129: Concrete Couch & Concrete Coyote – Art and Sustainability

129: Concrete Couch & Concrete Coyote – Art and Sustainability

Author: Dave Gardner November 4, 2024 Duration: 55:19

Learn how local arts nonprofit Concrete Couch has turned a concrete dump into a community asset – a park and learning center. Caitlin Hannigan and Jorge Estevez also share how Concrete Couch has contributed to increasing interest and engagement in the arts and sustainability in Colorado Springs. Concrete Couch is a nonprofit that works with kids and community groups to create public art, build community, and create environments and experiences that humanize our world.

Speakers:

Caitlin Hannigan is the Education Director at Concrete Couch. She was raised in Colorado Springs and worked as a teacher in China before working at Concrete Couch. Over the last 4-years she has worked with Concrete Couch to help make Concrete Coyote into a 7-acre community park and helped design and develop educational programming for community members. 

Dr. Jorge Estevez is an instructor with Concrete Couch. He has a doctorate in physics. He is passionate about trees, biking and the Colorado Springs community. With his work at Concrete Couch, he has helped plant over 50 native trees and plants and build over 2 miles of hiking and biking trails. 

This episode was recorded at the Sustainability in Progress  (SIP) virtual event on October 16, 2024. Sustainability in Progress  is a monthly program of the Peak Alliance for a Sustainable Future. Join us (free), normally the third Wednesday of every month. The next event is:

 November 13, 2024 John Olson of Urban Landscapes LLC Register here to receive Zoom link

LINKS:

Presenters' Slides

Peak Alliance for a Sustainable Future

Concrete Couch

Thanks to these Peak Environment sponsors:

Pikes Peak Permaculture Visit https://pikespeakpermaculture.org for opportunities to learn more about sustainable organic living through permaculture – workshops, classes, field trips, and networking.

Old Town Bike Shop - your local bike shop since 1976 https://www.oldtownbikeshop.com/

The mission of Peak Alliance for a Sustainable Future is to promote regional sustainability and advance the Pikes Peak region's sustainability plan (PPR2030) through regional collaboration and outreach. Connect with us at https://peakallianceco.org/.  

The following environment/sustainability organizations in the Pikes Peak region collaborate to produce the Peak Environment podcast about environmental stewardship, sustainable living and enlightened public policy in the Pikes Peak Region.

Peak Alliance for a Sustainable Future https://peakallianceco.org/

Pikes Peak Permaculture https://www.pikespeakpermaculture.org/

GrowthBusters https://www.growthbusters.org

Keep up with all the organizations and events making our area a better place to live. Follow on your favorite podcast app so you don't miss an episode:

 


Hosted by Dave Gardner, Peak Environment digs into the real-world choices and conversations shaping life in the Pikes Peak Region. This isn't a distant global overview, but a local look at how environmental care weaves into the fabric of our community, from the trails we hike to the policies our leaders debate. Each episode explores the intersection of our society and our surroundings, considering how sustainable practices impact both our physical health and our cultural values. You'll hear from neighbors, advocates, and experts discussing practical steps for stewardship, the nuances of building a resilient local economy, and the ongoing work toward balanced public policy. Tune in for a thoughtful, grounded dialogue that connects personal fitness and well-being directly to the health of the place we call home. Find this podcast for a deeper understanding of what it means to live well, right here.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Peak Environment
Podcast Episodes
61 Creek Week Cleanup 2020 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:02
Don’t miss the 7th annual Creek Week Cleanup, September 26 – October 4th. Every year citizens of Southern Colorado step up, put on their environmental steward hats, and join with friends and neighbors in what’s become th…
60 Voices for Wolves - Proposition 114 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:53
The 2020 election in Colorado is shaping up to be historic, but not for the reasons you might think. Voters in Colorado will get the chance to direct wildlife managers to reintroduce gray wolves, nearly 80 years after th…
59 Updating the Regional Sustainability Plan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:38
How can we improve the Pikes Peak Region 2030 Plan? Several municipalities and organizations in the Pikes Peak Region came together to develop a long-range sustainability plan, completed in 2012 and adopted by some citie…
58 Indigenous Land Management for Growing Food Locally [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:54
What can we learn from indigenous people about caring for the land on which we depend for our food? This episode is a recording of the keynote address by indigenous permaculture designer Michael Alcazar at the 2020 Pikes…
57 The PFAS Story in El Paso County CO [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:13
You can’t escape toxic PFAS chemicals. They are everywhere. Get an update on what we know and what’s being done about water contamination by PFAS (Perfluoroalklsubstance). Groundwater and surface water in portions of the…
56 Colorado Needs Wolves [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:43
Colorado needs Wolves – not merely to restore a natural balance or the wildness that we all seek – though wolves will do that if they are present for long enough, in sufficient numbers and with wide enough distribution –…
55 Tiny Homes, Big Questions [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:40
Big things are happening for tiny homes in Colorado Springs. Colorado Springs Principal Planner Lonna Thelan fills us in on how city planning and zoning issues affect tiny home locations, and Shelley Jensen, founder, CEO…
54 Smart Cities for a Sustainable Future [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:40
Does the City of Colorado Springs have a plan in case of a Zombie Apocalypse? Find out on this episode of Peak Environment. Learn about the myriad projects and initiatives managed or assisted by the City of Colorado Spri…
53 Smokebrush Farm Feeds Mind and Spirit [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:51
Learn all about a very unique community asset. Smokebrush Farm is a small, biodynamic farm in Manitou Springs that serves as an educational model as well as a retreat center. Yoga classes, an art club, Indian dance class…

«1...678910