Climate Stories of 2022 Roundup

A lot happened last year in City of Boulder climate action. The Climate Tax passed, volunteers helped create urban heat maps, and community cleanups made neighborhoods safer (just to name a few). The city, its partners and the people of Boulder have been busy working to change systems at the root of the climate crisis and to build a better future for everyone in our community.

Read our Roundup to Stay in the Loop

It’s easy to miss local stories when the world keeps presenting us with breaking national headlines and global news. With this in mind, we’ve put together a roundup of last year's climate stories from our own backyard.

Climate Tax Passes

Boulder voters approved a new tax that will fund ongoing programs and new projects that address the climate crisis locally. Read more about the tax.

City and Partners Launch Cool Boulder Campaign

The city and community partners launched Cool Boulder. The campaign mobilizes the city, local organizations and people of Boulder to regenerate our trees, soils and habitats for a resilient future. Learn more about the campaign.

Appeals Court Confirms that Historic Climate Lawsuit will Proceed in State Court

United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit ruled that the historic climate accountability lawsuits filed by Boulder County, San Miguel County, and the City of Boulder will continue to proceed in state, rather than federal, court. This decision set a precedent for more than two dozen similar cases across the country. Read more about the lawsuit.

Boulder Shares Expertise at Global Biodiversity Conference

The City of Boulder attended the 15th United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP15). This was a historic moment for local governments to shape federal and global policy, and Boulder had a seat at the table. Learn more about the conference.

City of Boulder is Recognized on Carbon Disclosure Project’s A List

The city was once again recognized as a global leader on environmental action and transparency by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). Read the full article.

Boulder’s Climate Action Consistent with United Nations Report

On April 4, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued its latest report. The report makes clear that all sectors of society, levels of government and individuals have a role to play. In Boulder, we’re taking this responsibility seriously. Learn how.

Xcel Advisory Panel Shares Renewable Energy and Electrification Recommendations

The panel discussed how to achieve 100% renewable electricity by 2030 and speed up the electrification of Boulder’s buildings. Two working groups took a detailed look at the barriers to achieving these goals and identified steps the city and Xcel should take to overcome them. Read the full article.

City to Participates Building Performance Standards Coalition

The City of Boulder has joined forces with state and local governments across the country in the National Building Performance Standard (BPS) Coalition, a collaboration launched by White House Council on Environmental Quality. By joining the coalition, Boulder has committed to update its building performance standards to help the city achieve its health, equity and climate goals. Check out the full story.

Innovative Electric Vehicle Charger Shows Financial Promise in First Year

One year in, the pilot program shows financial promise. The two-way charging system reduces costs by about $250 per month, reducing the North Boulder Recreation Center’s (NBRC) electricity bill by about 3.4%. Learn more about the two-way charger.

Community Clean Up Days

The city, Eco-Cycle, Boulder Housing Partners (BHP) and FLOWS hosted several community cleanup days for manufactured home and BHP communities. This ongoing effort brings recycling services and knowledge to historically underserved neighborhoods. Read about the cleanups.

Urban Heat Mapping

Heat data collected by volunteer community scientists shows the hottest places in Boulder. These findings will help guide strategies that reduce unhealthy and deadly effects of extreme heat and help everyone in Boulder be more climate ready. Learn more and explore the story map.

College Students Grow Sustainability

Local college students are leading the charge on climate action, thanks to a group of young environmentalists at the University of Colorado Boulder, called the EcoVisits. Learn more about the group.

Local Students Transform Trash Into Fashion

Middle and High Schoolers transformed trash into fashion for the 12th annual Trash the Runway. Read the full story.

Sounds of Hope Audio Collage

We asked you to share your hopeful visions, here’s what we heard. Listen to our community audio collage.

Check out our climate action guides.

• Compost Right: Know Before You Throw
• Heating Costs Are Rising This Winter. Here’s How to Keep Your Bill Affordable
• Save Money While Helping the Planet
• Consider an Electric Vehicle
• Live a More Circular Lifestyle

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