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Posts from the ‘General Sustainability’ Category

Jan 3

What a Year! Check out our 2018 Year in Review

Check out Salt Lake City Sustainability’s 2018 Year in Review!

The last few years have been incredible for us here at SLCgreen and this past year was no exception.

We are thrilled to share our progress from 2018 with you. As always, we’d like to give a huge shout out to all of our partners— those in City government, other government agencies, non-profit associations, passionate neighborhood groups, and dedicated community councils with whom we work. Building a more sustainable SLC takes many hands!

Below are some of the highlights from our 2018 annual report. You can download the full 2018 report here. 

Don’t miss our reports from 2017 and 2016 too.

Highlights from 2018 include:

Air Quality and Climate Change

Read more

Dec 21

Give Generously, Give Better

We wish you a restful, sustainable, and joyful holiday season and beyond. Thank you for making our community one of the most generous in the country.

December is the month for generosity. It’s the time not only for giving gifts to loved ones, but for giving to the causes you care about. The giving spirit may also encourage you to think of those less fortunate in our community who need a little help.

Indeed sharing compassion and empathy with those struggling is what elevates– and betters– our entire community.

In fact, our state is known for its generosity, securing the second spot in the nation in a recent study.

With that in mind, Salt Lake City, the Lieutenant Governor, and community service providers recently held a press conference to encourage residents to give smarter– and to give generously– this holiday season and year-round.

Read more

Nov 17

Goal: Reduce food waste this holiday season

agriculture basket close up colorful

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Thanksgiving is fast approaching, bringing the friend and family food fest with it! While we prepare the feast and give thanks for the plentiful food we have, it is important to consider the amount of food that goes to waste this holiday season.

Food is one of the most important areas of sustainability in our daily lives and it is often overlooked! Reducing food waste is important for everyone because it saves both money and resources.

Did you know that the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates 35 percent of turkey meat cooked at Thanksgiving gets wasted?

That’s a lot of wasted resources!

When we reduce food waste we save:

  • The resources and water used to grow crops and raise animals
  • Manufacturing and energy resources
  • Transportation resources and greenhouse gas emissions
  • Money by buying less and throwing away less
  • Disposal costs and emissions

That last one is significant– food sent to landfills is a powerful source of methane. A whopping 40 percent of food meant for eating is thrown away.

All of this rotting food produces a lot of greenhouse gases. In fact if food waste could be represented as its own country, it would be the third largest greenhouse gas emitter, behind China and the U.S.

Read more

Nov 8

Join Us for Green Drinks November 13!

green drinksEco–friendly folks connect!

Do you care about sustainability? Are you looking to meet others who do as well? Are you interested in learning about local businesses that support the environment?

If the answer is YES, please join us for the annual e2 Business -sponsored Green Drinks event coming up on Tuesday, November 13! It’s free to attend.

The e2 business program is SLCgreen’s very own sustainability consulting and marketing program. The businesses that participate receive expert consultation and guidance in incorporating sustainable business practices that will save money and reduce their impact on the environment. It’s free for any business located in Salt Lake City limits. Our office then has the fun opportunity to promote and highlight the sustainable achievements of these businesses.

The SLC Chapter of Green Drinks International was founded in January of 2007 and is a fun, informal opportunity for anyone interested in sustainability to get together over drinks and talk “green.” Networking events occur several times per year. Everyone is welcome. Bring business cards! Read more

Nov 7

Check Out this Interview with the SLCgreen Director

sustainable nation.

The Sustainable Nation Podcast interviewed our very own Sustainability Director -Vicki Bennett. Check out the podcast to hear insights and advice from the leader of our City’s award-winning Salt Lake City Green sustainability program.

The Sustainable Nation Podcast produces interviews with global leaders in sustainability and was developed to provide information and insights from the world’s most inspiring change-makers.

Vicki_Bennett

Vicki Bennett has led Salt Lake City’s award-winning Salt Lake City Green sustainability program for 17 years and has integrated sustainability policies throughout government operations and Salt Lake City as a whole. She works with both city agencies and the public to create a more livable community.

Vicki’s experience includes sustainability program management, climate change mitigation, and adaptation, energy policy, food security, waste diversion, and environmental compliance.

She is a founding member of both the Urban Sustainability Directors Network and the Utah Climate Action Network. She holds a degree in Chemistry from the University of California at San Diego, and an Executive MBA from the University of Utah.

The interview gives listeners a glimpse of Vicki’s journey from a lab chemist to her current role as the leader of Salt Lake City Green. Vicki has forged some of the City’s most innovative programs to ensure a healthy sustainable future for us all. Give the podcast a listen to learn more!

 

For more information on Climate Positive, please visit: http://www.slcgreen.com/climatepositive and follow #ClimatePositiveSLC for continuing updates.

 

 

Oct 11

Dropping Temps and Falling Leaves

Everyday I'm Rustlin

Fall is here in Salt Lake City and leaves are beginning to drop.

This is a friendly reminder to please use your brown compost containers to dispose of leaves. The brown bins go to the compost facility at the Salt Lake Valley Landfill.

Have a lot of leaves?

  • Try composting leaves in your own yard, in a compost can or mulching them into your flower beds or gardens. Read our blog post detailing how and why this is a beneficial practice.
  • Rather than a chore to be conquered all at once, rake enough leaves each week just to fill the can.
  • Temporarily store extra leaves in your yard, in a pile, or in a large sturdy container and feed them into your yard waste can each week.

Extra Brown Containers

Containers can be requested anytime during the year except for February and March when compost collection is temporarily suspended. Read more

Sep 21

Plant Based Utah to Host Symposium Oct. 13

By Jack Hurty, SLCgreen intern

Welcome to SLCgreen Connections, an occasional series highlighting SLCgreen’s fantastic local partners—the people and organizations with whom we work closely to make Salt Lake City a greener, more vibrant, and sustainable city!

This week we sat down with Chandler Rosenberg, Managing Director of Plant Based Utah, to talk about meat, the environment, and their upcoming events. Plant Based Utah is a local plant-based nutrition advocacy group.

Chandler PBU

Chandler Rosenberg, Managing Director of the non-profit Plant Based Utah.

What if you could improve your health, save money, and lower your carbon footprint, all with one simple lifestyle change? It’s possible – by eating less meat and transitioning to a plant-based diet. That’s the message Plant Based Utah is working to spread.

In March 2017, Thomas Rosenberg and Patrick Olson who are surgeons in Park City, decided to create an organization dedicated to encouraging people to eat healthier.

They had been studying preventative nutrition for years and found that a plant-based diet could prevent and even reverse some of the various chronic diseases and conditions they came across every day. Read more

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