The Next Step

In a recent poll by Outside Magazine, 57% of people think that the environmental movement is finally turning the corner and making a difference. With the organic industry booming and the fact that 754 major U.S. cities have signed the Kyoto climate agreement, things are indeed looking up. Now, more than ever, it is imperative that we focus on taking the next step to live green.

The Cottonwood Institute is taking the next step and walking our talk in terms of environmental sustainability. We recently partnered with the Green Heart Institute to purchase wind credits to offset our CO2 emissions. We use 100% post consumer waste recycled paper and our paper is printed by Alphagraphics, a company certified by Partners for a Clean Environment. Every year we offer the Mt. Evans Volunteer Project as a free program to get up in the high country and give back to the mountains we all love and enjoy. Finally, our core programming initiative, the Community Adventure Program, received the 2006 Environmental Education Award for Excellence in the Citizen and Community category from the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education (CAEE) and our courses are designed to inspire students to become environmental stewards both in the backcountry and throughout their daily lives.

Guiding Question: What are some other ways in your personal or professional life you can challenge yourself or your company to take it to the next step in terms of living green?

Cottonwood Institute Hires New Nonprofit Intern

The Cottonwood Institute is excited to hire Lucy Parham as their new nonprofit intern. Lucy graduated from The University of the South in Sewanee, TN in 2005 with a B.S. in Natural Resources. She has volunteered with several youth service programs such as Big People for Little People, Girl Scouts of America, the Sewanee Youth Soccer Association and schools in both Jamaica and Costa Rica. Lucy was also an instructor for the Sea Education Association, a program that focused on assisting students with sailing techniques, oceanography research, and life at sea. She is an avid outdoorswoman that enjoys skiing, hiking, and fly fishing.

Third-Annual Base Camp Bash

The Cottonwood Institute announced today that their third-annual Base Camp Bash fundraising event and silent auction will be held at the Wynkoop Brewing Company in Lower Downtown Denver on Friday, March 28, 2008 from 7-10pm.

Proceeds from the Bash will help fund their public school programs in the Boulder/Denver area that combine adventure, wilderness survival, and environmental service to help high school students change the world. Cottonwood Institute programs are designed to motivate students to tackle important environmental issues affecting their communities ranging from water pollution to invasive species to wildfire mitigation.

Though the bar was set high with 2007’s $15,000, the Cottonwood Institute aims to break its own fundraising record at the third-annual Base Camp Bash with $25,000 for public school programs and scholarships.  An array of silent auction items tempt this year’s bidders, including: a Whistler ski vacation, a wine tasting getaway in California, a Mountain Hardwear tent and environmental consulting services; not to mention all of the tickets and gift certificates to the coolest events and hippest restaurants in the Front Range.

The organization a fun night out on the town including give away prizes, appetizers and a cash bar, along with a sneak peak of a short film from the 2008 Boulder Adventure Film Festival and a student-produced Cottonwood Institute DVD. The Bash will feature music by local guitarist Gary Shackelford, who you may have seen pickin’ his folky tunes at the Boulder Farmer’s Market and other venues around town.

“I am really excited about the direction our organization is heading. Each year we reach more students and change more lives and the generosity of the community has been outstanding,” said Ford Church, Cottonwood Institute Founder and Executive Director. “The Base Camp Bash fundraising event will help ensure that many more students are able to experience the outdoors and become future environmental stewards.”

Base Camp Bash promises to “walk the talk” in terms of environmental sustainability. This will be a Zero Waste event meaning that all waste from the event will be recycled, composted or reused with the help of Eco-Cycle in Boulder. The Green Heart Institute in Boulder will also lend a helping hand by donating wind energy credits to offset the event’s energy use. In addition, the Base Camp Bash will educate attendees about the Cottonwood Institute, how students are changing the world one adventure at a time, and how they can reduce their environmental footprint.

Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door the night of the event. Tickets can be purchased directly through the Cottonwood Institute. For more information about the event or to purchase a ticket, call 303.447.1076 or visit www.CottonwoodInstitute.org and click on “Base Camp Bash.”

Action Project Planning

Students met with the principal of P.S.1 to discuss ideas for their project: Making P.S.1 more environmentally friendly. She provided some great feedback, and is happy to help us as we further develop our project this quarter.

Golden Gate Park Snowshoe Day

On February 8, students spent the day in Golden Gate State Park. We strapped on our snowshoes, and went in search of snow deep enough to build a Quinzhee shelter. We learned all the steps to building this dome-shaped shelter, including the best parts- digging out and breaking it down!

Cottonwood Institute Receives Support From The Community Foundation Serving Boulder County

The Cottonwood Institute was fortunate to receive financial support from The Community Foundation Serving Boulder County. Funds are generated through their Community Trust and distributed to Boulder County nonprofits that serve one of five primary funding areas including: the Arts, Civic Engagement, Education, the Environment, and Health and Human Services. The Cottonwood Institute will use our grant to help underwrite the costs to implement our public school initiative called the Community Adventure Program at New Vista High School in Boulder, Colorado.