Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Green Sheen
Colorado flies the sustainability flag as a point of fervent local pride. Browse any menu and
a litany of local, grass-fed, fair-trade or organic options read like a tedious send-up of
Portlandia
. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) recognizes Colorado as having
some of the cleanest air and water in the country. It's also a leader in renewable energy,
with more LEED-certified buildings than any other state. Colorado College boasts some of
these LEED buildings, as well as a permaculture dorm and a conscientious cafeteria: over
40% of the student dining budget goes to locally sourced food.
In the works there's more. The stretch of highway 36 between Denver and Boulder is be-
ing revamped to reward alternate transportation, with tolls imposed on single-occupant
cars, an express shared-vehicle lane and dedicated bus and bike lanes. The first phase
comes in at a cool $312 million. Light-rail transportation from Denver International Airport
to the city downtown is also in the works. And not far behind, bike-share programs in Front
Range cities will help maintain the state's status as the nation's slimmest.
