Embracing the idea of “environmental injustice,” the Denver City Council asked Mayor Mike Johnston to establish “green corridors” and bolster “environmental enforcement and litigation.”

The council said the “green corridors” will reduce the “heat island effect,” while making Denver a safer place to walk and roll, enhancing connectivity and accessibility between neighborhoods.

The council also urged Johnston to allocate money to boosting native grass seed counts and water saving strategies, such as by transitioning to shortgrass prairie ecosystems for “drought resilience and turf replacement.”

For now, the water sheds that serve Denver are healthy, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service. And using native grass seed can contribute greatly to that.

Buffalo grass, a native species of grass to Colorado, requires 50 to 75% less water than Kentucky Bluegrass, according to Colorado State University.

Just how the city council’s request for funding native seeds and other yet-to-be-identified “water-saving strategies” will play into the 2025 budget remains to be seen.

The council also wants money to boost the litigation and enforcement capabilities within the Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resilience, as well as within the City Attorney’s office.