WESTERN COLORADO CLIMATE CHALLENGE & SOLAR FAIR, Paonia, CO

The Western Colorado Climate Challenge is a forum where people can learn, engage, devise and take steps to solve local issues related to the climate crisis.No longer can we stand-by without taking responsibility. Neither can we wait until policy and legislation catches up with our circumstances.This is truly the time when the people must lead. The day has arrived when each of us can be responsible for how we energize our lives, how we reduce our own consumption, lessen our own footprint. YOUR IDEAS ARE GOING TO PAVE THE WAY TO REAL CHANGE IN COLORADO! We are bringing a diverse group of people together from all over Western Colorado. We are going to meet, focus on our challenges and hash out a firm action plan to change the course our future. We look forward to you joining us! Friday Solar Fair – Free & Open to Public at SEI ●Hosted by Solar Energy International and launching SEI’s long-awaited Solarize North Fork project ●Exhibits from area businesses and organizations ●Light refreshments, cash bar with local beer, wine, hard cider and organic juices ●Live Music: featuring Brodie Kinder & The Killer Bees and other Special Guests Friday Program (@ Solar Fair) ●Welcome & About the Climate Challenge Weekend – Pete Kolbenschlag, Mountain West Strategies ●Switch 2020 & Colorado Climate Summit – Robert Castellino with Climate Colorado and Switch 2020 ●SEI – Solarize North Fork Valley – Kristen O’Brien with Solar Energy International/Solarize North Fork project ●Western Colorado Climate Challenge – Re-Cap & Introducing the Challenges – Robert, Kristen, Pete Saturday Program: ●Panel Discussion: Breaking Barriers, Creating Collaboration for Local Power Generation Led by John Gavan, Delta Montrose Electric Assoc. with Del Worley, Holy Cross Electric Assoc; Mona Newton, Community Office for Resource Efficiency; ●Presentation: Water, Western Colorado and Climate Change By Dr. Gigi Richard, The Water Center at Colorado Mesa University Saturday Breakouts (4 challenges) ●Switch 2020: Moving Colorado to Renewables and Minimizing Water Use – Climate Colorado Leader: Robert Castellino, Colorado Climate Summit Issue: The Climate Crisis requires decisive and immediate action, which often seems too large and unworkable to address. Challenge: How to motivate individuals, businesses, and governments to make commitments to move toward net zero and drastic reduction in water use? What are the actions and deliverables needed to engage communities across Colorado for these changes to occur within the next ten years? ●Rural Solarization – Solar Energy International Leader: Kristen O’ Brien, Solarize North Fork Project; Ed Marston, Board President Solar Energy International Issue: Rural solarization is impeded by isolated, often economically disadvantaged populations, outdated policy, and a public unaware of available programs and/or financing that makes sense. Challenge: Maximizing opportunities to promote and implement solarization in small, economically diverse, and dispersed rural communities. ●Regional Collaboration for Local Generation – ‘Community Challenge’ Leader:John Gaven, DMEA Board Member Issue: Opportunities abound for local power generation, but outdated federal, state and utility policies, lack of project financing, and other obstacles seem to block development, local innovation and installation. Challenge: What collaborations make local power generation feasible and gets more installed? ●Rivers & People Need Water- Gunnison River & Water Management in the Drying West Leader: Sarah Sauter, Western Slope Conservation Center Issue:In a drying American West, the Gunnison River is a major tributary to an over-allocated resource: the Colorado River. It is also a critical environmental and human resource – already part of the Colorado River Storage Project (Aspinall Unit) and utilized extensively for local irrigation, it also provides recreation, abundant agricultural return, and downstream flows for fish, wildlife and other users. Challenge:How can water users and residents in the Gunnison Basin implement changes to conserve and secure our water resources? http://climatecolorado.org/western-slope-climate-challenge-2015/