Clear the Air Challenge: Solutions to Economic Growth & Sustainability

The 2022 Clear the Air Challenge is a month-long initiative undertaken by business, government and community leaders that encourages Utah residents to drive less and drive smarter during the month of February.

“Poor air quality doesn’t just hinder the views of our beautiful mountains,” said Derek Miller, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber and Downtown Alliance. “It jeopardizes our health, and it hinders our ability to keep businesses and jobs coming to our state. Since each of us contributes to emissions that lead to poor air quality during inversions, we all have an opportunity and responsibility to make a difference.”

​​Transportation emissions are responsible for nearly fifty percent of the pollutants that make up Utah’s poor air quality. By driving smarter, we can protect our health, environment, economy and quality of life. For this reason, participants of the Clear the Air Challenge use TravelWise strategies like carpooling, using public transit, teleworking, trip chaining, walking and riding their bike or scooter to reduce their emissions and help clear Utah’s air.

“We recognize that there are no perfect answers to keep our air clean, but there are practical solutions,” said Thom Carter, Utah Clean Air (UCAIR) executive director. “These strategies represent many of the practical steps all of us can take to make a difference for our air. While the Clear the Air Challenge takes place for just one month, we hope it will provide Utahns the opportunity to start new habits and think about how their individual behaviors contribute to our air quality challenges.”

By encouraging employees to participate, businesses can create a team to make an even bigger impact. The Clear the Air Challenge begins July 1. Register your team of coworkers, family or friends at ClearTheAirChallenge.org and be part of the solution.

Rocky Mountain Power – Top Leader of Clear the Air Challenge

The Clear the Air Challenge is a month-long competition that gives residents the chance to reduce vehicle emissions by choosing alternative methods of transportation. By driving less and commuting smarter, we all can help improve air quality, reduce traffic and conserve energy in Salt Lake City. According to the Utah Division of Air Quality, “If all drivers living along the Wasatch Front were to park their cars just one day per week, vehicle emissions would be reduced by 6,500 tons per year.”

“Prosperity rises from jobs and opportunity but these do not happen in a vacuum. They come from corporations choosing Utah as a destination.“ said Derek Miller, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber and Downtown Alliance. “As companies look to our state because of its competitive advantages — including workforce talent, excellent business climate, and best in class recreation minutes away — we have to make sure that bad air quality doesn’t deter them from choosing our state. We all have a stake in improving the environment, and the Clear the Air Challenge is one major way we can engage.”

Since the Challenge started in 2009, participants have helped make a big difference in improving Utah’s air quality. In that time, participants have eliminated almost 1.2 million trips, saved more than 17 million miles and reduced their emissions by more than 5 thousand tons.

Among the top leaders in the 2021 Challenge was Rocky Mountain Power.

“We all know that our tailpipe emissions are the largest contributors to Utah’s air quality problem, and we are proud to be leading Utah’s efforts to electrify transportation opportunities in Utah with a new $50 million investment in EV chargers here in the Wasatch Front and across the state,” said Gary Hoogeveen, president and CEO, Rocky Mountain Power. “There are many ways in which we can all do our part to improve Utah’s air quality, and Rocky Mountain Power is proud to be part of that solution.”

By encouraging employees to participate, businesses can create a team to make an even bigger impact. The Clear the Air Challenge begins July 1. Register your team of coworkers, family or friends at ClearTheAirChallenge.org and be part of the solution.