Welcome to Ridgway, Colorado, U.S.A., Earth — the first place in the world to formally adopt and fly the International Flag of Planet Earth.

The Ridgway Town Council voted Wednesday night to raise the flag in front of Town Hall in Hartwell Park alongside the Colorado and American flags, saying its message is closely aligned with the town’s values and it’s important to stand for them.

Resident Hansa Devi presented the request to fly the flag this month, as executive director of the Ridgway-based nonprofit dedicated to spreading the flag’s symbol and message. This spring marks a decade since Devi’s brother, Oskar Pernefeldt, created the blue and white flag, aiming to create an apolitical, nonreligious symbol to bring people together across boundaries, as residents of a shared home on Earth. Since it originally launched in 2015, the flag has been recognized on a global scale, but hasn’t yet been formally adopted by any government.

Ridgway’s decision to fly the flag means the place where the brother-sister duo dreamed up the symbol — a town of roughly 1,200 people that touts a commitment to sustainability and conservation — is now becoming its first home.

The request passed with a 4-1 vote after an animated debate about the message and precedent the town would establish by choosing to raise it.

“I just think it’s really important to stand up for what we believe in, and we approve what we believe in,” Mayor John Clark said.

Discussion

Councilors discussed some concerns about legality and using the symbol without taking steps toward other sustainability changes, but ultimately decided to adopt it, saying its message aligns with the town’s values.

Councilors primarily expressed concerns over whether raising the flag would set any legal precedent for other groups coming forward with similar requests.

“What sort of precedent does that set for how you’re going to choose or approve or deny each (request)?” said Councilor Josey Scoville.

Two members of the public also said they opposed flying the flag because of that concern.

Town Attorney Bo Nerlin said the town isn’t bound to approving all similar requests and can evaluate them on a case-by-case basis. But he said adopting the Earth flag may mean other groups have better standing to challenge any denials of requests to fly flags for other causes in the future.

Councilor Terry Schuyler said the Earth flag doesn’t represent a specific cause, but rather all causes and Earth as a location.

“It’s about as large a cause as you could approve,” added Clark, saying he wasn’t worried about requests from other groups.

“We’re at a time in our country right now where it’s really important that we stick up for our values and that we don’t give into the fear that so many people are feeling about … being opposed to, or not in agreement with the current administration, for instance,” he said.

Schuyler said he studied the entirety of the town’s master plan in preparation for the discussion and believes the flag is consistent with the community’s values, such as a healthy, natural environment and inclusivity.

Mayor Pro Tem Beth Lakin said she felt the same way about the flag as she does about the “rights of nature” ordinance the town adopted in 2021, which establishes personhood for the natural world, and specifically the Uncompahgre Watershed. The ordinance has been symbolic, as the town has not appointed a formal guardian for the watershed to act on its behalf.

Lakin also called for supporting public transportation, a sustainable drinking water supply and carrying out a resolution the council adopted last month to become net-zero with carbon emissions by 2030.

“If we do this and we don’t do all the other things that this council has talked about and are called for in the master plan, this gesture is absurd and hollow,” Lakin said.

Josh Jacobs, Devi’s husband, told town leaders he understood hesitation about being the first to step up and fly the flag, considering it’s not yet universally recognized. But he said that type of recognition is around the corner.

“I know what’s going on behind the scenes. I know that (Pernefeldt is) recommended for many awards because of this. In the next few years, we’re going to see it in many, many, many places, with many big name brands and big name people supporting this,” he said.

Two members of the town’s Youth Advisory Council also spoke in favor of the flag.

“I would just question, if you really feel weird about flying this flag, why would you stand for anything as a town?” Youth Advisory Council Member Lauren Mahlin said. “I think it’s something included in our master plan … I think it aligns with anything that the town is known for.”

Youth Advisory Council Member Keira Deluccio added, “I also agree that if we don’t do the things that we’ve said we’re going to do, then flying the flag is a really silly gesture, but I think that it’s also a bit of accountability.”

Ultimately the request passed with a 4-1 vote, with a no vote from Scoville. Councilor Kevin Grambley was absent. The council also passed a proclamation detailing the flag’s mission.

After approval, Schuyler proposed raising the flag at the town’s Green Street Sustainability Park once it’s completed.