The Sierra Club works on many different conservation issues. Currently their focus is on protecting our clean water from the effects of a proposed gold mine in Atlanta at the headwaters of the Boise River. Sierra Club’s Cool Cities campaign is working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at a local level in Boise to address global climate change. In 2006 Mayor Bieter signed the U.S. Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement and Sierra Club representative, Alan Hausrath, currently sits of the Boise Protection Advisory Committee for the City of Boise. Sierra Club also continues their work to improve management plans for public lands and work toward designation of wilderness areas. Specifically they are working to protect wildlife and wilderness in the desert public lands throughout southwest Idaho.

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The Banner Bank Building in Boise has been recognized with a LEED® Platinum rating, ranking it among an elite group of office buildings in the world to receive the highest LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating available from the U.S. Green Building Council. The 190,000 square-foot Art Deco style office building opened for occupancy in May 2007 . This 11-story building uses 60 percent less energy than a typical office building of the same size. Its unique water reuse system collects lavatory graywater and urban storm water from seven acres of off-site downtown hardscape to flush the building’s toilets and urinals. The indoor environment provides superior natural light, ventilation and air purity.

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In 1892, Boise became the first city in the nation to use geothermal energy to heat its buildings along Warm Springs Road using naturally occurring hot water (approximately 175° F), a renewable energy source. Today, four independent systems provide geothermally heated water to the east and central parts of the city. The oldest system still provides hot water to customers along Warm Springs Road. In addition, the Veterans Administration has a system to provide services to the VA campus; the state has a system to heat the State Capital building, the only state capital in the nation to be heated by geothermal, and other state buildings in the Capital Mall area; and the system operated by the City of Boise.

The City of Boise system, administered by the public works Department, the largest direct use system in the United States, supplies energy efficient heat to over 55 businesses in the downtown core area. Some of these buildings include the Ada County Courthouse, the Banner Bank building, the pools at the YMCA, and Boise City Hall.

Three wells are capable of producing a combined total of up to 4000 gallons per minute of hot water for the City operated system. Approximately 180,000,000 gallons of water are used each year. After the water is used in a building it is routed to an injection well where all the water is returned to the ground to be reheated and available for use again in the future.

The most unusual local use of the geothermal waters? Propagating warm water coral, right here in Boise.

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The Integrated Design Lab [IDL] is dedicated to the development of high performance buildings in Idaho and Eastern Oregon. Design teams that utilize the resources available through the IDL will design buildings that are more comfortable for people, require less energy to maintain and operate, and enhance the health and productivity of their inhabitants. The IDL is operated by the University of Idaho. It is sustained by grants from the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance's (NEEA) BetterBricks program, Idaho Power, The Idaho Energy Division, as well as matching funds by the University of Idaho and project clients. The IDL provides project based education services to designers in the disciplines of daylighting, electric lighting, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning, and other high performance, sustainable practices.

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LEED certified.

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Foothills School of Arts and Sciences, a pre-K through 8th Grade independent school located in downtown Boise, is dedicated to reducing it's carbon footprint and celebrates the spirit of your ride! We provide a vibrant learning community where students develop personal, academic, and social responsibility - leading to a lifetime of discovery. In addition to our strong commitment to providing a unique educational environment, Foothills has been grounded in environmental activism since its founding in 1992. Among our efforts are school-wide recycling and composting, alternative transportation celebrations, reducing our energy consumption through energy audits, and classroom activities that teach our future leaders about their impact on the planet and their capacity to make a difference. We accept applications throughout the year and have openings in our Middle School (grades 6 through 8) for the 2008-09 academic year. If you would like to tour the School, give us a call at 208-331-9260, or visit our website at www.foothillsschool.org.

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In a cooperative effort between Trout Unlimited and the Boise Parks and Recreation Department, the removal of a culvert has created a stream channel with a modest water flow to the Boise River, with the objective of creating 3,000 square feet of riparian/wetland habitat and enhancement of another 4,000 square feet of riparian habitat along the Boise River. Project activities included the removal of soils covering a culvert, the relocation of an irrigation line, and extraction of approximately 80 feet of a 30-inch diameter culvert. A new channel was excavated in a westerly direction which included shaping the channel bottom and banks, and planting riparian/wetland plant species. Erosion control wattles were placed to form the channel banks. Colonization of the channel by macroinvertebrates (bugs) and as a spawning area for fish will be used to monitor the progress of the project. Opportunities also exist to include interpretive and educational information at the project site in Julia Davis Park along the paved bicycle path.

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Approximately 33 percent of the waste that goes into landfills is construction waste; much of this waste still has a useful life. They have received tiles, lighting, hardwood flooring, cabinets, appliances, hardware, antique doors, windows, etc. These were all items that would have ended up at the landfill; now these products are readily available for low-cost home improvements. The center accepts donations of reusable building materials from individuals and businesses alike. The center takes new and used materials left over from remodeling projects, demolished buildings and overstocked stores and sells them at no more than 50 percent of the retail price. The store was one of five companies to receive the city of Boise's annual EnviroGuard Pollution Prevention Award in 2006 because of its mission to reuse and recycle. The annual awards recognize businesses working to better the environment.

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Eco-Lounge Freeride Shop has offered eco-friendly ski, snowboarding and skateboarding equipment and clothing since 2005. Care for the environment is visible in all aspects of their operations from the use of organic based waxes and bio-degradable, non-toxic machining coolant for ski and board tuning to the use of non-toxic cleaning products. The shop recycles paper, cardboard, plastics, cans, and fluorescent light bulbs. Landscaping incorporates drought tolerant plant materials and drip irrigation. The store carries USA-made clothing products from manufacturers that use organically grown cottons, sourced polyesters, vegetable and soy-based fabric dyes, and corporate worker health and safety programs that meet or exceed federal requirements. Other clothing lines include European manufacturers that have been Blue Sign certified for being non-toxic from start to finish. Skis, snowboards, and skateboards offered in the store are made of wood cores from renewable species such as poplar and bamboo, as well as boots from manufacturers using recycled materials. They also sell stuffed teddy bears to raise funds for the Idaho Black Bear Rehabilitation Center, a convalescent center for injured bears before being returned to the wild.

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Ten Thousand Villages in Boise, ID, is a fair trade retailer of artisan-crafted home decor, personal accessories and gift items from across the globe. Featuring products from more than 130 artisan groups in some 36 countries, we are part of a network of more than 150 retail outlets throughout the United States selling Ten Thousand Villages products.

As one of the world's oldest and largest fair trade organizations, Ten Thousand Villages has spent more than 60 years cultivating trading relationships in which artisans receive a fair price for their work and consumers have access to distinctive handcrafted items. We seek to establish long-term buying relationships in places where skilled artisans are under- or unemployed, and in which they lack other opportunities for income. A founding member of the International Fair Trade Association (IFAT), Ten Thousand Villages sees fair trade as an alternative approach to conventional international trade.

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The Boise Co-op is a customer-driven organization that assembles the best people and resources to deliver the finest sustainable and specialty products to the community. They sell locally grown and organic food. It also has a far-sighted commitment to community. From the American Heart Association to the Idaho Peace Coalition and numerous other worthy organizations, they actively support events that improve quality of life through a variety of venues. A significant portion of their revenue is returned to community projects each year. Out of respect for the environment, they recycle, reuse and conserve in every manner possible. All qualifying materials are recycled. The store has been designed to minimize the use of natural resources and energy, and we seek vendors who demonstrate a similar commitment.

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We hope that you enjoyed the ride! Please stay for our wine social.