Posts tagged ‘safety’

Oct 8

Have Fun with Recycling: Check Out This Year’s Truck Wraps

If you love garbage trucks as much as we do (and we definitely do!), then you’ve probably noticed the different designs we have on the sides of our trucks. Every time the City purchases a set of new refuse trucks, SLCgreen designs an informational decal to help keep our community up to date about waste & recycling. Whether it’s a reminder to not put plastic bags in your recycling bin, or quotes from famous conservationists to inspire recycling, our truck wraps give us a chance to have some fun and help educate Salt Lake City residents about the importance of proper recycling.

Your inner child will love our latest truck wraps, which playfully remind everyone why recycling is the way to go!

Sep 11

Explore the Jordan River Parkway

by SLCgreen intern Atticus Olmedo

From Bear Lake and Antelope Island to Timpanogos and Goblin Valley, Utah is a hotbed for hiking trails and natural excursions. But for many, the Jordan River Parkway doesn’t immediately come to mind as a prime recreational destination. This may be a result of the Parkway’s location, locked between the suburban enclaves and urban centers. But don’t be fooled. People, organizations, and governments have rallied behind the Jordan River Parkway’s potential with a vision for sustainability.

And this month is all about celebrating the Jordan River with a month full of activities. Let’s dig in!

The Jordan River System

Thousands of years ago when Lake Bonneville was receding, the river wound its way through ancient sediments left by the prehistoric lake. Eventually, the river helped establish pond and wetlands. Today, the Jordan River flows approximately 50 miles from Utah Lake north towards the Great Salt Lake’s wetlands. The river is primarily fed from the creeks that travel through the Salt Lake Valley.

The ecology of the river has evolved considerably. Because the river collects water from streams throughout the valley, it also collects pollution and detritus. However, thanks to restoration efforts, the parkway and river have become more hospitable for natural and recreational use.

The river is lined with deciduous oaks, aspens, willows, and cottonwood trees. Invertebrates provide an important source of food for other river species, particularly native carp and trout. Prior to urbanization, coyotes, big-horned sheep, wolves, and mule deer made the river their home. Now, raccoons, red foxes, jackrabbits, and common muskrat can be spotted in the habitat. Birds including magpies, sparrow hawks, and even pheasants are also common.

Nature in our Backyards

For the fitness and nature enthusiasts alike, The Jordan River Parkway Trail offers a low-cost fitness and natural excursion option to locals who may not have the means to access far away wildlife areas.

Mar 25

City Invites Residents to Discuss Future Improvements to Foothill Drive

Photo Credit: Edgar Zuniga Jr. via Flickr

Salt Lake City’s Transportation Division, along with several partner organizations, invite residents and area stakeholders to meet and discuss the future of the Foothill Drive corridor at an open house to be held Thursday, March 31, at 5 pm located at Hillside Middle School, 1825 Nevada Street in Salt Lake City.

The open house marks the beginning of Foothill Drive Implementation Strategy, which will identify short term and long-term priorities to address traffic congestion, improve neighborhood connections, enhance safety, and provide transportation options.

Foothill Drive has long served as a vital urban thoroughfare linking I-80, I-215, and Parley’s Way at the City’s Southeastern border to the Foothill Cultural District and the University of Utah, and eventually Downtown via 500/400 South.

The street also serves as a neighbor commercial corridor and regular users have expressed interest in enhancing the safety, efficiency and aesthetics of the corridor for pedestrians, cyclists, drivers and transit riders.

To learn more about the project and to share your ideas, visit the project website at www.foothilldrive.org, email the project team at foothilldriveslc@gmail.com, join us at the upcoming open house or call the project hotline at 801-535-7130 to provide comment.

Who: Salt Lake City Transportation Division, University of Utah, Utah Department of Transportation, Wasatch Front Regional Council, Salt Lake County, Utah Transit Authority

Where:
Hillside Middle School
1825 Nevada Street
Salt Lake City, Utah

When: Thursday, March 31^st from 5 p.m. -7 p.m.

People with disabilities who would like to request reasonable accommodation to attend this event should provide 48 hours advance notice. Accommodations may include alternate formats, interpreters, and other auxiliary aids. For questions or additional information, please contact Christine Passey, Coordinator for Disability Rights/Special Projects, at christine.passey@slcgov.com, 801-535-7110, or TDD 801-535-6021.

Feb 11

Early registration now open for the 2015 Utah Bike Summit

The seventh annual Utah Bike Summit will be held Friday, April 10, and will gather citizens, riders, bicycle advocates, government officials, tourism and health representatives, and Utah’s bike brands to discuss, plan, and promote efforts to make Utah the most bike-friendly state in the country. The Summit will take place at the Provo Library at Academy Square and is open to the public, regardless of where, how, and why you ride.

This year’s keynote speaker is Gary Fisher, Founding Father of the Mountain Bike. Gary is a dedicated bicycle advocate and responsible for laying the early foundations for mountain biking. He is credited with developing some of the greatest innovations, including drum brakes, triple chainrings, motorcycle-style brake levers and 29 inch wheels. Gary is a longtime bicycle advocate and works to inspire people to get out and ride.

In addition to the keynote address, the Summit program will include presentations addressing topics relevant to people who ride bicycles for both transportation and recreation. The afternoon agenda is packed with breakout sessions looking at topics varying from making bicycling an equitable transportation choice to e-bikes, promoting bicycle safety, and creating a bicycle friendly ecosystem. A post-summit reception closes out the day’s activities at The Underground Social Hall.

More information about the Utah Bike Summit and how to register can be found at www.bikeutah.org/2015summit. Early registration ends February 27^th.

Jun 6

Nominate Your Business for a P2 Award!

Salt Lake City accepts a 2013 P2 Award for the net zero Public Safety Building.

Each year, the Utah Pollution Prevention (P2) Association issues “Outstanding Achievement in Pollution Prevention Awards” to organizations for excellence in pollution reduction practices. These awards recognize outstanding efforts that reduce risk to Utah’s environment or to public health. This can be done through practices, projects or activities that reduce pollution at the source or remove materials from the waste cycle.

Pollution prevention uses source reduction techniques to reduce risk to public health, safety, welfare, and the environment. 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 prevention and will not be eligible for this award. Projects that focus on the environmental benefits of a product or service are not eligible.

The Utah P2 Association is requesting nominations for the 2014 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.

To be considered, organizations must be able to demonstrate excellence in pollution prevention practices for the calendar year of 2013. Reductions can be achieved through practices, projects or activities that reduce pollution at the source or remove materials from the waste cycle.

Who is Eligible?

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

Entry Deadline: Friday, July 18, 2014

Awards Banquet: October 2014

Questions? Contact Paul Harding at (801) 536-4108 or pharding@utah.gov.

P2 Awards Selection Criteria

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 2013.
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). Helpful tools and information.

Submissions must be received by July 18 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.

Sep 23

Pesticides & Produce: The Dirty Dozen

Fact: Eating healthy begins with fresh fruits and vegetables.

But it is also important to understand how the use of pesticides in industrial farming impacts the very same produce you buy at your local grocery store.

Even though the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) restricts the use of the most toxic pesticides, they can still be detected on some of your favorite foods.

[VIDEO] Watch our segment on KUTV 2News!

Jul 29

Bike Commuting: The Basics

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 love their bikes, so we, with the help of the Bicycle Transit Center located at the UTA Intermodal Hub, put together some of tips to get you rolling.

Jul 19

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.