Mountain Biking: Rubber side down- Exploration Is Cool.So, last week I left the house like this: The grand plan was to meet Josh, drive the fat-tire bikes up to the Peak to Peak, ride down on singletrack/dirt roads, then ride the skinny tire bikes back up for the car. You know, a little something-different adventure. We got off to a rocky start, […]
- Sometimes Gadgets MatterIt’s not often that I credit an improvement in my riding to equipment. In fact, I’m willing to bet that a lot of issues with most folks are operator error rather than the need for some expensive toy. But this time, I’ve got a few exceptions. Sunglasses, for me, are a tough purchase. Not only […]
- Exploration Is Cool.
- Edgy Veggie
Where would you put Boulder bike-share stations?
Considering that the city is “finalizing” a contract for a Boulder bike-sharing program akin to Denver’s B-Cycle, it’s time to start nerding out with maps, which is my favorite part of any day.
So I’m asking you folks, here and on Twitter and Facebook, where would you put Boulder bike-share stations?
It’s pretty clear that there would be a station or two on Pearl, right? Let’s assume you’d have one on the east end, the west end and, for the heck of it, let’s say one on 13th.
Where else? Let me hear you.
Check out the B-Cycle map (PDF) for inspiration.
A partial map of B-Cycle stations in Denver.
Got a blue car? Don’t drive on Mondays.
The city of Boulder is trying hard to get people to bike more, to walk more or to take the bus. They encourage RTD Eco Passes, they sponsor Bike to Work Day… but their latest campaign takes the cake for wacky. (Or cool, depending on your perspective.)
The “Driven to Drive Less” campaign — which will launch in a few weeks — will try to convince people to choose one day a week to not drive their cars based on color. Blue cars should stay at home Mondays. Silver cars should take a break Tuesdays. Red on Wednesdays… you get the idea.
The city wants to get thousands of Boulderites to participate. Would you give it a try?
Read more about the campaign at DailyCamera.com.
Fort Collins is a “Smarter City” — Boulder isn’t
NRDC just named 22 “Smarter Cities” nationwide. Check out the research methodology on their site. You can also see where Boulder qualified for certain of their criteria.
To assess the efforts to limit municipal demand of energy and provide clean energy, Smarter Cities surveyed city governments about the city’s aggregate kilowatt hour consumption, top three fuel sources, whether it had completed a greenhouse gas inventory, energy conservation programs (including targets for reduced consumption) and processes to measure energy conservation. The Smarter Cities team sought advice from experts both in and outside of NRDC to develop its plan. “It was important to establish a clear and reasonable description of the factor by which the Smarter Cities team would compare cities’ performance—a description that was researchable, meaning there was comprehensive, pertinent and reliable data to collect,” says Brandi Colander, an NRDC attorney with NRDC’s Air and Energy programs and a Smarter Cities project advisor.
via American Cities Get Smart about Energy | Smarter Cities.
Smart grid easy to hack, say hackers
How easy would it be for people to hack Boulder's smart grid?
Here in Boulder, people are already asking a lot of questions about smart grids and whether they’re a good idea. But here in the home of the first functioning smart grid in the world, it has primarily been a financial question so far.
Folks at a recent hacker conference say it would be easy to hack a smart grid and cause trouble — like shutting power down to individual users or whole cities. That should get the attention of the 24,000 homes in Boulder that are using smart meters. Technology Review says that the rush to get smart grids up and running might be ill-advised: Read more
Xcel franchise agreement will expire
Xcel Energy's Valmont Station -- could the city take over for Xcel? | Photo by Mara Auster, Daily Camera.
Boulder City Council took the recommendations of its staff — and not those of David Eves. They won’t be putting renewal of the Xcel franchise agreement on the ballot in November — and they won’t be renewing it, either:
A 20-year agreement between Xcel Energy and the city of Boulder will be allowed to expire at the end of the year, the Boulder City Council decided late Tuesday night, leaving voters this fall to decide whether to impose a tax on the utility while the city studies other options for its energy future.
The decision to abandon pursuing the long-term agreement with the utility giant came in late-night 6-2 vote.
“The world has changed, the energy-supply world has changed dramatically,” said Councilman Matt Appelbaum. “I, honestly, can’t imagine signing a multi-decade agreement.”
So, what now? Read more
Xcel’s David Eves asks Council to give decision to voters
David Eves, president and CEO of Xcel's Public Service Co. of Colorado, at the Boulder Municipal Building. | Photo: Greg Lindstrom for the Camera
Xcel’s Colorado chief, David Eves, has been in the middle of the city’s decision on renewing the Xcel franchise agreement.
Today, the Camera ran a guest commentary in which Eaves asks Boulder City Council to allow citizens to vote on the question this November:
We urge the City Council to put this agreement on the ballot for voters to review and decide upon. For the past two years, Boulder staff and members of my staff have invested thousands of hours negotiating the details of the franchise, and also directly addressing the city`s stated priorities. The product of that work is a mutual agreement that benefit us all. Business and community leaders — and city staff too just a few weeks ago — have been in support of continuing our franchise because the agreement meets what we were told were the city’s primary priorities, mainly lowering the environmental impact of every Boulder resident.
Thunderbird Lake in Boulder: Let it go dry or fill it with tap water?
The lake at Burke Park in south Boulder is called Thunderbird Lake. And it just doesn’t seem to want to be a lake all that much. When it started drying up a few years back, the city wondered what to do — and decided to keep it full with city water. Now it’s time to revisit that decision. Read more
Xcel franchise drama: Xcel turns up heat on City Council before franchise decision
UPDATE: Boulder staff to council: Do not put Xcel franchise renewal on the ballot
Xcel Energy's Colorado chief is making the rounds in Boulder.
Well, there’s not a much more boring phrase than “franchise agreement” out there, but now would be a good time to educate yourself on Boulder’s Xcel franchise agreement options (and those laid out by the City Council) and what’s going on, because a lot of energy and tax dollars are in the mix and that affects everyone — for the next 20 years. On Tuesday, City Council will decide whether or not to put the franchise agreement renewal on the ballot this year, but not before they hear a lot from the president of Xcel in Colorado: Read more
Goatscaping back in Boulder
A goat chews on weeds on the dam face of the Boulder Reservoir on Wednesday. | Photo: Greg Lindstrom / The Camera
Goatscaping is one of my favorite blog topics.
So you know I’m going to let you know about Boulder bringing in 300 goats to eat weeds at Boulder Reservoir, which means not using chemicals. Every time I read about this topic, I learn something new. Here’s this week’s tidbit: Read more
Boulder Farmers’ Market among “Top 10 farmers markets in U.S.”
File photo: Mark Guttridge, of Ollin Farms, at right, passes on a bag of fresh spinach to Steve Toon on the first Wednesday night of the Boulder Farmers' Market in 2010. Toon from Golden, works in Boulder and considers going to the market his hobby. | Paul Aiken / Camera
This via Top 10 farmers markets in U.S. | Gadling.com:
4. Boulder Farmers Market, Colorado
Regional farmers prove that a short growing season can still be spectacular in the form of red sunchokes, fingerling potatoes, maroon heirloom carrots, and peaches to die for from Morton's Orchards. A kaleidoscope of cut flowers and an adjoining prepared food section make this bustling market a colorful-and delicious- community hot spot.
What do you think — is #4 good enough?
