Category Archives: Living Green

SLC Embraces Earth Hour

This year, Salt Lake City will participate in Earth Hour, turning off the lights of the Salt Lake City & County Building at 8:30 p.m. next Saturday, March 29th.

Check out the FAQs below to learn more about this effort, and find out how you can get involved!

What is Earth Hour?

Earth Hour is a worldwide grassroots movement uniting people to protect the planet, and is organised by WWF. Engaging a massive mainstream community on a broad range of environmental issues, Earth Hour was famously started as a lights-off event in Sydney, Australia in 2007. Since then it has grown to engage more than 7000 cities and towns worldwide, and the one-hour event continues to remain the key driver of the now larger movement.

When does Earth Hour take place?

Earth Hour 2014 will be held on Saturday, March 29th between 8.30 p.m. and 9.30 p.m. in your local time zone. The event is held worldwide towards the end of March annually, encouraging individuals, communities households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour as a symbol for their commitment to the planet. Earth Hour 2015 will take place on Saturday, March 28th at 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in your local timezone.

What does Earth Hour aim to achieve?

Earth Hour aims to encourage an interconnected global community to share the opportunities and challenges of creating a sustainable world.

How can I get involved?

The first thing anyone can do to get involved is to turn off their lights on Saturday. But there’s much, much more. Our full ambition is for people to take action beyond the hour. Whether it’s supporting a crowd-funding or crowd-sourcing campaign on www.earthhour.org or starting the movement in their own community. The vision is always to do more, so make the light switch the beginning of your journey.

Get inspired to take action at SLCgreen.com.

Sustainability Position at Hogle Zoo!

Hogle Kickoff 1Utah’s Hogle Zoo is hiring a environmental coordinator — a brand new position that will be focused on facilitating the Zoo’s move towards sustainability.

Here is the official job posting —

Posted: February 20, 2014
Position: Environmental Coordinator
Department: Conservation

Utah’s Hogle Zoo’s Conservation Department is announcing the opening of a full-time position as the Zoo’s Environmental Coordinator.

The Zoo is seeking an enterprising and energetic individual for a newly created Environmental Coordinator position. The Coordinator will assist in facilitating the Zoo’s move towards sustainability. This position reports to the Zoo’s Conservation Coordinator. The Environmental Coordinator will be responsible for developing and tracking the organization’s carbon footprint, tracking environmental compliance, expanding staff and guest awareness programs and assist with the development of the Zoo’s Sustainability Plan.

This is a full time position compensated at an hourly rate with excellent rewards program including a comprehensive benefits package, work-life balance programs and opportunities for professional development.
Candidates with a bachelor’s degree in environment and sustainability studies or related field are preferred. Candidates with previous experience in an environmental related position are also preferred. Candidates must demonstrate strong organizational, communication (both written and oral) and interpersonal skills. Individuals with a strong working knowledge and dedicated interest for the concept of sustainability, awareness of the central issues and controversies should consider applying.

Additionally, applicants must be able to:

  • Work positively in a team environment,
  • Represent the Zoo’s mission in public forums,
  • Be self-motivated, organized and reliable
  • Be flexible and adapt to complex situations,
  • Demonstrate strong computer skills in data management word processing and presentation software
  • Work occasional evenings and weekends as needed
  • Stand or walk for long periods of time, bending, stooping, and lifting of heavy objects (up to 40 pounds)

Anyone interested in this position should email a cover letter and resume to Liz Larsen, llarsen@hoglezoo.org, Conservation Coordinator at Utah’s Hogle Zoo, by March 15, 2014.

e2 Business + Green Drinks

It’s time for the annual SLCgreen Drinks event!

Join SLC Green Drinks and SLCgreen for a special evening at the Hotel Monaco on February 24th from 6-9 p.m.

You’ll have a chance to meet Salt Lake City businesses who have made a commitment to sustainability with the support of SLCgreen’s e2 Business Program.

The evening will feature appetizers from Bambara restaurant, beer from Uinta Brewing, wine from Kiler Grove Winery and a short update from SLCgreen members.

This is a great opportunity to meet the e2 businesses that are strengthening the sustainable business community in Salt Lake City.

Come show your support!

SLCgreen e2 Business + SLC Green Drinks
Monday, February 24th
6:00-9:00 p.m.
Hotel Monaco (15 W 200 S)
$5-10 suggested donation
Please note that Hotel Monaco is located on the TRAX line.

e2-SLCgreen-Drinks-2014

Green your 2014

NewYearsResolutionLogo

Update: Catch the feature on KUTV 2News! Our very own Tyler Poulson shares a few tips to save $$ and reduce your impact at home.

Step into a leaner, greener YOU in 2014 by committing to a SLCgreen New Year’s Resolution. Challenge yourself to lose 3,000 pounds of CO2 (or more!) by completing household action items that help the environment and save you money.

Make your green New Year’s Resolution for 2014
(Like most things, our form is best viewed in browsers other than Internet Explorer)

Don’t overlook the impact a single family can have on our environment. The average Utah household emits over 80,000 pounds of CO2 annually through its home energy, transportation, and dietary choices. This is equivalent to driving one-way from SLC to New York City 94 times in a Prius. (Do we have your attention now?)

Increase your impact by directing friends, relatives, co-workers and strangers to make their resolution. It is, after all, the sum of all our individual actions that create the future we leave for the next generation.

Just remember: every pound of CO2 counts!

Check back for our New Year’s Resolution “Carbon Counter.” We’ll be posting how much CO2 we’ve collectively resolved to reduce in 2014!

Upcycle Your Holidays

For the crafty and creative among us, we came across this excellent resource to help you “upcycle” your holidays!

Check out the “Holiday things” board from Unconsumption on Pinterest for projects that cleverly repurpose and/or reuse everyday items in your home!

A few of our favorites…

paintchiptrees
1. Holiday trees using old paint chips. Love it! Continue reading →

[VIDEO] Get Inspired to Clear the Air

‘Tis the season for New Years Resolutions.

While you’re revisiting resolutions to exercise, eat healthy and spend more time with those you love (a great way to start the new year!), consider making one more resolution — to help clear the air.

Through the winter Care to Clear the Air project (2010-2012), a series of videos captured the stories of residents making a resolution to limit their impact on air quality by driving less.

Watch the videos below to hear from people that have done everything from moving closer to where they work, to biking, carpooling and taking public transit.

Their stories will inspire you to make your own resolution to help clear the air!

Kyle LaMalfa shares his commitment to take public transit.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-ThTQPBKEU&w=560&h=315]
Continue reading →

Shift Your Spending This Holiday Season

The official holiday shopping season kicks off the day after Thanksgiving with a day known as Black Friday. Practically everyone knows that.

But have you heard about Small Business Saturday? This shopping holiday is held the Saturday after Thanksgiving and encourages shoppers to visit their local brick and motor businesses.

Local First Utah’s Shift Your Spending Week kicks off on Friday, November 29th with a similar goal. They suggest setting a goal to shift 10% of your spending this holiday season towards locally owned businesses.

According to them, if we all shift just 10% of our spending to local businesses, on a yearly basis, $1.3 million will stay in the Utah economy.

Shop e2

Salt Lake City’s e2 businesses are local businesses that have made a commitment to reduce their environmental impact.

Be sure to stop by Earth Goods General Store, Liberty Heights Fresh, Cali’s Natural Foods, Artistic Framing Company, C.G. Sparks, Retro Rose, The King’s English Bookshop, Golden Braid Books, Landis Lifestyle Salon, Matrix Spa, Sacred Mountain Healing Center, Cactus and Tropicals, Especially for You and Huddart Floral Company this holiday season.

Local First Utah’s Top Ten Ideas to Shift Your Spending this Holiday Season

  1. Support local artists! Check out local galleries or pottery studios for unique, handmade gifts.
  2. Spend a day in a neighborhood business district. Stroll through your nearest cluster of locally-owned businesses. In Salt Lake City, check out OnlyInSaltLakeCity.com for detailed neighborhood descriptions.
  3. Give the gift of fine dining! Many locally owned restaurants provide gift certificates which can be used year round.
  4. Shop locally, online. Many local retailers and manufacturers also have a convenient online option. There is no need to send the money to an out-of-state megalith.ShiftYourSpendingLogo
  5. Browse and buy at a your local bookstore.
  6. Give an educational adventure. Buy memberships to local museums, gardens, zoos or aviaries.
  7. Make a gift basket filled with Utah’s Own products.
  8. Give the gift of experience: buy certificates to a locally owned spa, yoga studio or cooking school.
  9. Donate to a local non-profit on behalf of a like-minded friend.
  10. Winter markets abound throughout the state allowing craftspeople and artisans to sell their hand-crafted goods directly to the public. Pick up a one of a kind gift at a market near you!