Tag Archives: colorado

I think (I’m a Runner), Therefore I am (a Runner)

“Running” an obstacle course race.

“Are you a runner?” I’ve always had difficulty answering this question. My initial thought to that question is, “It depends who’s asking.” I might consider myself a runner this week, but in a few months that could change. I don’t want that to be the answer. Why can’t I give a straight yes or no answer? If someone who golfs once a month was asked, “Are you a golfer?” they would likely reply, “Yes.” What does it take to be a real runner? A mileage threshold? A pace per mile? A stack of race bibs? Or is it a state of mind or being? I think (I’m a runner), therefore I am (a runner).

In an effort to answer this question, let me present my running profile. I’ve been running as part of my overall fitness for over 20 years. In that time my running quantity and quality have ebbed and flowed and peaked and valleyed. I’ve loved running. I’ve been hurt. I’ve missed it. My longest run is a half marathon, 13.1 miles. The most miles I’ve ran in a week is 22 miles. Running 20 miles is a good weekend for some runners and that’s my max in a week. But 20 miles is four 5-milers in a week. Isn’t that enough to be a runner?  Continue reading

A New Return to the Great American Beer Festival

Photo © Brewers Association

I’m going back to the Great American Beer Festival for the first time in 10 years. This time I have more on my agenda than celebrating good beer. The beer is still the star, but I’ll be scouting for a certain undertone…an environmental undertone. I’ll be exploring the “environment of beer” by talking to the brewers, attendees, and viewing the fest with my eyes on the environmental world of beer. It’s my new return to the Great American Beer Festival.  Continue reading

Environment and Sustainability of the Great American Beer Fest and Colorado Convention Center

Photo © Brewers Association

Every fall, hundreds of brewers, thousands of beers, and thousands of attendees visit the Colorado Convention Center in Denver for a 3-day competition and celebration of beer. It’s the Great American Beer Fest. What you might not know is the connection between brewing quality beer and taking care of the environment. For example, you can’t drink good beer without good water. As part of my Environment of Beer series, here’s a look at the environmental initiatives of the Festival and the host convention center. If you’re attending the Fest and see a guy asking and writing about the environment of beer, stop and say, Hi. It’s probably me. Cheers. Continue reading

The Return of Front Range Ski Life

Front Range Ski Life is a series that highlights a group of Colorado skiers and snowboarders living along the Front Range. In non-Coloradoan terms, that means we live at the base of the Front Range Mountains in Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, or Colorado Springs. I created Front Range Ski Life during the 2008-2009 ski season. It was a lot of fun making episodes like Resort Slackcountry and Zen and the Art of Skiing. But I let it go into hibernation for the past decade. The time is right wake it up and again share the Front Range Ski Life.  Continue reading

A Good Ski Day in a Bad Winter in Colorado

The above video is a fun, short edit of a good ski day at Winter Park & Mary Jane Ski Resort in Colorado. It’s great snow in an otherwise bad Colorado winter. Fortunately for us, we caught a day right after a good storm. Unfortunately for most of the season, it has been warm and dry. If you’re wondering, “Why does a good ski day video fit here?” A good ski day is the environmental professional lifestyle.   Continue reading

The Hazmat of Pre-Refined Gas and a House Explosion

Map of oil and gas wells in Colorado. Click on the map to link to the interactive map. From the Denver Post.

Pre-refined gas is a mixture of methane and propane that comes from natural gas wells. Pre-refined means that it hasn’t yet been refined into natural gas for energy. It is an extremely flammable gas. It is a hazard that is managed in the oil and gas industry. It’s not something you should have to worry about blowing up your home. Unfortunately a pipeline leaked this gas into a house in Firestone, CO. The house was built only a few hundred feet from a natural gas well. The leaking gas ignited in the house and the explosion killed 2 people. You can read more about this tragedy here. I’ve been asked about this several times since it happened. Therefore, here’s the basic how and why. Continue reading

The World’s First Fully Solar-Powered Beer Fest

img_9450I had the pleasure to attend, and sample, a very fun beer fest in Grand Lake, CO. It was part of the Spirit of the Lake Regatta and Grand Lake Brewfest, Aug 13, 2016. Finding a beer fest during a vacation is good enough. Then I saw that it was a fundraiser for youth outdoor environmental education programs. It also claimed to be the worlds’ first fully solar-powered beer fest. Even the live band was powered by solar panels. Hosted by Infinite West, it was a net-zero, zero waste event that was the perfect example of the environment of beer! Continue reading

Environment of Beer: Coors Brewery Tour

Coors Brewery, Golden, COThe Coors Brewery Tour is known for 2 things: 1) seeing behind the scenes of the iconic brewery in Golden, CO, and 2) the free beer in the Tasting Room. But there are several environmental related topics presented throughout the tour. I’ve highlighted several of them here, along with some information from the MillerCoors Sustainability and Environmental Stewardship pages. I’ve toured several breweries. Each time I’m reminded of the industrial process involved in brewing and packaging. So I also have on my CHMM-hat looking the environmental, health, and safety of the brewery. Continue reading

Environmental Art: Cold War Horse

Cold War HorseThis is part of a series where I explore interesting pieces of environmental art.

Cold War Horse is a creepy, powerful, thought-provoking statue in the expanding suburbs of western Arvada, CO, northwest of Denver. It’s a beautiful part of the Denver metro area at the base of the Front Range Mountains. The setting and expanding suburbs is part of the reason it is displayed here. If you were driving along and only paying casual attention, you’d think it was merely a red horse statue, and probably wonder, “Why is there a red horse statue out here?” and go on with your day. If you look closer, or better yet stop and get out, it’s chilling. Continue reading

Environment of the Bolder Boulder

The Bolder Boulder finishes inside Folsom Field.

The Bolder Boulder finishes inside Folsom Field under the scenic Flatirons.

There are running races held each weekend around the country from early spring through Thanksgiving. Very few, if any of them have 50,000 runners, 70,000 spectators, and run through an environmentally conscious town. The Bolder Boulder 10K is that race. Most races are small and don’t have to consider their environmental impact. Bringing 100,000 people into a town of 100,000 people for a running race will certainly have an environmental impact. What is that impact? What is the environment of the Bolder Boulder? Continue reading