As a resident of Salt Lake City and witness to its environmental threats and challenges, I’m passionate about helping to protect the lake, the valley and the mountains that we call home.
This page is dedicated to some of the informational and practical resources I’ve found for the Salt Lake region specifically.
The Great Salt Lake (GSL)
- The Great Salt Lake Collaborative: A compilation of news stories, science presentations and legislative updates regarding the state of the Great Salt Lake
- Aerial view of the Great Salt Lake 1985 vs. 2022 (European Space Agency)
- Great Salt Lake Institute: An initiative out of Westminster College to get people connected to the GSL via research and education.
- A Biologist on Documenting the Great Salt Lake’s Collapse: A short (6 min) and haunting documentary with stunning visuals documenting the changing lake. Produced by RadioWest.org
- Great Salt Lake Hydro Mapper: An interactive website put out by the USGS which tracks water levels and salinity in the Great Salt Lake in real time!
- Utah Open Water Data: A page put out by the Utah Division of Natural Resources that records state water use for the municipal and agricultural sectors.
- Utah Division of Water Resources: Programs to Conserve Water
Reducing Waste
- Momentum Recycling: A zero waste company dedicated to helping Utahn’s reduce waste. They have done glass recycling and recently piloted residential food scrap collection as well. Check them out!
- Hello! Bulk Markets: Local refillery. Bring your own containers and purchase anything from laundry soap to spices, bulk foods, olive oil and more. Local eggs and locally made treats are also available. Two locations in SLC.
- WinCo Foods: For those looking to buy in bulk and also save a penny or two, Winco actually has an outstanding bulk section. While they have plastic bags available, bring your own produce/bulk bags to minimize waste. Multiple locations regionally. (Beware that some “bulk” items like candy are just emptied from lots of smaller bags.)
- The Garment Clinic: Hole in your clothes? Not skilled at sewing? Rather than tossing in the landfill, consider taking damaged clothing to the Garment Clinic for a patch up and get a second life out of it. They’re also excellent for alterations and creative projects.
- Dyper: For my parents out there, Salt Lake City is one of the 20 metro areas that enable compostable diapering through Dyper! If you want to be more sustainable about diapering small children but can’t always manage cloth diapers, Dyper offers compostable diapers, wipes and trash bags that can be picked up on a bi-weekly basis. Check it out!
- Kid to Kid: Another note for the parents. Second hand kids clothing is not only sustainable but incredibly affordable. Save a ton of money on kids clothes that they will all-too-quickly grow out of. Lots of gently used and adorable stuff. (They also have many other toys and kids items!)
Commuting
- Biking
- Here is a link to maps for bike and multi-use pathways in Salt Lake City and County.
- Have you heard about the new Salt Lake eBike incentive? Apply for a discount voucher for a Magnum eBike if you are a Salt Lake resident!
- The Green Loop plans will hopefully continue to make Salt Lake more bike friendly and provide some enjoyable ways to be outside!
- Public Transit
- Did you know that students and employees at the University of Utah can ride Utah Public Transit for free? All you need is your University ID! (I believe the same is also true for students of other universities in the area.)
Advocacy
If you want to be more involved in the life of our city and state, here are some resources to help you do that:
- Department of Environmental Quality: A landing page for ongoing issues, proposals, updates, things open for comment related to environmental issues in Utah.
- Division of Air Quality: Lists current proposals open for comment in Utah that relate to air quality. Submit comments on issues that matter to you.
- Division of Water Quality: Lists current proposals open for comment in Utah that relate to water quality. Submit comments on issues that matter to you.
- Identify your state senator or representative: Never underestimate the importance of personal communication with our representatives. In my experience, they care about your feedback, especially if you’ve taken the time to write a personal and well-reasoned letter.
Christy Clutter, PhD 