Climate Action Plan Newsletter

Welcome to the October Climate Action Newsletter! Thank you for subscribing and we hope the content below inspires you on your personal journey.

This month we are especially excited to share the results of the 2020 greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory – for both the community and the City organization – which show us making steady progress towards our Council-adopted goals! These results should be celebrated by all in the community and we know that reaching the 80% reduction goal by 2030 will require transformational leadership across sectors. In addition, while this important way of tracking GHG reductions will continue, climate action and analyses will increasingly include equity and resilience considerations.

As the colorful leaves finally begin to drop and the weather turns colder, I invite you to honor the seasonal change we see around us in the natural world with one small change in your household choices. Ideas abound below!

Honore Depew, Climate Program Manager

Did we meet our 2020 climate goal?

Results are in! We exceeded our 2020 goal! Our community lowered its greenhouse gas emissions by 24% in 2020, passing the goal to be 20% below 2005 levels.  
 
Fort Collins' greenhouse gas report tracks progress towards the community’s climate actions goals (20% below 2005 levels by 2020, 80% by 2030, and carbon neutral by 2050). In 2020, community carbon emissions were 24% below 2005 levels. Per capita, emissions were down 41% compared to 2005 levels, and the City organization’s emissions were down 44%. Key reasons for the decrease in community emissions between 2019 and 2020 were increased renewable electricity, temporary reductions in driving due to COVID, and reductions in Industrial Process and Product Use emissions. Similarly, City organization emissions were down due to increased renewables, reductions in City vehicles and buses, and energy efficiency improvements in facilities and operations.  
 
Exceeding our 2020 goal is really something to celebrate! At the same time, achieving our 2030 goal of an 80% reduction will take even more effort and transformation. With only eight years to go, it's time for all of us to dive in together. You can start taking action now at shiftfoco.com
 

Shift Your Water Challenge Results

The results are in...the Shift Your Water Challenge was a success!

716 households pledged to turn off their outdoor irrigation by Oct. 1. Our team looked at the water use of those households and confirmed that 562 of them did in fact turn off their outdoor irrigation. Thanks to those households we estimate a savings of 1,831,167 gallons of water! That's equivalent to 22 households not using their water for an entire year!

The winners of the drawing for the $50 Fort Collins Water Utilities bill credit were notified earlier today.

There will be more Shift Your Water actions in 2022 that you can get involved in. The first one will be focused on signing up for a home efficiency assessment, where you'll receive FREE installation of energy and water products, and if your toilets are old and inefficient, a high-efficiency toilet too! Sign up on the waitlist right now and be contacted to schedule your assessment when the program starts in Jan. 2022.
 

Pick It Up FoCo Challenge!

Leaves aren't the only thing falling to the ground this season. Halloween waste like candy wrappers, disposable decorations, and other single use plastics can end up in our waterways too.

Do your part this season and download the Litterati App to join the litter challenge! By participating in this challenge you can:

• Clean up our city before trash makes its way to the Cache La Poudre River.
• Help us better understand issues around trash and single-use plastics in our community.
• Collect data that will help drive policy change around the use of plastics.

How do I get started?

1. Download the Litterati App on the Google Play Store or App Store
2. Create an account
3. Enter Challenge Code: FOCO2021
4. Snap a photo - one piece of trash per photo
5. Upload and tag!

Watching our Water

The 2021 voluntary Water Shortage Watch ended Oct. 1 due to improving water resource conditions and less demand on water supplies with irrigation season-ending. 

The post-wildfire impacts to the watershed and river quality are expected to be long-term. Utilities maintains water quality meters within the upper Poudre River to provide early-warning alerts to water treatment staff before post-fire pollution can reach the supply intake. In an effort to speed up recovery, wood mulch was applied by helicopter to approximately 5,000 high-priority acres in the burn area from mid-July through early September.

We expect ash, debris and sediment from the Cameron Peak Fire will continue affecting our water supply for years to come, especially during the irrigation season. Stay updated on the status of our water supplies and water restrictions at fcgov.com/water-status.

OCF Tip of the Month

Choose the wonky fruit 

Fruits and veggies from the farm come in all shapes and sizes. So why don’t we see the wonky fruit?  It is often rejected by supermarkets because they think shoppers won’t buy it. However, this imperfect produce is just as nutritious and delicious as the “perfect” looking items!

 When we waste food we also waste all the resources that went into producing it. Instead, it rots in landfills and creates methane, a powerful greenhouse gas 20 times more harmful than carbon dioxide. By choosing to purchase imperfect fruits and vegetables, you’ll help reduce food waste and greenhouse gas emissions.

Contact Us

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to Alexis, Jensen, or myself if there is more we can do to support you in your climate action journey.

Honore Depew
Climate Program Manager
hdepew@fcgov.com 

Jensen Morgan
Community Engagement & Climate Action Specialist
jmorgan@fcgov.com

Alexis Hmielak
Environmental Services Business Support
ahmielak@fcgov.com

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Sustainability Services

222 Laporte

Fort Collins, CO 80521