As the impacts of climate change worsen, some are pushing for more renewable energy, but this can be a challenge in communities like Garfield County that have historically relied on the oil and gas industry to provide jobs and critical funding for public services. To ensure the transition to clean energy is an equitable one, advocates are working to diversify regional economies and create new jobs.

One path to reducing carbon emissions in homes is to build or retrofit them to be more energy efficient, and to set them up to be net-zero — to generate more renewable energy than they use. But in our area, we need a more robust workforce to meet that demand.

The aviation industry made up roughly 15% of Aspen’s greenhouse gas emissions last year. Atlantic Aviation is trying to lower its carbon footprint in Aspen. However, global aviation emissions are expected to rise without broader regulations for the growing industry.