CSU Outdoor Program gives students outdoor experiences

So you are a student at CSU and you really want to try snowshoeing, but you don't have the equipment, don't know where to go and don't really know what you are doing. So what do you do? Check out the CSU Outdoor Program; it gives students the ability to affordably and easily try and learn new outdoor activities with the help of trained instructors and guides.

The goal of the Outdoor Program is not just to give students an experience in the outdoors, but to teach them how to replicate that experience on their own.

"Our focus is on teaching skills," said Milo Gomez, an Outdoor Program Trip Leader. "We are not just guides, we are instructors more — the goal of our trips is to take you on these trips and give you the skills to go do it again by yourself; you don’t need to go with us a second time. 

This program is for both the beginner and the advanced. Although the program mainly works to help beginners, it does have programs that cater to further advancing existing skills. Regardless of your experience level, the program aims to increase your skill level and knowledge in outdoor activities.

"The outdoor program gives students the opportunity to learn and grow as individuals," said Claire Tortorelli, an Outdoor Program Trip Leader. "Skills that the Outdoor Program provides to Colorado State's students, such as rock climbing, backpacking and backcountry skiing, allow students to push their boundaries and do things they may otherwise never had the opportunity to try."

All of the trips are subsidized, making it affordable to participate in Outdoor Program activities. 

"Some of [the programs] you have to pay for, some of them you do not, but they are all subsidized so even those classes that you have to pay for are generally much cheaper than what you would find through any other similar organization," Gomez said. 

So what kind of trips and classes are available? Rock climbing, backpacking, skiing, hiking, zen climbing (yoga and climbing combined), mountain biking and yes, snowshoeing too, are the types of activities the programs available. A list of upcoming programs is available online. 

Scheduled for December is a sea kayaking trip to the Everglades. According to the event details page, this trip will cost $395 and will be a week long trip to the Everglades in Florida to learn how to sea kayak.

If you are interested in a class or trip, you can find event details by clicking on the link on the programs list page or by stopping by the Outdoor Program desk at the CSU Rec Center near the climbing wall.  

So if you want to give that snowshoeing a try, your best bet is to check out the CSU Outdoor Program, providing you with a lifelong skill you can take with you long after the class is over. 

The Fort Collins commitment to sustainability

I have always been impressed by Fort Collins' commitment to sustainability and the environment, but after writing this blog for over four months, my respect for Fort Collins and the community has grown immensely.

In the City of Fort Collins Environmental Policy it is stated that "The City of Fort Collins is committed to conducting its operations in a manner that is environmentally responsible and reflective of the community's strong commitment to the environment. The City will provide community leadership by reducing its environmental impact while benefiting citizens, the economy and society."

Here are some highlights of the City's efforts to move Fort Collins towards sustainability:

• 42 Natural Areas  
• Over 280 miles of bike lanes
• May 2012 — Ranked 11th in Bicycle Magazine for America's Top 50 Bike-Friendly Cities
• "Fort Collins’ community carbon footprint is 14.7% lower than it was in 2005, despite population growth of 13.5% in the same time period and a local sales & tax use increase of 6.7% from 2005 to 2009" — City of Fort Collins Climate Protection
• Over 60 programs that help residents reduce their environmental impact

But this commitment to sustainability goes far past the City's involvement, Fort Collins businesses and residents alike are forging the way for a sustainable future, as exemplified in previous posts. 

I am proud to be a Fort Collins resident, to live in a city and within a community that is conscious of the impacts we make and working to minimize those impacts. 

Are you? 

Trees, Water and People shows social and environmental stewardship

Fort Collins-based nonprofit Trees, Water and People (TWP) is working to address the global issue of "energy poverty," which is the lack of access to modern energy resources.

According to the International Energy Agency, 1.3 billion people do not have access to electricity and 2.7 billion do not have clean cooking conveniences.

TWP's solution to this problem is to bring sustainable energy solutions to impoverished areas in Central America, Haiti and to Native American reservations in the form of clean cookstoves, cleantech products, reforestation, green job training, renewable energy solutions and more.

Why are sustainable solutions the answer to solving energy poverty? TWP believes that if you can teach the people how to best utilize their resources, those resources will last longer and sustain the population further.

"We want our projects to continue well after we leave a community," said Megan Maiolo-Heath, TWP Marketing and Communications Manager, "we can of course go in and work with the local people to develop projects that are going to address their needs, but really, what we want is to be able to step out of the situation and have them carry out the work without needing us."

TWP's sustainable projects benefit the communities they help socially, environmentally and economically.

"With one individual project, we are addressing multiple issues. So I will give you an example: clean cookstoves. Our clean cookstoves are built locally using local materials, local people — so there is job creation," Maiolo-Heath. When a family has a stove built in their home they are decreasing their indoor air pollution by up to 80 percent, they are decreasing their daily fuel use by up to 70 percent — so there is healthier families, there is more money in their pockets because they are not spending as much money on fuel, there is less deforestation in the surrounding environment. I mean that is with one small stove that costs $75 and that will last them for years."

If you are interested in getting involved with TWP you can sign up for volunteer email alerts, look for internship openings or donate.

Ski season - where we are at

Thanksgiving is usually the maker for the beginning of the ski season, so where are we at this year? Here is a little information on the two main passes available near Fort Collins, the Rocky Mountain Super Pass and the Epic Pass, and the different ski resorts associated with them. All mountain stats are from onthesnow.com — it's a great resource for up-to-date snow reports. Happy skiing!

Rocky Mountain Superpass
Pass provides access to Copper Mountain, Winter Park/Mary Jane ski resorts.
$509

Copper Mountain:

• Status: Open
• Snow depth: 18 inches
• Lifts in operation: 5/22
• Location: 75 miles west of Denver 

Winter Park/Mary Jane:

• Status: open
• Snow depth: 18 inches
• Lifts in operation: 3/25
• Location: 67 milles west of Denver

Epic Pass

Pass provides access to Breckenridge, Keystone, Vail, A-Basin, Beaver Creek, Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood ski resorts.

$699

Breckenridge: 

• Status: Open
• Snow depth: 18 inches
• Lifts in operation: 4/30
• Location: 80 miles west of Denver

Keystone:

• Status: Open
• Snow depth: 18 inches
• Lifts in operation: 4/19
• Location: 74 miles west of Denver

Vail: 

• Status: Open
• Snow depth: 18 inches 
• Lifts in operation: 5/25
• Location: 106 miles west of Denver

A-Basin: 

• Status: Open
• Snow depth: 18 inches
• Lifts in operation: 3/8
• Location: 68 miles west of Denver

Beaver Creek: 

• Status: Closed 
• Snow depth: N/A
• Lifts in operation: N/A
• Location: 108 miles west of Denver 

Heavenly:

• Status: Open
• Snow depth: 18-24 inches
• Lifts in operation: 3/29
• Location: 1,106 miles west of Denver

Northstar:

• Status: Open
• Snow depth: 18-36 inches 
• Lifts in operation: 5/20
• Location: 1,084 miles west of Denver

Kirkwood:

• Status: Open
• Snow depth: 24-36 inches 
• Lifts in operation: 1/15
• Location: 1,130 miles west of Denver 

If you haven't been there, check it out: ELC

If you live in Fort Collins, you have most likely visited CSU's 212 acre Environmental Learning Center, and if not, you should. It is a great place to rack up some volunteer hours, go for a walk, learn some pretty cool stuff and just relax in the beauty of nature.

Visitors can walk a self-guided nature trail, relax at the picnic pavilion, observe the different birds at the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program cages or participate in programs put on by the ELC.

Although many of the programs are geared toward environmental education for children, the ELC puts on special events or programs throughout the year, check their list of events or calendar for more information.

If you are interested in volunteering, here's how:

• Service Saturdays: The last Saturday of every month is a service day, where volunteers help with different projects, from trail work to gardening.
• Individuals: If you are just interested in volunteering, tell the ELC what you want to get out of your experience and they will set you up.
• Groups: If your group needs volunteer hours, the ELC will put you in the books and get you to work.

To volunteer, all you have to do is contact the ELC for group service projects or fill out an application form for individuals.

If you need to log some volunteer hours, the ELC is a perfect place to go: they are easy to work with, you get to work outside and you can make a difference in the community.

A great resource to increase efficiency: City of Fort Collins Utilities

If you are interested in lowering your utility bill as well as increasing your environmental stewardship, the City of Fort Collins Utilities' website is a great resource for tips and tricks for both the residential and business sectors.

Fort Collins Utilities is working hard to not only instill sustainability in its customers, but in its own business operations as well. In fact, Fort Collins Utilities is the first municipal utility in the nation to be granted registration with the GRI producing an annual sustainability report. To read more about this commitment you can read an article on Fort Collins Utilities featured in Public Power Magazine.

So what can you do to increase your energy efficiency? The Fort Collins Utilities provides information on how to set up your home or business with charging stations for Electric Vehicles, discounts on CFL, LED and Lutron dimmers and occupancy sensors, refrigerator/freezer recycling rebates, free sprinkler system audits and much more. Just check out the Fort Collins Utilities Conserve webpage for a full list of energy-saving tips and offers.

"Our outreach campaign, Fort Collins Conserves, draws attention to the small, daily steps you can take to improve efficiency and reduce the community's overall energy and water demand," according to the Fort Collins Utilities' website. "By making efficient choices, we all win: the City moves closer to its conservation goals and your home or business will feel more comfortable, perform better, use less energy and water and save you money."

Also, if you stop by the Fort Collins Utilities office on 700 Wood St., you can pick up a free "Make Efficient Choices" water conservation kit, which includes a water-efficient shower head.

Why pay more money on your next utility bill when you can make choices that will lower your bill and benefit the environment?

"Chasing Ice" shows in Denver this month

This month, the long-awaited "Chasing Ice" film was released, with showings around the nation. Nov. 23, 2012 the film will come to Denver, premiering at the Landmark Theaters Chez Artiste.

So what is "Chasing Ice" all about? The movie uses time-lapse photography collected over several years to reveal the extreme changes in the Arctic glaciers as they disappear at an astonishing rate. A full synopsis of the "Chasing Ice" can be found on the film's website.

The film has received rave reviews:

“One of the most beautiful films of the year,” said Regina Weinreich of the Huffington Post.

“This is the climate change film we’ve been waiting for," said Caroline Libresco, Sundance Senior Programmer.

“The climate change debate is over," said Greg Reitman of the Huffington Post.

According to their website, the film has also won over 20 awards, including the Environmental Media Association’s 22nd Annual Best Documentary Award and the Sundance Film Festival's Excellence in Cinematography Award: US Documentary.

"Chasing Ice" is sure not to be a disappointment, check it out! 

Watch the trailer: