Earth Day in SLC

With Earth Day right around the corner (Monday, April 22nd) we wanted to share a few tips and events to help our residents green their lifestyle and commemorate this special day in Salt Lake City!

15 Earth Day Tips that Really Make a Difference

We spotted this excellent article on The Daily Green, and thought we would share their 15 tips to a greener lifestyle. We love how simple their recommendations are, and the fact that each of them can have an impact! Get the full scoop on The Daily Green.

1. Avoid waste: recycle. Salt Lake City makes it easy to recycle common household waste with curbside mixed recycling and curbside glass.
2. Give up plastic (and paper) bags. Bring your own reusable grocery bags and save money, energy and natural resources.
3. Stop buying bottled water. Buy one reusable water bottle and save some serious cash. We recommend aluminum or stainless steel.
4. Stop receiving unwanted catalogs. We have tips on stopping unwanted junk mail on our website.
5. Give up conventional detergents. Natural cleaners have less chemicals and work effectively at cooler temperatures.
6. Give up hot water (at least in the clothes washer). About 90% of the energy used during a wash cycle is to heat the water.
7. Give up the clothes dryer. Or optimize your dryer loads.
8. Check for leaks in your toilet. Save water and money with a simple test.
9. Use recycled toilet paper. It costs about the same as regular toilet paper.
10. Give up paper towels. Invest in some reusable microfiber towels, which can be easily washed and reused again.
11. Run a fully loaded dishwasher. Save energy and water when you skip partial loads.
12. Lower the temp in your fridge. The fridge accounts for 10 to 15 percent of the average home energy bill each month!
13. Give up 2 degrees. Set your thermostat to 78 degrees or more during the summer months.
14. Give up dry cleaning. Check the labels when you purchase new clothes.
15. Stop wasting gas! Be idle free, avoid jack rabbit starts and stops and check your tire pressure.

Earth Week @ The U

The University of Utah is celebrating Earth Week with a variety of events. View the Earth Week schedule. 

Get Involved in SLC

Service in the City has created an excellent handout that outlines a variety of events and other opportunities in conjunction with Earth Day 2013. Check it out and get involved! (PDF)