Tag Archives: salt lake

Wasatch Watershed: Snowflakes to Your Tap

60% of the water used by residents of Salt Lake City and the Valley’s east bench comes from canyons in the Wasatch Mountains. The Utah Chapter of the Green Building Council is hosting what promises to be a fascinating exploration into the successes and challenges of protecting Salt Lake City’s water.

The Wasatch Front Watershed: Snowflakes to Your Tap
Thursday, September 26 from 4-6 p.m.
Salt Lake City Public Library
Register online or pay at the door.
Questions: programs@usgbcutah.org

In the 1950’s, access to City Creek Canyon, a source of Salt Lake City’s drinking water, was closed to public use for over 10 years due to bacterial contamination, public health concerns and damage to the City Creek Watershed. Lessons learned from this event and the ensuing restoration of City Creek Canyon, as well as other water sources across the nation have informed Salt Lake City’s watershed protection policies for the last several decades.

Join Laura Briefer, Water Resources Manager, for the Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities to learn about Salt Lake City’s role, perspectives, successes, and challenges in protecting the main sources of Salt Lake City’s water supplies in the Central Wasatch Mountains – including recent scientific research and other work regarding climate change impacts on Salt Lake City’s water supply.

The Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities (SLCDPU) is a municipal water supplier responsible for the provision of drinking water to over 300,000 people in the Salt Lake Valley. Laura manages SLCDPU’s Water Resources Division, which includes watershed management, water conservation, hydrology, water rights, and land preservation functions.

Pollution Prevention Awards Due Tomorrow!

The Utah Pollution Prevention (P2) Association is requesting nominations for the 2013 Outstanding Achievement in Pollution Prevention Awards.

Large Businesses or Industry, Small Businesses or Industry, and Community Involvement Programs are eligible. Special consideration will be given to businesses or organizations demonstrating Collaboration with other businesses and organizations, Employee Involvement, and Innovation and Initiation of New Programs.

These awards recognize the outstanding efforts of businesses whose practices reduce risk to Utah’s environment and to public health. To be considered organization must be able to demonstrate excellence in pollution prevention practices for the calendar year 2012.

Reductions can be achieved through practices, projects or activities that reduce pollution at the source or remove materials from the waste cycle. Pollution prevention avoids transferring waste from one environmental medium (air, land, water) to another.

Treating existing waste, installing equipment to comply with pollution control regulations, and energy recovery are not considered pollution and will not be considered for this award. Projects that focus on the environmental benefits of a product or service are not eligible.

Who is Eligible?

Any individual
Environmental, community, educational, or non-profit organizations
Business
Industry
Agriculture
Trade or professional organizations
Local government

Entry Deadline: Tuesday, September 10, 2013

For Rules, a Nomination Form, and Previous Winners, visit the P2 Web Site.

Selection Criteria

2013 Outstanding Achievement in Pollution Prevention Awards

Activities should be true pollution prevention, not pollution control or treatment. Acceptable activities include:
- Facilities, program-wide and multimedia efforts, or outstanding projects;
- Projects must reduce waste generation, pollutant emissions or other releases at the source; recycle materials or conserve water or energy.
Nominated program should use sound technology, be innovative and cost effective.
Environmental benefits should be demonstrated.
Applicant’s efforts, both inside and outside their organization, should promote pollution prevention as the preferred approach to protecting the environment and human health.
Measurable progress should have occurred during the calendar year of 2012.
Efforts should be able to serve as a model for other programs.
Efforts should be taken voluntarily (in advance of regulatory requirements), but can be an innovative response to regulatory programs.
Nominees should have a good overall environmental compliance record for two years prior to the nomination deadline.

Nomination Form

All nominees should submit a cover sheet, a one-page summary, and a narrative description. Optional supporting documentation, including charts, photographs, news clippings, news releases, publications, or other material may be included.

The cover sheet should include:

Nominee’s name, address, and telephone number(s);
Name, title and phone numbers(s) of a contact person to answer questions regarding the nomination;
Name, title, organization, address, and telephone number(s) of the person/organization submitting the nomination (if not self-nominated, please be sure to notify the nominee).

The summary should include:

A one-page overview of activities including dates when achievements occurred.

The narrative should include a description of:

The nominee: including background information, reasons for the project or program and number of individuals involved and their efforts;
Pollution prevention efforts, quantitative results of efforts, technological or managerial innovations, employee involvement, financial impact on operations, and costs and benefits (financial or otherwise).

Submissions must be received by Tuesday, September 10 and sent to:

Pollution Prevention Awards
Utah Pollution Prevention Association
Attn: Paul Harding
P.O. Box 144810
Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-4810
(801) 536-4108 Fax: (801) 536-4457

Electronic submissions may be sent to pharding@utah.gov

Mark your calendar! Fall Plant Sale

Our friends at Wasatch Community Gardens invite you to join them for their 3rd Annual Fall Plant Sale and (yum!) Tomato Sandwich Party.

Keep your garden alive! Purchase vegetable starts and seeds that can produce crops into the early winter months.

Both the Fall Plant Sale and Tomato Sandwich Party will take place on Saturday, September 7 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Grateful Tomato Garden (800 S 600 E).

The promise of unique heirloom tomatoes, homemade pesto and fresh, locally made bread is more than enough to get us on board!

More information is available on the Wasatch Community Gardens website.

Bike Commuting: The Basics

[Watch our bike commuting feature on KUTV 2News This Morning!]

Commuting by two wheels can transform the dullest part of your day (your commute) into the best part of your day (your “me” time).

The SLCgreen crew loves their bikes, so we, with the help of the Bicycle Transit Center and BikeSLC.com, put together some tips to get you rolling.

Safety First. Make sure your bike is road-worthy! We recommend that you:

Take your bike it into the shop for a quick tune up.
Make sure you have the proper bike lights and reflectors.
Find the right helmet with a proper fit.
Pull out your brightest yellow shirt or vest for enhanced visibility.
Read up on the rules of the road at BikeSLC.com.

Gear Up! There are a few things that will make your commute run smoothly:

Secure a bike rack and panniers on your bike.
Pack a repair a kit with the basics. You can buy one or assemble it yourself.
Consider fenders, which will protect you from tire splatter on a drizzly day.
Lock it up! U-locks are more secure than cable locks. Get the scoop from BIkeSLC.com.
License your bike with the city. This simple step can help you recover your bike in the event of theft, and it is required by law.

What to wear. In addition to your bright shirt or vest, a few things to consider:

Mellow Commute: You may be able to wear your work clothes.
Not-So-Mellow Commute: Pack your work clothes in your panniers. We recommend rolling your clothes to prevent creasing.

Plan your attack. Choose the right route for your commute. Check out the BikeSLC Map or try the bike feature on Google Maps.

More Resources

Say Hello to the New Public Safety Building

Today Salt Lake City opened the new Public Safety Building. The state-of-the-art facility will be Net Zero for energy use, meaning that it will produce as much energy as it uses. Cutting edge energy efficiency strategies and the use of solar power make Net Zero possible for a building that traditionally has high energy demands.

Summer Smog

Summer is a beautiful time in Salt Lake City. The flowers are blooming, the trees are green and the mountains offer unparalleled activities for outdoor enthusiasts and families alike. We are all so happy to say goodbye to the inversions that gunk up our winter air.

But don’t let the blue skies fool you — our valley faces air pollution challenges in the summer months, too. Ozone pollution, a different kind of pollution than our wintertime particulates (PM2.5), forms through a chemical reaction when heat and sun combine with emissions. It can aggravate asthma and impact heart and lung health.

Learn about ozone pollution and its health impacts.

State health officials recommend that on days that face poor air quality, residents exercise outdoors during the morning and evening hours. Ozone pollution often peaks sometime between noon and 6 p.m.

View current air quality conditions in Salt Lake City.

You can limit your impact on air quality by driving less. Ride UTA, walk, bike, skip a trip or even carpool. Track the trips and miles you save by using alternatives to driving alone this July through the Clear the Air Challenge and you just might win a prize for your efforts!

[VIDEOS] Get inspired by Salt Lake City residents making a positive impact on air quality.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uKEyGbu9C8&w=560&h=315]

Solar Day: Call for Vendors

Salt Lake City’s third annual Solar Day is fast approaching, and now is the perfect time to get involved!

Solar Day Salt Lake will take place on Saturday, July 27^th in Liberty Park (900 South 700 East) from noon to 6 p.m. Admission is free, so come enjoy live music, speakers and other fun festivities!

Are you interested in becoming involved? Solar Day is currently accepting vendors, sponsors and volunteers for the event. Simply call (801) 833-4865 to get started.

SLCgreen will be there, so mark your calendar and get excited to celebrate solar!

Enjoy a Green 4th of July!

The Fourth of July is just around the corner, and SLCgreen staff have a few tips for residents who want to make their celebrations a little greener.

Use durable goods instead of disposable. Please, just say “no” to disposable plates, cups and utensils. Instead, bring out the readily available dishes from your very own kitchen! Sure, they require more cleanup, but you’ll be saving money and reducing waste. If you need to use disposables:
- Take some advice from Durable versus Disposable Guide (PDF).
- Consider reusing disposable goods for another summer get-together to reduce your impact.
- Please note that compostable plates and utensils are currently not accepted through Salt Lake City’s Curbside Compost Program (i.e. your tan can), so steer clear.
Provide drinks in large dispensers. It’s going to be a steamy Fourth of July this year, but instead of offering bottled water (and all of the plastic waste that comes along with it), put out drink dispensers that can be used to fill up your guests reusable water bottles or recyclable cups. This concept can also apply to any other beverages offered at your celebration – fewer bottles means less waste!
Skip the personal fireworks. A controversial suggestion, we know. But the air pollution from fireworks can be tough on our valley’s air quality. Even sparklers have high concentrations of air pollution (read the scientific study). Consider air-friendly decorations that can be stored and reused next year instead. Need inspiration? The Daily Green has some great ideas.
Choose air-friendly transportation. Can you bike or walk to your 4th of July celebration, or your yearly neighborhood fireworks show? Many homes in Salt Lake City offer a nice view from the convenience of your very own roof! We suggest that you skip the headache of parking and help reduce air pollution on a holiday that is especially prone to it. At the very least – carpool!
Use a gas grill instead of charcoal. Propane gas grills heat up faster and have a whole lot less polluting emissions than charcoal grills. Read on to learn more at Earth911.com.
Recycle, of course! When the party is over, be sure to recycle plastics, cardboard, cans and glass in the appropriate containers. Salt Lake City residents can put most recyclable materials into their blue curbside bin, and residents that subscribe to curbside glass service have an easy way to get the job done. Glass dropoff sites are also located throughout Salt Lake City.

More Resources

The Daily Green has a very comprehensive Fourth of July Green Guide available on their website. We particularly love:

While you are there, also take a look at their Declare Your Independence piece.

As the Heat Rolls In, Be Water Wise

With snow levels and spring run-off below average again this year, Salt Lake City Public Utilities is calling on its water customers to be watchful in regards to water use, avoiding both overwatering and water waste. Here are a few tips:

Sprinklers

Make sure sprinklers water the grass, and not patios or cement.
Check for clogged sprinkler heads and be sure to clear them out. Clogged heads will not evenly distribute water on your lawn and waste water.
Register for a free sprinkler check, which will include a catch cup test. The test evaluates the evenness of your watering system and will help you set up an effective and personalized irrigation schedule.

Other Tips for a Healthy Lawn

Healthy lawns should be watered deeply and infrequently so roots go down deep.
The higher you leave the grass, the healthier the lawn. Leave it about 2-3 inches high. This will ensure your lawn has a deeper root system.
Keep grass clippings on the lawn – they act like mulch to keep moister in and send nutrients back into your soil.

Don’t Forget Your Trees

It’s important to remember that trees have different watering needs than your lawn. Here are some helpful tips from Salt Lake City Urban Forestry (PDF). Also check out their list of Water Wise Trees (PDF).

Conserve Indoors

Conserving water doesn’t stop outside! Here are some tips for water conservation indoors:

Only run the dishwasher when it is full.
Set your washing machine to the appropriate load size.
Don’t run the water while brushing your teeth, shaving or lathering your hands.
Store a pitcher of water in the refrigerator for drinking so you don’t have to let the faucet run for cold water.
Don’t use the toilet as a trash can (NEVER flush medications down the toilet!)

More tips from Salt Lake City’s Water Conservation program.

Landscape

Tips for a water wise landscape program:
1. Analysis, Planning and Design.
2. Soil Improvement. Soil amendment helps correct poor water infiltration, percolation and drainage. Common amendments include compost, decomposed leaves or pine druff, manures or utelite.
3. Efficient Irrigation. Match the amount of water supplied to your plant’s needs, group plants together according to their water needs. Turf should be irrigated separately.
4. Limit Turf Areas.
5. Use Mulch. Mulch buffers soils against climate extremes.
6. Use Low Water Demand Plants.
7. Maintain. Your garden will require extra maintenance before your plants fill in and establish themselves. Once that happens, demands decrease, plants require less water and weeds are crowded out.
Learn more about this process and access a list of Water Wise plants from Salt Lake City Public Utilities Water Conservation program.

SLCgreen in the Community

Every spring through fall, SLCgreen takes advantage of event season to engage with the community and spread the word about all things green in Salt Lake City.

Here are a few shots of where the SLCgreen booth has landed so far — keep your eyes peeled for our logo at your next community event. Do you have one we should know about? Email us!