The Medford Springs Carbon Offset Project
For many, the past couple of years have been a time of intense introspection, reassessment, and reinvention — we’re certainly no exception—however, we find that while it’s important to look inward, it’s also vital that we look outward and examine what impact we are having on the world. At Coclico, sustainability is not only close to our hearts, but essential to who we are as a brand. Consciously, artfully, elegantly. For this reason, every year Coclico is proud to partner with Native Energy to track and offset our carbon footprint by investing in renewable energy projects. Without our community, none of this would have been possible, so from the entire Coclico team, thank you for being a part of this positive change!
Read on to learn about our latest project.
Staff writer Anna Kadinoff.
The Project: Medford Spring Grassland Conservation
The Medford Spring Grassland Conservation Project is an effort to purchase and permanently conserve 6,900 acres of grassland in Bent County, Colorado and eventually conserve a total of 24,500 acres of protected land. Although the raw beauty of this land seems enough to warrant its protection, one of the most valuable resources of grassland is its ability to store carbon. According to Native Energy, “just one acre of grassland can store an estimated 50 tonnes of carbon or more.” Together, grasslands store one-third of our planet’s carbon, and yet they are currently facing an imminent threat of conversion for farming or development.
Impact:
“It’s permanent progress for the prairie.”
As a biodiversity hotspot, this land sustains a wide variety of plants and animals whose habitats are “being reduced at a higher rate than any other type of ecosystems in the state.” The Medford Springs project will help “halt the loss of the remaining 50% of Colorado’s shortgrass prairie,” permanently protecting the homes of bison, black tailed-prairie dogs, swift foxes, ferruginous hawks, burrowing owls, elk, and pronghorn antelope.
Takeaway: We’re in this together.
With the growing threat of climate collapse, it is of the utmost importance that we work together to neutralize and reverse the damage already done. At Coclico, we retain hope in believing that each meaningful act that we as individuals make will contribute to the larger collective and have a real and substantial impact. We’re grateful to be part of a community that is committed to making the changes, sacrifices, and investments necessary to defend our planet and our future.