Peak Environment

Project Taurus is a proposed data center near Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. Multiple community groups have filed appeals to the city’s administrative approval of the project. Where to from here? Ciara and Riss from 350 Colorado Springs discuss. In a time of alternative facts as well as the ability to buy credibility and manipulate human behavior, how do we go about fighting extractive, e...

Need to know where to take items like metals and electronics? Look to Colorado Industrial Recycling and ITAD Electronics for your needs. These businesses help make our region more sustainable and resilient by recycling challenging items. Want your business to be more resilient? Check out the Colorado Green Business Network! They offer free information and assistance to help your business to reduce...

Wildfire seasons are intensifying, but what if the very fuels driving these fires could become part of the solution? In this episode, firefighter and regenerative farmer Will Vogl, Douglas County Environmental Inspections Supervisor Jared Tanaka, and Pikes Peak Permaculture’s Becky Elder and Ally Richardson explore the growing role of biochar in building climate resilience. Douglas County’s new bi...

Everything you ever wanted to know about our home watershed. Hear about water supply and conservation, creek restoration, the regional trail, and the upcoming Great American Cleanup. This is a Sustainability in Progress presentation from Peak Alliance for a Sustainable Future. Host: Mary Barber Guests: Alli Schuch, Executive Director, Fountain Creek Watershed District Mary Wilson, Outreach Coordin...

How does a small garden club grow into a powerful driver of community resilience? Host Ally Richardson and leaders from the Manitou Springs Garden Club explore how plant sales, community grants, and hands‑on education strengthen our local ecosystems. Their work shows how simple, community‑rooted actions can create lasting impact. As Bill Mollison reminds us, “Though the problems of the world are i...

Colorado Springs Utilities wants to delay closing its last coal-fired powerplant. CSU is currently obligated under its clean energy plan to close its Ray Nixon plant by the end of 2029 in order to meet a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2030. It claims the extension is necessary because it is too costly to meet the current deadline. Learn about proposed legislation that woul...

What if ten weekends could change the way you see your land, your home, and your future? Host Ally Richardson interviews three recent graduates of the 2025 Permaculture Design Certification Course where they share the moments that surprised them, the skills that reshaped their thinking, and the unexpected community they found along the way. Before you hire a landscaper, hear what a PDC can unlock....

ERC helps cut wasted energy consumption through energy-efficient home upgrades, now available to all households in their 27-county service area, regardless of income level. Upgrades are free to income-qualifying households. ERC collectively saves $300,000 in utility bills each year by upgrading about 2,000 homes. Energy Resource Center Director of Programs Mike Mazzola fills us in on what ERC can...

Shrinking your holiday footprint on the planet can seem daunting – but this episode offers tips to make it a joy. Peak Alliance for a Sustainable Future (PASF) is deviating from the norm this month. Instead of the usual live, third Wednesday Zoom event, the November Sustainability in Progress is this pre-recorded studio conversation. This conversation is about the holidays, discovering local resou...

Energy rates are changing, and so is the demand. Pikes Peak Permaculture’s Ally Richardson, frequent producer and cohost of the Peak Environment podcast, shares practical ways we can reduce energy use and rethink consumption. She’s joined by panelists Becky Elder (a permaculture instructor) and Scott Harvey (a structural and electrical engineer). They delve into the current state of energy usage i...

Unite Your World with the Arts! Some people might think that the concept of sustainability means only environmental sustainability. While sustainability does include nature and the environment, it also encompasses society or community, economy, and individual well-being. Arts and culture represents one aspect of social sustainability that sustains and improves our quality of life, which we explore...

We begin to unravel one of the most complex and timely topics in the global energy landscape. Whether you’re a student, a policy maker, a professional in the energy sector, or simply an engaged global citizen, this episode promises to broaden your horizons and foster informed dialogue. As countries strive to decarbonize their energy sectors, the debate over nuclear power becomes increasingly vital...

Why is water such a hot-button issue in Colorado right now? Host/producer Ally Richardson dives into the heart of local water challenges with Dave Gardner, Mark Robinson, and Mike Callicrate. From policy to permaculture, they explore innovative solutions that could shape the future of our region’s most precious resource. In the conversation today: Farmer Mark Robinson from Green Hill Farm in Peyto...

Stuck on how to grow food in our region of Southern Colorado? Don’t know where to start? Feeling overwhelmed? Or shoot, do you just want to pick good local food up?  Peak Environment Cohost Ally Richardson joins Kristie Taylor at Vermijo Community Garden to talk about how the garden is transforming more than just the landscape. It’s sparking a movement, cultivating connections, and nourishing...

What can we expect in the future for both public and automobile transportation in the Pikes Peak Region? We hear from the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments (PPACG) and Mountain Metro (Colorado Springs’ bus system). John Liosatos, Transportation Director of Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments, discusses the recently adopted 2050 Long Range Transportation Plan for the Pikes Peak Region as we...

The state of housing affordability and attainability in Colorado Springs, and what the Pikes Peak Housing Network is doing to improve it. “Colorado Springs and El Paso County aren't building enough homes that typical buyers can afford, while smaller houses and other types of housing options are needed to make housing more attainable for many people, including young adults… and seniors….” That’s th...

Ever stopped to wonder what’s in the air you breathe? From invisible pollutants to visible smog, air quality affects us all—whether we realize it or not. Host Ally Richardson from Pikes Peak Permaculture sits down with activist and Peak Environment cohost Konrad Schlarbaum, alongside Pikes Peak Area Council of Government’s Air Quality Outreach Specialist Kenzie Courtney, to discuss air quality in...

What do 68 monitoring sites and over $1.3 million annual investment in data collection tell us about Fountain Creek? Colorado Springs Utilities water quality expert Annie Berlemann provides some answers. She is Fountain Creek Watershed Project Manager for the utility. Fountain Creek is one of Colorado’s most closely monitored and ecologically diverse waterways—spanning urban neighborhoods, rural l...

Spring is here, and it’s the perfect time to revitalize your space with sustainability in mind! Join Ally Richardson and Aaron Shaha, local permaculturists who dive into Zone 0, sharing their journey, expert insights, and practical resources for greener living in the Pikes Peak region. This episode covers essential topics like energy efficiency, water conservation, food production, waste reduction...

A panel discussion with Fountain Creek Watershed District Executive Director Alli Schuch and Jim O’Donnell, author of Fountain Creek: Big Lessons from a Little River, followed by a dynamic community conversation. Alli provides an overview of watershed basics and shares insights on the current state of Fountain Creek. She highlights future opportunities and challenges facing the watershed. Jim dive...

Get an update on exciting Great Outdoors Colorado investments and work statewide, from Christopher Aaby, the Generation Wild Program Officer with GOCO. Great Outdoors Colorado invests a portion of the Colorado Lottery proceeds through competitive grants open to local governments and land trusts in Colorado. GOCO just released their 2024 annual report available here:  https://www.goco.org/annu...

Components of nature connection and the basic skills that everyone's ancestors practiced. Host/co-producer Ally Richardson and guests Iraiah & Austin – who run Smokebrush’s Earth Skill Club – talk about facilitating opportunities in our local community to foster deeper connections, not only with fellow humans but with all living things in our surrounding ecosystems. Deeply engage your sen...

Learn about the comprehensive vision for future investments and stewardship, with a focus on downtown Colorado Springs. We’ll hear from Chris Lieber, COO for Pikes Peak Waterways, Principal at N.E.S. Inc. and Chair of the Downtown Development Authority. He is joined by former city councilor Jan Martin, cofounder and board member for Pikes Peak Waterways. The COS Creek Plan  establishes a comp...

Chelsea and Melissa at 350 Colorado discuss hope and art, in addition to specifics on exciting events in CO Springs coming up in 2025. This episode is a must listen! Also discussed: COP29 Climate Lobby Day – Friday, March 7  350 Colorado is the largest Colorado-based grassroots network focused on taking action to stop climate change. It’s an independent state affiliate of 350.org, the well-known g...

There is a divide among sustainability advocates concerning urban development. At a glance, it may seem that halting all development would be beneficial. However, John Olson urges us to look beyond the surface and consider the implications of how we develop our cities, as well as the potential consequences of stopping development altogether. He believes we need to shift the status quo mindset of d...