• I will support reducing greenhouse gas emissions through better infrastructure to walk, roll, bike, and use transit.
• I will support reducing greenhouse gas emissions by increasing weatherization programs.
• I will continue to support and raise awareness of local composting initiatives and farms.

Transportation is the largest producer of greenhouse gases in the country, according to a report by the Environmental Protection Agency. Better transportation options, like mass transit, adequate sidewalks, efficient land use, and bike lanes will go a long way towards improving air quality and water quality by reducing the need to drive. Fewer vehicles on the road will reduce emissions and chemical leaks from vehicles, which are a major source of water pollution in urban areas.

The City of Denver supports efforts to improve energy efficiency in houses through its Energy Efficiency Assistance Fund and Clean Energy Loan Program. Greater support through these programs will reduce the financial stress that people face cooling their homes in increasingly extreme summer heat and warming their homes in extreme winter cold. More efficient homes require less energy.

I’ve subscribed to Denver’s composting service since it started. Trucks that haul organic waste to the compost facility are rejected if items like plastic, plastic-coated paper or metal are mixed with the organic materials. It can cost hundreds of dollars for each truck that is rejected at the compost facility to take the rejected load to the landfill. Plus, organic material in a landfill, as opposed to a compost facility, is a large source of methane gas, which has a worse effect on climate change than carbon dioxide. I will promote and support the importance of local compost programs which in turn benefit our local farms.

Urban access to green space is deeply complex structural issue that is inextricably connected to the systems of class and race. I believe every block in every neighborhood should have a tree canopy and access to green space. I will advocate for increased tree equity in Denver, as studies show higher tree density help reduce heat absorbed and released by concrete and asphalt. Increased amounts of trees in urban areas will result in cooler environments in summer; while additionally providing reductions in air conditioning and heat-related illness, habitats for pollinators and birds, and a wind break in the winter, among other benefits. I will support efforts to increase tree canopy, especially in the inverted L.

Every effort made today adds to the collective contribution.