FEBRUARY 23, 2018 BY
On February 27 at 5:30 p.m., YVSC will be asking Steamboat Springs City Council to join the Compact of Colorado Communities and take formal action to fight climate change locally. The City of Steamboat Springs can–and should–lead on this effort to reduce our carbon emissions locally and make our community more resilient in the face of climate impacts like shorter winters, drought and wildfires.
Community members of all ages are encouraged to attend the meeting (click here for agenda and packet) to show their support for protecting our climate, our economy and our way of life in Steamboat Springs. Learn more about how you can make your voice heard.
YVSC is also asking community members to commit to climate action by signing our online pledge to reduce your carbon footprint through just two simple actions. Spread the word to your networks and help us get to 500 pledges by Tuesday!
Community support for climate action is gaining momentum. More than 100 local businesses and organizations signed the letter (below) to City Council urging the City to act to protect the climate. Look for the climate action ad listing these businesses in the Steamboat Today on 2/23 and 2/26!
February 20, 2018
City of Steamboat Springs – City Council
PO Box 775088
Steamboat Springs, CO 80477
Dear Steamboat Springs City Council members,
Colorado is two degrees warmer than it was 30 years ago.
We are already seeing the impacts of this climate change in the Yampa Valley, and local businesses are experiencing the economic effects of reduced snowpack, earlier snowmelt, drought and wildfires, which threaten our bottom line.
As businesses and organizations in a unique community, supported by the bookends of agriculture and outdoor recreation, we understand the importance of the health of our environment and wild places to our economy and to our sense of place. We also believe that residents and visitors alike have an expectation that we maintain high standards with regard to reducing carbon emissions and being good stewards of our environment.
We understand the inclination in a small town to assume that some larger entity can or will take climate action that is more meaningful from a global perspective. However, we are also very aware that climate change will damage our local economy and our way of life. Therefore, it is up to each and every local individual, business and municipality to bend the emissions curve and do what is possible in our own backyards.
We believe that if City Council takes climate action, it will go a long way in setting expectations for businesses in the community. Joining the Compact of Colorado Communities would represent an environmentally and economically responsible next step for the City of Steamboat Springs. The Compact seeks to:
- Dramatically enhance local government capacity to address climate change and clean energy throughout critical decision-making roles;
- Create jobs, improve public health and demonstrate bold actions;
- Drive the development of visible community improvement projects that will be coveted by residents and businesses;
- Spur economic development through sound clean energy and preparedness programs;
- Provide an important forum addressing public engagement and awareness; and
- Facilitate flow of funding from Colorado/Federal agencies, philanthropy and the private sector to member initiatives.
The high-mountain environment that is the foundation of our economy—and our community—is more at risk now than ever before. The impact of decisions we make to address climate change will affect not only our community’s current financial stability but also the way of life in our valley for future generations.
We, the undersigned businesses and organizations, urge Steamboat Springs City Council to hear our voices, represent our interests as elected officials, and take action to reduce our community’s impact on the climate.
Thank you,
- Aces High
- All Season Financial Advisors
- Angela Ashby – RE/MAX Partners
- Annie’s Home Consignment
- Apex Architecture
- Aspen Botanicals
- Backcountry Delicatessen
- Backdoor Sports
- BAP
- Big Agnes
- Bingham Built
- Black Tie Ski Rental Delivery
- Brightside Solar
- The Buddhist Center of Steamboat Springs
- Butcherknife Brewing Company
- Catamount Ranch & Club
- Classic Crank Bicycle Shoppe
- Click Medical
- Cloverdale Farm and Restaurant
- Colorado Building Performance
- Colorado Crane Conservation Coalition
- Community Alliance of the Yampa Valley
- Complete Home Inspection Services, LLC
- Control Designer, Inc.
- Creekside Café
- Davidson Tax Company, Inc.
- Dudley Ohana, LLC
- ecotone adventures
- Elkstone Farm
- Emerald Mountain Energy
- Environmental Solutions Unlimited, LLC
- Fair & Square Construction
- Friends of the Routt Backcountry
- Gerber Berend Design Build
- Grass Sticks
- Great Old Broads for Wilderness
- Hala Gear
- Historic Routt County
- Hog Island Boat Works
- Holy Name Catholic Church
- The Home Ranch
- Honey Stinger
- Indivisible Yampa Valley
- K. Wall Designers, Ltd.
- Jake’s Drafting Service, Inc.
- Just Gardens
- Kent Eriksen Cycles
- Kid’s Kabin Preschool
- Kneading Hands
- Light Works of Steamboat
- Mainstreet Steamboat
- Mountain Tap Brewery
- Mountain Window & Door Inc.
- Nature and Nurture Childcare
- One Stop Ski Shop
- Orange Peel Bicycle Service
- Pedego Electric Bikes
- Pet Kare Clinic
- Point6
- Protect Our Winters (POW)
- PureBuilt
- Rocky Mountain Youth Corps
- ROOTZ Organic Cafe
- Routt County Riders
- Sake2U
- Simply Radiant Heating
- Singletrack Bookkeeping
- Ski Butlers
- Ski Haus
- the Ski Locker
- Skull Creek Greek
- Sleeping Giant Real Estate, Inc.
- Smartwool
- Martin of Tours Catholic Church
- Steamboat Ace Hardware
- Steamboat Architectural Associates
- Steamboat Babysitting Company
- Steamboat Coffee House
- Steamboat Engineering & Architectural Design, Inc.
- Steamboat Flyfisher
- Steamboat Powdercats
- Steamboat Ski & Bike Kare
- Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation
- Steamboat Sotheby’s International Realty
- Steamboat Specialties
- Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club
- Storm Peak Brewing Company
- Straightline Sports
- Summit Haus Properties
- Sustainable Building Solutions
- Tour de Steamboat
- Trappers Lake Sierra Club
- Twisted Trails Running Company
- Vacasa
- Western Colorado Congress
- Westside Automotive
- Wheels Bike Shop
- The Window Man
- Yampa Valley Sustainability Council
- Yampatika
- Young Bloods Collective
- Zola European Windows
