Tag Archives: salt lake city

SLC Seeking Comments on Proposed Business Recycling Ordinance

Photo: IntelFreePress via Flickr.

Recycling stations at Moscone Convetion Center to help achieve 75% waste diversion, as mandated by city of San Francisco. Photo: IntelFreePress via Flickr.

Did you know? The waste diversion rate for Salt Lake City homes hovers around 38%. This means that roughly 38% of all waste collected through the City’s residential collection program is recycled or composted.

Now compare that to the estimated 10% diversion rate for Salt Lake City businesses.

In an effort to increase business and multi-family (i.e. apartment) recycling rates, Salt Lake City is proposing a new Business & Multi-Family Recycling Ordinance that would require property owners or managers where 4 or more cubic yards of solid waste are generated per week to:

  • Subscribe to a recycling collection service from an authorized waste hauler.
  • Designate area(s) for recycling containers.
  • Implement a recycling program for use by occupants, employees or residents that is as convenient as trash collection.
  • Distribute educational recycling information to occupants, employees or residents annually.

Continue reading →

Rising Temperatures Challenge Salt Lake City’s Water Supply

Sensitivity study helps the City, others in the Intermountain West, plan for the future

In an example of the challenges water-strapped Western cities will face in a warming world, new research shows that every degree Fahrenheit of warming in the Salt Lake City region could mean a 1.8 to 6.5 percent drop in the annual flow of streams that provide water to the city.

By midcentury, warming Western temperatures may mean that some of the creeks and streams that help slake Salt Lake City’s thirst will dry up several weeks earlier in the summer and fall, according to the new paper, published today in the journal Earth Interactions. The findings may help regional planners make choices about long-term investments, including water storage and even land-protection policies. Continue reading →

Have a Green Halloween!

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Photo Credits via Flickr: Paul Stein, Nick Thompson, Steven Depolo & Pamela Link.

Happy Halloween, Salt Lake City!

Tonight, think outside the candy bag with some creative ideas from Green Halloween.

A few of our favorites:

  • Crayons
  • Acorns
  • Honey sticks
  • Fruit snacks or fruit leather
  • Feathers
  • Mini granola bars

Check out the full list at GreenHalloween.org.

Community Improvement Grants Available

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Salt Lake City has allocated $187,000 in grants for community nonprofits, neighborhood groups, and neighborhood business districts as part of the Community Improvement and Outreach Grant program.

This grant program is designed to quickly and efficiently improve the quality of Salt Lake City’s communities and neighborhoods.

With the help of residents and local organizations, these funds can be used towards public safety projects, recreation and education projects, sustainability projects, neighborhood improvements, neighborhood-school partnerships, local project developments, and more.

Applications will be accepted November 1-December 2, 2013 and are available online.

The Challenge of the 100 Mile Meal

This evening, Salt Lake City Green and Mayor Ralph Becker will host the 100 Mile Meal: Food with a Salt Lake City Story. The meal represents a celebration of Salt Lake City’s local food, farms and economy, while illustrating a commitment to sustainable agriculture.

Did you know the average meal in the United States travels 1,500 miles from the farm to your plate? Food that travels long distances impacts:

  • Environment. A larger carbon footprint due to fuel consumption and polluting emissions.
  • Food Security. Limited accountability due to large processing and distribution chains leaves food more vulnerable to contamination.
  • Nutrition. Fruits and veggies are most nutritious (and delicious!) when they are fresh.
  • Economy. Local farms mean more local jobs and revenue.

The 100 Mile Meal features seasonal ingredients sourced from farms within 100 miles of Mayor Becker’s office. In this day and age, this was no easy feat.

Continue reading →

Do you have Food $ense?

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Food Day is in full swing in Salt Lake City!

Join the Utah State University Extension for two informative Food $ense classes this month:

New Foods, New Ways

Wednesday, October 23 from noon to 1 p.m.
2001 South State Street, South Building (S-1010)

Healthy Sweets

Wednesday, October 30 from 7-8 p.m.
West Jordan Library (8030 S 1825 W)

Walk ins are welcome, or you can register online.

Winter Farmers Market Arrives Nov 9

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Although the Downtown Farmers Market is in its final days of the season, another farmers market is on the horizon for Salt Lake City residents.

Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker and the Downtown Alliance recently announced the arrival of a new Winter Farmers Market that will take up residence in the Rio Grande Depot.

Opening day is scheduled for Saturday, November 9. The Winter Farmers Market will take place every other Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. through April 26.

Officials are heralding this as an important step towards a year round market, similar to those seen in Seattle, Portland and Madison, Wisconsin.

Roughly 50 vendors are slated to participate, offering fresh produce, meat, bread, honey, eggs and other items.

Extra ‘Leaves Only’ Bins Now Available

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Crisp air, bright colors and falling leaves — fall is in full swing in Salt Lake City!

But what should you do with all of those extra leaves?

  1. Place them in your curbside compost bin (i.e. tan can) for weekly pick up. Raking weekly should keep your leaves from piling up.
  2. Try composting your leaves at home with a backyard compost bin, or by mulching them into your grass, flower beds or gardens. Gotta love free soil amendment!
  3. Request an extra ‘leaves only’ bin.

Starting today, Salt Lake City is offering special ‘leaves only’ bins by request. Here are some quick facts about the program:

  • Bins will be provided on a first come, first served basis.
  • ‘Leaves only’ bins are provided free of charge and are intended to supplement resident’s curbside compost bin in the event of excess leaves.
  • Bins will be collected weekly on your curbside collection day throughout the fall.

To request your ‘leaves only’ bin, call (801) 535-6999 or email SLCgreen@slcgov.com.  Please provide your name, address and phone number.

Questions? Let us know!

It’s Time to Celebrate Local Food!

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It’s time to celebrate local food!

Food Day is a nationwide celebration of healthy, affordable, and sustainably produced food and a grassroots campaign for better food policies.

Salt Lake City is marking Food Day 2013 with a series of exciting local events.

Continue reading →

SLC Proposes Discount UTA Pass Program

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Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker gathered with community leaders late last week to unveil a new proposed program geared towards clearing the air. The program would offer discounted UTA passes to Salt Lake City residents for just $30 a month — a 63% discount!

We all know that vehicle emissions are a key factor in the poor air quality that plagues our valley during the winter months. The good news is that getting people out of their cars and on to public transportation can go a long way to help reduce emissions and clear the air. This exciting program – the first of its kind in Utah – could make it possible for most city residents to have a UTA pass in their pocket!

Here are the details on the proposed program.

Purpose: Offer an annual transit pass to Salt Lake City residents to incentivize transit use and make riding transit more affordable.

Basic Structure: Salt Lake City residents will be eligible to purchase a one year transit pass for $360. The passes will be available for purchase from Salt Lake City upon providing proof of residency. Residents may pay all at once, or pay in 12 installments of $30 via a monthly bill.

The pass will be issued with the resident’s photo on it, and is non-transferable. There is no limit per household. The pass will be good on local and express bus, TRAX, and FrontRunner. Ski bus, Park City Connect and paratransit services will be excluded from the pass.

The program is a unique partnership between UTA and Salt Lake City. While modeled after other bulk pass programs offered by UTA for employees of eligible organizations, it’s the first pass of its kind to be designed for residents.

Benefits: In just 12 local trips per month (6 round-trips), residents who opt in to the pass will have broken even on their investment. Having a ‘pass in pocket’, residents are more likely to use transit.

Timeframe: The program will launch in early 2014. This pass is being implemented as a one-year pilot program. If successful, UTA and SLC may choose to continue the program. The program will be refined as needed and made available to other communities.

Basis: UTA completed a random sample telephone survey to assess interest in purchasing this pass. Based on results of the survey, up to 6,000 passes could be sold.

Media Coverage:

Next Steps: To make this program a reality, work to be completed over the next few months includes:

  • Funding allocated from Salt Lake City Council (Pending decision)
  • Set join goals between UTA/SLC to define goals and positive outcomes
  • Set up administrative systems
  • Determine tracking mechanisms
  • Marketing  and public information
  • Materials preparation (passes, etc..)
  • Back-office functions for both UTA and SLC accounting procedures