SLC Schools Recycle!

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Our friends at the Salt Lake City School District are leading the pack when it comes to school recycling.

Since 2009, Salt Lake City School District has recycled over 3.9 million pounds of paper and cardboard! By recycling that much paper, the district has saved over 30,000 trees, which is equal to over 6,400 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. To put it in terms that we can all visualize, that is like taking 1,258 cars off the road for one full year.

The district has reduced its landfill waste by over 1.5 million pounds per year through their recycling efforts. As a result, the district has reduced waste stream management expenses by more than 20%, keeping more taxpayer dollars in education and out of the trash. And that is something that we can all agree with.

Salt-Lake-City-DistrictHelp your neighborhood school by recycling your paper!

Did you know? Schools earn money by recycling paper and cardboard. Since 2009, over $38,000 has been paid to schools, providing principals with a little extra discretionary spending money. Community members are encouraged to bring their paper recycling (only) to their neighborhood school GreenFiber container.

This is a great option for residents, especially those that live in multi-family units that do not offer on-site recycling.

Learn more

Learn more about the Salt Lake City School District’s recycling efforts on their new website. Information on their energy and water conservation efforts is forthcoming.

Live Green Returns to SLC May 4

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Photo courtesy of Live Green SLC: http://livegreenslc.com

Mark your calendar to join us at next month’s Live Green SLC! Festival on Saturday, May 4th at the beautiful downtown Library Square!

Admission is completely free to this outdoor event, which showcases ideas for sustainable living. From cutting edge renewable energy to backyard food production – you’ll be able to explore everyday solutions that can be implemented in your own home!

There will be free green goodies to first 1,000 attendees, plus live bands, an Eco-Chic fashion show, kids’ activities, green auctions, interactive exhibits, a solar powered food and beer pavilion and much, much more!

Join the Online Super Green Contest for your chance to walk away with some super green prizes. More than $1,000 in prizes will be given away.

The festival is looking for volunteers, please let them know if you are interested.

Be sure to stop by the SLCGreen booth to say hello and get information on our programs, services and living green in Salt Lake City. We’ll see you there!

Open Streets

Enjoy 1.5 miles of downtown streets opened exclusively to walking, biking, and other activities on Saturday, May 4th from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on 300 South/Broadway.

Open Streets events temporarily open a series of city streets exclusively to walking, jogging, bicycling, rollerblading, and more. These events encourage new people to try walking and bicycling in a comfortable and fun environment. Supporting activities regularly include exercise classes, dance classes, yoga, aerobics, sports, and family-friendly games and activities.

Get the scoop at the Open Streets SLC Facebook page.

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Bike Share Has Arrived!

IMG_0456_webWhat was once a dream of Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker became a reality today with the launch of the GREENbike program – Utah’s first bike share system.

Ten stations are now up and running with 100 bikes available in downtown Salt Lake. Another station is on the way, and plans to expand the program are already in the works. The University of Utah, 9th and 9th and Sugar House neighborhoods are all potential areas where GREENbike could appear.

Check out our other GREENbike blog post for details on this awesome new program.

Be sure to download the Spotcycle mobile app to view real time data on where available bikes are located.

And get biking, Salt Lake City!
(Well, maybe in a few days when the weather clears up)

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Energize 2013

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Next week, Salt Lake City Green will be attending the Energize 2013 Summit, hosted by the Energy Commercialization Center of Utah. The summit will be a a great opportunity to talk sustainable energy in Utah. Event details are below.

When: April 11-12, 2013
Where: Snowbird Ski Resort
Who: Rocky Mountain Region Industry: Academia, Entrepreneurs, Investment, Economic Development, State/Governmental Agency Leaders and Innovators
Visit: http://ecc.utah.edu/energize

2013 ECC Energy Innovators Summit
Energize 2013, brought to you by the Energy Commercialization Center at the University of Utah, brings together diverse and influential stakeholders from the sustainable energy community of the Rocky Mountain West for two days of thought leadership, collaborative problem solving, and inspiring dialogue on the emergence of a sustainable, carbon free energy economy.

SmartTrips Comes to Fairpark

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Following a very successful pilot in the East Liberty Park neighborhood, the SmartTrips program returns for the 2013 summer season — this time to the Fairpark neighborhood.

A lot is happening in Fairpark, making it the perfect place to offer customized bike, walk and public transit information and resources to residents. The Airport TRAX line opens in a little over a week on Saturday, April 13th. And the North Temple corridor has been improved to make it Salt Lake City’s first Complete Street – with infrastructure for public transit, personal vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists.

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What is SmartTrips?

SmartTrips is a neighborhood-based program that encourages public and active transportation through free bike/walk/transit kits, coupons to local businesses, educational newsletters and collaborative community events.

The Salt Lake City SmartTrips program is modeled after similar programs in Portland, Oregon and other communities, which have all successfully reduced the number of vehicle trips.

How Do I Participate?

Fairpark residents will be receiving the first of three SmartTrips newsletters in the mail this week. Included in the newsletter is a program order form, which allows residents to choose from bike, walk and transit kits that include maps, pamphlets and freebies such as a bike light, pedometer and UTA passes.

Also included is a SmartTrips Coupon Book with discounts at a variety of retailers located in the Fairpark neighborhood. And for those who prefer it, there is an online order form as well.

More Information

Visit the SmartTrips website for more information on the program, including a community calendar of events. You can also check out SmartTrips on Facebook.

GREENbike Launches Next Monday (April 8)

Photo courtesy of GREENbike (Facebook)

Photo courtesy of GREENbike (Facebook)

Next Monday, April 8th the highly anticipated bike share program lands in Salt Lake City! GREENbike stations officially go online in less than a week, and we wanted to give our readers a preview of the program so you can be as excited as we are.

Quick Facts

  • Program will launch with up to 120 bikes available
  • 10 bike share stations are located at key spots in downtown Salt Lake City (see map below)
  • Projected to save 77,000 vehicle miles in the first year alone, including 20,000 “cold starts” (a key contributor to poor air quality)
  • Designed for short trips in the city by people wearing regular clothes and carrying ordinary stuff (no spandex required!)
  • There is a great mobile app available for download at the GREENbikeslc.org website (i.e. Spotcycle).

Short Trips

GREENbike is designed for short, 30 minute trips that get you from point A to point B downtown. Think of it as your “puddle jumper” that will get you from one downtown hot spot to another. For example —

  • Take a quick and direct route from the UTA Intermodal Hub to Gallivan Center or Library Square.
  • A quick lunch trip for downtown employees (stopping by Squatters, Harmons Grocery or a variety of other restaurants)
  • Getting to and from a downtown meeting.
  • Hopping from City Creek to The Gateway on a downtown shopping spree.
  • And any other short, downtown trip that you can dream up!

Membership

A 24-hour Access Pass ($5), 7-day ($15) or Annual Membership ($75) lets you take UNLIMITED 30 minute trips at no extra charge! Every time you dock a bike, you get a fresh 30 minutes. Get on board.

Launch & Party

The public is invited to attend the official GREENbike launch on Monday, April 8th at 10:30 a.m. at the west entrance to Gallivan Center. Join Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker, Salt Lake City Council Member and R.D.A. Chair Stan Penfold and other excited community members. SLCGreen will be there to cover the event too!

A fundraising launch party is scheduled for Tuesday, April 9th from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Squatters. Tickets are $50, and include all things needed for a very fun night — DJ, open bar, appetizers and a prize drawing for a $1,100 TREK bike at 8 p.m. Join the fun.

GREENbike Fact Sheet (PDF)

GREENbike Map (PDF)

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What’s the Deal with VOCs?

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The Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is proposing a new rule that would lower the volatile organic compound (VOC) content in dozens of common household products.

One of these products – hairspray – has been getting a lot of media attention over the past few weeks. But in the dozens of stories about the proposed rule, which was created to help reduce air pollution and improve air quality, we have noticed the absence of health information.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists the following health effects tied to VOCs:

  • Eye, nose and throat irritation
  • Headaches
  • Loss of coordination
  • Nausea
  • Damage to liver, kidney and central nervous system
  • Some organics can cause cancer in animals; some are suspected or known to cause cancer in humans

At present, not much is known about the short-term and long-term health effects of household VOC exposure. Breathing in low levels of VOCs may increase some people’s risk of health problems. Studies have found that levels of several organics average 2 to 5 times higher indoors than outdoors. Common household culprits that release VOCs when used include:

  • Cosmeticsspraycan
  • Personal care products
  • Disinfectants
  • Laundry detergents
  • Air fresheners
  • Fabric softeners
  • Dryer sheets
  • Dish detergents
  • All-purpose cleaners
  • Soaps
  • Hand sanitizers
  • Lotions
  • Deodorants
  • Shampoos
  • Hair spray

DEQ’s proposed rule would limit the VOC content of these products – not prohibit them. Most manufacturers already offer lower VOC versions of their products to comply with similar rules in 16 other states and the District of Columbia. Learn more from DEQ.

Our two cents: If lower VOC products will reduce both indoor and outdoor air pollution – the health effects of which are not fully known – what is the downside?

Spring is Here! Think Green.


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Spring is here! Now is a great time to think green. Your backyard is a great place to grow a variety of fresh and delicious fruits and veggies this spring, summer and fall. Check out the resources below to make the most of the 2013 growing season.

What is your potential?

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Have you ever wondered how much food you could grow in your yard if you took the time to garden? Through the Community Food Production Mapping Tool, you have the ability to not only click on your property to find out  an estimation of its food production potential, but you will also be linked to resources that will educate and empower you to grow more food.

Salt Lake City can also provide an annual calendar of solar radiation for your property. Sample solar book (PDF). Residents are encouraged to use the grid lines to plan their garden beds for optimal sun exposure. Simply email slcgreen@slcgov.com to request your book.

Understand your soil

The heart of your garden is the soil. Whether you garden succeeds or fails, is directly related to your soil, the micro-organisms that live in it, and the organic matter they feed off of. Join Wasatch Community Gardens for their ‘Know your soil’ workshop in April, or get some tips from Organic Gardening.

Grow your own seedlings

Many gardeners have never tried to grow their own starts from seed. Here are some tips  from Organic Gardening to simplify the process.

Fruit trees

Our friends at the USU Extension in Salt Lake County have two upcoming classes that will help you learn how to make the most out of your fruit trees:

Do you have excess fruit every year that inevitably ends up in the compost? Sign up for the Salt Lake City Fruit Share Program and volunteers will help you harvest your fruit. You will keep 1/3 of the harvest, the volunteers will take 1/3 and the final third will be donated.

Gardening Workshops

Whether you are a beginning gardener just getting started, a seasoned grower looking to learn some new organic techniques, or practically a professional looking for something new to grow, Wasatch Community Gardens has a class for you.

Some upcoming April classes include:

Learn more

Salt Lake City Green has a wide variety of resources on sustainable food in Salt Lake City available at www.SLCGreen.com.

World Water Day 2013

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Today is World Water Day, a day to reflect on the importance of water in our daily lives. This year’s theme is Water Cooperation, in honor of the declaration of 2013 as the International Year of Water Cooperation.

Did you know?

  • 85% of the world population lives in the driest half of the planet.
  • 783 million people do not have access to clean water, and almost 2.5 billion do not have access to adequate sanitation.
  • 6 to 8 million people die annually from the consequences of disasters and water-related disease.

Today, take a moment to appreciate how fresh, clean water impacts our lives. And although we can count ourselves lucky to live in a society that has easy access to safe, clean water, it is important that we do not take this resource for granted. In the arid West, and as climate change’s impacts are felt, water scarcity may become a more pressing issue.

Learn more about what Salt Lake City is doing to adapt to predicted earlier snowmelt along the Wasatch Front. And stop by Salt Lake City Green’s Water Resources page to learn more about our commitment to water quality and conservation.

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City Releases Sustainability Roadmap for 2015

Salt Lake City LogoFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


March 18, 2013
Contact: Kate Lohnes
801-535-7755

City Releases Sustainability Roadmap for 2015
SALT LAKE CITY – In a continued effort to enhance the long-term vitality of the City, Salt Lake City Green, the outreach arm of Salt Lake City’s Sustainability Division, has made strides to enhance community engagement by offering new resources and services to residents.

With the release of the Sustainable Salt Lake City – Plan 2015, Salt Lake City has created a living document that serves as a roadmap for how to enhance the sustainability, livability and resilience of the community.

The comprehensive plan outlines goals and strategies to achieve increased community sustainability, social justice and neighborhood and downtown vitality by the end of Mayor Ralph Becker’s second term in 2015.  City departments will track appropriate metrics to show progress towards accomplishing their goals.

“As we look ahead toward 2015, we envision continued progress to a new kind of urbanism that embraces accessibility, sustainability, diversity and culture,” said Mayor Ralph Becker. “Sustainable Salt Lake – Plan 2015 reflects a broad and ambitious agenda to protect our resources, enhance our assets and establish a path toward greater resiliency and vitality for every aspect of our community.”

In addition to the release of the sustainability plan, Salt Lake City Green has updgraded several of its outreach tools, including a re-launch of a comprehensive sustainability website (www.slcgreen.com), an active social media presence on Facebook and Twitter, and a new blog that highlights information about living sustainably in Salt Lake City.

Salt Lake City continues to attract national attention for its sustainability efforts. The most recent accolade was delivered in Bill Moyers’ “Top 12 Cities Leading the Way in Sustainability” list. The ranking listed the top 12 American cities with innovative sustainability initiatives. Salt Lake City was awarded the eighth spot on the list.

 

Salt Lake City Green website:www.slcgreen.com; Blog:www.slcgreen.wordpress.com

Facebook:www.facebook.com/saltlakecitygreen; Twitter: www.twitter.com/slcgreen;

Sustainable Salt Lake – Plan 2015:www.slcgov.com/slcgreen/sustainableslc2015