Tag Archive for: air quality

How You Can Impact Air Quality All Year Long

It’s official – the 14th annual Clear the Air Challenge is over! Thanks to participation from our communities, businesses and individuals like you, we were able to reduce 365.1 tons of CO2 emissions, eliminate 55,179 trips, reduce 1,027,027.3 miles traveled, save $600,000, and burn 1.9 million calories in just 31 days.

However, just because July is over doesn’t mean we should stop being mindful of our air quality. The Clear the Air Challenge may be a month-long event, but the effects of Utah’s air quality on our community are felt year-round. Luckily, there are steps each of us can take to benefit air quality all year long:

At Home

If you participated in the Challenge, you’ve probably realized by now that small changes can make a big difference. By driving alone less, you’re not only reducing your emissions, but you’re also saving money on gas, maintenance and parking costs. Even though the Challenge is over, you can still use TravelWise strategies to get around. It’s a win-win for both you and our air!

Making a difference in air quality isn’t just about driving, either. At home, try making small changes like replacing old fuel containers, buying water-based paints and choosing green lawn and garden products. And, of course, don’t forget to flip off the lights whenever you leave the room.

At Work

During the Clear the Air Challenge, dozens of businesses and organizations across the state created teams to encourage their employees to drive alone less. Your organization’s commitment to air quality doesn’t have to end just because the Challenge did. Ask your coworkers if they would be interested in a carpool group. Or, see if there are any TRAX or bus stations near your office – it might be easier to use public transportation than you think.

If you are a part of your company’s leadership, see what you can do on an administrative level. UCAIR has established a grant program to encourage businesses, government entities and non-profit organizations to invest in emissions-reducing and energy-efficient technology. You and your company might just benefit!

In The Community

The air we breathe affects all of us, so we should all be involved in the conversation. Seek out community opportunities to get involved in clean air efforts by keeping your ears and eyes open! You can participate in air quality planning through the Division of Air Quality or other state and local government groups. Lend your voice and speak up for Utah’s air.

And, when the Clear the Air Challenge comes around again next year, don’t forget to participate! The Challenge depends on the participation of community members like you to be successful. The impact of our actions reverberates through the year, influencing the quality of the air we all share. By embracing simple changes at home, collaborating with colleagues at work and engaging actively within our communities, we are sowing the seeds of a cleaner, healthier future. 

For more ways you can support and improve Utah’s air quality, visit the UCAIR website.

How to Use the Commute Tracker App to Log Your Clear The Air Challenge Trips

If you’re participating in the Clear the Air Challenge, you know that logging your air-friendly trips in the TravelWise Tracker is the only way to make sure your impact is counted towards the Challenge goals. What you might not know is that the TravelWise Tracker has an app that allows you to log your trips right from your phone.

Downloading and Using the App

  1. To get started, first download the “Commute Tracker by RideAmigos” to your mobile device.
  2. Next, access your “Connect PIN” by logging onto the TravelWise Tracker on your desktop. Click the “Dashboard” tab, and scroll down to the widget titled “DOWNLOAD THE NEW MOBILE TRACKER.” Click the blue button for your Connect PIN.
  3. Log into your Commute Tracker app using your email address and Connect PIN.
  4. Start tracking on the app by clicking the plus button in the “Commutes” tab! Your previously entered trips will appear as “Web Trips.”

This year, our goal is to eliminate 100,000 single-occupant trips, save 2 million miles, and reduce 375 tons of CO2 from being released into the air. Every trip you log gets us closer to our goals and helps us make a positive impact on Utah’s air.

*If you are having issues with the app or TravelWise Tracker, or if you have other questions about the Challenge, email us at info@cleartheairchallenge.org. We’re here to help!

How Do Prizes and Achievement Badges Work?

If you’ve participated in the Clear the Air Challenge before, you might remember that as you log your TravelWise trips throughout the month, you unlock achievement badges. These badges show what you’ve accomplished during the Challenge, and they also serve as entries into our weekly opportunity drawings. Long story short: the more badges you unlock, the better chance you have to win.

Achievement Badges

There are three types of badges that participants can earn during the Challenge. The first type is activity achievements, which are automatically unlocked as trips are logged. These badges include achievements like “First Carpool” and “Log 10 Trips.” 

The second type of badge is action achievements, which are unlocked after completing various actions such as liking the Challenge’s Facebook account or sharing on social media. In order to unlock these badges, participants must fill out their corresponding forms after completing the action. 

The third type of badge is skill achievements. These include achievements like the “TravelWise Pro” and “UCAIR Follower” badges and are awarded when participants learn more about the Challenge or other educational topics. Similar to the action achievements, these badges require completion of their corresponding quizzes prior to unlocking.

To view available achievement badges and their forms, visit the TravelWise Tracker homepage and scroll down. You can also view your earned badges on your dashboard. 

Prizes

There are several opportunities to win prizes during the Clear the Air Challenge. Each week, we randomly select several participants to win a gift card to a local restaurant or business, tickets to area attractions and more. Each badge earned during that week counts as one entry into the weekly drawing, and winners are notified via email.

Additionally, at the end of the Challenge, the top three participants who save the most emissions will win grand prizes:

First Place: Utah Camping Kit

  • Utah State Parks Pass
  • REI Two-Person Backpacking Tent
  • IGLOO Cooler

Second Place: A Day at the Zoo

  • Hogle Zoo Duo Annual Membership
  • Portable Cooler

Third Place: Picnic in the Park

  • Pendleton Portable Picnic Blanket
  • $50 Smith’s Gift Card

Note: The Clear the Air Challenge is as accurate as the data entered by participants. Therefore, entries are diligently monitored to ensure that Challenge results are accurate. If there is an entry in question, the participant is contacted and the entry is verified. Additionally, the grand prizes must be picked up in person at the Salt Lake Chamber office.

If you have further questions about the Challenge, achievement badges or prizes, contact us at info@cleartheairchallenge.org. We wish you the best of luck!

2023 Clear the Air Challenge Kicks Off

Clear the Air Challenge lasts one month to build Travelwise habits and improve air quality

The Salt Lake Chamber, along with its partners Utah Clean Air Partnership (UCAIR) and TravelWise, kicked off the 14th Annual Clear the Air Challenge today. Issued by business, government and community leaders, the Challenge is a month-long competition designed to encourage Utahns to reduce their vehicle emissions by choosing alternatives to driving alone.

“We are excited to launch the Clear the Air Challenge again this year to keep air quality front and center for our communities,” said Gary Hoogeveen, chair of the Salt Lake Chamber and president and CEO of Rocky Mountain Power. “Our partners here today represent leaders who seek solutions and ways to help improve air quality and put their actions behind their words. No solution is perfect for maintaining clean air, but we know practical actions exist that can yield significant outcomes. By empowering ourselves through education and actively minimizing our environmental footprint, we can genuinely enhance the quality of our air.”

Nearly half of the pollutants that contribute to Utah’s poor air quality can be attributed to transportation emissions. By adopting more intelligent driving practices, you have the ability to safeguard the health, environment, economy, and quality of life in Utah. To achieve this goal, participants of the Clear the Air Challenge actively employ TravelWise strategies such as carpooling, utilizing public transit, teleworking, trip chaining, as well as walking, biking, or using scooters, all aimed at reducing emissions and promoting the improvement of Utah’s air quality.

“At UCAIR, we place immense importance on understanding the driving forces behind behavioral change and the environment,” emphasized Kim Frost, executive director of UCAIR. “The Clear the Air Challenge plays a key role in helping businesses and individuals understand the significant impact their actions can have in clearing our air. When individuals recognize the efficacy of their efforts, they are far more inclined to embrace behavioral shifts, not just during the Challenge, but throughout the year.”

One of the key objectives of the Challenge is to raise awareness among Utah residents regarding our air quality concerns. In prior years, the Challenge took place in February, aligning with the winter inversion period when air quality visibly deteriorates. However, again this year, the event will be held in July to address Utah’s summertime ozone issues. Though not as visible, summertime ozone is equally harmful, yet its detrimental effects are less commonly known among the general public.

“By carpooling, biking, walking, or using public transportation whenever possible, we reduce our carbon footprint and contribute to a healthier environment,” said Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall. “But this challenge goes beyond individual actions. It requires a collective effort. It takes collaboration between businesses, organizations, and community leaders. When we support sustainable practices and policies that prioritize clean air, we provide the next generation of Utahns with a healthier future.”

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 more than 1.3 million trips, saved more than 20 million miles and reduced their emissions by more than 6,700 tons.

“We’re proud to join the Clear the Air Challenge again this year,” said Lori Smith, Utah regional leader at Fidelity. “The Challenge serves as a great educational opportunity for our communities on the impact of poor air quality and a heightened sense of awareness that together, through our choices, we can help create a healthier future for all Utah residents.”

By encouraging employees to participate, businesses can create a team to make an even bigger impact. The Clear the Air Challenge begins July 1.

How to Participate:

  1. Sign up on the Clear the Air Challenge website at cleartheairchallenge.org and create an account.
  2. Challenge friends and co-workers to participate as a team or individually.
  3. As a business owner or team manager, send out the challenge fact sheet available in the Startup Toolkit to your employees that explains what the challenge is and why they should participate.

Questions? Contact info@cleartheairchallenge.org.

Clear the Air Challenge: What You Need to Know About Ozone

During times of air quality issues, many articles and social media posts will mention “ozone” as a factor. However, many people are uninformed about what ozone is and does, and how it can potentially affect their health. Here’s what you need to know to stay safe and informed:

What is ozone?

Ozone, also referred to as O3 or simply ‘smog,’ is a pollutant of pale blue gas with a distinctive, pungent smell. The oxygen we breathe is made of two oxygen molecules, while ozone is made up of three oxygen molecules. However, ozone has different effects in different regions of the atmosphere. In the upper atmosphere (roughly 12-19 miles above ground), ozone is naturally occurring and even beneficial, serving as a shield against certain types of ultraviolet radiation. At ground level, ozone is created from human sources and contributes to air pollution. Ground level ozone can cause health problems like difficulty breathing, and long term, it can even act like a sunburn on the lungs.

Who is sensitive to ozone air pollution?

There are four main groups of people who are especially vulnerable to the effects of breathing ozone: children, older adults, people with preexisting lung or respiratory conditions, and those who work or exercise vigorously outdoors. These groups are at higher risk of becoming sick by exposure to ozone, and may experience reduced lung function, inflammation of the airways and other symptoms.

How can I check the air quality in my area?

The Utah Department of Environmental Quality has an air quality forecast tool that helps  determine how the highest pollution level of the day will affect people with various health conditions. The action forecast also notifies the public of the voluntary or mandatory actions (e.g., carpooling, wood burning) they need to adhere to for the current pollution levels. You can even download the UtahAir app or sign up for email alerts to stay informed.

What can I do to reduce ozone air pollution?

Luckily, we are not powerless when it comes to managing air quality. By traveling smarter, individuals can reduce their emissions and thereby improve Utah’s air. During July, the Clear the Air Challenge is encouraging Utahns to reduce single-occupant trips and track the money and emissions saved by using the TravelWise Tracker. Already, participants have logged almost 400,000 miles of alternative travel strategies such as carpooling, public transportation and trip chaining. These measures also decrease ozone pollution on the ground level and keep our communities healthy.

For more information on Utah’s air quality or to check the ozone levels in your area, click here.

Are You Ready for the Clear the Air Challenge?

The Clear the Air Challenge begins in just one month! From July 1-31, join us in being more aware of the trips that you take and making an effort to choose alternatives to driving alone, such as carpooling, using public transportation and working remotely on bad air quality days. In order to make the Challenge a success, here are five easy steps you can take to do your part in clearing Utah’s air: 

  1. Register and set up your team. If you don’t already have an account, create one today! This takes less than two minutes and gives you access to the TravelWise Tracker, a software that keeps track of the emissions, miles and trips you save when you don’t drive alone. You can also join or create a team, whether it be your business or organization, or even just a group of friends.
  2. Invite others to join the Challenge. Tell your coworkers, family, and friends about the Challenge and encourage them to join you! We amplify our impact when we work together. If you’re part of a team in your office or organization, contact your team manager for your team’s join link and circulate it to others.
  3. Educate others. If you are knowledgeable about the Challenge, help others learn how to register, plan their travel, and use a variety of TravelWise strategies. Recirculate Clear the Air Challenge social media posts (find us on Facebook and Twitter) to spread the word. Increasing awareness about eco-friendly transportation strategies helps all of us!
  4. Encourage your team. Maintaining momentum can be difficult in our busy world, but you can help! Periodically check in with your teammates, and don’t forget to celebrate your victories, even the small ones. 
  5. Practice logging your trips. Although the Challenge officially begins July 1st, you can practice using the TravelWise tracker to log your trips any month out of the year! Simply go to the TravelWise Tracker Dashboard and enter your distance and mode of travel to calculate your impact. This page can be accessed on mobile, or you can even download the Commute Tracker app. This way, you’ll be ready when trips start counting towards our Challenge goals in July.

Thanks for your involvement, and good luck! If you have any questions, suggestions or comments, please reach out to info@cleartheairchallenge.org.

Top Reasons Businesses Should Care About Our Air

As Utahns, we are lucky to live in a state with breathtaking natural beauty and plenty of opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors. Unfortunately, our mountainous landscape creates a natural barrier that can adversely affect our air quality, especially when inversions trap pollutants close to the ground. As a result, many people in Utah are starting to take action to reduce their emissions and improve air quality. Here’s why businesses should, too:

Protect health and well-being: Utah’s air quality has a direct impact on our health and well-being, especially for those with pre-existing respiratory conditions. By taking steps to reduce emissions and improve air quality, businesses can help protect the health and well-being of their employees, customers, and fellow Utahns.

Support Utah’s economy: Utah is known for its business-friendly environment and growing economy. By promoting sustainable practices and reducing emissions, businesses can help ensure that our state remains a great place to do business for years to come.

Save money: Speaking of the economy, many of the strategies for reducing emissions and improving air quality can also help businesses save money! For example, encouraging employees to use alternative transportation options like carpooling or public transit can reduce commuting costs and parking expenses. Improving energy efficiency in buildings can also help lower utility bills.

Preserve our natural beauty: Utah’s stunning natural beauty is one of our state’s greatest assets. By taking action to reduce emissions and improve air quality, businesses can help preserve this natural beauty for future generations to enjoy.

Connect with our community: Utahns take pride in our state and our communities. By caring about our air and participating in initiatives like Utah’s Clear the Air Challenge, businesses can show that they care about our state and our fellow Utahns. Being involved helps build stronger connections with customers, employees and other stakeholders.

By taking action to reduce emissions and improve air quality, businesses can help protect our health, support our economy, preserve our natural beauty, connect with our community and even save money in the process. An easy place to start is Utah’s Clear the Air Challenge, a month-long competition that gives Utahns the chance to reduce their vehicle emissions by choosing alternative methods of transportation using TravelWise strategies. To create a team for your business or organization, email info@cleartheairchallenge.org to get started. Together, we can help ensure that Utah remains a great place to live, work, and play for generations to come.

The Clear the Air Challenge Needs You This Year!

Since 2009, participants in the Clear the Air Challenge have helped make a big difference in improving Utah’s air. But we need your help to make this year’s Challenge an even greater success. 

“Just as each of us contributes to emissions that lead to poor air quality, we all have an opportunity and responsibility to make a difference,” said Derek Miller, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber. “We recognize that there are no perfect answers to keep our air clean, but there are practical solutions that can help us achieve meaningful results. By choosing to educate ourselves on the issue and reduce our impact we can improve our air quality.”

The 2023 Clear the Air Challenge begins in July. It is a month-long competition that gives Utahns the chance to reduce their vehicle emissions by choosing alternative methods of transportation using TravelWise strategies. It’s as easy as working remotely, carpooling, and using public transportation! By driving less and driving smarter, we will ultimately help improve air quality, reduce traffic congestion and conserve energy in Utah.

Our goal this year is to:

  • Reduce 375 tons of CO2
  • Eliminate 100,000 single-occupant trips
  • Save 2 million miles

Signing up for the Challenge takes less than two minutes, and together, it can have a big impact on our state. To help us meet our goals, encourage your friends, family, neighbors and co-workers to join you for this year’s Challenge. Remember – even small changes can make a big difference. Sign up at cleartheairchallenge.org.

Why should you participate?

  • The Challenge startup toolkit and website are fantastic educational tools that can help you learn actionable steps to clear the air.
  • The Challenge gives Utahns a fun and competitive way to engage in TravelWise strategies – compete with your family, friends and co-workers!
  • Participants of the Challenge have the opportunity to win weekly prizes!

If you need help setting up your team and/or have questions in the meantime, please reach out to info@cleartheairchallenge.org. Let’s see how many pounds of emissions, gallons of gas and dollars we can save when we work together!

2022 Clear the Air Challenge Results Announced

Fidelity Investments and Dell Technologies Take Top Awards

Results are in for the 13th annual Clear the Air Challenge, hosted by the Salt Lake Chamber, TravelWise Utah and UCAIR, with perennial winners Fidelity Investments and Dell Technologies-Utah taking top honors. Numerous businesses and individuals participated in the annual competition to show their commitment to our environment and to raise public awareness of the importance of clean air.

“The Clear the Air Challenge is just one way to highlight how each of us can individually take steps to reduce the impact we have on our environment,” said Derek Miller, President and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber. “Over the past month, participants have shown how easy it is to reduce our carbon footprint by using TravelWise strategies. By taking steps to reduce pollution, we can improve the health and quality of life of all who live and visit here. We applaud all participating teams and individuals for their collective efforts and for leading the way in improving our quality of life.”

The 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 July. Participants help improve air quality by avoiding trips alone in their car and using TravelWise Strategies such as carpooling, teleworking, taking public transit, biking or trip chaining.

“With the Clear the Air Challenge’s transition to the summer, we were able to spotlight summer ozone issues,” said Kim Frost, Executive Director of the UCAIR – Utah Clean Air Partnership. “By providing education, we hope that Utahns will become more equipped to understand how air quality issues arise and what can be done to mitigate its effect. We congratulate this year’s top large and small teams for their dedication to our community and recognize their willingness to change habits and make this issue a priority.”

Collectively, this year’s participants eliminated 53,541 trips, saved 1,079,434.1 miles, 392.7 tons of CO2 and $0.6 million, and burned 1.4 million calories in just 31 days.

Top Large Teams:

  1. Fidelity Investments
  2. State of Utah
  3. University of Utah

Top Small Teams:

  1. Dell Technologies-Utah
  2. GSBS Architects
  3. Penna Powers

Top Participants:

  1. David Vasquez, State of Utah
  2. Alison Mortensen-Hayes, University of Utah
  3. Guinevere Timpson, State of Utah

ABOUT THE CLEAR THE AIR CHALLENGE

The Clear the Air Challenge, issued by business, government and community leaders, is a month-long competition starting February 1 that gives you the chance to reduce your vehicle emissions by choosing alternatives to driving alone. The Clear the Air Challenge is a partnership between the Salt Lake Chamber, TravelWise and UCAIR.

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.