Sustainability Action in Superior

Sustainable Road Construction

There are many choices for using recycled materials for road construction. For example, use of plastic bottles combined with the existing crushed asphalt can be done on site. This eliminates hauling away the existing asphalt and using entirely new materials to reconstruct the road. https://dot.ca.gov/news-releases/news-release-2020-024 There are many other options including reuse of crushed concrete. https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs-0181-99/fs-0181-99so.pdf https://www.fs.fed.us/t-d/pubs/pdfpubs/pdf12771807/pdf12771807dpi72.pdf

Create more housing at smaller, more affordable price points so workers do not commute from far away, adding emissions.

housing for workers

Encourage single family residential units to set aside a 5x5 plot for the planting of milkweed, etc for migrating Monarch butterflies, etc.

Sustainability has to be tied to actual resource limits. With a growing population sustainability tied to per capita metrics is meaningless.

Substitute sustainable limit by resource for pre capita efficiency metrics

Ban plastic bags at shops. Provide green bins for compost Recyclable containers for restaurants.

Stop plastic bags from being handed out at shops. The people of Superior need to be held more accountable and play the easiest part possible, which is to bring your own bags to the supermarket. Posters to educate these apparently uneducated residents at supermarkets or around town might help raise awareness. Every week I see the trash bins filled with yard clippings. I do understand that not everyone has a truck or a vehicle suitable for removing yard waste. The easiest way is to make a green bin a part of our rates. I also wonder how many residents know about the facility for dropping off waste in Superior. Many restaurants are still putting take out food into styrofoam containers. Also they put plastic straws into drinks and use single use plastic cups. We live so close to Boulder which appears to have a much more aware population. I am continually dumbfounded by the residents of Superior. I understand that the above items are small in the big scheme of things. However it does bring awareness and it is a start.

Consider building/supporting community gardens

Community gardens can be a great way to educate residents about a range of topics, promote locally-grown produce, build community, promote physical activity, offer more composting options to residents, and reduce the urban heat island effect. Particularly given the relatively dense proposed development in Downtown and elsewhere, community gardens could be a great asset to the Town that could contribute to meeting its sustainability goals.

Encourage and support our schools to become Green Star Schools with access to recycling, composting and zero waste education.

Air seal attic

Encourage people to air seal their attic spaces with spray foam. After I air sealed mine and then moving existing insulation back in place my heating bills went down 15-20% per month in the winter. I have not added more insulation yet, I will add that this winter.

Use solar panels to cover parking lots

Instead of compromising undeveloped land, use already developed land to create solar farms. Many additional benefits: closer to end users and existing infrastructure, shade cars, multi purpose land usage, …

Year round residential compost collection, please!