How green is CS? (Colorado Springs, Boulder: neighborhood, disposal, organic)

[knrstz]

This isn't about annual rainfall but lifestyle. Do people in Colorado Springs focus on recycling, organic foods and a healthy lifestyle? Are there bike paths inside the city, not just in the mountains? Is it a very car-dependant city? Other than Whole Foods, are there many options for organic foods? Local farmers markets? I know the west coast kind of sets the standard for green living but I've heard Colorado as a state is pretty health conscious. Is that true of the springs?

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by knrstz

This isn't about annual rainfall but lifestyle. Do people in Colorado Springs focus on recycling, organic foods and a healthy lifestyle? Are there bike paths inside the city, not just in the mountains? Is it a very car-dependant city? Other than Whole Foods, are there many options for organic foods? Local farmers markets? I know the west coast kind of sets the standard for green living but I've heard Colorado as a state is pretty health conscious. Is that true of the springs?

Recycling is not mandatory here, about 20% of my 'hood uses the service.

Some organic stuff here, use the search tool with organic to find the threads on eateries and groceries.

Lots of cycling, walking, hiking and running in the area. Fair number of bike paths in the city and some bike lanes too.

Farmer's markets here too, best one is east of downtown in Memorial Park, search to find the Farmer's Market thread.

[lalahartma]

I wouldn't say Colorado Springs is overly health conscious or 'green' as a whole.

[stoneclaw]

i don't know of many recycling programs in the Springs.

[MulattoLouieCO]

I think Boulder is a better bet as far as green goes.

[otowi]

I think every single trash service has a recycling program - but you may need to ask them about it in order for them to tell you about it.

[proveick]

Not as "green" as it should be. I can't believe recycling is not mandatory here. It was is IL but not here. Plus we should be xeroscaping. Seems so stupid to have a lawn when we are surrounded by dry prarie. RP

[Bullitt007]

Originally Posted by proveick

Not as "green" as it should be. I can't believe recycling is not mandatory here. It was is IL but not here. Plus we should be xeroscaping. Seems so stupid to have a lawn when we are surrounded by dry prarie. RP

That's all this city needs is another "mandatory" program. I'm all for incentives and promoting recycling, but forcing people is a bit much.

Also have to disagree with you on lawns. What is the problem with having a lawn?

This is Colorado...not California.

[treedonkey]

Originally Posted by otowi

I think every single trash service has a recycling program - but you may need to ask them about it in order for them to tell you about it.

Definitely not every single one. We use tri-lakes disposal and they don't. Other than that, they're a great service> I talked to the owner about it once and there is just not enough people who would pay extra for it and it would be cost-prohibitive for them to provide recycling for free. For a while we were toting it all down to a local recycling center ourselves but when we realized it was just all piling up there and then blowing all over the neighborhood, we stopped.

[otowi]

Oh well, I guess Tri-Lakes is outside the city. Every trash company I called for service in town had a recycling program. I didn't call every single one, but I called quite a few, or looked at their websites, etc.
I'm glad it is not mandatory, but I wish more people did it. I do think more is recycled here than some people realize, though - in businesses, etc.
As for lawns/xeriscaping, that is also personal choice, and plenty of people are xeriscaping or letting their lawns go to pot, especially after the last round of water restrictions a few years back. We do need to be careful with out water - we do not have an infinite supply as some believe (because we're near the Continental Divide, some think we only need what falls in snow and we get it first before anyone else, etc.) Law requires a 300 year supply before new building is allowed, but that is not adequately enforced, and water is a real problem and will only get worse in the future, most likely, as we drain our aquifers, etc. So keeping a lawn is fine although no one should go crazy with water use - we should all be conservative and not wasteful. Having at least something growing helps prevent erosion and run-off of water coming from the sky - limiting hard surface and maximizing ground/dirt surface also helps in the long run. Why we can't have rain buckets I'm not entirely sure, unless it has to do with mosquitoes and West Nile or something.