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| 4CORE & Partner Events
Green Drinks with SASCO
July 8, 5:30 - 6:30 PM
Durango Discovery Museum
An informal social forum for community members to meet, network, discuss issues and projects related to sustainability.
Alternative Fuels Statewide Stakeholder Meeting
July 12, 1 - 2:30 PM
National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL)
Statewide Clean Cities Meeting, with an optional tour of the NREL facility.
The event will be capped at 50 people.
Alternative Fuel Vehicle for Fleets Demonstration & Discussion
July 16, 10 AM to 12:30 PM
La Plata County Fleet Management Road & Bridge Facility
1365 S. Camino Del Rio, Durango
Homebuyers Class
Regional Housing Alliance (RHA)
July 11, 5:30-8:30 PM
July 18, 5:30-8:30 PM
July 24, 5:30-8:30 PM
4CORE will present info on how to make improvements and save money on bills.
Call for location and to sign up:
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Change is Good
The 4CORE board of directors recently approved a strategic plan that will direct the organization in the coming months. Four focus areas were defined:
Energy Efficiency assessments and retrofits for homes and businesses
Innovative Solutions - Solar and other new technologies
Education for residents, technical training for building industry professionals.
Information Hub - accurate, timely information and news.
Stay tuned for exciting announcements in the near future. Change IS good!
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July is Alternative Fuels Month
This declaration was recently approved by Governor Hickenlooper''s Office. Find more information about alternative fuels by clicking below:
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Free Home EE Kit
Take a survey and get a free Home Efficiency Kit, with CFL, furnace whistle, sink aerator and more.
4CORE is working to bring information to Southwest Colorado residents and business owners and we need to know what channels you are using.
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Your Home in the Spotlight
Your house could be on the Home Spotlight tour this summer! If you have an efficient or innovative home that is newly finished, renovated, or under construction, nominate it here.
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 Energy to Evolve
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Join Our Mailing List!
Energy News you Can Use
is published monthly
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Thank you
Local Funding Partners!
Thank You Collaborative Partners!
Alpine Bank
AmeriCorps
Atmos Energy
Bright Green
Colorado Energy Office
Durango Discovery Museum
Empire Electric Association
First National Bank
Fort Lewis College Environmental Center
Healthy Community Food Systems
Healthy Lifestyles La Plata
Home Builders Association of Southwest Colorado
Housing Solutions for the Southwest
La Plata Energy Council
Local First
Regional Housing Alliance
Source Gas
Southwest Conservation Corps
Southern Ute Community Action Program
SW Connect
Tri State Generation and Transmission
4CORE Partnerships
are defined here
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Call 4CORE at 970-259-1916 if you have any questions or need assistance.
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Resource News You Can Use
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Whew, it is warming up! Enough to make you thirsty. Before you turn on the faucet there are some things you might consider.
Did you know that on average, 10,000 gallons of water is wasted per home in one year? Added together, homes in Southwest Colorado waste enough to provide mean flows for the Animas River for over 4 hours.
Saving water also saves energy. It takes significant wattage to pump, treat, and heat water. The less you use, the more you can invest elsewhere. Read on to learn more how you can reduce water use AND keep cool this summer! |
Waste Less Water on your Yard
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Tips for Watering Your Lawn
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... and Garden!
 | | Planning Efficient Irrigation for your Garden - LOVE the British accent! |
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 15 Ways to Save Water and Beat the Heat
5 Outside Tips
- Put your sprinkler or drip irrigation on a timer for 20 minutes early in the morning before the sun gets hot.
- Take a dip in the river instead of running through the sprinkler in the middle of the day (or go to the pool).
- Plant drought-tolerant varieties of grass for your lawn and landscaping plants. Water them well the first year to get them established, and then less in consecutive years.
- Take your car to the car wash for a cleaning - they often use energy and water efficient equipment and have filter systems in place for the dirt and grime that comes off your car.
- Never underestimate the cooling ability of a good squirt gun or spray bottle!
5 Inside Tips
- Keep a container of cold water in your refrigerator to fill up your cup so you don't have to leave the faucet running for a chilly drink.
- Use a low-flow shower head in your bathroom and save an average of $150 per year in water and heating costs.
- Test your toilet for leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank, waiting a few minutes and looking in the bowl for the color. This is often a source of continual water leaks in homes and is easily fixed!
- Use low-flow sink aerators on your bathroom and kitchen faucets. One aerator costs as little as $2 and can save over 18,000 gallons per year.
- Wash vegetables in a large bowl in your sink (rather than running water over them continuously) and then use the left over water for your plants.
5 Water/Energy Reduction Tips
- Purchase energy and water efficient appliances, such as laundry and dish washers. New efficient models can
- Wash clothes in cold water
- Insulate your hot water lines and tank
- Make sure the hot water coming out of your spigot is at 125 degrees.
- Shower with your sweetie!
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The Future of our Water in Southwest Colorado 
By Amanda Saunders,
4CORE Program Coordinator
In reflecting on the water conservation theme for our July newsletter, I decided to reread the Water Conservation Assessment for Southwest Colorado I submitted to the Colorado Energy Office in August 2011 for inspiration. In one of the first sections of the report I came across these points on the importance of water conservation that really struck me: This short summary really hit home with me, as in the past two years since I wrote this report, we are already beginning to experience these predicted changes.
Our local rafting companies can vouch for the reduction in late-summer flows of the Animas and how these changes are impacting their businesses. And our local farmers are already feeling the effects of the increase in frequency and duration of droughts in our region, with the sustainability of our food supply across the state (and country) affected... And these aren't impacts that will happen in some far off future in some other country or state, but that are happening right here at home, right now...
Continued on the Energy To Evolve Blog |
 Drought: What the
"D Word" Means for You
OK, we are in another year of drought. The drought outlook for the whole western US looks like it will persist or intensify in the next three months. We rarely associate our personal actions with decreased water availability, but here are some of the consequences of drought that affect us:
- Increase in forest fires translating to decreased air quality - a big bummer for those with asthma or respiratory sensitivities
- The 2012 drought cost our nation approximately $30 billion, with 2,600 counties declaring drought throughout the nation
- 4th of July fireworks could be canceled
- The federal government has declared La Plata, Dolores, and Montezuma counties as primary natural disaster areas
because of ongoing severe drought conditions. Archuleta and San Juan were declared as contiguous disaster counties.
Monitor the status of the drought here, and better yet, check out this list from the American Red Cross about how to prepare your home for drought.
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Resource Smart Certified
Businesses are Stacking Up!
Statistics show that we care about how responsible the businesses we patronize are.
Demonstrate you care by choosing these businesses for your needs.
Making a Difference
These business have achieved 'Ramping Up' status (see below), and have implemented three recommendations, one in each area of Energy Efficiency, Worksite Wellness, and Sustainability.
Ramping Up
These business have gone through the worksite wellness, sustainability, and energy assessments, and have implemented one recommended action from their report.
Learn more about RSBP here
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As always, if you have any feedback or questions, please contact us. |
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About Our Newsletter Sponsors
The Home Builders Association of Southwest Colorado is a non-profit professional association of over 100 member companies, all local businesses, whose diverse services include: home construction, home remodels, architecture and design, real estate sales, banking and mortgage refinancing, insurance, subcontracting and material suppliers. We are affiliated with the Colorado Association of Home Builders which has more than 3,200 member companies and the National Association of Home Builders which has 216,000 member companies. All three organizations offer extensive social, political and educational programs. Our members employ several thousand community members here locally in La Plata County.
Southwest Solar Transformation Initiative (SSTI) represents a regional team of public and private  partners committed to advancing solar power adoption across participating municipalities within the Southwest region. SSTI is targeting communities in the Southwest because the solar resource is abundant, but its enormous potential has been largely untapped. The focus of this program is to drive solar market maturity via significant improvements in five key areas: Permitting, Planning and Zoning, Interconnection, Net Metering and Financing.
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