(MUSIC PLAYING) - WATER IS ALL ABOUT THE ABILITY TO LEAD A HUMAN LIFE.

THERE'S A DROUGHT.

WITHOUT WATER, WE CAN'T DO ANY OF THIS.

- I'VE LEARNED A LOT, BUT A BIG PORTION OF IT IS WE ARE ONE WITH NATURE.

- FOR A LOT OF US, IT'S HARD TO KNOW HOW TO CONTRIBUTE TO COMMUNITY.

AND WHEN YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE FOOD WASTE THAT FEEDS THE SOIL, IT CHANGES SOMETHING ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP.

IT BECOMES "I'M A PART OF THIS.

IT'S A PART OF ME."

(MUSIC PLAYING) - COLORADO SPRINGS IS... DEFINITELY THE MOST UNIQUE PLACE WE'VE EVER LIVED.

AND WE'VE JUST GROWN TO LOVE IT.

I AM CAITLIN AUYER, AND I'M HERE IN THIS PASSIVE HOUSE THAT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION THAT MY FAMILY IS IN PROCESS OF BUILDING HERE IN COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO.

WE'RE ON THE WEST SIDE, PRETTY CLOSE TO THE MOUNTAINS AND CLOSE TO GARDEN OF THE GODS.

THIS WILL BE THE FIRST CERTIFIED PASSIVE HOUSE IN COLORADO SPRINGS.

WE JUST WERE SO EXCITED PROBABLY, LIKE, FIVE YEARS AGO WHEN WE FIRST STARTED GEEKING OUT OVER SIMPLE, BUT JUST COOL, SCIENTIFIC PASSIVE HOUSE PRINCIPLES.

WE, AT THAT TIME, WERE JUST FLIPPING HOUSES, OLD HOUSES, AND GETTING TO SEE ALL OF THE TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE BUILDING PRACTICES AND TERRIBLE DIY FIXES THAT PEOPLE HAVE DONE OVER THE YEARS.

EVENTUALLY, WE WANTED TO BUILD OUR OWN PLACE.

DEFINITELY WANTED TO BUILD A PASSIVE HOUSE.

JUST HAPPENED UPON THIS PERFECT LOT THAT HAD RECENTLY BEEN CLEARED.

WE WENT WITH PRE-FAB BECAUSE WE DECIDED WE WERE GOING TO DO AS MUCH OF THIS OURSELVES AS POSSIBLE.

- THIS IS [INDISCERNIBLE] AU PASSIVE HOUSE IN COLORADO SPRINGS, HERE NEAR THE GARDEN OF THE GODS.

AND THIS IS A PASSIVE HOUSE THAT WAS BUILT USING PRE-FABRICATED PANELS.

ALL THESE WALLS WERE BUILT UP IN LIVERMORE, CANADA, AND TRUCKED DOWN AND CRANED, THEN SEALED AND CONNECTED ON SITE.

THAT INCLUDES THE WALL AND THE ROOF SYSTEM.

AND OFTEN, WE CAN DO FLOORS, AS WELL.

IT ALSO INCLUDES THE AIR-TIGHTNESS AND THE INSULATION OF THE BUILDING, AS WELL AS THE WEATHERIZATION OF THE EXTERIORS.

BASICALLY, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF TWO HOUSES IN ONE.

NONE OF THE INTERIOR FRAMING HAS BEEN DONE YET.

BUT THERE'S A LOWER PART THAT WILL BE FOR A COUPLE, WITH AN UPPER BEDROOM AND THEN A LOWER LIVING SPACE.

AND THEN THE UPPER SIDE WILL HAVE THE SAME TYPE OF LAYOUT, WHERE THERE WILL BE A THIRD STORY THAT HAS AN OFFICE SPACE, AND THEN THE LOWER FLOOR WILL BE A LIVING AREA.

- ONE HOUSE, BUT TWO SEPARATE FAMILIES, TWO SEPARATE SPACES.

COSTS ARE GOING UP IN HOUSING, IN GENERAL, AS WELL AS BUILDING.

SO, POOLING OUR RESOURCES WAS DEFINITELY KEY FOR US.

MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE BEEN IN COLORADO SIX YEARS.

AND THEN MY PARENTS JOINED US THREE YEARS AGO.

AND THAT ENABLED US TO POOL OUR RESOURCES, COME TOGETHER, AND KIND OF MAKE SOMETHING THAT WOULD WORK FOR BOTH OUR FAMILIES.

THE WEEK THAT THESE PANELS WERE DELIVERED, WE WERE JUST UNBELIEVABLY EXCITED TO SEE SO MUCH PROGRESS.

IT GOES SUPER FAST.

THE CRANE OPERATOR JUST LIFTED UP WALL BY WALL, SET IT INTO PLACE.

THEY HAD IT ALL PLANNED OUT AHEAD OF TIME, AND KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WENT WHERE.

AND IT WENT IN SO FAST AND SO EASY.

- IT FEELS LIKE A MATTRESS, LIKE A NICE, FIRM MATTRESS WHEN IT'S WHAT WE CALL DENSE PACKED.

THIS IS CELLULOSE INSULATION.

AND IT'S CALLED CELLULOSE BECAUSE IT'S USING SHREDDED NEWSPAPER.

IN FACT, YOU CAN SEE THE LITTLE CHUNKS OF PAPER.

SOMETIMES YOU CAN SEE THE PRINT IN IT.

IT'S EXTREMELY AFFORDABLE.

AND IT'S ALSO ALMOST NEARLY ZERO CARBON.

PERFORMS EXTREMELY WELL, AS FAR AS AN INSULATION, FOR WHAT WE NEED FOR HIGH-PERFORMANCE BUILDINGS.

IT'S KIND OF THE BEST OF ALL WORLDS.

WE'RE IN A VERY DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT HERE NEXT TO THE GARDEN OF THE GODS, WITH THIS EPIC VIEW OF PIKES PEAK MOUNTAIN TO THE WEST.

AND ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT THINGS FOR HIGH-PERFORMANCE HOMES IS TO HAVE LOTS OF GLASS TO THE WEST, BECAUSE WE CAN OFTEN OVERHEAT VERY QUICKLY, WHICH USES A LOT OF ENERGY TO COOL.

SO, WE WERE CAREFUL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD FRAME THIS VIEW OF PIKES PEAK, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, MAKING SURE THAT THE HOUSE DOESN'T OVERHEAT FROM THE AFTERNOON SUN.

WE HAVE REALLY DEEP EAVES OVER THE WINDOWS, AND WE HAVE IT ANGLED QUITE AGGRESSIVELY AWAY FROM DUE WEST.

THIS IS ACTUALLY THE SOLAR HEAT GAIN FOR THE WINTERTIME.

MOST OF THE HEATING OF THE BUILDING IS GOING TO BE COMING THROUGH THIS GLASS HERE.

THIS IS THE AIRTIGHT LAYER OF THE BUILDING.

AIRTIGHTNESS IS KIND OF A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF THESE TYPES OF BUILDINGS.

CAN WE PUT IN A TWO-BY-FOUR ONTO THE INTERIOR OF THE WALL, AND THAT'S WHERE THE ELECTRICAL BOXES GO, SOME OF THE VENTILATION SYSTEM, WHATEVER KIND OF MECHANICAL SYSTEMS WE NEED.

AND THEN WE INSULATE THAT.

AND THEN WE PUT OUR DRYWALL TO THE INSIDE OF THAT.

OVERALL, IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT A 16-INCH-THICK WALL.

- PART OF WHAT ATTRACTED US TO PASSIVE HOUSE FROM THE BEGINNING WAS, I SUFFER FROM A LOT OF ALLERGIES AND HEADACHES AND THINGS THAT I KNOW ARE RELATED TO THE ENVIRONMENT THAT I'M LIVING IN, NOT JUST WHAT'S GOING ON INSIDE MY BODY.

AND SO, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A GRAND GESTURE OF SUPER ECO AMAZINGNESS.

WE'RE JUST BUILDING A HOUSE THAT FUNCTIONS LIKE A HOUSE SHOULD, FUNCTIONS EASILY.

JUST MAKES SENSE.

- OVERALL, COLORADO, WE'RE TERRIBLE AT RECYCLING.

PER PERSON, WE'RE THROWING AWAY ALMOST 2, 000 POUNDS OF TRASH EVERY YEAR.

WE RECYCLE AND COMPOST ABOUT 15% OF OUR WASTE.

NATIONWIDE, THE RATE IS 32%.

SO, COLORADO IS LESS THAN HALF THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

WE ARE ABSOLUTELY FALLING BEHIND.

WE SET A STATE GOAL OF TRYING TO REACH 28% BY 2021.

WE'VE MISSED THAT.

AND SO, NOT ONLY ARE WE BEHIND THE NATIONAL AVERAGE, BUT WE'VE JUST SORT OF FLATLINED IN SOME OF OUR RECYCLING.

WE HAVE ONE PRIMARY CHALLENGE, AND THAT IS, RECYCLING IS NOT CONVENIENT AND ACCESSIBLE ACROSS THE STATE.

RECYCLING HAS TO BE AS CONVENIENT AS TRASH.

IF YOU'VE GOT A TRASH CAN AT THE CURB, YOU NEED TO HAVE A RECYCLING BIN RIGHT NEXT TO IT.

IF YOU'RE IN AN APARTMENT COMPLEX, THERE NEEDS TO BE REALLY EASY RECYCLING ON SITE.

WHEN WE LOOK ACROSS THE STATE, WE SEE THERE ARE 30 CITIES OUT OF OVER 270 IN WHICH EVERY RESIDENT WHO HAS TRASH SERVICE HAS A RECYCLING BIN RIGHT NEXT TO THAT.

THAT'S THE SYSTEM WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE.

BUT 6 OUT OF OUR 10 LARGEST CITIES DON'T WORK THAT WAY.

ON TOP OF THAT, WE HAVE REALLY LOW LANDFILL PRICES ACROSS THE FRONT RANGE, IN PARTICULAR.

OUTSIDE THE DENVER AREA, YOU MIGHT ONLY PAY $20, $25 A TON FOR LANDFILLING.

THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IS ALMOST $60 A TON.

OUR LANDFILLS ARE REALLY CHEAP, AND THAT MAKES IT REALLY HARD FOR RECYCLING AND COMPOSTING TO COMPETE ECONOMICALLY.

THE THIRD MAJOR CHALLENGE IS WHERE WE ARE IN THE COUNTRY.

WE ARE A LONG WAY FROM A LOT OF THE BIG MANUFACTURING HUBS, A LOT OF THE BIG PORT CITIES ON EITHER OF THE COASTS.

SO, COLORADO HAS TO SHIP MOST OF OUR RECYCLABLES OUT OF THE STATE TO BE RE-MANUFACTURED INTO NEW MATERIALS.

- THE ONE EXCEPTION TO THAT IS GLASS.

WE ARE BLESSED IN THE NORTHERN FRONT RANGE TO HAVE SOME COMPANIES, MOMENTUM RECYCLING, THAT WILL TAKE THE GLASS.

IT GOES TO ALL THE RECYCLING CENTERS.

AND THEY WILL PROCESS IT BY SIZE AND COLOR, AND THEN SELL IT BACK TO BE MADE INTO NEW BOTTLES.

FOR EXAMPLE, YOU CAN DRINK A BEER HERE IN BOULDER, PUT IT INTO YOUR RECYCLING BIN, AND WITHIN SIX WEEKS, IT WILL HAVE GONE THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND BE BACK ON THE SHELVES AS A NEW BOTTLE.

AND THAT'S THE SORT OF PROCESS, THE SORT OF CIRCULARITY, WE WANT TO CREATE FOR ALL THE OTHER RECYCLABLE MATERIALS THAT WE CAN.

- WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT ROLE MODELS.

AND IN THE MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES, WE SEE ASPEN, PITKIN COUNTY, DURANGO, HAVE REALLY STRONG RECYCLING PROGRAMS AND ARE REALLY INNOVATING WHEN IT COMES TO COMPOSTING, AS WELL.

AND ALL THESE PROGRAMS HAVE A COUPLE KEY COMMON DENOMINATORS.

FIRST, THEY MAKE RECYCLING CONVENIENT.

AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE A TRASH CAN, YOU'VE GOT THE RECYCLING BIN RIGHT THERE NEXT TO IT.

THESE COMMUNITIES ALSO CHARGE FOR TRASH BASED ON VOLUME.

THE MORE TRASH YOU USE, THE MORE YOU PAY, WHICH GIVES YOU A FINANCIAL INCENTIVE TO RECYCLE.

AND THEN, THESE COMMUNITIES HAVE ALSO INVESTED IN COMPOSTING PROGRAMS.

THE GOOD NEWS IS, WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT, WORKING EXAMPLES THAT WE CAN BUILD FROM STATE-WIDE.

IF WE'RE GOING TO SCALE UP RECYCLING ACROSS COLORADO AS A CLIMATE SOLUTION AND AN ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT SYSTEMIC CHANGE.

WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT A COORDINATED, CONSISTENT, COST-EFFECTIVE STATEWIDE SOLUTION THAT DOESN'T DEPEND ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO FIND THE MONEY TO SUPPORT RECYCLING.

WE ARE LOOKING AT A POLICY CALLED PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY, WHICH IS IN PLACE IN OVER 40 COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD, IN WHICH THE COMPANIES THAT MAKE PACKAGING AND PRODUCTS HELP PAY INTO THE SYSTEM TO SUPPORT RECYCLING.

WE HAVE A SUSTAINABLE SOURCE OF MONEY TO MAKE RECYCLING CONVENIENT.

WHETHER YOU LIVE ON THE FRONT RANGE OR THE WESTERN SLOPE, AND EVERYWHERE IN BETWEEN, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT COLORADO HAS AN EQUITABLE, CONVENIENT RECYCLING SYSTEM.

- IT'S A LOT.

- OUR PILES GET JUST BETWEEN 131 AND 140 DEGREES.

AND WITH THAT, YOU'RE KILLING E. COLI, SALMONELLA, ALL THE THINGS THAT CAN HARM HUMANS, WHILE KEEPING THE DIVERSITY LIFE IN THE PILE TO THE GREATEST DEGREE.

YOU CAN SEE 140 DEGREES.

I'M NOT SURE THAT WE'RE 100% UNIQUE.

I KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER AWESOME PROJECTS AROUND THE COUNTRY.

BUT I THINK IN DENVER, WHAT WE DO IS UNIQUE IN THAT WE DO IT ALL.

IT'S AN INTEGRATED SYSTEM.

WE DO THE PICKUP.

WE DO THE PROCESSING.

WE MAKE SURE THAT IT'S HIGH-QUALITY, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR FARM.

AND THEN, IT MAKES IT TO SOIL THAT GROWS MORE FOOD.

AND THEN, I LITERALLY FEED THAT FOOD TO MY FAMILY.

I HAVE A HUGE PERSONAL INVESTMENT IN THE QUALITY OF THE SYSTEM, AND SO DOES EVERYBODY AROUND.

AND WHEN WE HAVE FOOD WASTE FROM THAT, IT GOES RIGHT BACK INTO THE SYSTEM.

THAT LOOP, THAT CONSISTENT PROCESS WHERE IT HAS INTEGRITY THROUGHOUT, IS UNIQUE, I WOULD SAY.

I'VE BEEN COMPOSTING FOR ABOUT 12 YEARS IN SOME DIFFERENT CONTEXTS, KIND OF BACKYARD, COMMUNITY FARM SCALE.

I GOT LUCKY AND TOOK A TRIP TO INDIA ONE TIME AND LEARNED FROM SOME OF THOSE FOLKS.

IT WAS REALLY AWESOME.

BUT COMING BACK TO DENVER, KIND OF WANTING TO SOLVE A PROBLEM OF HOW DO YOU GET MORE PEOPLE PARTICIPATING, AND YET CONTROL THE QUALITY?

THE BIG ISSUE WITH COMPOSTING IS KIND OF TRASH THAT MAKES IT INTO THE SYSTEM.

OUR PROGRAM DOESN'T HAVE ANY OF THAT.

AND IT'S BECAUSE OF DIE-HARD PARTICIPANTS WHO KNOW THE VALUE OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH THAT FINISHED MATERIAL.

PARTNERING UP WITH FRONTLINE MEANS THAT WE'RE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE COMMUNITY FARM IN A WAY THAT YOU JUST DON'T GET WHEN YOU'RE A FOR-PROFIT MODEL THAT'S JUST KIND OF TRYING TO CREATE A PRODUCT.

- FRONTLINE FARMING IS A BLACK, INDIGENOUS, PEOPLE OF COLOR, AND WOMEN-LED FARMER ADVOCACY AND FOOD JUSTICE ORGANIZATION.

WE SERVE FARMERS IN OUR COMMUNITIES THROUGH FOOD.

WE ALSO BELIEVE IN EDUCATING AND GROWING THE NEW ITERATIONS OF OUR OWN PEOPLE COMING BACK TO THE LAND AND FINDING LAND AND SPACE TO GROW FOOD.

- WHERE DID ALL THE SOIL GO?

[LAUGHTER] WE'RE PROBABLY STEPPING ON THEM, THAT'S WHY.

- OH, WE COMPACTED IT?

- AS ADVOCATES, WE KNOW THAT OVER 70% OF FARMWORKERS IN THE US ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR.

AND AS FOOD ADVOCATES, WE ARE OFTEN SEEN AS THE PEOPLE WHO ARE RECEIVING FOOD BENEFITS OR LACKING ACCESS TO FOOD.

BUT IN REALITY, WE MAKE THE FOOD SYSTEM.

- DOESN'T COME UNTUCKED.

- WE WORK WITH THE DENVER COMPOST COLLECTIVE AND OUR DEAR FRIEND AND COLLEAGE, SEAN, THERE.

FOR A FEW YEARS, SINCE THEY REALLY STARTED BEGINNING THEIR PROGRAMMING, AND I WAS BUILDING COMPOST FARMS, AND WE SAW THAT WE SHARED THE SAME ETHICS OF WHO WE'RE TRYING TO SERVE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

AND WE BELIEVE THAT GOOD FOOD, COMPOSTING PROGRAMS, SHOULD BE ACCESSIBLE TO OUR COMMUNITIES, AND NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE AFFLUENT CAN ACCESS.

- OUR COMPOST IS FOOD WASTE, PRIMARILY THAT WE PICK UP FROM RESIDENTS.

BUT IT'S NON-MEAT, NON-BONES, NO DAIRY.

IT'S JUST KIND OF THE OTHER REALLY GOOD STUFF.

COULD BE YOUR OLD APPLE CORE.

AVOCADO PITS ARE FINE.

PEANUT SHELLS, COFFEE GROUNDS, EGGSHELLS, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.

WHAT IT ENDS UP BEING IS A SUPER DIVERSE MIX OF NUTRIENTS AND MICRONUTRIENTS AND MINERALS THAT, WHEN WE PROPERLY BREAK IT DOWN IN OUR COMPOST SYSTEM, IT BECOMES PLANT AVAILABLE, ALL OF THAT STUFF.

SO, IT'S NOT LIKE JUST PUTTING MANURE IN A FIELD.

IT'S THE COMPLETE PICTURE OF WHAT A PLANT CAN USE.

OUR PROGRAM IS ALL ABOUT BEING RADICALLY LOCAL WITH OUR SOLUTIONS AND REALLY IN RELATIONSHIP WITH ALL THE PEOPLE INVOLVED.

WE PICK UP THIS FOOD WASTE, AND WE PICK UP OUR LEAVES FROM THE SAME COMMUNITY.

EVERY FALL, WE'LL DO A LEAF COLLECTION IN SOUTH CITY PARK NEIGHBORHOOD.

THAT'S BEEN GOING FOR A FEW YEARS.

AND IT STOCKS US UP WITH OUR CARBON MATERIAL TO ADD TO OUR COMPOST.

AND THEN WE HAVE TREE SERVICES WHO WE TRUST WHO DROP OFF CHIPS.

THAT'S IT.

THAT'S OUR WHOLE SET OF INGREDIENTS THAT GOES INTO THE COMPOST.

IT'S ALL FROM A FEW MILES AWAY.

SO, ECOLOGICALLY, WHEN YOU'RE NOT HAVING TO DRIVE IT 40 MILES OUT OF TOWN, AND THEN HOPE THAT IT GETS COMPOSTED WELL, IT'S LIKE--IT ALL HAPPENS RIGHT HERE, UNDER THE VIEW OF PEOPLE WHO ARE INVESTED AND STAKEHOLDERS IN THE WHOLE PROCESS.

FOR A LOT OF US, IT'S HARD TO KNOW HOW TO CONTRIBUTE TO COMMUNITY.

AND WHEN YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE FOOD WASTE THAT FEEDS THE SOIL, IT CHANGES SOMETHING ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP.

IT'S NOT JUST A CONSUMER RELATIONSHIP ANYMORE.

IT BECOMES "I'M A PART OF THIS.

IT'S A PART OF ME."

AND SO, WHEN I FIRST CAME TO FRONTLINE, IT HAD THAT FAMILIAR FELLING OF A PLACE THAT FELT LIKE THE RIGHT THINGS ARE CARED ABOUT, INCLUDING THE PEOPLE WHO COME.

YOU JUST FEEL LIKE YOU CAN BELONG IN A SETTING WHERE PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH HEALING PROCESSES IN MANY WAYS, BUT TO INCLUDE THE SYSTEMS THAT FEED US AND TAKE IN RESPONSIBILITY.

WE CAN'T COUNT ON THE BIG BOX STORES FOREVER.

AND WE CAN'T COUNT ON THE CORPORATIONS TO LOOK AFTER US.

THAT'S JUST KIND OF THE SENSE THAT A LOT OF US ARE COMING TO.

SO, WHAT DO YOU DO NEXT?

AND TO ME, THE COMMUNITY FARM HAS THE ANSWER.

[BACKGROUND CHATTER] - STOP AND ASK YOURSELF WHY.

WHAT'S GOING ON?

WHEN YOU LOOK AT A RIVER, IT JUST SCREAMS SCARY CIRCUMSTANCES.

MY NAME IS TED.

I'M WITH THE ROARING FORK CONSERVANCY IN A CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECT CALLED HOT SPOTS FOR TROUT.

WE COLLECT WATER TEMPERATURES THROUGHOUT THE ROARING FORK WATERSHED TO HELP GUIDE THOSE WHO HELP US TO KNOW BEST HOW TO RESPONSIBLY USE THE WATER THAT WE'RE PROVIDED.

THERE ARE 23 OF US WHO ARE PART OF THE CITIZEN SCIENCE TEAM, MEASURING TEMPERATURES THROUGHOUT THE WATERSHED.

THE PURPOSE IS TO COLLECT WATER TEMPERATURES ON DIFFERENT DAYS, AT DIFFERENT TIMES, AND ON DIFFERENT RIVERS AND CREEKS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THIS WATERSHED.

IF THE RIVERS ARE WARMING UP, THEN THOSE OF US WHO ENJOY ANGLING SHOULDN'T FISH.

IT'S JUST TOO STRESSFUL TO THE FISH.

IT HELPS US TO GUIDE, FOR INSTANCE, HOW MUCH WATER FLOWS OUT OF THE RESERVOIR.

RIGHT NOW, THE FRYINGPAN BEHIND ME IS FLOWING AT A VERY HIGH RATE, 165% OF WHAT IS NORMAL AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR.

THE REASON IT'S DOING THAT IS BECAUSE WATER DOWN RIVER, ON THE COLORADO RIVER NEAR GRAND JUNCTION, IS NEEDED.

RIGHT NOW, IT'S READING 48, 49.

THE TEMPERATURES HERE ARE TERRIFIC.

THEY'RE 48 DEGREES.

THE FLOW IS 165% OF NORMAL.

IF WE JUST SAID, "THIS IS ALL WE CARE ABOUT, " IF WE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE BIGGER PICTURE, WE'D SAY, "WELL, EVERYTHING'S GREAT."

WHY WE SEE THE FLOW WE SEE IS ACTUALLY NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GLAD TO SEE, BUT SOMETHING THAT CONCERNS US.

- IN 2002, DURING A SIGNIFICANT DROUGHT YEAR, IS WHEN WE INSTITUTED HOT SPOTS FOR TROUT.

AND WE REALIZED THE MORE PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT AND ABOUT IN OUR WATERSHED THAT ARE MONITORING STREAM TEMPERATURES, THE BETTER IDEA WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ON THE HEALTH OF OUR WATERWAYS.

UNFORTUNATELY, IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS, THREE OF THEM HAVE BEEN DROUGHT YEARS.

AND SO, FOR THREE OUT OF THE LAST FOUR YEARS, WE'VE ALSO HAD HOT SPOTS FOR TROUT INITIATED.

WE CAN'T SAY THAT WE'RE COMPLETELY SURPRISED WHEN WE'RE RECEIVING WARM WATER TEMPERATURES IN THE MIDDLE OF JULY, FOR EXAMPLE.

BUT WHAT IS SURPRISING IS HOW OFTEN THE TEMPERATURES, FOR EXAMPLE, GO ABOVE 70 DEGREES.

THE OTHER THING THAT WE'VE BEEN FINDING IS THAT OUR RIVERS CONTINUE TO DECLINE.

AND SO, WHEN THE RIVERS ARE LOWER, THEY CAN ALSO WARM UP THAT MUCH FASTER.

WHY IT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IS ALL RELATED TO WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE LACK OF PRECIPITATION AND THE DROUGHT THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING.

WE HAVE ABOUT 10 MILES UPSTREAM FROM HERE RUEDI RESERVOIR, WHICH WAS BUILT DURING THE FRYINGPAN ARKANSAS PROJECT IN THE LATE '60S.

AND IT'S FOR COMPENSATORY STORAGE FOR THE WESTERN SLOPE.

THE FRYINGPAN ACTS LIKE AN AQUEDUCT, IF YOU WILL, CARRYING WATER FROM HERE.

IT'S OF EXTREME BENEFIT TO THE FISH AND THE ANIMALS THAT LIVE IN THE FRYINGPAN BECAUSE IT HELPS COOL THE WATER DOWN, AND THEN, OF COURSE, CONTRIBUTES WATER TO THE FLOW IN THE COLORADO RIVER.

- IT'S INTERESTING THAT WE'RE SITTING NEXT TO A RIVER THAT HAS HIGHER THAN NORMAL FLOWS.

BUT THE ONLY REASON IT HAS HIGHER THAN NORMAL FLOWS IS BECAUSE THERE'S A DROUGHT.

THAT RESERVOIR IS AT 68% OF CAPACITY.

THIS YEAR, WE PROBABLY WILL HAVE OUR SECOND YEAR, MAYBE THIRD YEAR, WHERE IT HASN'T REACHED FULL CAPACITY.

I'VE BEEN DOING THIS OUTDOORS ACTIVITIES FOR 50 YEARS NOW, SO I SEE TRENDS IN JUST MY LIFETIME.

BUT IN JUST THE TIME SINCE I'VE BEEN TO COLORADO, I NOTICE CHANGES, AND I NOTICE THAT THE SYSTEM IS UNDER EXTREME STRESS.

THERE ARE SOME TIMES OF THE YEAR AND TIMES OF THE DAY THAT I SHOULDN'T BE FISHING CERTAIN RIVERS, WHEN, PERHAPS YEARS AGO, I COULD HAVE EASILY FISHED THEM BECAUSE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN PLENTY OF WATER OR THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN COLDER WATER FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY.

IT SEEMS LIKE A SMALL THING, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY AN INDICATOR.

IT'S KIND OF THE CANARY IN THE COALMINE.

- WHEN WE USE THE WORD "DROUGHT, " IT IMPLIES THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET OUT OF IT PRETTY QUICKLY.

BUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING HERE IN WESTERN COLORADO, SPECIFICALLY, AND IN THE WEST, IS THAT WE'VE SEEN A 20-YEAR PATTERN OF DECREASED PRECIPITATION AND SNOWFALL.

AND SO, WE'RE ACTUALLY SEEING THE START OF OUR ENVIRONMENT, OUR CLIMATE, GO FROM SEMI-ARID ENVIRONMENT TO AN ARID ENVIRONMENT.

THEY'RE CALLING IT ARIDIFICATION.

WITH WATER BEING SUCH A LIMITED RESOURCE HERE, WE REALLY NEED PEOPLE TO, A, UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU MOVE TO, AND, B, START TO UNDERSTAND WISE WAYS OF USING YOUR WATER.

- THERE'S THE OLD ADAGE THAT WHISKEY IS FOR DRINKING AND WATER IS FOR FIGHTING.

THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, WATER, AND THE ACCESS TO THAT WATER, IS ALL ABOUT THE ABILITY TO LEAD A HUMAN LIFE.

WITHOUT WATER, WE CAN'T DO ANY OF THIS.

WE CAN'T LIVE.

WE CAN'T DRINK.

WE CAN'T SURVIVE.

WHILE WE CAN MOVE AROUND THE WATER WE HAVE, IT'S A FINITE RESOURCE.

AND IN FACT, THAT RESOURCE IS BECOMING LESS AND LESS AVAILABLE TO US.

I LOVE THE COLD WATER THAT'S COMING DOWN THE FRYINGPAN, BUT IN MY HEART, I KNOW THAT'S KIND OF AN UPSETTING INDICATOR OF AN ENVIRONMENT UNDER THREAT.

- CONTROL GROUP IS AN EXPEDITIONARY PERFORMANCE IMMERSIVE COMPANY THAT'S BEEN IN DENVER FOR 14 YEARS.

I THINK WE'RE GOING ON THE 15TH.

WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THIS OUTFITTED OLD SCHOOL BUS THAT WE'VE BEEN PREPARING FOR YEARS.

AFTER WE GATHER EVERYONE WHO'S RESERVED TRANSPORT, WE'LL GET ON THE BUS, AND WE'LL HEAD OUT.

THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS.

WHAT IS GOING ON WITH CLIMATE CHANGE IN DENVER?

IT IS FICTION, BUT IT'S ROOTED IN REAL, SIGNIFICANT ISSUES THAT ALL OF US ARE FACING, SPECIFICALLY IN COLORADO, BUT, OF COURSE, MACRO, GLOBALLY.

WELCOME TO THE END.

THIS IS THE ONLY GUARANTEED AND SAFE TRANSPORT FROM HERE TO THE REFUGE.

HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR TRANSPORT?

OK, KATE, YOU ARE ASSIGNED AS A FORAGER, WHICH MEANS YOU'LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR COLLECTING AND GATHERING GOODS AS WE HEAD OUT TO THE REFUGE.

THE REFUGE IS THE LAST SAFE PLACE IN COLORADO FOR US TO GO.

WITH EVERYTHING GOING DOWN, YOU'VE BEEN UNTETHERED, CORRECT?

(MUSIC PLAYING) [BACKGROUND VOICES SPEAKING LOUDLY, INDISCERNIBLY] (MUSIC PLAYING) - I'VE LEARNED A LOT, BUT A BIG PORTION OF IT IS JUST TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT NATURE IS EVERYWHERE, AND THAT WE ARE ONE WITH NATURE.

THIS SHOW HAS REALLY STIRRED SOME DEEP FEELING AND ACTION IN ME IN WANTING TO EXPAND MY VISION OF WHAT IS DENVER, WHAT IS COLORADO.

AND GLOBEVILLE IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THIS PLACE AND THE AIR QUALITY AND WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH WILDLIFE, WHERE ALL OF US COULD BE IN ANOTHER FIVE YEARS, IF WE DON'T CONTINUE TO TAKE ACTION.

(MUSIC PLAYING) (MUSIC PLAYING)