We are seeking new voices to join the local Club leadership.

ExCom members meet regularly--usually once per month--to set the Group's priorities for the coming year, manage the Group's budget, work on conservation issues and engage new volunteers. The ExCom also votes on political endorsements in local government elections and develops official position statements on local environmental issues.

If you're a member of the Poudre Canyon Group and you're interested in becoming a member of the ExCom, you should prepare a brief candidate statement (no more than 150 words) and send it via email to Gina Janett at ginaciao@frii.com by December 17, 2012 at 5pm. A ballot will be mailed to all PCG members by the end of the year.

Fort Collins City Council turns down moratorium on oil and gas drilling

Coloradoan.com

June 5, 2012

Kevin Duggan

The Fort Collins City Council on Tuesday rejected a proposed moratorium on accepting land-use applications for oil and gas development in the city on a tie vote.

Some council members said they felt uncomfortable with the moratorium because it was not needed given the limited amount of oil and gas drilling that is likely to happen within city limits.

Others said a moratorium would give the city breathing space to develop regulations within the limits of state law that would protect the city’s interests as well as those of its residents.

But Mayor Karen Weitkunat noted the city has received no applications for oil drilling and is not likely to see the type of development pressure that is occurring elsewhere, such as in Weld County.

“I don’t think there is a threat,” she said.

Continue reading...

THE CARE AND FEEDING OF A ZERO WASTE EVENT

Hello PCG Sierra Club Horsetooth Half Marathon Volunteers and thank you for working with us on this important event. Please read this information and take a copy with you to your Zero Waste Station.

Some history: last year, PCG teamed up with Green Events and Gallegos Sanitation Inc. to render local foot races as close to Zero Waste as possible. For the most part, this consisted of staffing a number of Zero Waste stations and focusing on composting and recycling while limiting landfill-bound trash. The events were very successful in all regards: raising public recycling/composting consciousness, diverting hundreds of pounds of discarded material from the landfill, and raising a good sum of money for PCG while publicly demonstrating our commitment to a clean environment.

How it works: You will staff a Zero Waste station that will have three separate receptacles: one each for composting, recycling and landfill-bound waste. Your objective is to maximize on composting and recycling, hold other waste to a serious minimum.

Recycle:

·       Narrow-neck bottles and their caps.

·       Wide-mouth containers.

·       Paper – including newspaper, paper bags, cardboard, non-waxy paper or cardboard

·       Glass – all bottles and jars (If necessary, sling residue in the compost bin before depositing.) Avoid breakage

·       Metals – aluminum and tin cans, flattened and clean aluminum foil, metal bottle lids and caps

·       Cardboard – stomp the heck out of boxes

Compost:

·       Almost anything that you’d decompose for your garden

·       Most race-related liquid containers – paper and coffee cups

·       Degradable garbage – food waste

·       Napkins, paper towels, paper plates, etc.

·       Liquids – DON’T empty partially-filled containers on ground – just drop them in the bin

Trash – this is the catchall for materials that don’t fit either of the above. We want to keep this well below 10% of our total collection.

·       Goo-packs – there will be lots of these half-slurped energy boosters. Just trash them

·       Plastic bags, Styrofoam, Saran Wrap

·       Waxy stuff –paper or cardboard

·       If in doubt – toss it out Yes, we want minimal trash, but it is necessary to keep the compost/recycle bins free of unacceptable material – e.g. a gunky aluminum container

Handy hints:

·       Involve the public in your effort – be willing to show folks which of the bins to use. Watch out for occasional miscreants who will slide up behind you and chuck something in the wrong bin.

·       Learn to move quickly – at times you will be required to handle a lot of incoming materials with little time to sort things out.

·       Wear gloves – we want to play in the trash, we don’t want to be in too-close contact with it.

·       Check your bins frequently – move items to other bins as needed

·       Enjoy yourself – this is actually a fun-filled activity – many laughs.

Did we say thank you? THANK YOU MANY TIMES OVER

Shane Davis, Chair

Poudre Canyon Group, Sierra Club

509 – 570 -4422

John Gascoyne

Zero Waste king

PCG ExCom

ZERO WASTE - What is it and how to does it work?

Fort Collins
April 19, 2012

Horsetooth-Half Marathon items that will be encountered during the 'Zero Waste' program

RECYCLE: Plastic bottles, foil, plastic cups (make certain that you are not tossing ‘compostable cups in the recycle bin – ALL New Belgium event cups are compostable) other recyclable items are: aluminum, glass, clean paper, clean cardboard,

COMPOST: paper plates, napkins, food scraps, *New Belgium cups (beer and water) are compostable. Starbuck cups ARE compostable. Event forks and spoons that are made of corn are compost. If it was once ALIVE it is compost.

LANDFILL: When in real doubt, throw it out, but always get a second opinion on an item if you are unsure .  Gel packs, Gu packets, foil that cannot be easily cleaned, many coffee cups that have petroleum based liners, alien products that do not have a recycle emblem on them. 

Always wear gloves when sorting items. 

New Belgium Brewery Donates 'Fat Tire Cruiser' Bike for Giveaway at the Horsetooth Half-Marathon! $2 donations

April 12, 2012
Fort Collins, CO

Please text or call to volunteer on Sunday April 22nd to have a chance to win this cool bike! TEXT 'I wanna volunteer' to: 509.570.4422


OR

The local Poudre Canyon Group of the Sierra Club is managing the 'Zero Waste' program for a second year in a row for the Horsetooth-Half Marathon and we are in need of volunteers to donate 2+ hours of time.  Zero Waste is an environmental program that removes litter impact from the race course, and reduces the amount of litter sent to the landfill by over 90%.

Zero Waste is a simple, and an extremely effective project where we divert as much trash that would normally be headed to the landfill to other areas such as: Recycling and Compost.

Last year alone we diverted over 90% of all event produced trash from the landfill into compost and recycling! That's recycling at its best, and it also reduces methane emissions from the landfill. Something to be very happy about.

New Beliguim Brewery has graciously donated a 'Fat Tire Cruiser' bike for giveaway! Tickets are only $2 each, or three for $5.  I wish I could enter the giveaway, but good luck to you!

Please select a time-frame that works best for you and your friends to volunteer. All details will be provided via email and also found on our blog at: www.SierraClubPCG.org and on Twitter:  @SierraClubPCG

WHAT DO YOU GET?

ALL ZERO WASTE VOLUNTEERS RECEIVE A FREE SIERRA CLUB 'ECONCIOUS' 
T-SHIRT and TWO ENTRIES IN THE NEW BELGIUM FAT TIRE CRUISER BIKE RAFFLE!!  (t-shirts, while supplies last and min of 2 hours volunteer time please)

BONUS: You will receive one additional raffle entry ticket for each additional hour you volunteer. EXAMPLE: Volunteer a minimum of 2 hours for the Zero Waste Program and you receive two raffle tickets. Volunteer 3 hours = 3 raffle tickets, 4 hours = four raffle tickets! You can earn up 9 raffle tickets and a free t-shirt for volunteering!! Select as many time-slots as you wish to volunteer for.

Thank you and I'll see you there, SUNDAY APRIL 22ND.

Shane Davis

Chair, Poudre Canyon Group

Sierra Club

DATE: 4/21/2012 (Sat 8:00AM - 4:00PM)

LOCATION: Hughes Stadium - 2011 Co Road 21, Fort Collins MAP


JOIN OUR ZERO WASTE PROGRAM 

Empowering Erie Event Series - Sierra Club, Poudre Canyon Group Speaks on Fracking

http://erierising.com/
@ErieRising
@SierraClubPCG

Citizens Groups Promote #CoFracking Twitter Hashtag

January 18, 2012

Media and Public Advisory

 Clean Water Action Colorado, Gary Wockner, 970-218-8310,@CleanWaterCO1

 Sierra Club –Poudre Canyon Group, Shane Davis, 509-570-4422, @SierraClubPCG

  Longmont ROAR, @LongmontRoar

  Erie Rising, @ErieRising

  What the Frack?! Arapahoe/Fracking Colorado, @FrackingColo

  Elbert County Oil and Gas Information Group, @EcoGig

  Save the Poudre: Poudre Waterkeeper, @SaveThePoudre

  Citizens for Huerfano County, @LaVeta350

  Citizens Groups Promote #CoFracking Twitter Hashtag

Denver – Today, several Colorado citizens groups announced that they will begin using and promoting the #CoFracking hashtag for social media communications about fracking in Colorado. As fracking marches across the Front Range landscape, the issue is fast becoming one of the hottest topics in the state.The recent change in the state’s fracking rules, numerous allegations of groundwater pollution, increased private property concerns, and massive interest in fracking by local governments has catapulted the issue to the front page of almost every newspaper in the state.The citizens groups predict that public and media attention will continue to accelerate through the 2012 Colorado legislative session and beyond.

The groups encourage the use of the #CoFrackinghashtag to post information about:

Bills in the state legislature dealing with fracking

Local government drilling and fracking regulations and moratoriums

State and federal rulemaking, guidance, and legislation that applies to Colorado

State and federal fracking on public lands in Colorado Oil/Gas/Fracking money – where it goes, who gets it, who’s influenced by it

Position statements made by public officials and agency personnel about fracking

Spills, pollution, poisoning, and accidents associated with fracking

And announcements about public meetings and educational sessions about fracking in Colorado.

Use of the #CoFrackinghashtag will allow ease of information sharing and rapid searches on Twitter on the topic of fracking in Colorado.To use #CoFracking, just put“#CoFracking” anywhere in the tweet and it will show up on a twitter search page for #CoFracking for any Twitter user to see.

The citizens groups are encouraging all people, groups, public officials, local governments, and agencies to use the #CoFracking hashtag so that the Twitter search page can become a trove of easily accessible information about fracking in Colorado.

(Posted here: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150590327969976)

--end--

EVENT: Best Front Range Snowshoe Routes With Alan Apt

The Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing in Larimer and Weld Counties - Free Public Event

Click image to Enlarge

OUTINGS - Greyrock Trail, Colorado

Greyrock Trail is 19.4 miles from Fort Collins. The parking area is on the left side of the road and will hold about two dozen vehicles. The parking area is for day use only with the exception of backpackers. The trail starts on the other side of the Poudre River across a wooden foot bridge. It climbs gently west for about .6 miles to a junction where it splits into the Meadow and Summit trails. The trails take different routes and rejoin near the summit of Greyrock Mountain. You can make a loop by taking one trail up and the other trail back.

click on any of the images to enlarge

The Meadow Trail travels up a narrow valley that was recently burned and then switchbacks up a south-facing ridge and down to Greyrock Meadow. The hike down to thavehe meadow is a pleasant walk through a dense fir stand. The meadow is a large grassy area just to the west and below Greyrock Mountain.

On the way you can see Hewlett Gulch to the west. The trail is well defined as it crosses the south end of the meadow. On the other side of the meadow the trail climbs the ridge, going south a little ways and then north and east until it joins the Summit Trail on a saddle near the summit of Greyrock Mountain. This trail is about 3.5 miles long.

It is about .9 miles from the junction to the summit of Greyrock Mountain. About 2/3 of the trail is very difficult. It climbs over and around large rocks and at times is difficult to find. Rock cairns mark the way in some spots. At the top there is a small pond occupied by frogs. The view here is spectacular.

From the junction, the Summit Trail travels for about 2.2 miles down the east side of a deep gulch with a flowing stream in its bottom. At a point about .4 miles from the junction it switchbacks down into the gulch and follows the stream. The trail along the stream becomes quite rocky and crosses the stream once before rejoining the main trail.

The total length of the loop (Meadow and Summit trails) is about 5.7 miles. The trails are of moderate difficulty. Gorgeous views can be seen at many points along the way.

LR - Ted Manahan, David Bye, Will Walters, Lauren Walters

Trail Features:

Length (to top):	Meadow Loop - 4.47 mi (7.2 km) Summit Loop - 3.16 mi (5.1 km)
Elevation Range:	5,577' - 7,540'
Elevation change:	Meadow Loop - 2,685 feet Summit Loop - 1,997 feet
Season:	All year round
Difficulty:	Moderate to difficult
Use:	High
USGS maps:	Poudre Park
Trailheads:	Greyrock
Restrictions:	Pets must be on a leash
Suitable for mountain bikes:	No
Suitable for horses:	No

John Gascoyne

Life in Colorado is a constant unfolding of sensory delights: Greyrock graced us with a 360-degree view of majestic beauty, the eternal sounds of the river and the birds, the warmth of fading summer, and the camaraderie of like-minded friends.

 For me, this was the third fairly serious hike in a five-day period; didn't and couldn't set any records, but that isn't what hiking is supposed to be all about.

Some impressions: we talked to a few younger hikers, none of whom had any knowledge of Sierra Club - our distinguished history or our present environmental objectives. At our lunch break site, one young man borrowed some tape to bind his left little toe, injured while kicking his bro's ankle in a vigorous soccer match. We talked up our organization; the young man seemed to get it; when he left, however, the old tape was found - abandoned on the ground where he had been sitting. Much work still to be done.

It was better than great to be with PCG comrades. Almost all of us were members of ExCom or closely affiliated with ExCom members. There has to be a way to extend our message and our mission to many more of the 1,200 group members in Larimer/Weld. I can think of no more important task than to solve this apparent dilemma. - John

John Gascoyne

Shane Davis & David Bye

Two lbs granola -check, 2 quarts H20 -check, eco-friends -check, ready to climb...  Early morning hike is a must in the summer to avoid extensive heat.  Numerous shady spots for water breaks. Loads of astringent chokecherries -dig em'. However, the expression on Will's face after I gave him chokecherries was worth him never eating them again. :-) 

If you think you have enough water, take another quart.

The hike down Greyrock Trail was very technical at high speeds. Quite dangerous really, and heats up the knees fast. The Poudre River was a chilly treat to my burning feet and legs. It further reminds me just how important the Poudre River is to protect!

Great hike!  - Shane

Richard Kommrusch & Chuchang Chiu

Will Walters

Great hike - Lauren and I enjoyed it very much and look forward to the next one. The 360 degree views on top were spectacular. The company was superb -- I am reminded how great it is to hang out with fellow Sierra Clubbers, especially in the wild. Soaking my feet in the pond below the summit and in the Poudre at the end of the hike was a nice treat. I learned with certainty that I do not like chokecherries but do like wild currants, however, if Ted will flavor with chokecherries some beer or other concoction he brews, I will still try it. - Will



Ted Manahan

Definitely a good hike with a great group. I'm glad everyone got the chance to make the last climb to the summit! The scramble to the top is a bit technical and has some exposure, so not everyone is comfortable with it.

The cheese pretzels were surprisingly addictive. My learning from this outing is to bring a salty snack for breaks! - Ted 

 

Lauren Walters & Shane Davis

Want to go on an outing with Sierra Club?

Follow us by email at the top right hand side of this page to receive notices on future events.



please comment

Lords of Nature

When: Wed, July 13, 7pm – 9pm

Where: Estes Park Museum, 200 Fourth Street, Estes Park CO (map)

DescriptionTop carnivores may hold a key to life itself. Can people and carnivores coexist? Can we afford not to? Following in the footsteps of wolves and cougars, and the scientists working to understand their place in the rapidly changing world of nature, award-winning filmmakers Karen and Ralf Meyer have captured the carnivores’ ongoing drama in this film.

Narrated by Peter Coyote, this captivating documentary goes behind the scenes with leading scientists to explore the role top carnivores play in restoring and maintaining ecosystems and biodiversity. There will be a discussion panel immediately following the film to entertain questions from the audience.

Join WildEarth Guardians and Sierra Club to screen: Lords of Nature to explore these questions and more.

 

 

Free Event!

For more info, visit http://www.lordsofnature.org or call 303-573-4898 x1150.

Drama Before Dawn

by John Gascoyne


Time and place: Sunday, May 1, 2011, 4:30 a.m.; Stevens Gulch, Poudre Canyon, Colorado - 26.2 miles from Fort Collins’ Old Town Square.

The players:

Ron: “Hey, John, you got a flashlight?”

John: “No, Ron, I never even thought about bringing one.”

Ron: “Well, let’s get out of the car and see if we can find anything in the dark.”

Both: “Damn, it sure is cold up here.”

John: “You going to keep wearing that jacket, or what?”

The big event: Such were the somewhat shaky beginnings of the culmination of weeks of planning for the Big Day. For many weeks, Ron and John and a goodly number of other folks had been on a mission: Make the May 1 Colorado Marathon as clean and green an event as possible. The race, and the environmental efforts, would begin at sunrise at Steven’s Gulch. Some history - Lisa Sinclair and Ron Baker are both distance runners from Fort Collins; both are determined that their sport become a model of environmental awareness and stewardship.

The two runners had twin ambitions: to compost and recycle as much race-generated waste as possible and to leave the racecourse clean of all debris after the runners had cleared it. They had secured positive commitments from the race promoters to assist in the twin efforts. Some months before race day, the two had entered into a partnership with the Poudre Canyon Group of Sierra Club. PCG would supply the people power needed to effect the plan. A large group of volunteers would be trained in the niceties of quickly sorting through trash generated during the race and seeing how much of it could be either recycled or composted.

A corollary of this effort was to reduce as much as possible the amount of trash bound for the methane-generating county landfill. In order to perform their duty, PCG volunteers would be stationed along the 26.2 miles of the Marathon. With runners and spectators being measured in the thousands, Zero Waste ambitions would require a great deal of energy and speed in sorting through the discarded waste. Gallegos Sanitation, Inc., was the third essential partner in the effort. Experts at the family operated Fort Collins sanitation company would train the volunteers and provide support for the collection efforts. GSI would supply and service Zero Waste stations – bright green collectors housing the containers for each category of discarded matter. Based upon much prior experience, GSI set a goal of having 15% or less of the generated waste being trucked to the landfill. Over the two days preceding the Sunday race, PCG staffed a booth at Expo, the pre-race meetup that included vendors, runners and race enthusiasts.

The PCG booth provided a good opportunity to promote the environmental message of Sierra Club. Adjoining the booth, there was a functioning GSI Zero Waste station. The sorting of race-generated waste had begun two days before the starting gun went off at Stevens Gulch. Arriving by the busload, the large crowd of runners at Stevens Gulch was stoking their reserves for the race – taking in lots of high energy in the form of fruit, water, juices and really-messy-to-handle-when-discarded gel packs. When it became clear that Zero Waste was the plan for the day, most people went out of their way to bring their trash over to the sorting station. Yes, there was some material to be picked up from the ground; that was to be expected. As they had done for the Horsetooth Half Marathon some weeks before, PCG volunteers on bicycles followed the runners, ensuring the cleanliness of the racecourse. Other volunteers were stationary and staffed the Zero Waste stations set up along the course.

In anticipation of the crowd at Old Town Square, seven stations had been set up there. With thousands of folks crowded into the square and eating and drinking, there was a great deal trash generated at the end of the race. GSI staffers were kept busy removing the filled containers at the Zero Waste stations and replacing them with empty ones. PCG volunteers were up to their elbows in gooey, sloppy stuff – doing the right thing can sometimes be a messy business. The bottom line: • Race presenters, including Lisa Sinclair and Ron Baker, declared the Zero Waste effort to be an extraordinary success.

• Gallegos Sanitation, Inc. said that the material going to the landfill was less than 10% of the total mass collected, the most successful recycling and composting effort that they had seen.

• Poudre Canyon Group had succeeded in a number of ways: o We had gotten our positive environmental message to thousands of members of the general public. o A few dozen members of PCG had banded together in an event that promoted group solidarity and enthusiasm. o Race promoters provided significant honoraria to PCG, funds that will help us to promote the objectives of Sierra Club.

• PCG’s experience can provide positive modeling for other Sierra Club groups – engaging our troops, doing the right environmental thing, and generating some much-needed cash. Please contact us for details on how you might implement a similar program.

---------------

And wouldn't ya know it, Sierra Club's own, Will Walters crosses the finish line on behalf of Sierra Club!

Up to our elbows – again

By John Gascoyne

The unlikely beginning: small chance encounters can sometimes generate large and positive results. I was nursing an expensive and way-off-diet latte in a local caffeine emporium this past March when my friend Ron Baker, and his colleague, Lisa Sinclair, stopped by to say hello.

Ron and Lisa are both serious distance runners and, as such, are an active part of the Fort Collins running community. They are both ardent environmentalists as well.

As we chatted, the two expressed concerns that two upcoming marathons would be generating a good deal of discarded trash – more methane producing waste for our already crowded landfill. Their more immediate concern was for the Horsetooth Half Marathon, to be run on April 17^th. The Colorado Marathon was set for May 1 and would need serious attention when the time came.

The two said that they intended to recycle and compost as much race-generated trash as possible. They also expressed a strong desire to see racecourses left clean after a race. Lisa had been exploring positive solutions for quite some time and Ron had signed on to help in the quest.

As they discussed the need for a strong complement of volunteer trash enthusiasts, an idea came to mind: why not partner with the Poudre Canyon Group of Sierra Club and let us provide the volunteers? As soon as this somewhat random thought was expressed, we had the makings of a deal, the beginnings of a hopefully workable system.

A bit like the trite cliché of the third leg of the milking stool, a third partner was deemed essential. No problem – Lisa and Ron were already working with Gallegos Sanitation, Inc., (GSI), a family-owned sanitation company headquartered in Fort Collins. GSI had expert recyclers and composters on their staff, folks who really knew the ins and outs of Zero Waste objectives and how to achieve them.

Can we pull this off? PCG had committed to participating in what for us was something new and entirely different. No worries, however, we would make up in enthusiasm for any deficits of knowledge or experience. Over the next several weeks, there were multiple meetings with Lisa and Ron, meetings with GSI, and meetings of the Executive Committee and volunteers of PCG.

And we learned about trash and about recycling and about composting. Turned out that few of us had a really comprehensive understanding of the subtle nuances of garbage. The folks at GSI were immensely helpful – keeping us on the right path and providing a seminar mainly focused on how to correctly and quickly separate out what can be composted or recycled from the trash otherwise bound for the landfill. We learned that Zero Waste is more of a path than a destination – the objective is to reduce landfill trash, the reality is that our society is not yet geared for 100% success. We became acquainted with the Zero Waste collection apparatus – brightly colored metal stations that allowed quick sorting of all discarded matter. We readied ourselves for the big day...

------------------------------------------

It was a dark and stormy night…So much for drama; actually it was a cloudless and mild morning at Hughes Stadium parking lot where the race was to begin. Four of us from PCG ran the two collection stations at that location. Ron and Lisa gave us last minute instructions and then headed off to oversee other parts of the race.

Predictably, most of the several hundred runners were highly energized and focused on the beginning of the race. When they realized our mission, however, the majority of them took time to work with us. Then bang – and the runners were off. Dot, Cordelia and Phil, part of our crew, followed the runners and swept the entire racecourse from their bicycles. The four of us Zero Waste operatives remaining tided up our waste stations for pickup by GSI. We also policed the entire parking lot, picking up the odd bits of trash that had been left behind.

Having done our bit at the beginning of the race, our focus shifted to the finish line – the beer garden at New Belgium Brewery in downtown Fort Collins. There were hundreds of runners in the Half Marathon and hundreds of encouraging fans as well. GSI had set up five Zero Waste stations in the garden and we had one or two volunteers at each of them.

The crowd was wonderfully raucous and, initially, many folks ignored our collection efforts. Over a short while, however, things improved dramatically. If you politely ask someone to lift her or his foot off of an orange peel so that you can pick it up with your mechanical “grabber,” a less-than-subtle point has been made. When you patrol the grounds retrieving discarded drinking cups, people become aware that the ground is not the preferred dumping place. By the end of the event, people were lining up at the Zero Waste stations and helping us separate the recyclables, compostables, and landfill-bound trash. This was probably the most rewarding part of our overall effort – given a bit of direction and encouragement, people really do want to do the right thing.

Coming up roses – Some thoughts, a recap of sorts, from a member of PCG who was involved in this Zero Waste effort:

• This was a new kind of venture for us. We believed that it could be successful; we also knew that success would involve careful planning, lots of energy, and a buy-in from PCG members who would serve as volunteers.

• Our partners in this venture were excellent. The running community, through Lisa and Ron, was wonderfully supportive and provided great leadership. Gallegos Sanitation, Inc. did everything possible to ensure overall success – their knowledge of recycling and composting was essential; they did everything necessary to keep the mass at the Zero Waste stations collected and continually ready for the steady stream of material generated by the event.

• Based on prior experience, GSI hoped to see 15% or hopefully less of the total discarded matter going to the landfill. We held that figure to just under 10%, a better statistic than they had ever seen before. They have invited us to work with them on future events.

• PCG and Sierra Club benefited from very positive publicity about our role in the event. Our interactions with the general public generated much good will for our group.

• We garnered income that will help us with our environmental mission – the race presenters gave us a nice honorarium and New Belgium Brewery, impressed with the success of our effort, turned over the significant proceeds they had received in tip jars at the beverage booths.

• The Executive Committee of PCG feels that this experience could serve as a beneficial model for other groups, in Colorado or beyond. Please contact us for more information.