The Basalt Green Team

About the Green Team

The purpose of the Basalt Green Team is to advocate for a more resilient and sustainable Basalt. The Green Team sponsors projects throughout Basalt that decrease greenhouse gas emissions, improve energy efficiency, promote waste reduction, and support overall sustainability.  The Green Team is a council appointed resident committee that consists of up to 7 members who are typically appointed for 3-year terms.

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Read Past Issues of the Newsletter: June 2023 Newsletter | July 2023 Newsletter | August 2023 Newsletter | September 2023 Newsletter

Events and Special Programs

Fall Free Leaf Drop-Off Event: The Town of Basalt is offering its annual free residential leaf drop-off event over four weekends in October and November. This free service aligns with Basalt’s strategic environmental goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and reducing organic waste. Residents can bring leaves, trimmings, and small limbs to the following staffed locations from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. each weekend.

October 21 & 22 – Willits Rugby Field
October 28 & 29 – Midland Spur
November 4 & 5 – Willits Rugby Field
November 11 & 12 – Midland Spur

An attendant from EverGreen ZeroWaste will be present each day to provide assistance. This event is intended for residential use only; no commercial operations will not be allowed.

E-Bike Rebate: The Basalt Council and Green Team are offering $250 rebates to full-time Basalt residents on the purchase of a new e-bike from participating Basalt-area retailers.  Ground transportation has remained Basalt’s second largest contributor to carbon emissions since the Town first began its tracking in 2014. Motor vehicles contribute to air pollution, congested roadways, and parking issues.  The financial incentive is designed to help residents replace vehicle trips with e-bike rides.  Learn more about the $250 rebate here.

How the Green Team Works with the Town

The Town of Basalt's 2023 Strategic Work Plan lays out major goals for the Town to focus its work on. Within the framework, there is one major environmental goal and several environmental action items which the Green Team supports and may fund, advocate for, and help implement. The goal is: to preserve and protect the natural environment. Action Items include:

  • Provide climate leadership through strategic investment while being a model for other small towns
  • Coordinate with other regional entities to track and reduce Basalt's greenhouse gas emissions
  • Support regional waste stream reduction efforts
  • Ensure a sufficient supply and quality of water for the future
  • Promote environmentally responsible building and design

The Town of Basalt is a member of various organizations that help support its climate action goals.  These include Colorado Communities for Climate Action (CC4CA) and Climate Action Collaborative for Eagle County Comminities. The Town's membership in these action-oriented organizations support the Green Team's work on sustainability.  

Green Team Projects

The Green Team focuses on projects and policies within categories of building, transportation, and waste that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce our impact on non-renewable resources.  

Building

  • Basalt Solar Project
  • Partnering with CORE for grants for significant residential and commercial properties
  • Supporting Town of Basalt code amendments for buildings by adopting 2021 IECC (International Energy Conservation Code) and enacting sustainable building regulations

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Waste

  • Annual Basalt Community Recycling event 
  • Annual Leaf Drop event
  • Compost at Town facilities

Climate Action Plan 

The Town Council formally adopted the Climate Action Plan for the Eagle County Community with the Basalt Addendum in February 2017 via Resolution No. 6, Series of 2017. The purpose of the Climate Action Plan for the Eagle County Community is to aggressively reduce greenhouse gas emissions with reduction targets of 25% by 2025, and 80% by 2050. Since its completion, the Climate Action Plan for the Eagle County Community has been adopted by the towns of Avon, Basalt, Eagle, Minturn, and Vail, and by the Western Eagle County Metropolitan Recreation District. 

The Basalt Addendum furthers the goals of the Plan through six strategies, as recommended by the Green Team, including:

  1. Adopting a goal of 100% clean energy by 2030
  2. Engaging in regional, state and national advocacy
  3. Enforcement and development of policy and code
  4. Municipal energy efficiency
  5. Community outreach, engagement and education
  6. Annual progress reports and assessment

Green Team Committee Members

Basalt Green Team members are appointed by Town Council. The Team traditionally has approximately seven members, although there is no officially designated number of seats. The Green Team meets on the second Monday of every month, from 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. Members should live or work within the Town’s limits.  If you are interested in joining this committee, please contact Staff Planner Sara Nadolny at sara.nadolny@basalt.net for more information.

Partners

The Basalt Green Team works towards its goals with the help of area partners, including the following:

  • Community Office for Resource Efficiency, commonly known as CORE, is a non-profit based out of Basalt.  CORE helps people, businesses, municipalities, facilities and nonprofit organizations save natural resources and lower energy bills while reducing their carbon footprint. This work is accomplished by providing grants, rebates and energy advising for residential and commercial energy upgrades, energy benchmarking for buildings, groundbreaking local projects, and climate action planning support for communities. CORE provides the Green Team with significant administrative and technical support. More information on CORE may be found at the Aspen CORE website.

History

The Green Team was originally formed in 2007 after a group of citizens attended the Sonoran Institute’s 2007 Community Energy Futures Institute Workshop in Grand Junction. The Team has accomplished many goals throughout the years, some of which include:

  • Winning the Colorado Ski Town Bag Challenge - the prize enabled the installation of photovoltaic panels at the Basalt Middle School;
  • Obtaining grants which enabled the installation of hot water collectors and photovoltaic panels at the Arbaney pool;
  • Installation of the micro-hydro facility adjacent to the Town’s water treatment facility;
  • Creation of the Green Events Checklist which was adopted by the Town Council;
  • Participation in the Waste Free Roaring Fork, which led to the successful bag reduction ordinances in Carbondale and Aspen. This was initially adopted by Town Council, but later overturned in a referendum;
  • The yearly leaf drop/composting program - a free service that diverts yard waste from the landfill;
  • Supporting the ordinance to limit idling within the Town of Basalt to two minutes; 
  • Supporting amendments to the Town’s Lighting Code and Sustainable Building Regulations; and
  • Obtaining a grant for the installation of a dc Fast Charger electric vehicle charger at Town Hall.