Aurora Sustainability

The Care for Colorado initiative empowers everyone, residents and visitors alike, to enjoy our city responsibly and preserve its natural wonders. Together, we can protect Aurora’s wild spaces, foster community pride, and leave a positive impact every time we step outside.

This page is your essential guide to experiencing Aurora sustainably. We're here to help you explore all the vibrancy, culture, and beauty Aurora has to offer while making choices that protect our environment and support our local community.

Visit the City of Aurora's Environmental Resources Page

Care for Colorado

Care for Colorado is a statewide stewardship initiative that inspires everyone to explore responsibly and protect the places we love. Rooted in collaboration between Colorado’s tourism industry and conservation experts, this program promotes mindful travel and simple, everyday actions that make a difference. By following the Care for Colorado Principles, visitors and residents help preserve Aurora’s parks, trails, and neighborhoods, ensuring our city’s unique natural and cultural treasures remain vibrant for generations. Join us in making a positive impact as you discover all Aurora has to offer.

Leave No Trace

Leave No Trace is a set of simple, practical principles designed to help everyone protect Colorado’s natural beauty by minimizing their impact while exploring the outdoors. By following these guidelines, we can all help preserve Aurora’s parks and wild spaces for future generations. The seven Care for Colorado Leave No Trace Principles are:

1. Know Before You Go
2. Stick to Trails
3. Leave it as You Find it
4. Trash the Trash
5. Be Careful With Fire
6. Keep Wildlife Wild
7. Share Our Spaces

Learn more about the Leave No Trace principles here.

Knowing Aurora's natural history is important because it helps us understand the original landscapes that shaped our city, contributing to the environmental challenges we face today. By learning about Aurora’s prairie past, we learn how our actions impact the land and why it’s worth protecting.

Before the City: Aurora’s Natural Prairie Heritage

Long before Aurora became the dynamic city it is today, this land was open prairie. A sea of grasslands stretched to the horizon, shaped by wind and changing seasons. These native prairies played a vital role in shaping the region’s environment, with effects still felt today. The open landscape contributes to the strong prairie winds and wide temperature swings we experience. The soil, changed over centuries by deep-rooted grasses, acts like a sponge, helping retain moisture and protect against heat extremes at the ground level. Today, the soil still supports agriculture, gardens, and parks across the city. The diversity of grasses and wildflowers supported a wide range of animal life, from bison and pronghorn to pollinators that are still vital to our farming practices and local ecosystems. Even as Aurora has grown, pockets of prairie remain as reminders of a resilient ecosystem that continues to support native wildlife and help guard against erosion and flooding.

Honoring our prairie past helps us build a sustainable and resilient future for everyone who calls Aurora home. You can learn more about Aurora's natural landscape by visiting a local park or the Plains Conservation Center.

Aurora is making a positive impact through its commitment to sustainable water management, innovative community gardens, and recycling initiatives. These efforts help preserve essential resources, support healthy neighborhoods, and protect the environment for future generations.

Community Gardens

Aurora has thriving community gardens that empower residents to grow fresh produce, build connections, and support local food security. These gardens bring neighbors together, transform open spaces into vibrant pockets of green, and educate the community about sustainable gardening practices. Whether you’re an experienced gardener or just starting, Aurora’s community gardens offer a welcoming place to dig in, learn, and give back.

Located on the historic DeLaney Farm site, Delaney Community Farm is a partnership between Project Worthmore and Denver Urban Gardens. It grows a wide variety of vegetables and herbs using organic and sustainable methods and serves as a vital gathering space and resource hub for immigrant and refugee families. Through educational workshops, volunteer opportunities, and a pay-what-you-can farm stand, DeLaney connects people from diverse backgrounds and cultivates food and community resilience.

If you are interested in joining or supporting a community garden, a complete list of local gardens can be found here.

The Arapahoe County CSU Extension Master Gardener team regularly hosts hands-on workshops including lessons on how to build pollinator-friendly garden beds to seasonal garden care. To learn more about how to join a program, visit the Master Gardner website.

Recycling Initiatives

Aurora is committed to promoting sustainability and reducing waste through various recycling initiatives across the city. Residents are encouraged to participate in single-stream recycling, which allows for easy disposal of paper, plastics, metals, and glass in a single container. The city offers curbside recycling services for households and several convenient drop-off locations for materials that require special handling, like electronics, hazardous waste, and yard debris. By making recycling accessible and straightforward, Aurora aims to divert more waste from landfills and conserve valuable resources.

In addition to residential programs, Aurora hosts community recycling events throughout the year, offering opportunities for safe disposal of hard-to-recycle items such as old tires, appliances, and confidential documents.

Transportation

Exploring Aurora through sustainable transportation options is easier than ever and helps reduce your environmental impact while getting around the city comfortably. The RTD Light Rail system connects Aurora to the Denver metro area, offering a convenient, energy-efficient way to commute and visit top attractions without the hassle of driving or parking. Specifically, the R line stretches from the northern part of Aurora to the southern part and the A line connects from Denver's Union Station to the airport with several stops along Aurora.

In addition, Aurora is expanding its network of bike lanes, trails, and pedestrian pathways, making it simple to choose biking or walking for short trips. Residents and visitors can also take advantage of ride-sharing, electric vehicle charging stations, and public buses, all of which contribute to cleaner air and a healthier, more vibrant community.

Aurora Water

Water scarcity is a reality in Colorado’s semi-arid climate, and the City of Aurora is committed to water conservation and innovation. Aurora’s initiatives include the Prairie Waters Project. This nationally recognized water reuse system purifies water for reuse, and there are ongoing efforts in efficiency upgrades, leak detection, and advanced technology for water management. Aurora’s residents are also encouraged to participate in educational programs about sustainable water management. This has resulted in Aurora having the lowest daily water usage per person along the Front Range. More information can be found on Colorado's Water Plan Page.

Local Partners Supporting Sustainability in Aurora

Aurora’s commitment to sustainability is made possible through the collaboration of dedicated city departments and passionate local organizations. From protecting green spaces and encouraging water conservation to supporting food justice and zero-waste shopping, the partners below work together to create a greener, healthier future for everyone in our community.

City of Aurora Departments:

• Aurora’s Parks, Recreation & Open Space
• Aurora Office of Sustainability
• Aurora Water

Nonprofit/Community Organizations and Programs:

• DeLaney Community Farm (Project Worthmore)
• Denver Urban Gardens
• Together We Keep Aurora Beautiful
• Plains Conservation Center
• Arapahoe County CSU Extension

Business Partners/Shopping

• Zero Market
• Rebel Marketplace

• Bring a reusable water bottle to reduce plastic waste and stay hydrated on the go.
• Stick to marked trails in parks and natural areas to protect native plants and wildlife habitats.
• Pack out all trash, including food wrappers and biodegradable items to help keep parks and waterways clean.
• Support local businesses by shopping at farmers markets and dining at green-certified restaurants.
• Use public transportation, bike, or carpool when exploring the city to minimize your carbon footprint.
• Respect Aurora’s wildlife by observing animals from a distance and not feeding them.
• Participate in community clean-up or tree-planting events if your visit aligns with these opportunities.
• Choose accommodations with sustainability certifications or eco-friendly practices.
• Limit single-use plastics by bringing your own shopping bag and reusable utensils.