Whew. How have you felt this year?
For me, every day has felt like the ground is shaking underneath me. It is hard to feel secure when we have seen attacks on our environment and our communities day after day. We’ve seen our opposition throw out the transition to a cleaner tomorrow. We’ve seen supposed leaders roll back the commonsense protections that keep us safe. And we’ve seen polluters be given control they haven’t had in decades over our air and water.
But despite all we’ve seen, I still feel hope in my heart.
Because in response to all the hate and fear of the past year, I’ve seen people stand together and demand a better future. Every day, I’ve seen Coloradans come together to build something stronger. And I’ve seen the resilience of the Sierra Club Colorado Chapter to keep working toward our goals despite federal inaction, destruction, and denial.
In the face of federal chaos, there’s still so much stability we can bring to the environment here in Colorado. Here are just a few of the ways we plan to make an impact in 2026:
- Fight coal in Colorado. The Trump administration has made it their mission to reverse action to protect our climate and communities by demanding coal plants in Colorado stay running. We know coal is dirty, expensive, and dangerous, so we are pushing our state leaders and Colorado utilities to stand up to Trump to protect our health and ensure we all have access to clean, affordable energy.
- Expand public lands in our state. We know Coloradans love our public lands and the access to nature, clean water, and natural habitats they provide. In the face of threats to public lands across the country, Colorado can be a leader to fight back. We will urge the State Land Board to expand existing parks in our state, and bring Coloradans to these special places so we can enjoy and explore the outdoors together and remember what we are fighting for.
- Pass bills to advance clean energy. In the 2026 legislative session, we will pass bills to get Colorado to 100% clean energy. As demand for energy increases through the building of data centers and other energy-intensive projects, we will ensure the environment and ratepayers are not made to foot the bill, and that renewable energy sources are used to meet higher demands. We will host lobby days, testify on behalf of commonsense clean energy legislation, and mobilize constituents to demand action from their elected leaders.
The work we do together makes up the Sierra Club Colorado Chapter - this work matters because your voice matters.
We both know these are challenging times, but the Sierra Club Colorado Chapter is still working to protect our environment. For generations, we've stood strong, defending Colorado’s natural beauty, protecting the health of our communities, and holding the line against environmental destruction. Right now, the question isn’t whether victory is possible — it’s whether we continue to show up.
Over the past year, we’ve stood strong together and accomplished so much. Because of your support, we’ve been able to:
- Defend our public lands from federal attacks. The Sierra Club mobilized huge numbers of supporters and members of the public to make phone calls and write letters to successfully stop national policy that would have allowed our public lands to be sold to the highest bidder.
- Educate the public about electrification options. We hosted events and webinars to help Sierra Club supporters learn more about how they can protect their families from indoor air pollution and get their homes off of gas by investing in heat pumps and other electric appliances.
- Hold fossil fuel companies accountable. Together with our partners, we published a report that showed oil and gas companies were not disclosing the dangerous chemicals they are using in their operations. In 2022, the Sierra Club championed a law that required them to publish these chemicals, so we knew we had to take action to hold them accountable. After the report came out, the Energy and Carbon Management Commission took action to compel those companies to be fully transparent.
As another year full of twists and turns comes to a close, I’m looking ahead to 2026 with hope and anticipation. There is still so much we can accomplish together. Will you consider a gift to support local environmental work today? 100% of your gift stays right here in Colorado.
I want you to know that every ounce of your support has made it possible for us to overcome the odds and move forward. Like our environment, our achievements are great, but they are also fragile. Please consider donating to the Colorado Chapter today so we have the resources to continue this journey towards a brighter, healthier future.
In solidarity and determination,
Margaret Kran-Annexstein
Chapter Director
Sierra Club Colorado Chapter