Skip to content

Posts tagged ‘quality’

Oct 7

SLC Proposes Discount UTA Pass Program

DSC_0106

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

Oct 3

Air Quality Grants Available

ucairwebsite

The Utah Clean Air Partnership (more commonly known as UCAIR) is now accepting proposals for their new grants program.

The purpose of the program is to provide incentives to the private sector, government entities, and individuals to reduce emissions of criteria pollutants that cause Utah’s poor air quality.

Grants will be used to promote investment by the private and public sector in emission-reducing technology, lower emission vehicles, energy efficiency and other proven methodologies for reducing or eliminating emissions, including education of the public.

The program will also encourage creative thinking and promote the development of new technology, but will be based on solid metrics and performance standards that demonstrate actual emissions reductions. A loan program will be announced at a later date.

Visit the UCAIR website for more information, and to download the application form. 

Sep 17

Turn your key, be idle free

DSC_0122With fall upon us, and cooler weather in the forecast for Salt Lake City, it is the perfect time to recommit to making one small change that will have a positive impact on our air quality (and your pocketbook!) this season. Say it with us…

Turn your key, be idle free!

For over six years, Salt Lake City and its partners have promoted the voluntary Idle Free Utah campaign in schools across the valley and in every corner of the state. The campaign reminds parents to eliminate vehicle idling in school pick up zones to prevent the unhealthy buildup of air pollution in an area heavily trafficked by children.

Read more

Jul 9

2 Comments

Summer Smog

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.

Read more

Jun 11

UCAIR Tackles Clean Air in Utah

UCAIR_landscape

Today Salt Lake City Green joined with many of its community partners to attend the 2013 kick-off event for the Utah Clean Air Partnership (UCAIR). The UCAIR initiative was first launched by Governor Herbert during the winter of 2012 in an effort to tackle Utah’s poor air quality days.

UCAIR is a statewide clean air partnership created to make it easier for individuals, businesses and communities to make small changes to improve Utah’s air. One of the program’s main messages is that every small change adds to a collective bigger step toward better health, a better economy and better overall quality of life for all of us.

Today a refreshed and revised UCAIR was unveiled, including:

Learn more about what UCAIR does, and why they do it. 

May 2

DEQ Launches Air Quality Video Contest

Our friends at the Utah Department of Environmental Quality recently launched a video contest. They are looking for creative, 30 second public service announcements that can be used to educate Utahns about ozone and give them ideas to help improve our summer air quality.

Watch the introductory video to learn more about the contest:

Prizes are at stake! First place will receive $500, with additional cash prizes for second and third place winners. Entries must be received by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 28th, so you have just a few weeks to get your award-winning video together!

Remember, this contest is specific to summer air quality, which comes in the form of ozone pollution. Learn more about the contest on the DEQ website. 

Mar 22

World Water Day 2013

2013_infographic

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.

fresh-water-for-all