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

Fix a Leak Week

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This week marks national Fix a Leak Week sponsored by the U.S. EPA’s WaterSense partnership program. Nationwide, more than 1 trillion (yes, trillion with a T) gallons of water leak from U.S. homes each year. WaterSense’s Fix a Leak Week serves as a reminder to Americans to check their plumbing fixtures and irrigation systems. With a little effort you’ll conserve one of our most important natural resources – and some money too!

Here are three things you can do this week to be water-wise:

  1. Check toilets for silent leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank and seeing if the color appears in the bowl before you flush.
  2. Twist and tighten pipe connections. To save even more water, twist in a WaterSense labeled faucet aerator or shower head.
  3. Replace fixtures as needed. Look for the WaterSense label when replacing plumbing fixtures, as these will save water and perform well.

There are some great virtual events and resources in conjunction with Fix a Leak Week:

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Sugar House Streetcar Takes Shape

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For many years, the Sugar House Streetcar has been a dream shared by many.

Construction began with a groundbreaking ceremony in May 2012, and since then great progress has been made to bring the streetcar back to Salt Lake City.

This spring finds construction beginning on the Greenway, the 2 mile park that will run parallel to the streetcar line. The greenway is planned to include plazas, Parley’s Trail and extensive landscaping that will enhance the area and draw residents on foot and two wheels.

As the streetcar comes to life, Sugar House itself is experiencing a resurgence in development. With over 1,000 new housing units planned and private investment topping over $400 million, a neighborhood rejuvenation is underway.

Learn more about the streetcar project.

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Recap: e2 Green Drinks Event

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SLCGreen’s Peter Nelson recaps last week’s e2 Business/Green Drinks event.

Last week’s Green Drinks was a great success, thanks to its sponsors and always-enthusiastic attendees. The February Green Drinks sought to highlight the Salt Lake City e2 program and its many business members, including the event’s sponsors Unsacred Brewery and Zest Kitchen & Bar. Not long after the doors at Zest had opened that evening, guests were enjoying sliced cucumber topped with cashew chive cheese straight from the kitchen and lining up to the bar counter to be poured complimentary glasses of Unsacred brew from the tap.

While Green Drinks always draws a crowd of loyal sustainability enthusiast, the evening’s guests also included many new comers who had the opportunity exchange names and contacts and expand their own network to this quality group of community-minded people. Amidst the appetizers, pint glasses and conversations were e2 businesses members discussing the efforts that their companies have made to make Salt Lake a more economic and environmentally vibrant city.

As always, a few minutes of time were taken hear from the event’s hosts and learn about their involvement in the sustainability community. Zest owner Casey Staker shared the brief history of his new restaurant, the philosophy behind its vegetarian menu, and its focus on local and organic ingredients. City staff provided a brief overview of the e2 program, offered a preview of the program’s new initiatives for the coming year, and encouraged all in attendance to join e2 or support its businesses.

Ultimately, the combination of Zest’s intimate space, the excellent beer and food, and a dynamic group of guests resulted in another successful Green Drinks. Thanks again to Unsacred Brewery, Zest Kitchen & Bar and the committed businesses of the e2 program for contributing to a fantastic night.

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Salt Lake City Publishes GPS Online

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Salt Lake City Green and it’s parent, the Salt Lake City Public Services Department, are taking another important step towards increased city transparency by publishing fleet GPS data online.

Sanitation Services (Waste, Recycling and Yard Waste Haulers)

Salt Lake City uses GPS technology to track the location and activity of its Sanitation Fleet. There are a total of 33 fleet vehicles, with up to 26 running routes on any given day. 19 fleet vehicles run on compressed natural gas (CNG), with an additional 14 that use diesel fuel.

Check out the real-time map.

Where are those snow plows?

Salt Lake City also uses GPS technology to track the location and activity of its Snow Fleet. There are a total of 45 plows available during major storms. During an active storm, you can view real-time map to locate and track plows in your area.

GPS Map Key

  • GPS information updates every two minutes.
  • Color coded system indicates activity level:
    • Green – Moving
    • Yellow – Stopped for less than an hour
    • Red – Stopped for more than an hour
    • Blue – Idling *

* Salt Lake City has an strict internal idling policy, in addition to the Idle Free Ordinance. There are a few situations where Sanitation vehicles need to idle. For example, in areas with limited space where bins must be brought to a stationary vehicle for service (like a cul-de-sac).

Report: Intermountain Sustainability Summit

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Last week Sara Rose Tannenbaum with SLCGreen headed up to the Intermountain Sustainability Summit. Here is her first-hand account of her experience there:

At the Intermountain Sustainability Summit there were four session tracks to sample from or follow throughout the day. The one geared towards students engaged with the emerging Fossil Free Campus Divestment campaigns and explored how to pursue sustainability as a profession.

The other three session themes highlighted current issues and innovation within water, energy and recycling sustainability.

The Intermountain Sustainability Summit theme of recycling began even before setting foot into Weber State University’s Shepherd Union Building. Lining the pedestrian entrance to the conference was a veritable display of recyclables:  not bins of beer cans or a cluttered collection of office papers, but huge blocks— bigger than 90 gallon recycle bins—of compressed cardboard, deflated plastic and squashed metal.This nonverbal presentation made transparent the usually unnoticed side of recycling.  Just like we break down our cardboard, it’s important to dissect and try on the many dimensions and disciplines of sustainability.

Keynote speaker L. Hunter Lovins (pictured above) made the case for innovation and sustainability from a business perspective. Lisa Skumatz, an economist, used statistical analysis to highlight efficiency of cost-effective approaches to recycling. It was the variety of perspectives present at the Intermountain Sustainability Summit that made it a valuable learning and networking experience. We’re lucky to have so many exciting initiatives, businesses and leaders fighting on the green front.

Check out some great photos from last week’s event.

The Code Revision Project

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Several years ago, Salt Lake City embarked on a ground-breaking initiative to incorporate sustainability provisions into zoning and subdivision ordinances. The project set out to revise and expand upon existing ordinances that were out of date and/or put up barriers to sustainable city practices.

The topic areas considered include:

  • Transit-Oriented and Mixed Use Development (Ordinance adopted)
  • Urban Agriculture (Ordinances adopted)
  • Renewable Energy (Ordinances adopted)
  • Accessory Dwelling Units (Ordinance adopted)
  • Street, Pedestrian and Bicycle Connectivity
  • Water Efficient Landscape
  • Tree Protection
  • Recycling and Waste Reduction
  • Transportation Demand Management
  • Outdoor Lighting

Several ordinances have already been adopted by the Salt Lake City Council, with a the rest making progress along the approval process. Get a complete update on the project on the SLCGreen website. 

Questions? Let us know!

Volunteer with GREENbike

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SLCGreen received this notice from our good friends at GREENbike, the bike share system opening this April in Downtown SLC! Read on for a great opportunity to get involved, and also check out their Facebook page. They are revealing the locations of each bike share station via social media!

Learn more about bike share.

GREENbike, SLC Bike Share is looking for bike build volunteers

The bikes for GREENbike, SLC Bike Share will be arriving in Utah shortly and we need some volunteers to help get them up and running. There will be a week-long bike build and we need quite a few volunteers to help with different tasks. We are in need of bicycle mechanics, people to help unpack the bikes, people to apply bike decals, and general volunteers to keep things moving.

The build shifts start on Tuesday, March 12th and will run until all of the bikes are built (Ideally, we want to be done by the end of Saturday, March 16th, but we would love to finish earlier in the week). There are three shifts available each day (8 a.m. – 12 p.m., 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., and 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.) and there will be a mandatory training on Monday, March 11th from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. for all interested Bicycle mechanics. The necessary tools will be provided for all of the volunteer responsibilities. In order to maximize our build time, please only sign up if you will for sure be able to make the shift(s).

The build will take place in a warehouse so please wear clothing that can get dirty and a layer to keep you warm. All volunteers should be at least 18 years of age. Sorry, but given the setting and the nature of the work, children are not allowed.

If you are interested in volunteering e-mail info@greenbikeslc.org and put the phrase “Bike Build Volunteer” as the subject line. Let us know which day(s) and shift(s) you would like as well as with which task you can help. We will send out location information once you are confirmed on our schedule.