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Posts tagged ‘salt’

Oct 7

SLC Proposes Discount UTA Pass Program

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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 1

Are you up for a challenge?

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October 5-12, 2013 is Eat Local Week in Salt Lake City, and there are many events taking place to celebrate our community of local-foodists.

Eat Local Week aims to increase awareness of our foodshed, provide information and resources for eating locally, and build a community hungry for local food–making Utah a more nourishing place.

Eat Local Week also introduces the Eat Local Challenge! The Challenge is simple, eat as local as you can. The standard challenge is only eating food that comes from within a 250 mile radius. Not ready for that? Come up with a challenge that works for you! Choose a couple of food groups to get locally and stay true to them. Be creative, challenge yourself, and have fun!

Read more

Oct 1

Net Zero Cities Conference

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As the world tackles the challenges of climate change, energy supply and water security, communities are taking the lead in finding solutions.

The Net Zero Cities Conference (October 23-24, 2013) will bring together thought leaders from around the globe to share their systems-based approaches, processes and examples of success in working towards net zero at the community scale.

Salt Lake City’s own Vicki Bennett, director of Salt Lake City Green, will speak on the plenary panel on the second day of the conference. She plans to discuss Salt Lake City’s new net zero Public Safety Building and policies surrounding net zero energy.

You can learn more about the Net Zero Cities Conference on their website, Facebook and Twitter accounts. Look for the #NetZeroCities hashtag to join the conversation!

Sep 30

Fairpark Takes a Promenade

This is a guest blog written by Sara Rose Tannenbaum of Salt Lake City’s SmartTrips Program.

On Saturday September 21st, over 40 neighbors gathered on the corner of 300 North and 900 West. While adults mingled under the shade of the giant Coca-Cola billboard, kids chased chickens and discovered eggs in the maze of sunflowers.

The reason for their gathering was the Fairpark Promenade, a collaborative “Community Walk around the Block” hosted by the Fairpark Community Council, the Urban Growth Garden and SmartTrips Fairpark.

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Sep 19

Glass recycling made easy – we can do better than 6%!

This is a guest blog post by Katie McKeon of Momentum Recycling, Salt Lake City’s contracted glass recycling services provider.

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How many of these items do you consume?

glassrecyclingratesHere at Momentum Recycling, we often hear people say they don’t use much glass. Most people think of glass bottles and immediately think of alcoholic beverages. While we receive a fair share of this type of glass, there is also quite a bit of glass out there that goes unnoticed.  Recycling just one of these glass containers saves enough energy to:

  • Light a 100-watt light bulb for four hours
  • Power a computer for 30 minutes
  • Power a television for 20 minutes

Read more

Sep 18

Designing a Future with Nature in Mind

Our friends at the University of Utah’s Office of Sustainability made us aware of this exciting event tomorrow.

Designing a Future with Nature in Mind
George Bandy, Jr., Interface Inc. Vice President for Sustainability

Sept. 19, 2013, 11:30 am to 1 pm
Saltair Room, Union (200 Central Campus Drive, SLC).
Lunch provided.

George Bandy, Jr. looks for opportunities to develop a better future through environmental, economic and socially responsible solutions in his role at Interface. His knowledge includes eco-friendly business practices, greening the supply chain and social sustainability. He is currently Chair-Elect of the U.S. Green Building Council Board of Directors and works with The Natural Step, Second Nature, Natural Resource Conservation Commission, and others. An Office of Sustainability event.

Sep 18

Fairpark Promenade: Not to be missed!

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Salt Lake City’s SmartTrips program, in collaboration with the Fairpark Community Council, will host one last community event this weekend to bring the community together for some good old-fashioned community appreciation!

Residents are invited to join their neighbors on a friendly ~1 mile exploration around a couple of local blocks. Kids, red flyers, wheelchairs, broad-brimmed hats and parasols welcome!

Ever wondered when that old building on the corner was built? Imagined what your neighborhood looked like 50 years ago? Or speculated who the green thumbs are behind those beautiful community garden vegetables?

The two block area of this first Fairpark Community Walk Around the Block is surprisingly rich in history, cultural centers and urban gardens—each with current and/or historical special meaning to residents old and new.

Don’t miss the Fairpark Promenade: A Community Walk Around the Block this Saturday, September 21st from 4-6 p.m. Fun!

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

Sep 16

What goes in your bin?

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Salt Lake City Green is asking residents one very important question — “What goes in your curbside bin?”

The survey is part of an effort to improve Salt Lake City’s curbside garbage, recycling and composting services.

In the coming months, residents will see a fresh, retooled #WhyWasteIt campaign roll out on Salt Lake City Sanitation trucks, social media and more. The campaign will be focus on optimizing the curbside programs and diverting as much waste as possible from the landfill.

Do you have 60 seconds to spare? Then let us know what goes in your curbside bin!

Sep 11

Downtown Streetcar Open House

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Streetcars are returning to Salt Lake City!

With the Sugar House Streetcar (now called the S-Line) opening on December 8, Salt Lake City is exploring a vision for streetcars in the downtown core.

A public open house has been scheduled to share ideas and educate residents on the current proposed streetcar routes.

Downtown Streetcar Public Open House
Thursday, September 12 from 5-7 p.m.
Harmons City Creek (135 E 100 S) – Second floor

Learn more about the visioning project.

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