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
71 A New Era for the Bureau of Land Management? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:00
What steps can the Biden administration take to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Bureau of Land Management to better address its conservation and climate change goals? This question was addressed in a lively…
70 CO Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction Roadmap [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:51
Will Toor, Executive Director of the Colorado Energy Office, provides a summary of State/CEO projects, activities, and initiatives, and shares the Colorado Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Pollution Reduction Roadmap. This event was…
69 Drake is Closing - Now What? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:57
What can you do to create a sustainable, just, and carbon-free city? Hear what’s next in the closure of the fossil-fuel powered Martin Drake Power Plant in Colorado Springs, and learn about three local campaigns on which…
68 Northern Water’s Regional Water Efficiency Program [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:01
What are 33 Colorado cities doing to conserve water? Frank Kinder, Water Efficiency Program Manager for Northern Water, updates us on the conservation work of this regional water provider. LINKS: Frank Kinder’s slide pre…
67 Colorado College Students Take Local Action [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:48
Colorado College students demonstrate just how engaged and activated their generation can be. Filip Carnogursky and Liam Reynolds share two initiatives they started because they saw a need and weren’t going to wait aroun…
66 Sustainable Holiday [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:05
The holidays are coming and that means shopping, gifts, and food. Do you approach the holidays mindful of the environmental impact of all these activities? This episode explores sustainable options for this holiday seaso…
65 Does This Flight Make My Footprint Look Big? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:17
Flying, driving, bus, train, bicycle, on foot, even staycations. What do we need to know to make responsible decisions about the way we move about? Dave Gardner, host of the GrowthBusters podcast about sustainable living…
64 New Energy Plan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:28
Christian Nelson and Michael Avanzi of Colorado Springs Utilities share the future of energy production in our community. The Colorado Springs Utilities Board approved an Integrated Resources Plan (IRP) portfolio in June…
63 The New Energy Market [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:03
What’s happening and what can we expect in terms of how we get electricity to power our homes, business and industry? How clean can it be, and what it will cost? Over the past twenty years, the energy market has shifted…
62 Manitou Springs Forest Garden Initiative Kick-Off [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:38
Indigenous permaculturalist, designer, builder and educator Michael Alcazar led this ceremony on September 18, 2020 at Flying Pig Farm. This ceremony kicked off the Manitou Springs Forest Garden Initiative, in which Mani…