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The overall goal for this seven-state trip is to foster home grown prosperity by developing alternatives to fossil-fuel based energy, including biodiesel, renewable energy, and locally grown foods.
The first stop for the Homegrown Prosperity Renewable Energy Tour in Colorado was the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) in Golden on July 31, 2008 . On view at NREL is the new experimental Prius, which gets 100 miles per gallon of gas (part of that mileage comes from a super new powerful battery) and has a solar-powered roof. NREL’s work is so secretive that only U.S. citizens can enter the building.
To add to the bus trip, Peggy Rawlins of Western Colorado Congress donated a solar oven, solar wind fans, and an AM/FM radio powered by solar energy. Fully charged, the radio can run for 25 hours.
The tour’s second stop was the Garfield County Fair and then off to the Olathe Sweet Corn Festival. DMEA’s (Delta Montrose Electric Association) General Manager donated DMEA’s parking spot for the bus.
August 3 rd brought the bus to the Farmers Market in Ridgway. Two of the drivers are vegans so they were busy loading up the bus with veggies home grown by Ridgway-Ouray Community Council (ROCC) members.
The crew took a much needed two-day break to camp out in the area before returning to Grand Junction . On arrival, they were interviewed on KAFM, Grand Junction ’s community radio station.
On August 7 th, the bus had a special parking place at the corner of 6 th and Main Streets, site of Grand Junction ’s Farmers Market. WCC members were interviewed by two TV stations and the crowd around the bus was continuous.
On August 8 th, the bus crew participated in a ceremony celebrating the opening of the Chipeta School , Grand Junction ’s first green school. Chipeta is named after the 19 th Century champion of the Ute tribe and wife of Chief Ouray. A special guest was Ute Roland McCook, great-great-grandson of Chipeta. McCook designed the school’s logo, a shield bearing Chipeta’s likeness with feathers hanging below. The students will vote on a future mascot, one of five symbols which have great significance to the Utes.
 Peggy was Master of Ceremonies and introduced speakers Bernie Buescher and former school board member Dan Robinson before the certificates were handed out to nine people and groups who were instrumental in getting Chipeta School ready to earn LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).
Recipients included
- Tim Mills, Superintendent of District 51,
- Daniel Gartner, Architect of Record from Chamberlin Architects,
- Marc Litzen, Project Manager, and
- Chadd Nelson, Project Supervisor of FCI Constructors,
- Ethan Gibson of Blythe Group,
- new principal Patrick Buckley,
- Members of the School Board who worked to get the project going, and
- Western Colorado Congress Green School members.
The certificates were specifically designed and tailored for each recipient by Peggy and Frank Smith, WCC organizer. The event was held in the park across from the school and witnessed by hundreds of people as well as many of the teachers who will work at Chipeta when school begins on August 18 th. Following the ceremony, they received a special first tour of the building, met the bus crew and looked over the biodiesel display set up under the bus awning.
As a six-year WORC Board Member, Peggy watched with admiration as the Billings WORC building grew from a run-down, deserted grocery store to a totally energy efficient platinum LEED certified building, one of only 41 in the U.S. She hopes Grand Junction will continue moving towards more green building. The ceremony coverage by five TV stations and three newspapers, will help Grand Junction move in that direction.
That evening the bus parked in front of the Robinson Theater building on the Mesa State College campus to entice people to come to the screening of A Snowmobile for George. George Smith, a Wyoming rancher impacted by gas drilling, gave a reading of his own poetry, and a certificate was given to Professor Charles King for his work with WeCAN students and for promoting energy efficiency on Mesa State campus.
Jason Sullivan, WeCAN President, was unable to attend due to his work schedule, so Intern Shannon Robinson presented the certificate to King. Rancher George Smith, who is in the movie, stayed after the showing to answer questions from the audience. Peggy presented each of the four Bus Tour members with a print of Cold Shivers Point on the Colorado National Monument , and Chelsea Hummon gave Peggy a gift of appreciation from Ute Chief Roland McCook.
On August 9 th, the Bus Tour left for Hotchkiss where Western Slope Environmental Resource Council members welcomed them as they entered the Delta County Fairgrounds. Hotchkiss has a new fire station which runs on solar power!
It was then off to Idaho and Oregon , and then back home to Billings . The tour crew will have educated thousands of people along the seven-state trip and we are beneficiaries of their dedication.
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