Smyth Boone rides his bike regularly in the BLM land that’s adjacent to Paonia – the area popularly known as Jumbo, a network of dirt trails and loops on juniper-covered mesas. By taking photographs and using a meter on his bike, he’s got a record of the weather and conditions over about six years now. He posts regularly on iseechange at thealmanac.org. Here he talks about a special event that occurred last year, as well as the dry conditions that are only increasing.
So, what happens, when a family of ranchers and coal miners sit down for breakfast with a climate scientist from NASA, to talk about global warming and drought? For iSeeChange and KVNF, Julia Kumari Drapkin found out.
Colorado’s gun control debate is making national news because of remarks from one Democratic lawmaker about rape. The comments came during a debate on banning concealed carry weapons on college campuses. As part of our capitol conversation series Bente Birkeland takes a look at the political ramifications and what's driving the story.
The spruce beetle is now outpacing the mountain pine beetle as the biggest insect threat to Colorado forests. The information was released to lawmakers in the annual Forest Health Report on Wednesday. Bente Birkeland has more from the state capitol.
Landfill manager Kevin Hunt estimates the landfill gets about 50 tires a week, but occasionally he has seen dumptrucks full of tires unloaded for free.
Shredded tires up close and personal.
The shredder, which cost the County $28,000 to rent for a month, with about a week's worth of tires at the landfill.
This is what 725 tons of shredded tires looks like. Landfill manager Kevin Hunt estimates that employees have already used about 10 tons of the stuff as daily cover.
For years Delta County has allowed people to dump tires for free at its Adobe Buttes Landfill – a policy that they are now re-examining. Old tires are not popular at landfills. They take up a lot of space, they can trap methane gases and become housing for rodents. Burning tires pollute air, soil and water. So why has Delta County agreed to take them for free, no questions asked? Other counties either charge or refuse to take them into their landfills.
A bill to revamp sex education classes for Colorado students has initially passed the house on Tuesday after a rigorous debate. The measure aims to make instruction more culturally sensitive and add information on homosexuality. But opponents say it would take away the rights of parents. Bente Birkeland has more from the state capitol.
