Happy Spring semester, Auraria!

We hope everyone had a wonderful winter break and are ready to take on another semester. Lets make Spring 2021 our most sustainable summer yet. 

Throughout January and February the ASCP will be highlighting residential and commercial Energy Efficiency.

For a refresher, here is what we do at the ASCP!

Be sure to tune in as we feature past, present, and future ASCP energy projects and data on our social media accounts.

Sneak peek of what's to come:

Spring Sustainability Workshop Series Begins

Starting February 4th and running until the beginning of April, we are providing students with virtual Sustainability workshops on different topics including waste, water, food waste, and many more!

*CU Denver students have an opportunity to earn a Sustainability certificate 

Learn more on our website

Virtual Book Club Spring 2021

The Winter Book Club has begun! Headed up by MSU professor, Christina Foust, the Academic Subcommittee of the ASCP will be continuing their focus on environmental justice be reading and discussing “Braiding Sweetgrass: indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge,& the teaching of plants.” 

It's not too late to catch up and join the conversation! 

“Did you know that Auraria Campus also touts a handful of LEED Gold certified buildings? Join Auraria Sustainable Campus Program staff, AMD Architects, and OZ Architecture to learn more about these sustainability features and the LEED projects on this downtown Denver campus that houses CU Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver, and Community College of Denver!"  

Join USGBC Mountain Region at their online event which highlights sustainable features of our very own Auraria Campus.  

Auraria Campus students attend for free! Please reach out to ahall@usgbc.org for a special registration code.

January and February's #WalkTheWalkASCP

is all about Energy Efficiency at home!

Send us a photo, video or text that shares how you conserve energy within your home and be entered to win a prize! 

Some examples of submissions include:

(1)Adjusting thermostat settings, (2)replacing incandescent bulbs with LEDs, (3)turning the lights out when not in use, (4)combining appliances on a power-strip and shutting off at night (especially consoles that have vampire loads), etc!

Need more inspiration? Check out footage from one of our past #WalkTheWalkASCP competitions below!

EVERYONE is invited to participate and eligible to win prizes including members of the surrounding community that are not affiliated with the Auraria Campus.

The prizes this time include LED WiFi connected Smart Lightbulbs and Anker PowerCore Solar Powered Portable Electronics Charger!

How to enter: Participation is easy! Just comment on one our January and February #WalkTheWalkASCP posts about how you save energy in your life!

For bonus entries submit videos, photos, and tips about 

Energy Efficiency to us in a direct message

 via Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.

Not on socials? Email your submission to ascpnews@gmail.com

#WalkTheWalkASCP home page 

December's #WalkTheWalkASCP

 winner is MSU Denver student Clare Burnett!

The theme was reducing waste in your everyday lives, and Clare submitted great tips on sustainable gift wrapping and brought awareness to brands that use recycled materials and renewable resources. 

Thank you so much, Clare, for your entry. 

DYK? 63 metal halide pedestrian lights replaced with LED bulbs have saved an estimated 674 MTCO2e per year!

In early 2020, the Visionaire LED lighting upgrade was completed. The ASCP co-funded this large project with AHEC about a year ago. 

Thank you AHEC for implementation!

The Auraria Higher Education Center also has exciting news about lighting upgrades in the 5th Street Garage! Read the full article here.

To learn more about the impact of the ASCP's Energy Efficiency Projects, check out our annual report

The 40,000 square foot Alliance Center in Denver is installing a bidirectional electric vehicle charger and advanced software technology in the parking lot that serves the building; the system will use energy stored in a Nissan Leaf battery to charge the building during peak demand times. The system will lead to energy cost savings and a reduction in the building’s carbon footprint, The Alliance Center says.

Did you know that LED lightbulbs last for ten years?! 

Below you will find several resources on how to affordably green your home, office, and beyond!

Colorado Energy Office: Learn about the Colorado RENU loan, which makes home energy upgrades easy and affordable by offering low-cost, long-term financing for energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements. Learn More

Energy Outreach Colorado: Energy Outreach Colorado was established in 1989 and believes that “everyone deserves affordable access to the vital resources that power their homes. When everyone can afford and maintain their home, then they can focus on living, rather than merely surviving.” Learn More

LEAP or Colorado Low Income Energy Assistance Program: The Colorado Low-income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) is a federally funded program that helps eligible hard-working Colorado families, seniors and individuals pay a portion of their winter home heating costs. 

Learn More

Xcel Energy's Residential Energy Efficiency Rebates or program offerings: Xcel offers a number of programs and equipment rebates to help you discover energy efficiency opportunities and offset the cost of implementation. Their Energy Squad program offers a low cost audit and provides some free immediate replacements (faucet aerators, LED light bulbs, possibly programmable thermostat). Learn More

JOB- AHEC- Electrical Trades 2

Full time - Auraria Campus - Denver, CO

This position is located in the Electrical Shop in the Facilities Services Department at the Auraria Higher Education Center (AHEC). The purpose of the Electrical Shop is to provide first-line electrical support for the Auraria Campus and its functions.

Learn More

JOB- Colorado Energy Office- Weatherization Assistance Program- Program Associate

Full time - Office of the Governor - Denver, CO

The Colorado Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), as part of CEO, provides energy efficiency and renewable energy retrofits to income-qualified Colorado residents. These retrofits include LED light bulbs, high efficiency furnaces and refrigerators, building shell insulation, and rooftop solar arrays, among others. WAP operates in all 64 Colorado counties and serves Colorado’s diverse population of residents through its local service providers. The WAP Associate is a key part of the CEO WAP team and works with service providers, funders, and other stakeholders to help deliver WAP services.

Learn More

INTERNSHIP- The Wilderness Society’s 30x30 Campaign

You can play a meaningful role in showing Colorado’s elected officials how important their leadership is in The Wilderness Society’s 30x30 Campaign. Right now, we are hiring interns and recruiting volunteers to work on our campaign starting now, through early April.  There are many opportunities to get involved remotely -  from collecting  petitions, to driving social media campaigns, to organizing events. With your support, we can set the stage to accelerate the pace and scale of land conservation to 30% by the end of the decade. 

Learn More

RYM Recycling 

January 24th

4 pm (virtual)

Slow Living is meant to bring the community together by inviting individuals from diverse disciplines to share their knowledge, facilitate conversation and encourage sustainability through their respective professions.

Learn More

Better Building Webinars

Various Dates

Head to their website for the full schedule

Learn about the value of Green Leasing, Minimizing infectious disease spread in buildings, lighting upgrades, and more!

Full schedule and sign up

WIS Lunch and Lean- Building Regenerative Urban Hubs

January 27th

12:30 pm (virtual)

Regenerative Urban Hub: Understanding the transformative power of food waste as “Natural Capital”, providing localized diversion and access to the embedded assets (nutrients, water, renewable energy) which can directly be regenerated back into the community to support urban food system development.

Learn more and sign up

2021 CU Social Justice Summit

Registration Deadline: January 22nd

Event: February 5th 

9 am - 5 pm

Revolutionizing Systems for Equity: If not now, when?

Register

The Future of Energy: Energy Accessibility

(Past Event) January 19th

Watch the Full Recording

Colorado's ongoing energy transition isn't just about technology; it's also about people. Each year, tens of thousands of residents struggle to pay their electric bills or lack access to reliable energy. The cost of electricity remains a primary market driver and can greatly impact behaviors and attitudes toward energy. 

OLMECA- Music, Race, and Social Justice 

Visiting Artist Series

February 3rd

6 pm (virtual)

The MSU Denver Department of Music, with support from the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, is excited to announce our 2020/2021 Virtual Visiting Artist Series on Music, Race, & Social Justice. This year-long series highlights the work of BIPOC musicians, performers, and scholars.

Attend

MSU Denver STEM & Envrionmental Science Career Fair

March 4th

1 pm - 5 pm (virtual)

The STEM & Environmental Science Virtual Career Fair is a premier opportunity to connect our top students with employers hiring for professional jobs and internships in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and Environmental related fields.

Sign Up

On-Campus Resources

The Phoenix Center

Health Center at Auraria

MSU Campus Recreation Center

LGBTQ Student Resource Center

One World One Water Center

Students for Sustainability Club

Environmental Science Club

MSU Geography Club

Off-Campus Resources

Denver CASR

Lakewood Office of Sustainability

Woodbine Ecology Center

Alliance Center