The Laramie River Valley is blessed with a beautiful environment
here in the mountains of Colorado. Our mountain spring water is clean,
our river is pristine. But we are also part of a larger world which
faces environmental challenges.
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We are committed to doing what we can to protect our global shared
resources. Here are some of the ways in which our little dude ranch is
trying to make a difference...
- Green Power - Our electricity is purchased through our local coop's Green Power
program. Green Power is produced by wind, biomass, solar, and
hydroelectric generation units in our area. You too can purchase
Green Power - read more
here.
- Environmentally Responsible Purchasing
- Where available, the ranch purchases recycled products. Our office
paper, disposable paper used in our kitchen, even our toilet paper are
recycled products. We've also moved to source our food as locally
as is possible when one lives in the mountains of Colorado.
- Recycling - We recycle steel, aluminum, glass, office paper, cardboard,
crude paper, magazines, catalogs, phone books, newspapers, batteries, and
recyclable plastics. Our guests have the opportunity to
participate via conveniently available recycle bins in your rooms and
public spaces. In our back office, we recycle old electronics like
computers with responsible
recyclers here in Colorado.
- Composting - The ranch composts
leftover foods stuffs, yard wastes, and agricultural wastes.
- Ultra Low Emission Vehicles - Our passenger vehicles meet California's Ultra Low
Emission Vehicle standards that cut emissions to less than half of the
emissions of vehicles produced in that year. When available we use
biodiesel for our largest horse-hauling vehicles.
- Clean Air - We are replacing our dirty two-stroke engines (lawn mowers, week
trimmers) with cleaner four-stroke models.
- Water Conservation - The ranch employs low-flow
toilets, showerheads and faucet aerators. The Burleigh family tested close to a dozen showerheads to find low-flow
models that saved water while providing a comfortable and satisfying
shower.
- Energy Efficient Lighting & Appliances - The ranch employs energy efficient lighting, solar lighting, and timers to save electricity.
Our night sky remains dark and clear for star gazing. We use
Energy Star appliances like washing machines and dryers.
- Integrated Pest Management - The
ranch uses as few pesticides and herbicides as possible and only the
most environmentally benign options available. For mosquitoes, we
use BTI, a bacteria found in nature.
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