PROJECTS
INNOVATIVE IDEAS CATALOGUE
Gathering and disseminating the newest and sharpest projects, policies and products applicable to small towns of the West is a core purpose for The Sopris Foundation. Contact us to share an idea or inquire about a fix.
• "Innovative Ideas for a New West" Workbook (PDF – 5.0 MB)
• Colorado College State of the Rockies Report Card (www.coloradocollege.edu/stateoftherockies/reportcard.html)
• Headwaters News (www.headwatersnews.org)
• Sonoran Institute (www.sonoran.org)
ESTATE TAX REFORM
Given the high value of real estate — particularly ranches — in the amenity regions of the West, the 45% estate tax leveraged against many working landscapes force the operator to sell his land to fund the tax bill. The Sopris Foundation, in partnership with the Environmental Defense Fund (www.edf.org), is working to educate elected officials about the needed reforms within the estate tax. We need to remove yet another roadblock to ranchers' profitability, and thus preserve Western agriculture.
• John McBride's letter to the Colorado Cattlemen's Association, November 2007 (PDF – 16 kb)
• Piper S. Foster High Country News essay (Coming Soon)
DOCUMENTARY: "NOBODY'S HOME"
In Spring 2007 The Sopris Foundation produced the documentary "Nobody's Home." This 15-minute film describes the loss of local vitality in resort towns as a result of rapid real estate appreciation and conversion of locals' housing to second homes. The DVD also includes 4 case studies from Switzerland, Crested Butte, Basalt, and Aspen.
Executive Producer: John McBride; Directed and produced by Laurel Garrett; Edited by Scott Davis; Filmed by Greg Poschman and Edgar Boyles; Assistant Producers Patsy Batchelder and Piper Foster.
ENERGY RESEARCH ON SECOND HOMES
Eliminating waste and attention to the carbon footprint of one's home is important to us. In partnership with Rick Heede at Climate Mitigation Services, we assessed the carbon emissions from primary and second homes in the Aspen area in a report titled "Anybody Home?: Energy Consumption and Carbon Emissions from Second Homes in Aspen". This study and related press revealed that of the residential emissions in our area, >60% are attributable to largely vacant second homes.
Download the "Anybody Home?" report (PDF – 1.2 MB)
Download the Executive Summary of "Anybody Home?" (PDF – 130 kb)