Solutions Volume 10, Issue 1 by The Solutions Journal

January 2019, Volume 10, Issue 1

For a sustainable and desirable future

Solutions 10th Anniversary Issue The National Western Center and the Sun Valley EcoDistrict by Jocelyn Hittle and Chris Parr Sustainability at Denver International Airport by Scott Morrissey Sustainability Finds a Home on the Range by Jarrett Wendt Energize Denver by Katrina Managan and Lauren DĂŠriaz Building a Sustainable and Resilient Urban Water Strategy by Will Sarni www.thesolutionsjournal.com USD $5.99 CAD $6.99 EURO â‚Ź4.99

Entrepreneurs and Wicked Problems by Tom Higley

A NEW DAWN FOR BUSINESS EDUCATION Our Vision â€” Helping business become stewards of society to improve the quality of life on earth

www.regis.edu/cbe

Tinianow, J. (2019). Solutions Journal 10th Anniversary Issue. Solutions 10(1): 1. https://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/article/solutions-journal-10th-anniversary-issue

Editorial by Jerry Tinianow

Solutions Journal 10th Anniversary Issue

ustainability solutions take many different forms. Reflecting that, this Tenth Anniversary issue of The Solutions Journal is different from any of the previous issues. The Solutions Journal has never before focused an issue on a single location. This issue is devoted exclusively to sustainability solutions in and around the city of Denver, Colorado. Why Denver? It’s a medium-sized city of about 700,000, located where the American Great Plains meet the Rocky Mountains. Its population is young, diverse and well-educated. It’s a capital city, specifically the capital of the State of Colorado. It’s an international city, with one of the busiest hub airports in the world. It’s an academic city, with several large academic institutions nearby, including the University of Colorado, the Colorado School of Mines, Colorado State University and the U.S. Air Force Academy. And it’s the center of a region of high-tech institutions like the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Rocky Mountain Institute. Denver has many advantages, but it also has many challenges. As American cities go it is relatively remote. Its central inland location puts it far from deep-water ports and other population center. It takes nearly a full day to drive to any other city of comparable size. Its relatively poor soils and semi-arid, four-season climate limit what can be grown nearby. It can sustain long-term prosperity only through careful attention to sustainability of the basic resources upon which that prosperity depends. Despite these challenges, Denver’s historic attention to sustainability has made it one of the fastest-growing and most prosperous cities in the United States. At the core of its sustainability

success lies a culture of collaboration. In Denver, businesses work well with government and with each other. Non-profits thrive. Neighborhood and community organizations are numerous and engaging. Denver is a city where newcomers are welcome and can advance quickly, while families going back many generations remain to provide a sense of continuity.

together for ten intense days to develop private business solutions to ten of the most wicked sustainability challenges that Denver and other cities face. Collaboration in Denver does not stop at our border. As our Mayor, Michael B. Hancock, points out in his article, Denver strives to set a good example, while recognizing that it cannot solve global problems like rapid

Denver’s historic attention to sustainability has made it one of the fastest-growing and most prosperous cities in the United States. This issue reports on many separate initiatives. Some involve energy and greenhouse gas reduction, areas where Denver has enjoyed notable success. Some involve water, always a challenge in a region that is dry to begin with and is subject to serious droughts even as the population grows rapidly. Indeed, water issues cut both ways in Colorado; sometimes we have too little, and other times we have too much; both challenges are addressed in this issue. The issue also highlights how the Denver community collaborates so successfully. One article discusses the close relationship that Denver has developed with its investor-owned utility, Xcel Energy. Another describes the relationship between those two entities and Panasonic, which will result in the development of a new “smart city” near the airport. Another article discusses how Denver works internationally to bring in Israeli technology and experience to solve nearby problems. There is also an article on the 10.10.10 initiative, which brings ten serial entrepreneurs

climate change on its own. Denver works to export its successes to other cities, and in turn to learn what’s working for them. Such intercity cooperation and coordination is always important, but particularly so during the present time, when the U.S. federal government has abandoned climate leadership. This is why I welcomed to opportunity to be the guest editor of this issue; because the issue provides us with another opportunity to engage the rest of the world in Denver’s sustainability model. The Solutions Journal represents an ongoing effort to inform the world about what works in sustainability. It celebrates success, and also promotes replication. I hope that this unique issue, which tells the story of how one very special place is addressing sustainability on multiple levels, will serve to inspire other cities to aim for a similar level of innovation, engagement and commitment. Ultimately, sustainability can only be achieved through a sustained and coordinated global effort.

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Contents

January 2019

Features

The National Western Center and the Sun Valley EcoDistrict: Infusing Large-Scale Urban Development Projects with Sustainability by Jocelyn Hittle and Chris Parr

Cities are defined by iconic district-level projects that embody the community’s fundamental values. Two projects in Denver, the National Western Center and Sun Valley, will showcase the latest in energy efficiency, renewable energy, water conservation and solid waste reduction.

The search for real answers begins with Solutions

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Sustainability Finds a Home on the Range

Energize Denver: Improving the Energy Efficiency of Large Buildings in Denver

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by Jarrett Wendt

Panasonic was looking for a new headquarters for its U.S. business operations and wanted a city with a strong track record in sustainability and public-private collaboration. It found one in Denver.

by Katrina Managan and Lauren Dériaz

Through a carefully-organized program of requiring large commercial buildings to record and report their energy usage publicly, Denver saw a 4.5 percent reduction in energy used in such buildings in just the first year of the program.

Join the Dialogue Submit your thoughts, data, and innovations in the form of articles, news stories, features, or online comments. Follow us and shout out on Twitter @SolutionsMag on Facebook @SolutionsJournal and on Instagram @Solutions.Journal. What are your #solutions?

by Scott Morrissey

At the Denver International Airport, careful planning, committed leadership, and a willingness to innovate are demonstrating that sustainability can be a fundamental feature of one of the busiest airports in the United States.

Join the Solutions Team Become a part of the global Solutions team. Applications are invited for volunteer section editors. Have Solutions delivered to your door or devices with our PDF subscription. Keep up to date on our latest articles and gain exclusive access to online and face to face Solutions events.

Sustainability at Denver International Airport

Transforming a Voter Initiated Green Roof Ordinance into Denver’s Ambitious New Green Building Policy by Katrina Managan

Denver’s new Green Building Policy, which originated as a voterpassed initiative, will require continued transformation of building energy performance, while providing flexibility to building owners.

Building a Sustainable and Resilient Urban Water Strategy by Will Sarni

Entrepreneurs and Wicked Problems by Tom Higley

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As the world becomes ever more urban, providing potable water in large urban areas is critical to their sustainability and resilience, particularly in cities like Denver that are situated in arid climates.

The unique 10.10.10 program is harnessing the power of private innovation to bring ten “serial entrepreneurs” together for ten intense days to create businesses that might help solve ten wicked problems.

On the Web

Perspectives

www.thesolutionsjournal.com Explore the Solutions website for more content and interactivity. What are your solutions? Share your vision for a sustainable and desirable future and learn more about the Solutions community.

Envisioning

Strange Bedfellows: How Municipal Officials are Collaborating with Local Academics to Address the Effect of a Trade War on Sustainability by Jiban Khuntia, Xue Ning, and Elizabeth Cooperman

ICLEI and USDN: The New Era of Intercity Collaboration by Angie Fyfe

Regenerative Community Hubs: Creating a Finer Future in Your Place by L. Hunter Lovins

On the Ground A Unified Mountain City Committed to Sustainable Action by Janna West-Heiss

The Sustainable Denver Summit is a unique event among municipalities striving for sustainability. Based on the Clinton Global Initiative, the Summit focuses on action, not just talk. In three years it produced over 225 written commitments from businesses, non-profits and government agencies to specific actions that will advance community sustainability.

Opening the Gates: Making a National Wildlife Refuge Accessible to Diverse Communities by Scott Gilmore

A Big-City Mayor Looks at Sustainability by Mayor Michael B. Hancock

Sometimes meaningful access to nature is just footsteps away for underserved low-income neighborhoods. But first you have to open the gates.

Idea Lab Noteworthy

10 In Review

The Denver-Xcel Energy Memorandum of Understanding: A New Model for City-Utility Cooperation

Life After Carbon a book review by Michael Armstrong

A Finer Future a book review by Mairi-Jane Fox

Direct Current Microgrids: The Wave of the Future?

PIPs RewardsValuing the Good You Do Every Day

Building Denver’s Green Infrastructure Program: Meeting Multi-Faceted Problems with Multi-Pronged Solutions

Editorial

Partnering Across International Boundaries for Water Security Through Technology and Startup Support

A mobile app review by Wendy Gordon

Solutions Journal 10th Anniversary Issue by Jerry Tinianow

Why Denver? Sustainability Innovation in the Mile High City by Editor-in-Chief Beth Schaefer Caniglia, Ph.D.

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The Solutions Journal Editor-in-Chief: Beth Schaefer Caniglia Associate Editors: Robert Costanza (Australia National University) Hunter Lovins (Natural Capitalism Solutions) Ida Kubiszewski (Australian National University) David W. Orr (Oberlin College) Managing Editor, History Section Editor: Frank Zelko, University of Vermont Book & Envisioning Editor: Bruce Cooperstein, University of California, Santa Cruz Media Section Editor: Rebecca Sheehan, Oklahoma State University Print Graphic Designer: Kelley Dodd On-Line Layout Design: Koen Dekeyser, University of Pretoria Editorial Board Gar Alperovitz, University of Maryland; Vinya Ariyaratne, Sarvodaya Movement for Peace, Sri Lanka; Robert Ayres, INSEAD; Peter Barnes, On the Commons; Bill Becker, Presidential Climate Action Project; Paulette Blanchard, University of Kansas; Lester Brown, Earth Policy Institute, Washington DC; Alexander Chikunov, Ideas for World Institute, Russia; Cutler Cleveland, Boston University; Raymond Cole, University of British Columbia; Rita Colwell, Canon US Life Sciences; Bob Corell, Heinz Center; Herman Daly, University of Maryland; Thomas Dietz, Michigan State University; Josh Farley, University of Vermont; Lorenzo Fioramonti , University of Pretoria; Jerry Franklin, University of Washington; Susan Joy Hassol, Climate Communications; Richard Heinberg, Institute for Global Communications; Jeffrey Hollender, Seventh Generation, Inc.; Buzz Holling, University of Florida; Terry Irwin, School of Design, Carnegie Mellon University; Jon Isham, Middlebury College; Wes Jackson, The Land Institute; Tim Kasser, Knox College; Frances Moore Lappe, Small Planet Institute; Rik Leemans, Wageningen University; Wenhua Li, Chinese Academy of Science, China; Tom Lovejoy, Heinz Center; Manfred MaxNeef, Universidad Austral de Chile; Peter May, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Jacqueline McGlade , UN Environment Programme, Kenya; Bill McKibben, Middlebury College; William Mitsch, The Ohio State University; Mohan Munasinghe, Munasinghe Institute for Development; Norman Myers, Oxford; Kristín Vala Ragnarsdóttir, University of Iceland; Bill Rees, University of British Columbia; Wolfgang Sachs, Wuppertal Institut für Klima, Umwelt, Energie, Germany; Ken Sagendorf, Regis University Anderson College of Business; Peter Senge, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Rebecca Sheehan, Oklahoma State University; Vandana Shiva, Navdanya; Anthony Simon, Unilever Bestfoods; Gus Speth, Yale University; Larry Susskind, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; David Suzuki, David Suzuki Foundation; Mary Evelyn Tucker, Yale University; Alvaro Umaña, International Monetary Fund; Sim van der Ryn, Ecological Design Collaborative; Peter Victor, York University; Mathis Wackernagel, Global Footprint Network; Eugene Wilkerson, Regis University Anderson College of Business; Mike Young, CSIRO, Australia In Memoriam Ray Anderson, Interface, Inc. Ernest Callenbach, Author, California Elinor Ostrom, Indiana University Subscriptions http://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/subscribe Email: solutions@thesolutionsjournal.com Sponsorships & Partnerships http://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/sponsor Email: solutions@thesolutionsjournal.com

On the Cover

Cover photo provided by the City and County of Denver.

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Contributors 3 2

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1. Michael Armstrong—Partner at

6. Mairi-Jane Fox—Visiting professor

City Scale. Prior to joining City Scale, Michael managed the climate and sustainability programs for 17 years for the city of Portland, Oregon, where he lives with his wife and their two teenagers.

in Political Economy at Regis University in Denver, Colorado. She earned her PhD in Natural Resources from the University of Vermont and her Masters of Science in Ecological Economics from the University of Edinburgh. Her work focuses on sustainability metrics and shift to a regenerative economy.

2. Elizabeth Babcock—Manager

of the Climate Action Team for the City and County of Denver. She leads planning, policy and programs in climate mitigation and adaptation. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and a master’s degree from the University of Chicago. 3. Elizabeth Cooperman—

Professor of Finance & Entrepreneurship and Co-Director of the Managing for Sustainability Program at the University of Colorado Denver. Her research focuses on financial institutions and sustainability and corporate governance. She is author of Managing Financial Institutions, Markets and Sustainable Finance. 4. Lauren Dériaz—Was the Energy

Efficiency Coordinator for the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment and is a recent graduate with a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Colorado Denver. She has taught environmental education through non-profits across the United States. 5. Gili Elkin—General Partner in the

Israel – Colorado Innovation Fund and a General Partner in the ICI Fund. Gili is the founder of the Israel – US Water Initiative. Gili is an Israeli lawyer; she holds LLB and BA dual degree (in Law and Business) from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and an MBA degree from the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University.

7. Angie Fyfe—Executive Director

of ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability USA and a member of ICLEI’s global senior management team. Formerly Associate Director of the Colorado Governor’s Energy Office, she was part of the team to develop and implement 57 pieces of clean energy legislation under Governor Bill Ritter; executive director of the U.S. Green Building Council Colorado Chapter. 8. Scott Gilmore—Denver’s Deputy

Executive Director of Parks and Planning. He is on the board of the National Wildlife Federation (NWF). For 18 years he served as the Angler Education Coordinator for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. With his wife, Stacie Gilmore, he helped co-found the organization “Environmental Learning for Kids” (ELK). 9. Wendy Gordon—Co-founder and

CEO of 3P Partners, Inc a Certified B Corp in the ‘impact tech’ space. Wendy co-founded and Mothers & Others with Meryl Streep and originated the Green Guide. She has co-authored numerous books, including the award-winning True Food: 8 Simple Steps to a Healthier You. She serves on multiple boards including Rainforest Alliance, Rockefeller Brothers Fund and Eugene Lang/The New School. 10. Ashlee Grace—Project manager

in Denver Public Works’ Transportation and Community Design Team. Ashlee

Contributors 11

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13 18

10 14

Denver. His research interests include Healthcare IT and IT for Sustainability. His research has been published in journals such as Production and Operations Management and Journal of Management Information Systems.

11. Michael B. Hancock—American

15. Ashley Lovell—Director of

businessman, author and politician, serving as the 45th and current mayor of Denver, Colorado. He was sworn in on July 18, 2012, and was easily reelected with no significant opposition in 2015. During his first term, he created the Denver Office of Sustainability. In 2018 the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association named Mayor Hancock as its Public Official of the Year.

Marketing and Communications for The Alliance Center. Ashley received her Ph.D. in Environmental Sociology from Colorado State University in 2014. She specializes in environmental communications and strategic collaboration.

10.10.10 and X Genesis. Through its process and programs, 10.10.10 and X Genesis invite 10 prospective CEOs to spend 10 days together exploring solutions to 10 wicked problems. Since first becoming an entrepreneur in 1993, Tom has founded nine ventures. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Harvard Law School. 13. Jocelyn Hittle—Director of Denver

Program Development for Colorado State University, Joycelyn focuses on creating new programs for CSU in Denver that address global issues of food, water, energy, health and the environment. She is CSU’s point person on the National Western Center redevelopment project. She sits on the Denver Mayor’s Sustainability Advisory Council and is involved in the Urban Land Institute’s Building Healthy Places program. 14. Jiban Khuntia—Assistant

Professor of Information Systems and Director of the PhD Program at the Business School, University of Colorado

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was Denver’s first green infrastructure planner. She played a key role in building a foundation for the city’s nascent green infrastructure program. Ashlee received both her M.S. and M.U.P. from the University of Michigan.

12. Tom Higley—Founder & CEO of

16. L. Hunter Lovins—President

of Natural Capitalism Solutions. A professor at Bard MBA, Hunter is a founding partner of Change Finance. She consults for industries and governments worldwide. Hunter has written 16 books and hundreds of articles. She has won dozens of awards. Time Magazine recognized her as a Millennium Hero for the Planet, and Newsweek called her the Green Business Icon. 17. Nadia El Mallakh—Colorado

Community & Customer Partnerships Lead/Assistant General Counsel for Xcel Energy. Before joining Xcel Energy, Nadia was in private practice at the international law firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. She holds a B.S., M.C.P. (Master in City Planning); and J.D. degree, all from the University of California, Berkeley. 18. Katrina Managan—Climate

Smart Buildings Team Lead for Denver Department of Public Health and Environment. She leads programs that help the City to achieve long-term climate goals in private sector commercial and multifamily buildings. Her work includes the Energize Denver initiative and Denver’s new Green Building Policy.

19. Scott Morrissey—Senior Director

of Sustainability at Denver International Airport (DEN). He is responsible for developing and improving systems that support the achievement of DEN’s sustainability goals. He previously served in the State of Colorado’s Energy Office and Greenprint Denver. 20. Xue Ning—Lecturer and PhD stu-

dent at the Business School, University of Colorado Denver. She specializes in sustainability and emerging IS areas of research. She worked as a project officer at ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, prior to joining the Ph.D. program. 21. Chris Parr—Director for the Sun

Valley EcoDistrict, a non-profit focused on sustainable revitalization of the Sun Valley Neighborhood in Denver. His focus is to bring holistic, sustainable, districtbased solutions that create significant community benefit. Chris also served as the Director of Development for the Denver Housing Authority. (Not pictured) 22. Will Sarni—Founder and CEO of

Water Foundry. He is an advisor to multinationals, water technology companies, investors, multi-lateral development banks and NGOs. He is an investor in water technology start-ups with a focus on innovative digital, off-grid and advanced treatment technologies. He is a globally recognized thought leader and has authored several books on corporate water strategies, the energy-water-food nexus and digital water technologies. 23. Tyler Smith—Area Manager on

the Community and Local Government Affairs team at Xcel Energy. Tyler manages the Company’s relationships with the City and County of Denver. Working collaboratively, he helps the

City to meet and surpass its energy goals. Tyler holds a Master’s in Public Policy from the University of Denver and a Bachelor’s degree from Gonzaga University in Political Science and Journalism. 24. Jerry Tinianow—Denver’s first

Chief Sustainability Officer, serving since 2012. He was an attorney in private practice and volunteer grassroots activist for over 20 years, and has served as a national officer of both The Sierra Club and the National Audubon Society. He is the 2018 winner of the Wirth Chair Sustainability Award given by the University of Colorado, and serves on the Global Executive Committee of ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability. Jerry received his undergraduate and law degrees from The George Washington University. 25. Jarrett Wendt—Executive

Vice President & Head of CityNOW for Panasonic North America. He leads Panasonic’s Smart Cities initiative, CityNOW and “Cirrus by Panasonic,” the company’s ground-breaking intelligent V2X transportation platform. Jarrett also leads corporate partnerships for Panasonic providing large-scale solutions across Panasonic’s global portfolio. 26. Janna West-Heiss—Public

Affairs Administrator for the Office of Sustainability of the City & County of Denver. She has been involved in reducing environmental impact locally through behavior change initiatives in zero waste, sustainable business and transportation. She is the vice chair for the Colorado Renewable Energy Society and sits on the Colorado Pollution Prevention Advisory Board.

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Caniglia, B. (2019). Why Denver? Sustainability Innovation in the Mile High City. Solutions 10(1): 6. https://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/article/why-denver-sustainability-innovation-in-the-mile-high-city

Editorial by Beth Schaefer Caniglia, Ph.D.

Why Denver? Sustainability Innovation in the Mile High City

n April of last year, I published an article in Solutions entitled “The Path to a Regenerative Future: The Importance of Local Networks and Bioregional Contexts.” Originally conceived, that article was to focus on the special features of the City of Denver that makes it one of the most innovative and collaborative cities in the world. Denver was the model I had in mind when I laid out the enabling conditions required to transform a place from sustainable to regenerative: • Collaborative organizational culture • Transparent and participatory governance systems • Non-silo behavior—positive and abundant interactions among public, private, non-profits, foundations, and educational institutions • Forward-looking, long-term vision • Openness to change and creativity • Innovative organizational forms— B-Corporations, Co-Working spaces, Social Enterprises, Impact Finance • Publicly-Engaged Universities that enthusiastically partner with startups, government agencies, and spark innovative approaches to solve community challenges • Creative, collaborative, projectbased approaches to finance community development, including slow money; impact finance; federal, state and local grants from government agencies, foundations, and NGOs. • Information dissemination structures that speak to and reach diverse segments of society

As a resident of Denver, I had the privilege of serving as the Founding Director of the Sustainable Economic & Enterprise Development Institute in the Anderson College of Business at Regis University. In that capacity, I served on the Board of the Alliance Center—a co-work space that brings together sustainability organizations from across the Front Range region and amplifies their work through partnerships with universities, government agencies, businesses, and nonprofits. I also served on the Infrastructure Committee Board of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, where the City’s many innovative infrastructure advances were featured on a monthly basis. Projects like the expansion of the Denver International Airport, the Panasonic Peña Station NEXT solar installation, building miles of bike lanes, the Green Roof legislation, and experimentation with first and last mile transportation solutions consistently put Denver at the forefront of innovative cities. And, as this special issue highlights, there is no end in sight to the lessons we can garner from the leadership Denver provides. The articles included in this special issue highlight each of the characteristics listed above. Together, they particularly feature the synergies across industries and sectors that have established steady creative momentum toward sustainability innovation. Leadership is, of course, powerfully important, and Mayor Hancock’s editorial about his sustainability

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The Solutions Journal Editor-in-Chief, Beth Schaefer Caniglia, Ph.D.

vision demonstrates his central role. However, Mayor Hancock also states: “We needed to make sustainability the core business value of every agency of government, regardless of what service it performed.” The contagious commitment to moving the sustainability needle is shared throughout City government, facilitated by university research, profitable for Denver companies, advocated by nonprofits, and supported by funding from foundations and finance institutions across the region. My deepest thanks go to Denver’s Chief Sustainability Officer Jerry Tinianow, Mayor Hancock, Dean Tim Keane in the Anderson College of Business at Regis University, and all of our contributors for their support of this special issue. Cities hold the key to so many of our greatest global challenges. I hope others are as inspired by the example set by Denver as I have been.

Hancock, M. B. (2019). A Big-City Mayor Looks at Sustainability. Solutions 10(1): 7–9. https://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/article/a-big-city-mayor-looks-at-sustainability

Envisioning

A Big-City Mayor Looks at Sustainability by Michael B. Hancock Mayor, City and County of Denver, Colorado

rowing up in Denver, I didn’t think about sustainability—at least not in the way we think about it today. I never heard about “sustainable development goals.” I didn’t know what “the three-legged stool” referred to. I didn’t think about balancing the needs of the present with the needs of the future. Life was simple. Water came from the tap. Food came from the grocery store. Travel was by car, or if you couldn’t afford a car, by bus. I didn’t think about sustainability. But I did notice things. I noticed the brown cloud of air pollution that hung over our city, especially in the winter. We had creeks and the South Platte River nearby, but people ignored them. Dumpsters were filled with trash, and litter blew around all over the place. Denver had trees and parks, but they weren’t spread evenly around town. The rich parts of the city had more and the poor parts had less. I knew that there were polluted areas in the city. They always seemed to be in the poor neighborhoods. My family was not rich, so there were limits on where we could afford to live. I loved living in a place where lofty mountains and picturesque plains were nearby. I loved the western spirit in Denver, where people depended on each other and so cooperated with each other. I grew to love the place, but I knew it could be better. I wanted to be part of making it better. From an early age I was interested in becoming a part of my city. At the time, I didn’t realize that would

mean one day becoming the Mayor of Denver—but I knew I would play an active role in public service. As a teen I was active in my school’s leadership, which would eventually lead me to an internship in the Mayor’s Office. I began to see possibilities. I learned the intricacies of public policy early on. At the age of 27 I became the youngest executive director of a major city’s office of the National Urban League. A few years later, I was elected to Denver City Council, where I served for eight years, including time as Council President.

sustainability goals and plan. It drafted the city’s first climate action plan. Things were changing outside of city government as well. Thanks to the passage of the federal Clean Air Act, the brown cloud that hung over Denver was gone most of the time. The city had begun to rediscover its waterways; people were looking to the South Platte instead of ignoring it. The river was cleaner, thanks to the Clean Water act. And we were paying attention to our contaminated areas, thanks to the federal Superfund law. We were cleaning the dumps up.

We needed to achieve changes at scale—move big numbers in a way that would make a difference. We needed to make sustainability the core business value of every agency of city government, regardless of what service it performed. It was during this time that I learned about the importance of public health and sustainability. I began to understand what initiatives and actions would help us to further invest in the city, and what it truly meant to balance the needs of the present with the needs of the future. I was elected to be the Mayor in the middle of 2011. By then I had definitely heard of sustainability. My predecessor, John Hickenlooper, had opened a conversation with our residents about it. He formed Greenprint Denver, our city’s first sustainability program. Greenprint drafted the city’s first

The other thing that was changing, was our climate. It was hotter in Denver more often. The droughts were worse, and more frequent. The storms were worse too. And those changes hurt the most vulnerable among us the most. People without air conditioning suffered the most during our hot spells. People who lived in flood-prone areas suffered the most from the storms. It was amazing to me that the climate itself could change visibly in a single lifetime—my own. When I came in as Mayor I knew that Greenprint, as valuable as it had