Green Scene

Road projects across Colorado are now testing asphalt shingle mixes in order to achieve environmental and cost benefits. It’s the topic of the City of Colorado Springs next “Green” bag Lunch-n-Learn.

Reusing asphalt roof shingles in asphalt roads is a natural fit, yet road materials are required to meet exacting standards to ensure longevity. A the Lunch-n-Learn next Thursday, Aug. 25, road construction project managers from the Colorado Department of Transportation, Boulder County, and the City of Colorado Springs will join in a panel discussion to share the Recycled Asphalt Shingles specifications they’re using and their results so far.

Colorado Springs has two new businesses that serve the roofing industry and prevent asphalt shingles from entering the landfill. At this event attendees will learn how local sites work with Colorado Springs roofers to collect and processes the shingles for reuse.

The free lunch-n-learn runs over the noon lunch hour, from 12:11 to 12:49 p.m. at the City Administration Building, 30 S. Nevada Ave., in Suite 102. Attendees are encouraged to bring and enjoy their lunches during the presentation. Those who come have the opportunity to win a door prize tote bag made from recycled City banners.

Each month, the City Green Team sponsors a lunch-n-learn topic on environmental issues. Questions? Contact City of Colorado Springs Sustainability Coordinator Carrie McCausland, 719-385-CSGN (2746) or cmccausland@springsgov.com.

A Colorado company is using old billboards to make bags and purses.

There are an estimated 400,000 billboards in the US, covered with giant plastic advertisements. For years these went to a landfill but Denver based, Billboard Ecology, is changing that.

With a few cuts and stitches the billboards become something everyone can use; shopping bags, lunch bags and tote bags. Right now the bags are sold primarily through schools as a fundraiser, the schools get 50% of the profits.

You can also buy a bag through Billboard Ecology’s website, click here.

An art gallery in Colorado Springs has transformed into an eco-art market for the holiday season.

The Smokebrush Gallery and foundation is selling items made from re-used materials. Earrings made out of credit cards, purses made from different types of clothing and even items made from old VHS tape.

By doing some of your holiday shopping at the Eco-Art Market, your not just helping the planet, “When you purchase something from the market, you’re supporting local artists and a local foundation, that’s doing a lot of good things in the community,” says Holly Parker, curator at the gallery.

The market is open Monday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 5:00 p.m. The items will be on sale at the gallery from now until December 23rd.

For more on the exhibit click here

Third grade students at Foothills Elementary in Colorado Springs spent the day transforming their library into an African marketplace.

Tonight and Thursday night they’re selling jewelry made from recycled magazine pages. The jewelry is made by Bead for Life, a non-profit organization that supports women living in poverty in Uganda, “I partnered with them and they have a school curriculum that we use, they provided all of this fabulous jewelry for us to sell,” explains third grade teacher, Paige Kraus.

The money the school makes from selling the jewelry will go to the women in Uganda that make the jewelry, some will also go back to Foothills Elementary.

Besides helping the non profit the kids are getting an economics lesson at the same time.

The market lasts until 6:30 tonight and runs tomorrow, Thursday,  from 3:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. and the public is invited to come shop. Foothills Elementary is located in the Rockrimmon area of Colorado Springs, at 825 Allegheny Dr.

To learn more about Bead for Life, click here.

A woman in Pueblo is using a natural building method to build a one of a kind chicken coop. All of the materials are recycled and local, and so far the whole thing has cost just over $100.

Maya Avina and some helpful friends have spent most of the summer building the coop. It’s being made using a method called cob, which involves mixing sand, clay and hay. The cob is then rolled out and weaved into the frame to make a solid structure. The building method itself is better for the environment and all of the materials to make the chicken coop are local.

“All the main timbers supporting the corners and the roof are from fire mitigation, the sand is from a local landscape supplier and the straw is from a local feed store,” explains Avina.

The clay they are using is actually beng reused from CSU Pueblo’s pottery department, “They had a big pile where students would just throw their clay after they make pots and have scraps left,”
says Avina.

The structure is almost complete and so far Avina has spent just $112, but it doesn’t have a roof yet.

When complete, Avina says her coop will be able to hold around 25 chickens, but she wants to start slow, with maybe just seven or eight.

For more on cob building, and how to do it, click here.

Demolition of the old 4TH St. bridge in Pueblo is underway, and all the concrete and asphalt that made up the bridge won’t go to waste, it will get a new life.

Materials from the old bridge will be taken to Vision Recycled Aggregate and Landscape Material. Everything will be broken down so it can be reused, “When they’re done with it they cut it or tear it out, load it on a truck, bring it here, we crush it and they reuse that product,” Says Sue Nunn, manager at Vision.

The product Vision will produce from the old asphalt and concrete is called road-base. It will be used under new streets and roads, and to make driveways. Nunn knows her work is making a difference and is proud that the idea of reusing roads is catching on, “Were taking in hundreds to thousands of tons a year,” Adds Nunn.

While the fourth street bridge is one of the biggest projects Nunn’s been a part of, she’s helped with many others, more recently the new walkway along Northern.

Crews working on the bridge say they hope to start hauling pieces of the old bridge away starting Saturday.

 To watch the story that aired on News First 5 click here.

A new burger place in Pueblo is putting a twist on the American classic. Bingo Burger serves a burger with green chilies mixed in with the beef. Another thing that sets them apart is their commitment to other local businesses.

Richard Warner opened Bingo Burger in December, choosing to use local ingredients. The beef comes from a ranch outside canon city, the potatoes from the San Luis Valley and the peppers from Pueblo.

Warner is using his business venture to help Southern Colorado as a whole, “when you’re buying from local suppliers, local people, that’s helping the local economy.”

Cheri Pullara owns Pepper Plus Farms in Pueblo and provides the chilies for The Bingo Burger; a burger with chilies mixed into the beef. “He {Warner} called me one day and said, Cheri, we want to do a burger with Pueblo chilies in it and I said well that’s great!” says Pullara.

Pullara has seen her business increase and it’s a partnership that comes full circle, “I don’t want to buy products from California if I can help it. I’m trying to support local businesses and hope in turn they’re supporting us as well,” says Warner.

If you want to try Bingo Burger it’s located at the intersection of first and court in downtown pueblo. To watch the story that aired on News First 5 click here.

Since it’s St. Patrick’s Day and this is a “green” blog I thought I should make a post.

For St. Patrick’s Day don’t just wear green, go green! Something “green” you can do today: go shopping at a new recycled decor shop in Colorado Springs.

Domino, a “salvaged decor and modern wares” shop is now open at 10 S. 25th St. The shop specializes in recycled and reclaimed home decor, furniture and home accessories such as clocks, rugs, wall art and lighting.

“Our vision is to offer unique, affordable atomic furniture and household items with an eco-friendly approach to design and decor,” says local resident and co-ownder LauraAnne Martin, who manages the store with her husband Jason.

Most of Domino’s recycled products are collected from thrift stores, garage sales and flea markets.

Domino isn’t just doing good for the environment but also for the community. On the first Firday of every month they will host “Domino Effect” events, featuring the work of local artists.

The store is open form 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mon.-Sat. and 12 to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

For more on Domino head to their website.

Next Thursday, March 25th, the Colorado Springs City green team will cover the topic of Green Roofs during their “Green” Bag Lunch-n-Learn.

Weston Solutions Inc, will share their system to create green roofs. Their system is called “Green Grid” and it’s a modular system that works on flat or low-sloped roofs on new or existing buildings.

Green roofs are good for our environment because they increase building energy efficiency, reduce heat island effect, decrease stormwater while increasing stormwater quality, improve air quality, increase roof life and increase acoustic insulation. They look like a garden because the roof consists of plants. Weston tries to use plants native to the area to provide a comfortable atmosphere for both humans and animals alike.

For more on Weston’s roofs click here.

If you want to learn more about creating a green roof, go to the Lunch-n-Learn next Thursday, March 25th from 12:11-12:49 p.m. at the City Administration Building, 20 S. Nevada, suite #102. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own lunch.

Put LED lights on my patio! They not only look beautiful but are better for the environment.