In one way or another, high-heat days, extreme weather, drought, poor air quality, and devastating wildfires have become the norm. What if you lived in a world where everything you practiced daily would have a positive impact on the climate?

This is what Boulder County, its ranches, farmers, and restaurants are striving to do. As a leader in global climate action, the county is taking drastic and necessary steps to improve the rough conditions surrounding nature. Therefore, improving human lives.

Some things Boulder County has done include cutting emissions, removing carbon dioxide, and supporting systemic change to fight the climate crisis. Three years ago, the county received a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The funds focused on launching the Restore Colorado grant program, which partners with Zero Foodprint and Mad Agriculture to further improve local climate conditions. The funds help improve soil health and sequester carbon on local farms and ranches.

Recently, Boulder County started and completed a pilot phase that helps food businesses generate funding for regenerative agriculture projects. Thirty Colorado food-based businesses have signed up to become Zero Foodprint members, collecting a 1% fee from customer meals and raising $305,000 towards the project.

Zero Foodprint board member and co-owner of the Big Ref F Restaurant Group of Boulder, Dana Faulk Query, shares, “Restaurants are such a big part of the food system, and by becoming a member of the Zero Foodprint program, we can all do our part to help fight the climate crisis and be the change.”

Zero Foodprint has signed a memorandum of understanding with Colorado’s Department of Agriculture, and Boulder County has partnered with the Colorado Department of Agriculture to expand this radical and successful program across the state.

What does this all mean for our mountain communities? From Allenspark to Nederland, there are nearly 30 miles of Boulder County where people live, work, and play. Almost every town in our mountains offers numerous dining experiences.

If every restaurant on the Peak to Peak signs up to be a Zero Foodprint member, the ranchers, farmers, and forests will benefit greatly, and we will start to see the positive impacts on our climate.

Imagine a life where the chances of wildfires are almost non-existent, people live longer and healthier lives, and the air we breathe is the solution to allergies and other health issues, not the trigger. If only…

Food-based businesses interested in joining the movement should visit https://www.zerofoodprint.org/joinzfp.

To learn about Boulder County’s urban nature-based solutions visit https:// www.coolboulder.org/. Colorado farmers and ranchers can apply for a Restore Colorado grant at https://www.zerofoodprint.org/apply.