Brown Cloud in Telluride Watch

Andrew Sawyer with the Telluride Watch yesterday provided a thorough perspective on how air pollution is threatening San Miguel County in western Colorado. The article paints a grim picture of things to come if we don't act to reduce air pollution, especially in the mountain community of Telluride.

Although the article speaks of a "battle between economy and quality of life," one would hope that the two would not be at odds. Cleaning our air is often pitted against economic development, yet economic development without clean air is bad economics. Air pollution is a clear sign of unsustainable economic development. What is unsustainable development? It simply means that ultimately, the cost of undertaking the development will outweigh the benefits.

In Colorado, the signs of air pollution are a sign of unsustainable development. For the sake of all our communities and children, from the mountains to the plains, this has to change.