Commentary
Other ways Boebert might find herself ‘unavoidably detained’
If you miss a really important event after you said you’d be there, wouldn’t it be great if you could avoid the fallout by just telling people you were “unavoidably detained”? Say you’ve got a presentation with a big client, but at the appointed time, you’re nowhere to be found. What if you could keep […]
Bees are being decimated in Colorado, but a new law will help
On the last day of Colorado’s 2023 legislative session, Senate Bill 23-266 was signed by leaders of the state Senate and House. The bill limits the sale of a class of pesticides, neonicotinoids, or “neonics,” which are known for killing bees and other pollinators. The governor signed the bill a little over one week later, […]
It’s time to get real (data) on pollution reductions
Oil and gas operations emit pollution that harms health and worsens the climate crisis. There neither is nor will there ever be such a thing as “zero-pollution” oil and gas operations. Emitting pollution is built into how this industry operates. However, there are existing technologies and practices that are tried and true for dramatically reducing […]
Denver has 137 miles of new bike lanes, but more quality multimodal facilities are needed
On a recent Wednesday, surrounded by 20-25 Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure staff and bike advocates, Mayor Michael Hancock took a victory lap in regards to bike lane build-outs. Speaking in front of newly built bike infrastructure across from Rocky Mountain Lake Park, Hancock emphasized that “these are new opportunities for people to get […]
Time is ripe for rural climate action
There is no better time to invest in rural Colorado and in climate action. The best science is telling us that the window is still slamming shut for staving off significantly worse effects from climate change. Congress might be focused on the debt limit and spending cuts, but we should not be distracted by the […]
BLM rulemaking is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape conservation policy
A version of this commentary originally appeared in the Nevada Current. While it may not receive the national headlines other federal agencies do, the Bureau of Land Management is one of the most consequential agencies in the federal government. Very soon, it could be one of our biggest sources of action to take on climate […]
Symbols of the Confederacy are slowly coming down from US military bases: 3 essential reads
This commentary originally appeared in The Conversation. Without much fanfare, a federal panel is removing the names of Confederate generals from U.S. military bases and replacing them with names that exemplify modern-day values and patriotism. Most recently, on May 11, 2023, the U.S. Army base in Georgia originally named after Confederate Brig. Gen. Henry Benning […]
Pivotal moments in basketball and our energy transition
A version of this commentary originally appeared in Big Pivots. We sometimes have pivots, long in the making but defined by moments. They occurred both in basketball and in Colorado energy on May 22. In basketball, Nicola Jokić and the Nuggets dethroned the King, as LeBron James has long been known, and his Los Angeles […]
Debt limit recklessness rooted in growing right-wing nihilism
Republicans in the U.S. government are close to making the deliberate choice not to pay the nation’s bills. Much of the discussion around this malfeasance commonly involves smoothed-over terms like “debt limit” and “default.” But the plain truth demands phrases like “extortion” and “betrayal.” The Republicans who are solely responsible for the crisis can soberly […]
‘It’ll be fine, I’ll be with a white girl’: Words of wisdom and a warning
This commentary originally appeared in the Pennsylvania Capital-Star. My best friend was around to my house on a recent Saturday for a long overdue reunion. Adult schedules and the demands of parenthood being what they are, it had taken UN-level negotiations to get our calendars to match. As we caught up, with a ballgame on […]
When wolves move in, they push smaller carnivores closer to human development
This commentary originally appeared in The Conversation. Large carnivores like wolves are returning to areas they used to occupy, leading scientists to wonder whether they may once again fulfill important ecological roles. But wolves’ return to the landscape can affect other nearby animals in complex ways. Our research, published in the journal Science, shows that […]
Colorado is turning a corner on mental health. Services depend on sustained funds.
In 2020, a blueprint to improving behavioral health services in Colorado was formed. As a former employee of the community mental health system in Colorado, I was excited to see the potential for change for this system. And now, as a doctoral student researching issues in accessing community-based mental health services for historically underserved populations, […]