FEBRUARY 23, 2018 BY 

On February 27 at 5:30 p.m., YVSC will be asking Steamboat Springs City Council to join the Compact of Colorado Communities and take formal action to fight climate change locally. The City of Steamboat Springs can–and should–lead on this effort to reduce our carbon emissions locally and make our community more resilient in the face of climate impacts like shorter winters, drought and wildfires.

Community members of all ages are encouraged to attend the meeting (click here for agenda and packet) to show their support for protecting our climate, our economy and our way of life in Steamboat Springs. Learn more about how you can make your voice heard.

YVSC is also asking community members to commit to climate action by signing our online pledge to reduce your carbon footprint through just two simple actions. Spread the word to your networks and help us get to 500 pledges by Tuesday!

Community support for climate action is gaining momentum. More than 100 local businesses and organizations signed the letter (below) to City Council urging the City to act to protect the climate. Look for the climate action ad listing these businesses in the Steamboat Today on 2/23 and 2/26!

February 20, 2018

City of Steamboat Springs – City Council
PO Box 775088
Steamboat Springs, CO 80477

Dear Steamboat Springs City Council members,

Colorado is two degrees warmer than it was 30 years ago.

We are already seeing the impacts of this climate change in the Yampa Valley, and local businesses are experiencing the economic effects of reduced snowpack, earlier snowmelt, drought and wildfires, which threaten our bottom line.

As businesses and organizations in a unique community, supported by the bookends of agriculture and outdoor recreation, we understand the importance of the health of our environment and wild places to our economy and to our sense of place. We also believe that residents and visitors alike have an expectation that we maintain high standards with regard to reducing carbon emissions and being good stewards of our environment.

We understand the inclination in a small town to assume that some larger entity can or will take climate action that is more meaningful from a global perspective. However, we are also very aware that climate change will damage our local economy and our way of life. Therefore, it is up to each and every local individual, business and municipality to bend the emissions curve and do what is possible in our own backyards.

We believe that if City Council takes climate action, it will go a long way in setting expectations for businesses in the community. Joining the Compact of Colorado Communities would represent an environmentally and economically responsible next step for the City of Steamboat Springs. The Compact seeks to:

  • Dramatically enhance local government capacity to address climate change and clean energy throughout critical decision-making roles;
  • Create jobs, improve public health and demonstrate bold actions;
  • Drive the development of visible community improvement projects that will be coveted by residents and businesses;
  • Spur economic development through sound clean energy and preparedness programs;
  • Provide an important forum addressing public engagement and awareness; and
  • Facilitate flow of funding from Colorado/Federal agencies, philanthropy and the private sector to member initiatives.

The high-mountain environment that is the foundation of our economy—and our community—is more at risk now than ever before. The impact of decisions we make to address climate change will affect not only our community’s current financial stability but also the way of life in our valley for future generations.

We, the undersigned businesses and organizations, urge Steamboat Springs City Council to hear our voices, represent our interests as elected officials, and take action to reduce our community’s impact on the climate.

Thank you,

  1. Aces High
  2. All Season Financial Advisors
  3. Angela Ashby – RE/MAX Partners
  4. Annie’s Home Consignment
  5. Apex Architecture
  6. Aspen Botanicals
  7. Backcountry Delicatessen
  8. Backdoor Sports
  9. BAP
  10. Big Agnes
  11. Bingham Built
  12. Black Tie Ski Rental Delivery
  13. Brightside Solar
  14. The Buddhist Center of Steamboat Springs
  15. Butcherknife Brewing Company
  16. Catamount Ranch & Club
  17. Classic Crank Bicycle Shoppe
  18. Click Medical
  19. Cloverdale Farm and Restaurant
  20. Colorado Building Performance
  21. Colorado Crane Conservation Coalition
  22. Community Alliance of the Yampa Valley
  23. Complete Home Inspection Services, LLC
  24. Control Designer, Inc.
  25. Creekside Café
  26. Davidson Tax Company, Inc.
  27. Dudley Ohana, LLC
  28. ecotone adventures
  29. Elkstone Farm
  30. Emerald Mountain Energy
  31. Environmental Solutions Unlimited, LLC
  32. Fair & Square Construction
  33. Friends of the Routt Backcountry
  34. Gerber Berend Design Build
  35. Grass Sticks
  36. Great Old Broads for Wilderness
  37. Hala Gear
  38. Historic Routt County
  39. Hog Island Boat Works
  40. Holy Name Catholic Church
  41. The Home Ranch
  42. Honey Stinger
  43. Indivisible Yampa Valley
  44. K. Wall Designers, Ltd.
  45. Jake’s Drafting Service, Inc.
  46. Just Gardens
  47. Kent Eriksen Cycles
  48. Kid’s Kabin Preschool
  49. Kneading Hands
  50. Light Works of Steamboat
  51. Mainstreet Steamboat
  52. Mountain Tap Brewery
  53. Mountain Window & Door Inc.
  54. Nature and Nurture Childcare
  55. One Stop Ski Shop
  56. Orange Peel Bicycle Service
  57. Pedego Electric Bikes
  58. Pet Kare Clinic
  59. Point6
  60. Protect Our Winters (POW)
  61. PureBuilt
  62. Rocky Mountain Youth Corps
  63. ROOTZ Organic Cafe
  64. Routt County Riders
  65. Sake2U
  66. Simply Radiant Heating
  67. Singletrack Bookkeeping
  68. Ski Butlers
  69. Ski Haus
  70. the Ski Locker
  71. Skull Creek Greek
  72. Sleeping Giant Real Estate, Inc.
  73. Smartwool
  74. Martin of Tours Catholic Church
  75. Steamboat Ace Hardware
  76. Steamboat Architectural Associates
  77. Steamboat Babysitting Company
  78. Steamboat Coffee House
  79. Steamboat Engineering & Architectural Design, Inc.
  80. Steamboat Flyfisher
  81. Steamboat Powdercats
  82. Steamboat Ski & Bike Kare
  83. Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation
  84. Steamboat Sotheby’s International Realty
  85. Steamboat Specialties
  86. Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club
  87. Storm Peak Brewing Company
  88. Straightline Sports
  89. Summit Haus Properties
  90. Sustainable Building Solutions
  91. Tour de Steamboat
  92. Trappers Lake Sierra Club
  93. Twisted Trails Running Company
  94. Vacasa
  95. Western Colorado Congress
  96. Westside Automotive
  97. Wheels Bike Shop
  98. The Window Man
  99. Yampa Valley Sustainability Council
  100. Yampatika
  101. Young Bloods Collective
  102. Zola European Windows