Wednesday, 21 Jan 2004

DENVER, Colo.

Yesterday I traveled with EPA and state staff to Dove Creek, Colo. We met with the Dolores County commissioners to discuss our activities in Rico — a very small town in southwest Colorado. Most of the discussion was about the need for cleanup of high levels of leaded soil in citizens’ yards, leftover from the region’s hard-rock mining era. My assignment in Rico is to assist the town with their watershed needs, so I was not on the hot seat. Rico has asked for our help with coordination, planning, and finance needs for stream corridor restoration, water supply development, and sewer and wastewater treatment — I am getting up to speed on my new role. To do that, I have to talk to a lot of people in the Rico area, in the state government, and at the EPA. You’ll hear more about Rico on Friday. This is sermon day. You were warned. Today, you have the opportunity to examine your active support for the environment, complete a report card, and commit to doing more.

Volunteers planting along the South Platte in Denver.

To get to the point: Many people say they care about the environment, but that mostly entails passive interest, not active participation. Am I challenging the Grist diary readers? Yes. I am asking you to examine your behavior, and to do more. If you are actively engaged, congratulations to you — and thanks.

The EPA supports “community-based environmental protection” (CBEP), defined as “action that local individuals and groups take to address their own environmental concerns.” Most of my time is directly or indirectly spent in support of local groups, and they want to connect better with you. What better way to spend a diary day on CBEP than to influence you to be more locally committed?

To expand on what I said yesterday, public understanding and awareness of environmental issues has advanced significantly over the past 25 years. Most people under the age of 35 have been exposed to basic environmental education. Civic environmentalism has increased — but there is a huge need for more.

Denver residents celebrate closing a street to make way for a riparian park.

We are not seeing ever-increasing citizen participation, but we should be. I think we are waiting for someone else to do the work. We are at the level of protection where local decision-makers often rank the environment below other priorities.

Why do we need more personal commitment? What obligation do we have to the environment?

The obvious and easiest environmental gains have been made. What remains is more complex and expensive, or requires huge lifestyle changes. You live here and use the place; you have a moral obligation to take care of it. Colorado, where I live and do most of my work, is an excellent example. We have major air, water-quality, open space, and fishery issues, surface water and groundwater shortages, etc. — due to growth and lack of care and attention. Variations on these issues exist everywhere in the U.S. Environmental interests need a stronger and more organized voice, starting at the local level, as they are in huge competition with our growth, economic, and natural resource demands. That is why you are needed!

  1. Choose an issue: water, air, land use, hazardous waste, recycling, or wildlife. What’s important to you, an issue where you live, a recreational hobby or passion? What do you know, or care most about?
  2. Choose a level: local, state, or national. What level does your issue and sense of place take you to? Is there a group where you feel like you can make a difference?
  3. Choose an approach: collaboration or advocacy. Does the group adopt specific positions, or does it get many interests together and decide how to work together? Both are very valuable.
  4. Find a role: What does the group need to make a difference? Money? Awareness? Political involvement? General volunteers? Where can you make a contribution? What are your strengths? Do you have skills in finance, accounting, education, fundraising, or science?

Specific examples of statewide and local groups in Colorado include Chatfield Basin Conservation Network, Colorado Water Trust, Mesa County Land Conservancy, Colorado Watershed Assembly, Colorado Wildlife Federation, Trust for Land Restoration, Colorado Clean Water Action, and Three Lakes Watershed Association. I don’t have space to list more. You get the picture. All of them need your help.

Changing the ways we live as individuals is essential to improving our environment.

All environmental groups need your support. They need your money and your time. Contribute. Volunteer. Be on the staff. Lead! The work of these groups is essential to the well-being of your environment.

I developed this self-rating report card as a tool for you to assess your involvement. We all have our own expectations, priorities, and constraints.

  • How would I rate my active involvement in environmental causes?
  • How many hours per month do I devote to active involvement?
  • How much of my net income do I donate annually to environmental causes?
  • Did my involvement increase from 2002 to 2003? If not, why not?
  • What are the obstacles to my increased involvement?
  • How could I increase my involvement in 2004? More volunteering, perhaps in a leadership role? Contributions to environmental organizations?

How did you feel about this? I hope that many of you were proud of your active support. If not, you can be upset at me for raising the issue, or you can do something about it. Your environment needs you. Are you in the choir or are you listening to it?

See ya tomorrow.