By Christiane Mimra

The story of sustainability has always been one of persistence. While national headlines may come and go, the real momentum is built locally—in Colorado’s towns, cities, and regions that continue to push forward, understanding the climate can’t wait.

At Brendle Group, we see this every day in the work of our clients and partners. Despite the noise at the federal level, climate action is moving forward, advancing through local leadership, collaboration, and people committed to building a more sustainable future.

That commitment comes into sharp focus each year at the Mountain Towns 2030 Conference. A gathering of community leaders from mountain, resort, and rural areas, attendees share stories of progress, challenges, and inspiration. Mountain towns have long been on the frontlines of climate change, facing shorter winters, wildfire threats, and water scarcity. Yet rather than stepping back in the face of federal headwinds, they are doubling down. They’re continuing their work on conservation, pushing for innovative solutions around energy and transportation and are proving that small communities can lead by example and drive big change.

We’re also looking forward to the APA Western Slope Conference, where planners, practitioners, and partners will exchange ideas and new developments on water, adaptation, and resilience. These are not abstract concepts; they are the day-to-day realities for Western Colorado communities navigating drought, growth pressures, and changing economic landscapes. This gathering is another reminder that Colorado’s communities are staying the course, led by people who cannot afford to wait for the political landscape to change again.

For us, attending these conferences isn’t just about networking or professional development. It’s about showing up. It’s about standing shoulder to shoulder with communities who are choosing persistence over pause, courage over complacency. It’s about listening to stories from leaders who are finding creative, practical ways to keep moving forward, no matter what.

Together, we can stay the course.

Looking Ahead

In our upcoming blog, we will share more reflections from these events as we explore an important question with various attendees: What does “the climate can’t wait” mean to you, and what is your organization doing about it?

–

About the Author – Christiane is passionate about helping clients integrate sustainability into business practices to drive long-term value and increase resilience. Her repertoire includes life cycle analysis, greenhouse gas accounting, recycling technologies, process flow development, project management, and stakeholder engagement. She is an effective communicator and fluent in English, German and Spanish.

Christiane applies her analytical mindset and engineering skills to several topics at Brendle Group. She has experience in developing sustainability strategies, performing comprehensive analyses, and process optimization. At Brendle Group, Christi serves in a cross-functional coordination role in the business development team and supports the delivery of meaningful data-driven project results.