Happy 2024 from the Town of Superior’s Sustainability Team! We are gearing up for another big year and are excited to keep working towards our sustainability and environmental goals. From increasing sustainability offerings at Town events to supporting resident programs on everything from improving energy efficiency to low-water gardening, there’s a lot to look forward to this year.

As always, thanks for being a part of making Superior a sustainable, resilient and vibrant community.

- Town of Superior Sustainability Team

For the past two years, the Town has submitted environmental data to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) to provide public transparency around the Town’s emissions progress, sustainability targets, and resilience and adaptation measures.

For the 2023 reporting year, the Town of Superior scored an A-, an improvement from our B score in 2022. The new grade was based on investing time to improve our collected data and new additions to our climate and sustainability work, as well as having ambitious, science-based emission reduction goals. Superior residents making more sustainable choices and being part of the solution to a greener future also played a role, so thank you!

Over 1,000 cities across the world report via CDP, and the reporting process allows for transparent data sharing, streamlines reporting on key climate initiatives, measures progress against UN-backed climate campaigns such as Race to Zero and helps inform climate policy.

Did you know that around 50% of houses in Boulder County have unhealthy radon levels, compared to 6% in the rest of the country?

Radon is an invisible, odorless gas that is naturally occurring and can cause lung cancer. Because people are less likely to leave their windows and doors open in winter, January is a great month to test your home! Testing is simple and inexpensive. The State has a limited number of free radon test kits available or low-cost test kits are available at Resource Central's Tool Library or sosradon.org If elevated levels are discovered, they’re easier to fix than you’d think.

For more information about radon and testing, visit boco.org/radon or contact Boulder County Public Health at HealthRadon@bouldercounty.gov.

Even though winter has just set in, now is a great time to think ahead and start planning for your summer yard and landscaping.

Resource Central’s Lawn Replacement Program offers a mix-and-match solution for upgrading to a more waterwise yard while saving water and money, reducing lawn maintenance and creating a colorful backyard habitat. Applications will open soon, and participants will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Make sure you apply by the priority deadline of April 1 for the best chance at project approval, access to Garden in a Box kits and earlier scheduling!

To stay informed on when the application opens and program updates, sign up for the Lawn Replacement Interest List.

In this section in our newsletter, we focus on one waste-related topic in Superior. To keep it simple, remember the 4 R’s: Reduce the amount of waste you produce, Reuse items as much as you can before replacing them, and Repair and Recycle items wherever possible.

Post-Holiday Material Recycling

Coming out of the holiday season, you may have received quite a few mailers, boxes and other packaging items. It can get confusing to decipher which items belong in your curbside recycling, which items can be recycled at special facilities like CHaRM in Boulder, and which items belong in the trash. If you’re not sure what goes where check out Eco-Cycle’s new guidelines list just for packaging and mailers!

Still have some holiday leftovers like broken light strands? Check out Eco-Cycle's Holiday Guide for the best place to take them.

Are you enjoying the Sustainability newsletter? Did you know the Town also sends a Historical Commission, Parks & Recreation, and Superior Sentinel newsletter? You can also subscribe to receive Superior Community Center updates, Town Board information, Marshall Fire news, and more. For more information and to view your preferences, visit the Town's email subscription page.