The Mountain Pine Beetles have been a prevalent issue for forests across North America for roughly a decade; however, new uses for the large number of trees that Beetles have killed have proven an affordable raw material for producing a variety of goods.   “Only [seven] years ago, industry believed little could be done with it apart from artistic or cosmetic uses for wood, which was being marketed as ‘denim pine.’ Traditional uses of pine, in construction and elsewhere, were considered impossible for beetle-kill wood”. – The Sustainable Lumber Company While builders... Read More

Most of the ski resorts in the Rocky Mountains have environmental protection policies because the mountains they are built upon are considered National Parks. These ski resorts are required to include a certain level of eco-friendliness, commitment to environmental stewardship, and commitment to environmental restoration. Resorts are often a part of the community they are in, especially in a ski town.  Resorts offer many jobs and include shops, restaurants and residences.  Because the resorts are at the heart of the local economies in these ski towns, when a ski resort uses less energy from... Read More

On Wednesday November 12th in the Netherlands, Earth’s first road that generates electricity from sunlight was opened in the town of Krommenie according to CNN’s website. Officials from SolaRoad, the company that developed this solar roadway said that while this is currently only a test route the electricity generated can be used to power parts of the transportation system such as traffic lights and stops, but also homes. The Solar Roads can also be programmed for a vast amount of extra utility, and according to SolarRoadways.com there are vast benefits for using solar roadways in contrast... Read More

Saving money and reducing the pollution you emit this winter is easy when you take the right steps. Being sustainable typically involves reducing, reusing, and recycling resources. The following steps are easy ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle this winter at home. Most of these tips come from SustainableKentucky.com or the context institute staff of context.org. It’s easy to make reducing your contribution to polluting cost-effective by following the steps below. Compost: Even if you don’t use your own home’s organic waste for compost, your neighbor’s garden can. Consider donating your... Read More

 The Ballot in Boulder County has topics to vote on this year that if passed will not only benefit individuals but also strengthen the community as a whole. Mentioned below are some of the topics that have the potential to boost Boulder’s resilience in the long term against future threats.  Boulder Weekly has put up a voter guide with info on all the different topics to vote on this year and the ballot is available to read and for use on Boulder County’s website.  GMO Labeling Across the country, states are voting on GMO labeling that would help protect consumers’ rights to know what... Read More

After Lockheed Martin announced its plans to develop a compact fusion reactor, Aviation Week was given exclusive access to view the experiment and interview a member of the team developing it. Lockheed’s fusion reactor, which is the size of approximately a freight truck and takes only three months to build, is capable of keeping an airplane in flight with “unlimited range and unlimited endurance” according to Lockheed Martin’s Compact Fusion Research and Development team. The compact fusion reactor (CFR) is in theory safer, cleaner, and more powerful than existing nuclear reactors. Until... Read More

The phrase “third wave coffee” sounds inflated but it’s a term that best sums up the current trend that many coffee companies are invested in. Many independent coffee shops care about the nuanced flavors of different regional or varietal beans so they buy beans, or roast their own, from domestic companies which use roasting methods that bring out the distinct flavors of each kind of bean. Most of these companies also care about the ethical and environmental impact their industry has on the globe so they make efforts to do direct or fair trade with organic coffee farmers around the world.... Read More

As a former barista and current coffee enthusiast, I regularly find myself talking to others about coffee. In the coffee discourse, my aim is to promote the ideals of third wave coffee without sounding grandiose. A label that is often met with eye-rolls and associated with shallow trendiness, “third wave coffee” is actually an extensive umbrella term and one that I like to use when describing my favorite aspects of America’s current coffee culture. On this new weekly column, I’ll be expounding on contemporary coffee themes and exploring Boulder’s very own coffee scene.     I... Read More