5280 Magazine August 2022

The Centennial State has often been cited as one of the country’s bright spots when it comes to enacting environmental regulations. Yet, Colorado’s eco-activists have continually expressed disappointment at what they see as a discrepancy between what Governor Jared Polis has promised and what he’s delivered. For this issue’s “As Good As It Gets” (page 48), writer Elisabeth Kwak-Hefferan dived into the morass, looking to determine if Polis had truly earned their ire. What she found likely will not quell the outrage; however, activists may have to rethink who the enemy really is based on the U.S. Supreme Court’s much-discussed ruling on June 30. The decision—which curtailed the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to regulate coal-fired power plants, which are this country’s largest source of carbon emissions—delivered a blow to environmentalists by…

Be it scrubby, brushy, leafy, prickly, or even poisonous, chances are Lani Malmberg’s goats will eat it. Guided by her border collies and portable electric fencing, Malmberg’s 1,500-strong herd roams the West munching through overgrown brush up to eight feet high (while standing on their hind legs), filling their bellies while protecting Colorado and other states from wildfires. Firefighters call the vegetation on the goats’ menu a fuel ladder, a flammable link that allows ground fires to easily leap into the tree canopy above. Eliminate the rungs, and you slow a blaze’s growth. Malmberg’s herd also “eats the problem and recycles it,” she says—i.e., as they browse, they poop. That boosts organic matter in the soil, increasing the land’s ability to hold water and reducing erosion. Plus, the mass of goats…

Volunteer Team Rubicon, a humanitarian organization, travels the globe to deliver disaster services—even before disaster strikes. The group coordinates fire mitigation efforts across Colorado, including a project later this year that will focus on thinning out forests near the hamlet of Jamestown. Prepare The National Fire Protection Association provides a plethora of online resources outlining how to safeguard your property. However, if you’re looking for more hands-on instruction, call your local fire department. Foothills Fire & Rescue (in the Lookout Mountain area), for example, recently started a home assessment program: For $100, the department’s fire marshal will inspect your property and provide a report about areas that need to be addressed, such as dried leaves in your gutters. Advocate During this past legislative session, Colorado lawmakers passed House Bill 22-1011, which dedicates…

SITTING PRETTY Amish heft meets Don Draper cool at Washington Park’s Modern Bungalow, where a carefully curated selection of seating, such as Stylus’ made-to-order Enya sofa (starting at $1,699), can give your living room a modern-transitional feel. Its peg legs and square arms are decidedly mod, and with hundreds of fabric options, you can choose anything from a deep mahogany to a lithe birch to a statement-making brick red. SHINE YOUR LIGHT Denver-based Color Cord’s fixtures, such as the Mod Globe 5 Loop Chandelier ($637), may appear simple, but with the ability to choose from five different mount colors and three globe options (clear, milky, and matte), you’ll never have to settle for someone else’s style. VASE TIME There’s no shortage of embellishments to be found at Modern Nomad, a 5,500-square-foot RiNo space that’s home…

HOTEL JEROME ASPEN Then: In 1970, Hunter S. Thompson ran unsuccessfully to become the sheriff of Pitkin County, leading his campaign from his “office” at the Hotel Jerome’s J-Bar. Although his progressive platform—which centered on legalizing marijuana and decentralizing the police—was simply ahead of its time, we still believe voters made the right choice by not putting the writer of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas in charge of law and order. Now: You can still visit the J-Bar, or you could really experience Fat City (what Thompson wanted to change Aspen’s name to) by stepping into Hotel Jerome’s Felix Roasting Co. (pictured). The couture coffeehouse started in New York City, expanded to Aspen in fall 2021, and boasts a gilded ceiling, velour seating, and bold wallpaper. It serves an $18 Hickory-Smoked S’mores…

Organizers of this month’s Telluride Mushroom Festival had spent two years looking for a new ticketing platform when, in 2021, they received a call from an Australia-born startup. The company was establishing its U.S. headquarters in Denver and recruiting local events that might be interested in its unique selling points. Would—the mysterious solicitor wondered—lower booking fees, seamless purchasing from a single website, and donations to charity be attractive to fungi fans? The festival soon signed on. “Humanitix just ticked all the boxes,” says Matt Guertin, the festival’s co-operations manager. Humanitix was founded in 2016 by Adam McCurdie, who earned his degree in mechanical engineering, and Joshua Ross, a former hedge fund analyst. The duo saw the astronomical profits being hauled in by technology companies—Google’s parent company, Alphabet, made $76 billion last…