HR 1003 — Recognize Environmental Initiatives

HOUSE RESOLUTION 26-1003 BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Joseph and Soper, Bacon, Boesenecker, Brown, Camacho, Clifford, Duran, English, Froelich, Goldstein, Jackson, Lieder, Lindsay, Martinez, Mauro, McCormick, Nguyen, Paschal, Phillips, Ricks, Smith, Stewart K., Stewart R., Story, Titone, Velasco, Willford, Woodrow, Zokaie, Carter, Espenoza, Garcia, Hamrick, Lukens, Mabrey, Rutinel, Sirota, Valdez, McCluskieMcCluskie. .

WHEREAS, Coloradans have long loved the great outdoors, and we take tremendous pride in celebrating our natural heritage and being stewards ofofthe the environment for future generations;

and WHEREAS,JohnMcConnell,apeaceactivistwhoresidedinDenverWHEREAS, JohnMcConnell, apeace activistwho resided inDenver until his death in 2012, established the conceptconceptf of Earth Day in March 1970;1970;and WHEREAS, Soon afterward, in April 1970, U.S.

andSenator WHEREAS,Gaylord SoonNelson afterward,organized inan environmental teach-in, which has since evolved into the popular Earth Day celebrated on April 1970,22 U.S.of each year in the United States and throughout much ofthe world;

Senatorand GaylordWHEREAS, NelsonApril organized22, an2026, environmentalis teach-in,the which56th hasannual sincecelebration evolvedofEarth intoDay, thean popularoccasion Earththat Daydraws celebratedattention onto Aprilenvironmental 22issues ofand eachprograms, yearfrom inrecycling, theenergy Unitedefficiency, States and throughoutconservation muchefforts ofin theColorado world;communities to global environmental initiatives;

and WHEREAS, April 22, 2026, is the 56th annual celebration of Earth Day, an occasion that draws attention to environmental issues and programs, from recycling, energyefficiency, and conservation efforts in Colorado communities to global environmental initiatives;

and WHEREAS, International Day ofofZero Zero Waste is an initiative to raise awarenessofwaste-reductionefforts,promotesustainableproductionand consumption, and encourage cities and rural areas alike to adopt sustainable and environmentallysoundenvironmentally sound management ofofwaste, waste, including local and national waste-reduction initiatives;

and WHEREAS, This year's International Day ofofZero Zero Waste is focused on food waste, with governments asked to explore how they can help limit the nearly one billion tons of edible food thrown away each year through adopting policies related to food circularity, composting, and food measurement and monitoring;

and WHEREAS, The state of Colorado and our citizens recognize the importance of clean air, outdoor recreation, and wildlife to the state's economy, identity, and public health and are therefore committed to the conservationandstewardshipofournaturallandscape,openspace,rivers,conservationandstewardship mountains,lakes,andsensitiveecosystemsinaccordancewithcelebratingofournaturallandscape, openspace,rivers, mountains, lakes, andsensitiveecosystemsinaccordancewithcelebrating Earth Day;

and PAGE 2-HOUSE RESOLUTION 26-1003 WHEREAS, Colorado has built a framework of public taxpayer support for the new energy economy through the use of financial incentives, including sales tax exemptions and refunds for renewable energy investments, property tax exemptions for renewable energy production, tax incentives to encourage the purchase of more energy-efficientvehicles,andlow-interestloanstohelpschoolsinvestinenergy-efficientvehicles, and low-interest loans to help schools investin energy efficiency and renewable energy production;

and WHEREAS,TheColoradoHouseofRepresentativessupportseffortsWHEREAS, The ColoradoHouse ofRepresentatives supports efforts to deploy technologies that offer operational savings, customer-choice energy management, improved grid reliability, greater energyefficiencyenergy andconservationoptions,andincreaseduseofrenewableenergysources;efficiency and conservationoptions, andincreaseduse ofrenewableenergysources;

and WHEREAS, The House of Representatives supports policies that createvibrantneighborhoods,promotepubliccreatevibrantneighborhoods, promotepublic transportation, and relyonrely on the principles ofofsmart smart growth and community sustainability;

and WHEREAS, The United States is the world's largest generator of municipal solid waste, producing 12% ofofall all municipal solid waste while accounting for 4% ofofthe the population;

and WHEREAS, Data from the Global Waste Index showed Colorado averaged1.046kilogramsofmunicipalsolidwastegeneratedperperson,averaged 1.046kilograms ofmunicipal solidwaste generatedperperson, the 30th-highest state ranking in the United States;

and WHEREAS,Colorado'srateofmunicipalwastediversionwas15.7%WHEREAS, Colorado'srate ofmunicipalwaste diversionwas 15.7% in 2024, the most recent year for which data is available from the state, trailing far behind the adopted statewide goalsgoals35% ofby 35%2026 by2026 and 45% by 2036;

and WHEREAS, The Colorado department of public health and environmentreportsthatapproximately30%to40%ofallfoodproducedenvironmentreportsthatapproximately30%to 40% ofall foodproduced goes uneaten;

and WHEREAS, Approximately60%Approximately of60% uneatenofuneaten food is sent to landfills, where it decomposes and produces methane;

and WHEREAS,TheColoradoGeneralAssemblyhasalreadysignaleditsWHEREAS, TheColorado GeneralAssemblyhas alreadysignaledits support for food-waste initiatives through the passage of House Bill 25-1166,whichrequiredthedepartmentofpublichealthandenvironment to provide annual training on food waste prevention and reduction strategies and develop a food waste reduction guidance document;

and WHEREAS, We acknowledge that, to limit waste and protect Colorado'snaturalresourcesandlandscapes,ourstate,andourEarth,we,Colorado's naturalresources and landscapes, ourstate, and ourEarth, we, as elected representatives ofofthe the state, must provide leadership, tap into the expertise and talent of our community, and engage the hearts and minds ofofall all citizens;

now, therefore, Be It Resolved by the House ofofRepresentatives Representativesofthe of the Seventy-fifth GeneralGeneralAssembly Assemblyofthe of the State ofofColorado: Colorado:

That we, the members of the Colorado House of Representatives, reaffirm our commitment to the goals and principles of our responsibilitiesasstewardsoftheEarth.Inrecognitionof2026EarthDayresponsibilities andasstewards InternationaloftheEarth. Day of Zero Waste, and in keeping with our moral obligation to limitwaste and protect and enhance the long-termhealth of the state's natural environment, economy, and community, we support Earth Day and International Day of Zero Waste by:

(1)Inrecognitionof2026EarthDay Invitingand International Day of Zero Waste, and encouragingin allkeeping citizens,with businesses,our organizations,moral schools,clubs,congregations,neighborhoods,andfamiliestoparticipateobligationto incommunityInternationalDayofZeroWasteeventsonMarch30,2026,limitwaste andprotect and Earthenhance Daythe activitieslong-termhealth onof Aprilthe 22,state's 2026,natural environment, economy, and tocommunity, engagewe insupport environmentallyEarth soundDay and waste-reducingInternational practicesDay inofZero theirWaste everydayby: lives;

(1) Inviting and encouraging all citizens, businesses, organizations, schools, clubs, congregations, neighborhoods, and families toparticipate incommunityInternationalDay ofZero Waste events onMarch30,2026, and Earth Day activities on April 22, 2026, and to engage in environmentally sound and waste-reducing practices in their everyday lives;

PAGE 4-HOUSE RESOLUTION 26-1003 (3) Demonstrating leadership and continually evaluating state operations, facilities, and services to ensure the highest standard of efficiency,sustainability,wastereduction,andenvironmentalprotection;efficiency, sustainability,wastereduction, andenvironmentalprotection;

and (5) Encouraging teachers and parents to emphasize environmental awarenessamongyoungpeoplesothattheyhavetheknowledgetomakeawareness amongyoungpeople so thatthey havethe knowledge to make sound choices in their daily lives to preserve and enhance our natural environment and are able totojointhe join the workforce ofofour our state with a strong environmental ethic.

Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Resolution be sent to Colorado's Congressional Delegation, Governor Jared Polis, Lieutenant GovernorDiannePrimavera,theCityofBoulder,theCountyofBoulder,GovernorDiannePrimavera, the UniversityCity ofofBoulder, Coloradothe County ofBoulder, the University ofColorado Boulder, and Eco-Cycle.

____________________________ ____________________________ Vanessa Reilly Julie McCluskie CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF REPRESENTATIVES PAGE 5-HOUSE RESOLUTION 26-1003