Environment : Page 2

Why Hot and Dry Summer Days in Colorado Feel So Good

Colorado is about to get a stretch of weather with temps in the high 80s and mid 90s. It’ll be hot, but here’s why we’re better off than many regions of the country.

Andy Stein

This is Not a Good Time for a Campfire

Forests are dry and firefighters face perilous conditions due to COVID-19. As we look toward the long weekend, it’s more important than ever to heed fire restrictions and think twice about putting smoke in the air.

Jay Bouchard

Denver Braces for Its First Spring Snowstorm of the Year

After a quiet start to March (weather-wise), snow is back in the forecast for the first time in a while.

Andy Stein

Composting Is Great for the Environment. So Why Is Denver So Bad at It?

In 2017, the city rolled out its Denver Composts program to all single-family residences in hopes to reduce the waste sent to landfills. But as of last month, less than 13 percent of eligible households are enrolled. Will officials be able to close the gap?

Sara Fleming

These Young Colorado Farmers Are Changing the Future of Agriculture

Recent studies show that current agricultural methods are fanning the flames of climate change, but Colorado’s next generation of farmers are thinking—and planning—outside the box with techniques like permaculture.

Kirsten Dobroth

What Is Ozone, and Why Are Colorado’s Levels So Bad?

In December, the EPA bumped Colorado’s ozone nonattainment area status from moderate to serious. We talked to the experts to find out what that actually means.

Meredith Sell

We Went to Witness a Prescribed Burn—And It Became a Wildfire

A prescribed fire on the Ben Delatour Scout Ranch jumped its boundary on Wednesday, prompting evacuations in a nearby neighborhood. Though the Elk fire is small, it’s an unfortunate turn of events for proponents of controlled burning.

Jay Bouchard

Why Farmers and Ranchers Don’t Want Their Water Exported to Denver

A plan to export water from the San Luis Valley to the Denver metro area has been met with defiance from local farmers and ranchers. But if conditions don’t improve, will they have a choice?

Nick Bowlin

Beer at Folsom Field Is Now Served in Aluminum Cups

Through a partnership with Broomfield-based Ball Corporation, beer drinkers at the University of Colorado’s stadium will enjoy their brews in “infinitely recyclable” cups.

Lily O'Neill

5 Ways Coloradans Are Protecting our Pollinators

Pollinator populations are dropping nationwide, but locals are working to boost their populations to preserve agriculture and human health.

Kassidy Gamble

Who Are Colorado’s Next Generation of Farmers?

America’s farmers are aging, and Colorado isn’t immune from the trend. But the state’s next generation of agricultural producers—who are educated, well-intentioned, and focused on sustainability—offers a glimmer of hope for the future.

Kirsten Dobroth

The Plague Has Killed Prairie Dogs in Commerce City. Is More Wildlife at Risk?

Humans are probably safe, but in general the plague is a risk to wildlife throughout the west, and a pretty big one at that.

Georgia Perry

Are Trails in Colorado Harming Wildlife?

Colorado is in the midst of a trail-building bonanza. But research has revealed an inconvenient truth: The humans recreating on these trails are negatively impacting wildlife populations throughout the state. Is there a way to spend time in the backcountry responsibly without endangering the state’s fauna?

Kelly Bastone

Why We Shouldn’t Be Celebrating the “End of Drought” in Colorado

The Centennial State is lush and wet right now, but experts stress we’re still in the midst of an unprecedented stretch of drought lasting more than two decades. One high-water year won’t change that.

Jay Bouchard

Deadly Rivers: At Least 10 People Have Drowned in Colorado This Year

Centennial State waterways are bursting with snowmelt, and fatalities are on the rise as we enter peak recreation season.

Jay Bouchard

Why Does Hail Pummel Colorado and How Can We Prepare for It?

With hailstorms so common on the Front Range—and insurance payouts from the resulting damage increasing—how can we ready ourselves for the impending storms?

Natasha Gardner

Denver’s Urban Canopy Is Getting An Upgrade

Only four percent of downtown Denver sits under the shade of a tree. Luckily, this coalition is working to get us more green.

Meredith Sell

With the Drought Over, Will Prescribed Fire Be a Priority?

After a big winter and wet spring, one might think Colorado has the perfect conditions for increased prescribed burning. Turns out it’s more complicated than that.

Jay Bouchard