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Coal at Sunset: Those Still to Come (S1 Ep6)

Coal at Sunset: Those Still to Come (S1 Ep6)

FromLaws of Notion


Coal at Sunset: Those Still to Come (S1 Ep6)

FromLaws of Notion

ratings:
Length:
32 minutes
Released:
Dec 13, 2021
Format:
Podcast episode

Description

Coal enabled a way of life in Craig that many cherish. A close-knit small town community is still a draw. But for those growing up here now, knowing big changes are ahead, will that feeling be enough for them to stay? In this episode, we look beyond coal and energy to examine some of the other opportunities that Craig will need to build out to retain and attract students and families. Education will be crucial. At Colorado Northwestern Community College, for example, new programs in aviation, cybersecurity, and paleontology might provide other career avenues. There's new creative energy coming in to Craig already. We see it in the public art sector, and the young business owners starting to make investments here. The next generation will find very different opportunities here than their parents did. Maybe that's what it takes to move beyond what's defined the town for so long. Host: Kristan Uhlenbrock Guests:  • Marie Bolton, student, Colorado Mesa University • Ariane Caldwell, Secretary, Northwest Colorado Arts Council• Lisa Jones, President, Colorado Northwestern Community College (CNCC) • Melanie Kilpatrick, Executive Director, Northwest Colorado Arts Council • Sue Mock, paleontology coordinator, CNCC • Sasha Nelson, Executive Director, Workforce Education and Economic Development, CNCC• Brittany Young, Assistant Director, Craig Chamber of Commerce Coal at Sunset was created by the Institute for Science & Policy at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and produced in partnership with House of Pod. To hear bonus clips and find additional resources, visit https://coalatsunset.org/
Released:
Dec 13, 2021
Format:
Podcast episode

Titles in the series (36)

In rural northwestern Colorado, the town of Craig is at a crossroads. Coal has long been the primary employer and economic driver in this small, tight-knit community, which takes pride in providing energy to the surrounding region. Here, coal is an identity. A duty. A way of life. But something is about to change. In order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Colorado is moving on from fossil fuels. And in 2020, Tri-State, the local electrical utility, announced that it would close the Craig coal-fired power plant and coal mines by the end of the decade. Now, residents face an uncertain future. Some business owners and local officials are seeking to reinvent Craig’s economy. Others still hold out hope of a coal revival. This is a story about the energy we use every day. But it's also a story about values and resilience in the face of change. Craig is only the latest American coal town to face a transition. It won't be the last. Can it succeed where others have failed? Coal at Sunset: A Colorado Town in Transition was created by the Institute for Science & Policy at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and is produced in partnership with House of Pod.