SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH (March 16, 2018) – The 2018 Clear the Air Challenge has wrapped up and the first winter-time Challenge was a huge success. The Salt Lake Chamber, along with its partners TravelWise and UCAIR, are excited to release the final results of the 2018 Clear the Air Challenge.
The Clear the Air Challenge is a month-long initiative that encourages Utah residents to drive less and drive smarter during the month of February. Participants help improve air quality by avoiding trips alone in their car and using alternative modes of transportation such as carpooling, taking public transit, walking, biking or trip chaining.
For the first time in its 9-year history, the 2018 Challenge was held in the month of February to draw attention to individuals and teams who make a difference for our air by creating new commuting habits and changing their individual behavior during a time when air quality is visibly at its worst.
“The Clear the Air Challenge shows us that small individual changes can, and do, make a difference to Utah’s air quality,” said Lane Beattie, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber. “Doing our part to clear the air isn’t just about our quality of life, it’s about the quality of life of our children and grandchildren. We are encouraged that so many businesses and individuals are taking responsibility and have taken actions towards clearing up our air and creating a better future for all Utahns.”
Collectively, this year’s participants eliminated 89,076 trips, saved 1,427,134 miles, 368.1 tons of CO2 and $423,388 dollars, and burned 2,120,838 calories in just 28 days.
“We at UCAIR continue to be optimistic with the way our business community comes together to find solutions related to air quality,” said Thom Carter, Executive Director of UCAIR. “With the amount of participation this year, it is clear that our business leaders are looking inward and finding ways to work within their organizations to have the best long term effect on our air. In our efforts to clear the air there are no perfect answers, but there are practical solutions; everyone that participated in the Clear the Air Challenge now knows how easy it is to find a practical solution that works for them.”
Top Large Teams:
- University of Utah
- Utah Transit Authority
- Fidelity Investments
- Salt Lake City Corporation
- Weber-Morgan Residents
Top Small Teams
- Enterprise Rent-A-Car
- Utah Department of Environmental Quality
- Weber-Morgan Health Department
- Management & Training Corporation
- HEAL Utah
Top Users
- Clayton Price
- Soren Simonsen
- Megan Price
- Spencer Hancock
- Stephen Rufus
ABOUT THE CLEAR THE AIR CHALLENGE
The Clear the Air Challenge, issued by business, government and community leaders, is a month-long competition 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 TravelWise, UCAIR and the Salt Lake Chamber.
ABOUT THE SALT LAKE CHAMBER
The Salt Lake Chamber is Utah’s largest and longest-standing business association. A statewide chamber of commerce with members in all 29 Utah counties, the Chamber represents the broad interests of the state’s 63,000- plus employers, which employ more than 1.4 million Utahns. This includes thousands of Chamber members and their employees. With roots that date back to 1887, the Chamber stands as the voice of business, supports its members’ success and champions community prosperity.
ABOUT UCAIR
UCAIR is a statewide clean air partnership designed to bring communities together with one goal in mind – improving Utah’s air. For more information about UCAIR, including details about partnership and grant opportunities, visit UCAIR.org.
