COLORADO

Colorful Colorado! No wonder so many families want to raise their children here – Colorado’s natural beauty is inspiring and outdoor recreation opportunities abound.

It’s simple: Colorado Mountain Mamas want our kids to play and grow up in pollution-free air.

We strive to leave a better, healthier, cleaner world for our kids and their kids. That’s why we advocate on their behalf for our outdoor quality of life. We’re making the air healthier for our kids today while also fighting the climate crisis that threatens their tomorrow.

OUR VISION

Colorado Mamas want renewable energy, cleaner transportation and protection for the public lands that make Colorado so special.

Along the way, we have fun with our kids – things like creating a climate patch for the Colorado Girl Scouts or delivering singing telegrams to decision makers when they help us protect our kids.

PUBLIC LANDS

CLEAN AIR

CLIMATE CRISIS

COLORADO PUBLIC LANDS

We are so lucky to call Colorado home. We enjoy wide open spaces, incredible mountains, beautiful canyons, plains and mesas and wildlife. From the Front Range to the Four Corners, endless adventures await our families. As Mountain Mamas, we love to share our joy of the outdoors and our favorite places with our kids.

But climate change and dirty energy development threaten those incredible places. Colorado Mamas must work together to protect our remaining wild areas so that our kids can introduce them to our grandkids someday.

LAND & WATER CONSERVATION FUND

WE DID IT!

We saved the Land & Water Conservation Fund with the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act on August 4, 2020!

It took the Mountain Mamas seven years to get the Land & Water Conservation Fund over the finish line as part of the Great American Outdoors Act. As Mamas, we forced bi-partisan support, held Senators and Congressmen/women accountable for their voting record, and saw the votes change when it mattered most. Why? Because we fought for something that is good for EVERYONE.

COLORADO OUTDOOR RECREATION AND ECONOMY (CORE) ACT

The Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy (CORE) Act would protect close to 400,000 acres of extraordinary public lands so our kids and their kids will forever be able to experience their beauty, solitude, wildlife, and history that we enjoy today.

Expand wilderness protection in areas around Mount Sneffels, Wilson Peak, and Eagle’s Nest

Provide protection for Ice Lake Basin and Sheep Mountain Special Management Area

Ensure no new oil and gas leases in the critical Thompson Divide area

Add Curecanti National Recreation Area to the National Park System, offering additional protections

Establish Camp Hale, where the 10th Mountain Division trained, as the very first National Landscape.

These are rare gems that are threatened by our continued growth and development but we have an opportunity to protect our natural heritage with the CORE Act. The bill has been introduced by Senator Bennet and Representative Neguse. We are grateful to our public lands champions in Congress!

CORE Act Story Map

WHAT ARE NATIONAL MONUMENTS?

National Monuments represent some of the most iconic public lands across our country.

The Antiquities Act, which enables sitting presidents to designate existing federal lands as national monuments, preserves significant natural, cultural, or scientific features. In doing so, those areas and their important contributions are safeguarded so that our children and their children can benefit from them for generations to come.

Each national monument is different and offers its own special features. They are as diverse as Dinosaur National Monument here in Colorado to the Statue of Liberty in New York.

We can learn of ancestors that have shaped who we are today, enjoy recreational opportunities and more equitable access to nature, or study natural phenomena. We are lucky to have eight beautiful and incredible monuments in Colorado that draw nearly 900,000 visitors each year.

In June 2021, the Antiquities Act celebrated its 115th anniversary. When President Theodore Roosevelt signed the Antiquities Act into law, he paved the way for not only permanent preservation of cultural and historical lands central to our nation’s history, but also ensured surrounding communities a steady revenue stream through tourism spending and investment.

Check out the list below to see what the national monuments in Colorado have to offer. Then get out and explore with your family the beauty, education, recreation and sense of solitude that these natural areas provide.

Browns Canyon

Colorado’s newest national monument, Browns Canyon, was given its designation by President Obama in 2015. Browns includes 21,586 acres stretched between Salida and Buena Vista, primarily within the San Isabel National Forest. The Arkansas River flows through the canyon, making this a popular destination for white water rafting and anglers. In fact, the Arkansas has been named a gold medal river for its amazing brown and rainbow trout fishing. Browns is a stunning reminder of how amazing Colorado’s wild country…

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Photo of Browns Canyon National Monument, Bob Wick, BLM

Canyons of the Ancients

Located near the Four Corners region of southwest Colorado, the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument encompasses 176,000 acres of stunning high desert. This impressive monument contains the highest known archaeological site density in the US, of well-preserved native cultures including villages, great kivas, shrines, petroglyphs, dwellings, sweat lodges and many other amazing elements of human history. In fact, there are more than 6,350 documented sites, but as many as 30,000 total sites throughout the national monument! Needless to say,…

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Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, photo by Bob Wick, BLM

Chimney Rock

Located in Southwest Colorado in the San Juan National Forest, Chimney Rock National Monument covers 7 square miles of archeological structures and artifacts, preserving 200 homes and ceremonial buildings of the Ancestral Puebloans of the Chacon Canyon from 1,000 years ago.

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Chimney Rock National Monument, photo by Brendan Bombaci

Colorado National Monument

The Colorado National Monument is located west of Grand Junction and encompasses 32 square miles of wild country, made up of six distinctive canyons. Tourists from all over the US flock here for the amazing hiking, road and mountain biking, climbing or even to just experience the scenic 23 mile drive between Grand Junction and Fruita. Nicknamed by road bikers as “Tour of the Moon,” Rim Rock Drive reminds us why we live in Colorado, as our unique landscapes can…

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Colorado National Monument, photo by Todd Petrie.

Dinosaur National Monument

Located in the northwestern edge of Colorado, Dinosaur National Monument is a 200,000 acre river corridor. The Yampa and Green rivers flow here, creating some of the most coveted whitewater rafting in the country. (Fun fact: Colorado’s whitewater rafting industry started here.) Come here for incredible recreation, explore over 1,500 dinosaur bones or view 1,000 year old petroglyphs and pictographs left by the Fremont people. There is no shortage of things to do and see here.

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Dinosaur National Monument, photo by Amy Dannwolf

Florissant Fossil Beds

Millions of years ago, a series of volcanic eruptions sent lava and ash coursing through the Florissant Valley, fossilizing insects and petrifying redwoods. This created one of the richest and most diverse fossil deposits in the world. At Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, you can walk among petrified redwood stumps up to 14 feet wide and see thousands of fossils of insects and plants. This is a true gem that highlights the importance of preserving public spaces for people to…

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Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, photo by Jasperdo.

Hovenweep

Hovenweep National Monument in Southwest Colorado, near Cortez and close to the Four Corners area, protects a twenty-mile stretch of six prehistoric Puebloan villages along mesa tops and canyons. Dating back between 600 AD to 1300 AD, you will find multi-story towers built on canyon rims and boulders that housed thousands of Ancestral Puebloan people. This is truly a marvel of preserved human innovation, that we are fortunate to be able to explore through our national monument structure.

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Hovenweep National Monument, photo by Mobilus In Mobili

Yucca House

Yucca House National Monument is an un-excavated pueblo in Southwestern Colorado, about 8 miles from Cortez. This archeological site preserves an important community center for the Ancestral Puebloan people from AD 1150-1300. It has been protected as a national monument since 1919 and has remained largely untouched.

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Yucca House National Monument, photo by Wayne Hsieh

CLEAN AIR

CLEAN TRANSPORTATION

CLEAN ENERGY

CLEAN AIR

Colorado has an air pollution problem. The Denver/Aurora metro area is now the 10th worst for ozone pollution out of 229 metropolitan areas across the country. Several counties across the state have also recieved low or even failing grades for air quality. Bottom line, air pollution threatens our health today as well as our kids’ future tomorrow.

Transportation, electricity generation, and the oil and gas industry vie for the top spot of biggest polluter in our state. The good news is there are many ways we can improve air quality and Colorado Mountain Mamas are working together to make them happen across the state.

We worked to help Colorado’s shift to low-emission and zero-emission vehicles. We have supported and continue to work on methane emission reductions. We support clean, renewable energy and retiring coal-fired power plants.

But there’s more to do and we need your voice in the fight!

Air pollution damages everyone’s health, but unfortunately kids are particularly susceptible to its damage.

1 in 12 kids in Colorado suffers from asthma.

Smog damages the still-developing lungs of young children causing problems that can last a lifetime.

Air pollution affects our reproduction systems, causes developmental problems, lowers the ability of our respiratory systems to fight illness, and can cause early death.

The same chemicals that cause our Brown Cloud are also causing climate change.

It has to stop.

CLEAN TRANSPORTATION

Nationally, the transportation sector is the number one emitter of greenhouse gas emissions. The majority of fuel used for transportation is fossil fuel – gas and diesel. This means there is huge potential to clean up how to move around.

Hybrid and electric vehicles are gaining popularity in Colorado quickly. With new models being released every year, significant tax breaks, and the clean air benefits, it’s no wonder!

Electric vehicles are so much more efficient than traditional vehicles that they are always cleaner regardless of the energy on the grid but get even better as the electricity to charge them gets cleaner, a trend we are enjoying in Colorado. They are also cheaper to maintain which means savings for the family budget in the long run.

Colorado has been quickly building out charging infrastructure to connect us to where we want to go.

Looking to plan a road trip this summer?

Check out the fun ideas we’ve put together for the Colorado family road trip – electric style!

CLEAN ENERGY

Energy generated from renewable sources like wind and solar is cleaner than traditional fossil fuel sources like coal, oil and natural gas. Clean energy means cleaner, healthier air for our kids to breathe. It also means addressing the looming climate crisis so we’re not saddling the next generation with our mistakes. That’s why we fight for more renewable energy, energy efficiencies and to retire outdated and expensive coal-fired power plants.

The energy you use in your home or business can make a difference. Contact your local power company to see if they can supply you with more renewable energy and check out our list of ways to save energy to make a difference today!

Ride bikes or carpool to your activities. Or depending on your child’s interests you could ride skateboards or in-line skates. Talk to them about using less energy.

Calculate your family’s carbon footprint. There are several online calculators including at www.carbonfootprint.com. Then look at areas where you can cut back on your family’s usage.

Get a programmable thermostat for your house. Set it so that the heat goes down when you are away during the day or sleeping at night.

Reduce use of plastic. Take stock of what plastic you use and try to reduce it as much as possible. This could include things like buying reusable sandwich bags for your child(ren)’s lunches or committing to using only reusable water bottles. There are also metal straws and to-go containers which you can keep in your car.

Eat local. Also, the kinds of foods we eat make a big difference. The BBC has a calculator to see how to use less energy by varying your diet.

Don’t forget to turn off the lights when you leave the room and when you leave the house.

Talk to your child(ren)’s school about their energy use and work with them to find ways that the usage could go down. Suggest to them that they commit to the Colorado Department of Transportation program called Engines Off! for the drop off/pick up areas. http://www.enginesoff.com/4_about.htm.

Talk to the appropriate local government officials about the importance of public transit and bike infrastructure, as well as walkable neighborhoods. Suggest ways that these could be improved in your neighborhood.

Ask the CO Air Quality Control Commission to ensure Colorado reduces energy consumption and emissions across all sectors of our economy

Volunteer with us! Few of us have time to watch all the regulatory processes happening across our state and nation so we do that for you. Then we’ll let you know when you can quickly sign on to a letter or attend a meeting that will make a big difference on energy policies.

CLIMATE CRISIS

We all agree, we want to leave a better world for our children and grandchildren. Unfortunately, we’re already experiencing climate change impacts such as recent strange and severe weather.

Climate change leads to more (and more severe) wildfires, drought, heatwaves, more insect-borne disease, continued severe storms and potential food shortages. That’s not the world we want for our kids.

Colorado Mountain Mamas are taking charge to protect those we love the most. That’s why we are committed to the Colorado Climate Action Plan.

The same industrial activities that are causing the climate crisis also damage our health now. During oil and gas operations, climate-changing methane is released as well as other chemicals like benzene, a known carcinogen.

Smog created by burning fossil fuels leads to respiratory problems, reproductive damage, heart disease and developmental problems.

Ozone pollution forms in the presence of heat, warmer weather leads to more ozone pollution creating a vicious cycle.

COLORADO CLIMATE ACTION PLAN

Since the federal government is doing nothing to address, in fact is denying, the climate crisis, we’re depending on states to make BOLD moves.

Colorado has the potential to be a national leader in fighting the climate crisis.

The Colorado Climate Action Plan, passed in 2019, requires the state to lower our carbon pollution emissions, as compared to 2005 levels, by

by 2030

by 2050

This is a great first step! Now we need to make it a reality by taking the necessary action to reduce carbon pollution across all aspects of life in Colorado.

Did you know?

The Air Quality Control Commission (AQCC) is the primary agency responsible for ensuring we reach these goals. Join Colorado Mountain Mamas in asking the AQCC to take urgent and bold action to meet our responsibilities. It’s as easy as signing your name to this letter right now (will only take one minute!) so our kids can have a healthy, more secure future!

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Mountain Mama’s Colorado staff members work statewide yet are currently based out of Denver, which occupies the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary lands of the Hinónoʼeitíít (Arapaho), Tsétsêhéstâhese (Cheyenne), and Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute) peoples.

Learn why land acknowledgments are important here and start finding out more about the history of your location here.