Even the Small Towns are Green!

I thought this was amazing. So we recently went to a small town in southern Colorado for Ski Hi Stampede, which is their yearly rodeo celebration with a carnival, a concert, parade, and lots and lots of booze. :)

So, this might be a skewed impression, but it seemed to me that this place was about 15 years behind the times. Clearly this comes from the isolation preventing influence from any sort of nearby city. But I remember going there for the first time, and being shocked that there was no recycling program, and NO ONE was even concerned about it. Throwing bottles and cans right into the trash is super normal.

As I do every year, I find a nice shady spot on the curb, and wait for the cannon to BOOM out the start of the parade. I've got my coffee and my camera, and am ready to take pictures of the tractors and horses and square dancers.

Each year, the parade has a theme. GUESS what it was this year. You got it: Going Green! WOW, I am even more excited than normal. I see a float with a big horse made out of cans go by, a 'Save The World' globe made from old plumbing parts, and a big windmill labeled 'Wind Energy' roll by. Even the square dancers are in costume - one lady had recycling symbols on her skirt! LOVE IT!

I am just amazed that, even tho 'going green' is pretty darn trendy right now, this small community is now OPEN to the ideas of recycling, alternative energy, and looking after the earth after it never seemed to give it a second thought. Now, for a small isolated town, THAT is progress!